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Your guide to SummerStage 2025: Dates, headliners and where to go

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Published  April 23, 2025 3:26pm EDT
Central Park
FOX 5 NY

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 10: Fonseca performs onstage during the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Summerstage Event at Central Park on July 10, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy)

The Brief

    • SummerStage 2025 runs May 17–Oct. 9 with over 70 concerts across Central Park and 12 NYC neighborhood parks.
    • Nearly all shows are free, including performances by Femi Kuti, The Roots, Jessica Pratt, and Big Freedia.
    • Some shows are curated by artists and reflect the city’s cultural mix—from Ghanafest-NY in the Bronx to Blacktronika in Harlem.

NEW YORK - SummerStage is returning for its 39th year, filling parks across New York City with music, dancing, and good vibes. 

From May 17 to October 9, the festival will feature over 70 performances—from hip-hop and jazz to salsa and global sounds—spread across Central Park and a dozen neighborhood parks.

And the best part? Almost all of it’s free.

What we know:

SummerStage 2025 officially kicks off on Wednesday, June 4 in Central Park. 

Jazz bassist Marcus Miller will lead the celebration, joined by high-energy NPR Tiny Desk winners Tank and the Bangas and New Orleans brass favorites The Soul Rebels.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 10: A view of the audience during the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Summerstage Event at Central Park on July 10, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy)

The festival will once again include a mix of free shows and paid benefit concerts. Tickets for the benefit performances are sold via LiveNation, while free shows do not require reservations.

Notable shows and highlights

Some key performances on the SummerStage 2025 calendar include:

  • July 27 in Central Park: Afrobeat star Femi Kuti shares the stage with Dead Prez, Rich Medina, and poet Maryam Bukar Hassan.
  • June 25 in Central Park: Americana artist Rhiannon Giddens performs alongside Colombian-Canadian artist Lido Pimienta.
  • July 24: Jessica Pratt brings her haunting folk melodies to Central Park.
  • July 30: The Head and the Heart headline their Aperture Tour in Central Park.
  • August 9: A tribute to Cuban salsa icon Celia Cruz features Isaac Delgado, Aymee Nuviola, and Brenda Navarrete.
  • August 16-17: King Britt curates the Blacktronika Festival in Central Park and Marcus Garvey Park.
  • September 8: Indie icons Rilo Kiley reunite for a sold-out benefit show.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 05: A general view of atmosphere during "The Originals" show at 2023 Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage at Central Park on August 05, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Richard Bord/Getty Images)

Other artists performing throughout the season include Camilo, Big Freedia, Ballet Hispánico, The Roots, Awich, Jacob Collier, and more.

What's next:

Since its launch in the 1980s, SummerStage has become one of the city’s most-loved outdoor music traditions. Organized by the City Parks Foundation, the festival brings live performances to both Central Park and 12 neighborhood parks across NYC.

You can find the full schedule, venue details, and ticket links for paid shows at summerstage.org. If you’re going to a free show, no ticket or RSVP is required—just show up and enjoy.

Central ParkEntertainment