Free Outdoor Summer Concerts for Kids in New York City

Have a blast at the Locomotive Lawn where Moosiki Kids gets kiddos excited about reading through musical performances and sing-alongs. This is great for kid 5 years and under where they can sing and dance on the comfy turf right by the big locomotive.

Date: June 13

Time: 10:30 – 11:15 am

Where: Locomotive Lawn at 61st Street

Feel the rhythms of the drums at Hip Pickles drumming performance! Bring the family along to this interactive event where they will be fully immersed in the sounds of the drums!

Date: June 13

Time: 6-7 pm

Location: My Buddy’ Monument in Forest Park ,Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue Queens

Get ready for 11 weeks of family-friendly concerts beneath the Manhattan Bridge Archway! Concerts are held on Thursdays and packed with interactive performances, puppet shows, kids’ fashion shows and more!

Date: June 13- August 29

Time: 5:30 pm

Location: Archway Under Manhattan Bridge (80 Pearl St #58, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

Have an eventful lunch with Lunchtime JAZZ! Grab your favorite food and listen to fun tunes from The New School for Jazz. Come to this special performance as the artists place your favorite soundtrack while you fuel up and enjoy the park’s beauty.

Date: June 13- August 8, Thursdays

Time: 12 pm

Location: West Side Seating Area at 16th Street

Summer in New York City means endless concerts in the parks. Bring the family to the park and grab your spot to hear the famous New York Philharmonic musical group that will be performing in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

Date: June 14

Time: 8 pm

Location: Long Meadow Ballfields, Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Join the biggest family dance party of the year with DJ Rich Medina and other talents like Shareef Keyes & the Groove. See their captivating performances with high energy and all. Get your feet moving and have a fun-filled time!

Date: June 15

Time: 2 pm Gates / 3  pm show

Location: Prospect Park Bandshell 9th Street & Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Musicians from  Scandia Symphony will be performing live for young audiences with stuffed animals as they keep your kiddos fully entertained. Children will get to be involved in engaging musical performances and learn what instruments the musicians are playing. They will also get to participate in fun activities and explore their curiosity with new instruments at the end of the program.

Date: June 15

Time: 2-3pm

Location: Anne Loftus Playground

Celebrate Summer Scandinavian Music Festival for their 15th annual music extravaganza at Washington Heights. Enjoy the outdoor music with performances by Frank Foerster, Niels W. Gade, Johan Helmich Roman, and Svend S. Schultz. Grab your spot on the lawn and relax with these afternoon tunes.

Date: June 16

Time: 2-3:30 pm

Location: Billings Lawn in Fort Tryon Park, Manhattan

Come and experience the Met’s Summer Recital Series that’s returning to Socrates for the ninth season! Enjoy the sweet sounds of Met opera singers performing arias and duets. Space is limited so get there early. Picnic blankets are encouraged.

Date: June 17

Time: 7-8:30 pm

Location: Socrates Sculpture Park

You’ve got a standing playdate in the park with magical and musical mornings. Bring the kids to energetic performances just for them that are educational, interactive, and fun. They will be sure to have a rocking time with new friends and fun music.

Date: Jun 21 – Anza’s Spanish Sing-Along, in partnership with Busy Bodies Brooklyn, Jul 12 – Moozika!

Time: 10-11 am

Location: Crispus Attucks Playground

Celebrate the longest day of the year with song and dance at the Summer Solstice and Beach Walk. Listen to the Staten Island Snugs, a five-member, four-part harmony outfit, as they play songs from the Beatles, classic rock, folk, blues, and even some tin pan alley. After the musical fun, tag along for a narrated guided walking tour along the shoreline and enjoy the solstice.

Date: June 21

Time: 6:30-9pm

Location: Great Lawn in Conference House Park Staten Island

Make Music New York is a nonprofit that celebrates the musician in all of us. They pride themselves in making music for the people and by the people. Join the musical scene by coming together with the community and get energized with new tunes and rhythms.

Date: June 21

Time: All day

Location: Citywide

Have a jazzy time with Brandon Tyler for a free jazz performance in the park. Join Brandon Tyler, a musician, vocalist, and lyricist, as he focuses his music in R&B from inspiration from other soulful musicians, his everyday life, and nature.

Date: June 21

Time: 1-2:30 pm

Location: Andrew Haswell Green Park

No need to go to Broadway to see the iconic theatrical performances. Broadway in the Boros allows you to be fully immersed in the action with Be More Chill and The Prom. Don’t miss out on these free summer performances!

Date: June 28

Time: 12-1 pm

Location: 77th Street & 37th Road, Jackson Heights

Hudson RiverKids is bringing Sweetbeatz for an interactive musical performance for your little ones. Join the fun with Meredith, artist, vocalist, and early childhood teacher as she leads everyone in song! Recommended for ages up to 6 years old.

Date: July 1 & September 5

Time: 4-4:45 pm

Location: Mondays, Pier 25 at N. Moore St. & Thursdays, Pier 62 at W. 22 St.

Join the pianist and composer Chris Whitaker for fresh jazz tunes. Enjoy the smooth sounds of jazz as Chris, director of the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra and music at Fort Washington Collegiate Church, performs with two talented jazz musicians, bassist Sam Weber and drummer Jay Sawyer.

Date: July 7

Time: 5-6pm

Location: Roger Morris Park

Kids can head to Madison Square Park every Wednesday for an interactive concert series on the South Gravel from July 10- August 14. Come along with an adult to sing, clap, dance, and jump to latest music for children.  Come rain or shine. Michael & The Rockness Monsters (July 10), Suzi Shelton (July 17), Jazzy Ash & The Leaping Lizards (July 24), Father Goose (July 31), The Not-Its! (August 7), & Justin Roberts (August 14).

Date: July 10-August 14

Time: 9:30-10:30 am

Location: Madison Square Park

For their second annual show, Socrates partners with pioneering VJ/DJ Ralph McDaniels, founder and host of Video Music Box and Hip Hop Coordinator at the Queens Library. They will be celebrating the positive impact of the hip hop culture and how it has evolved over time. Don’t miss out on the DJs, dance performances, art-making, and local legends.

Date: July 13

Time: 3-7 pm

Location: Socrates Sculpture Park

SummerStage Family Day is featuring two grand bands this summer! First, they are bringing in blue-grass tunes played by Railroad Earth where you’ll get to hear a tinge of folk, Celtic, jazz, and rock. You will also get to hear the band Ranky Tanky, a southern jazz band that celebrates Gullah music, created by the descendants of enslaved Africans in the southeastern U.S.’ Lowcountry region.

Date: July 14

Time: 3:30-7 pm

Location: SummerStage, Central Park, Rumsey Playfield, Manhattan, 10021

Listen to the tunes of Astrograss this summer with their free outdoor concert! They invite children of all ages and their caretakers to take part in this swaying time with the whole family. What are you waiting for? Grab your blanket and head to the Grove for a musical time!

Date: July 24

Time: 10-11 am

Where: Fort Greene Park Conservancy

Accordions Around the World is a weekly summer series featuring accordionists as well as bandoneon, bayan, concertina, and harmonium-players of different musical genres. Get the chance to hear music from around the world that you probably have never heard before. Set up your picnic under the shade and relax to some accordion tunes.

Date: July 24 – August 14

Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm

Location: Bryant Park

Mardi Gras vibes are coming to Bryant Park with loads of tradition and vibrant street music. Listen to Cha Wa’s funky beats and lead singer J’Wan Boudreaux’s incredible vocals. See how Cha Wa honors the tradition of the Mardi Gra with rhythmic foot stomping and dance — great for the entire family!

Date: July 26

Time: 6 pm

Location: Bryant Park

Whether you are a fan or not, you probably know his songs. Celebrate Elton John by coming to this musical tribute that recognizes his iconic and timeless music. Sing along and have a great time with his classics.

Date: August 8

Time: 7:30- 9 pm

Location: George Seuffert Bandshell in Forest Park Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive

Join Matuto, Eileen Ivers, and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas as they blend folk music of Brazil with American bluegrass tunes. This lively quartet takes you on a musical journey with guitars, fiddles, and more!

Date: August 9

Time: 6-10pm

Location: Bryant Park

Gather at Bryant Park on the lawn where you will have a great time jamming to New York’s best new music, including indie rock, soul, R&B, singer-songwriter, and more. Listen to eight, up-and-coming bands while you also get to have fun with lawn games, juggling, and have a bite from local food vendors.

Date: August 23-24

Time: 6 pm

Location: Bryant Park

This free outdoor musical festival celebrates music, community, and culture. Along with the music, this event also highlights the importance of local organizations that provide music and art programs to children and families. Make sure to not miss out and head over to have a fun-filled time with salsa, hip hop, funk, R&B, reggeaton, rock, jazz, and so much more!

Date: August 31

Time: 2-6 pm

Location: Tompkins Square Park