NYC's best summer music festivals of 2024

May-October

The city’s most beloved free summer concert series is back with a stellar line-up featuring nearly 85 free and benefit shows in Central Park, plus neighborhood parks across the five boroughs.  

The 2024 SummerStage lineup includes T-Pain, Snail Mail, Madison Cunningham, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Metropolitan Opera, Counting Crows, Ghostface Killah, The Gaslight Anthem, Trixie Mattel and Amanda Lepore, and more.

This season is all about celebrating incredible music from around the world with artists like The Aussie BBQ, Colombian music star Fonseca and Spain’s captivating new flamenco singer Israel Fernández, Sidonie and the Balkan Paradise Orchestra.  

All shows are free except the benefit concerts. Here's the full schedule and ticket info.

May 4-October 26

A season of incredible shows is before us at Forest Hills Stadium for its 2024 season.

Expect a variety of genres on the stage, from EDM to rock to folk and lots more. Among the performers are Pitbull, Tiesto, Kings of Leon, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Avett Brothers, and The National with more to be announced.

Tickets are available through AXS; head to the Forest Hills Stadium website to make your purchase and find more information.

May 31-September 13

Bryant Park's Picnic Performances will bring the best of NYC to the stage, including the New York City Opera, Jalopy Theatre, Carnegie Hall, the Harlem Chamber Players, and the American Symphony Orchestra.

Best of all, all 25 performances are free and open to the public. Many performances will be livestreamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website in case you can’t make it in person.

The lineup includes The Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader Louis Cato; trumpeter Steven Bernstein playing the music of James Bond with Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra; the NYC premiere of Ghanaian highlife band Gyedu-Bly Ambolley; Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE dance company; South African world pop star Thandiswa Mazwai and many more.

May 4-October 12

The Rooftop at Pier 17 is planning a packed summer of musical performances with more than 60 outdoor shows. The panoramic views, the chill vibe, and the stellar acoustics make it a truly special spot to see a show. 

The sixth Summer Concert Series on The Rooftop at Pier 17 features more than 60 artists in genres from rap (Isaiah Rashad) to rock (Social Distortion) to electronic (Electric Callboy) and more. Plus, there are several bands on the roster that will make Millennials swoon with nostalgia (like Taking Back Sunday, Something Corporate, Two Door Cinema Club, and Mayday Parade). Get tickets here.  

June 7-June 9

The iconic summer music festival Governors Ball will return to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this summer with a major lineup. Headlining this year: Post Malone, Rauw Alejandro, The Killers, 21 Savage, SZA, and Peso Pluma. 

Tickets for the show, which runs Friday, June 7, through Sunday, June 9, are on sale here. More than 60 artists will perform at the festival, including Carly Rae Jepsen, Sabrina Carpenter, Sexxy Red, Labrinth, Farruko, Goth Babe, TV Girl, Doechi, Hippo Campus, and Victoria Monét.

Plus, the beloved Queens Night Market will bring a host of Night Market favorites to the 2024 festival as vendors, offering a true taste of Queens. 

May 11-12

Head in the Clouds, an epic music festival that highlights Asian-American talent, is coming back to New York City on May 11 and 12 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. 

This is the second time 88Rising, the recording company that represents top Asian artists like Joji and Keith Ape, is having its festival in New York following the success of last year’s event. Tickets for the festival start at $259.50.

Artists in this year’s lineup include the viral Internet girl group ATARASHII GAKKO!, R&B artist thuy, K-Pop group Young Posse, and many others. 

May 11

Abracadabra NYC, a huge outdoor party held over two stages is returning to the Industry City courtyard on Saturday, May 11. 

The festival is a collaboration between production company ZERO, Bushwick nightclub House of Yes and the all-women’s collective Abracadabra, teaming up to curate an impressive lineup of performances and special events. Abracadabra events tends to be pretty explosive and high energy, so prepare for long hours of amazing beats. Among the live musical acts will be electronic artist TSHA, Local Singles, Julia Sandstorm and sets by BLOND:ISH, a DJ who performed at this year’s Coachella.

The event will begin at 4pm and continue through midnight. Regular tickets start at $45, while VIP tickets will run $175 or more. You can get your tickets to the party right here.

May 18

Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health is the perfect example of an event that wants to get serious about mental health while still having fun, and it’s been going strong for several years. On Sunday, May 18, the festival is returning for its sixth year of celebrations that will include a free, open-air event in the streets of Brooklyn. 

The festival will take place on Jefferson Street between Irving Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick starting at 12pm, and will feature sets from musician Kevin Morby, MisterWives, Bailen and SHAED. House of Yes, the popular Bushwick nightclub located on the block, will host DJ sets and a dance party throughout the day.

June 19-August 7

Hudson Yards puts on a great series of free events for everyone, every summer.

This summer series called “Backyard at Hudson Yards Presented by Wells Fargo” is curated by The Bowery Presents and returns May 3 with huge acts like Keke Palmer, David Archuleta, Brynn Cartelli, Chayce Beckham, Ray Bull, and more.

A complete schedule of Backyard at Hudson Yards presented by Wells Fargo programming and events can be found at the Backyard at Hudson Yards page.