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Summer is right around the corner, and with it comes a cascade of concerts, festivals and street performances that make New York hum with great tunes. The arrival of good weather in the city is so entwined with groovy music, in fact, that Mayor de Blasio officially deemed June "New York Music Month."
A key part of the initiative is to remind New Yorkers that there are literally hundreds of free concerts across the city during June. From SummerStage to BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! to Northside Festival, there's hardly a reason why anyone should pay to see music in the city next month.
The mayor's office is also teaming up with local organizations to allow locals and tourists alike to explore the effects that music has had on the city's culture and geography. To that end, there will be walking tours of "music neighborhoods" throughout the month, offering in-depth and hands-on lessons on the history of hip-hop, salsa, rock and other genres in New York. There will also be free entrance to the Museum of the City of New York on Sunday, June 18 and gratis admission to the Rubin Museum on Saturday, June 24 so that audiophiles can explore the music-oriented exhibits that are on display at each institution.
Musicians will also be able to capitalize on the inaugural New York Music Month. A handful of spaces across the city will provide more than 2,000 hours of rehearsal time to musicians for free. Act quick, though—those slots are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There's a lot to unpack from the initiative, but if you want to relish in how amazing New York's music scene is, consider taking advantage of one of the events happening in June. You can explore the month's full schedule here to find out what makes sense for you.