NYC's best summer music festivals of 2025

This year's Gov Ball is set to take place from June 6 to 8. Festival alumnus Tyler, The Creator will kick things off on Friday night alongside a slew of other acts, including Benson Boone, The Beaches, Tyla and T-Pain.

Pop star Olivia Rodrigo is set to be the headliner on Saturday, when the likes of Feid, Glasshouse, Marina and The Garden will also perform. Irish singer-songwriter Hozier will then wrap it all up on Sunday night. Glass Animals, Mt. Joy, Mark Ambor and Snow Wife are only some of the other artists scheduled to take the stage on the last day of the festival. 

Venue: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Dates: June 6–8
Cost: Starting $179

Some really fire artists are performing during Pride weekend this year. Both Cardi B and FKA Twigs will headline the iconic Ladyland festival under the K Bridge in June, and we could not be more hyped.

Representing the Bronx on Friday, June 27, Cardi B will be joined by Cobrah, Danny Tenaglia, Sukihana, DJ sets by Hercules and Love Affair, among many others, while FKA Twigs will present songs from her Eusexua tour with support from Pabllo Vittar, Boris, Eartheater, VTSS, Isabella Lovestory, Kevin Aviance and more on Saturday, June 28.

Venue: under the K Bridge
Date: June 28
Cost: Starting at $112

Since its humble beginnings at D.C.’s Union Market, All Things Go Music Festival has become one of the most anticipated events of late New York City summers. With lineups that predominantly feature queer artists, the event stands sturdy in its values. This year, the festival will return to Forest Hills Stadium and will take place from September 26 through September 28. See artists like Lucy Dacus, DJO, DOECHII, Remi Wolf, Clairo and The Marias, among many others.

Venue: Forest Hills Stadium
Date: September 26-28 
Cost: Starting at $89 for General Admission Bowl

Forest Hills Stadium 2025 concert lineup in Queens is looking pretty awesome—so you might want to add a lot of shows to your must-attend list. Among them include, Phish (July 22-23), Mumford & Sons (August 8-9), The Black Keys (August 13), Leon Bridges (September 4), Alabama Shakes (September 17), the All Things Go festival with Lucy Dacus, DJO, Doechii, Remi Wolf, Clairo and The Marias (September 26-28) and more. 

Dates: May 31–October 25
Costs: Various depending on the show and seat

One of our favorite festivals of the year is coming up, and we can't help but be stoked about their lineup on June 9. Grace Jones and Janelle Monae are actually performing side by side at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, just in time for Pride. This year's festival will take place at the Prospect Park Bandshell and the stars' performance will begin at 7pm, so expect good outdoor vibes while witnessing two of the greatest queer performers to ever grace this planet. BRIC! also has other shows on tap—the lineup is here.

Venue: Prospect Park's Lena Horne Bandshell
Dates: June 9–July 18
Cost: Various prices

Each year, SummerStage is one of the most anticipated free events of the summer, bringing dozens of free, outdoor concerts across different parks to sun-starved New Yorkers from May through October. To celebrate its 39th year, the festival is focusing on diversity and will showcase a mix of established and emerging artists and DJs playing an array of genres that include jazz, hip-hop, indie-rock, salsa, reggae, Afrobeats, soul, pop, global, contemporary dance and more. Highlights include Soccer Mommy, Marcus Miller, Morgan Freeman's Symphonic Blues Experience, Rilo Kiley, The Met Opera, James Blunt, Chris Tomlin and The Roots.

Venue: Parks across the city and at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park
Dates: June 4–October
Cost: Free unless otherwise noted.

Concerts, plays, dance shows, operas: These and more can be found on Little Island all summer long, whether at its 687-seat open-air amphitheater (the Amph), its smaller performance stage (the Glade) or at pop-up locations throughout the space. Performances have been part of Little Island's mission from the start, but the offerings have gotten more and more ambitious. Last year, the park upped its game to present a sold-out season of world premieres. Building on that success, Little Island has just announced its lineup for its 2025 season, which includes many new works by major artists. Many of the shows are free, and those that aren't cost just $25; to buy tickets to them, visit Little Island's ticketing page on TodayTix.  

Dates: May 29–September 28
Cost: Free or $25

Coming back to Brooklyn for its seventh iteration on Sunday, May 18 is Sound Mind Live's Music Festival for Mental Health. The event will take over the Brooklyn Paramount and feature music acts, comedy performances and panels that are sure to appeal to all New Yorkers who are really going through "it."

The event will kick off at 7pm and it will be hosted by comedian Jordan Carlos. Expect sets by psychedelic pop artist Børns, rock band American Authors, songwriter and activist MILCK and a spoken word segment by Hakeem Rahim.

The happening will also feature panels and discussions about mental health, social justice and community healing, including a live recording of the Sound Mind/Consequence podcast, Going there with Dr. Mike. There will also be an audience singing experience led by the Gaia Music Collective.

Venue: The Brooklyn Paramount
Date: May 18
Cost: Starting at $48

For the past 15 years, Boiler Room has done more to elevate DJing as an art form than arguably any other cultural institution. Head to the Brooklyn Mirage on July 11 or July 12 to enjoy what's sure to be an iconic lineup of A-list DJs, including Boys Noize, DJ Swisha, Juicy Romance, Soul Sugar and more.

Venue: The Brooklyn Mirage
Dates: July 11-12
Cost: $120

One of the best perks of living in New York City is having access to innumerable free events in our gorgeous parks. That’s why when Bryant Park Picnic Performances, presented by Bank of America announces its line-up, we get excited!

The park will have 25 live music, dance, and theater events that’ll occur May 31 to September 13, and it 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!

Dates: May 31–September 13
Cost: Free

The fourth annual festival brings more than 200 events to the city, nearly all of them free or pay-what-you-wish. Expect global dance parties, experimental opera, kids’ storytimes, jazz nights, pop-ups and tons more. This year’s programming also takes a deeper dive into international artistry than ever before. One major highlight: Brazil Week (July 16–30), a vibrant, two-week celebration of Brazilian culture. 

Dates: June 11–August 9
Cost: Mostly free or pay-what-you-wish

The Rooftop at Pier 17's much-anticipated summer concert series is back and will kick off on May 1 and 2 with a set by DJ Elderbrook. 

Throughout the summer, expect performances by Mayday Parade (May 28), JET (May 30), SiR (June 2), The Kooks (June 3), James Arthur (June 25), Barenaked Ladies with special guests Sugar Ray and Fastball (July 9), PRIMUS (July 21), Riley Green (July 24), The Fray (August 5), Voss Events Presents RuPaul’s Drag Race (August 28), Rilo Kiley (September 5), Sierra Ferrell (September 6), Kneecap (October 1 & 10), and many others.

Dates: May 1–October 10
Cost: Various prices