With Broadway back in full force, the cultural and arts scene in New York City is also returning with free outdoor performances this summer. If you’re looking to venture to the city on a budget, here are three free performances to add to your list:
“Backyard at Hudson Yards”
“Backyard at Hudson Yards presented by Wells Fargo” is a new, free 10-week summer concert series. You can expect live sports games, movie nights playing on a 30-foot big screen, fitness classes by SoulCycle, and rotating food trucks along with live outdoor concerts programmed by The Bowery Presents. Lineups will be announced in the coming weeks. The free concerts will take place every Wednesday at 6 p.m. for 10 weeks from June 1 to August 3 in the Public Square & Gardens.
NY Philharmonic’s Free Outdoor Park Concerts
After two years of cancellation due to the pandemic, the New York Philharmonic‘s free outdoor park concerts are making a return to NYC throughout the week of June 14th. Since 1965, the performances stretch across all five boroughs, with four outdoor performances and one indoor. Locations include Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Central Park in Manhattan, Cunningham Park in Queens, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and St. George Theatre in Staten Island.
Extended Season of Shakespeare in the Park|
Every summer, the Public Theater produces Shakespeare in the Park, presented at the open-air Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Created by the late Joseph Papp in 1962, the annual tradition presents large-scale productions of works by William Shakespeare along with the occasional musical or non-Shakespearean drama. Shakespeare in the Park’s 2022 season will run from June 17 through September 11, with free performances Monday-Saturday at 8 pm. The season will feature a new production of Richard III as well as a musical adaptation of As You Like It.
Also making a return after a three-year hiatus due to COVID is American Ballet Theatre, which is known for epic performances by its accomplished ballet dancers. ABT’s performative works include classics like Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote, while also welcoming new pieces such as Of Love and Rage. Head to the ABT website for more info and ticket prices.
