Bryant Park: A Perfect Picnic Performance Playground
Whether you live in New York City or you’re visiting, one of the best places to be this summer is Bryant Park. Among the park’s many activities, one of the most outstanding is Bryant Park Picnic Performances, a series of 25 free concerts featuring live music, theater and dance.
The season kicked off on May 30 with Electric Root, a group that blends gospel, soul, funk and Afrobeat, presenting The Sound of (Black) Music. This thrilling interpretation of the musical The Sound of Music is quite a tribute to Rogers and Hammerstein.
At each performance, vendors offer a variety of food and drink options that reflect New York City’s diversity. There are chairs for those who would like to sit and blankets for those who would like to lie on the lawn (or for those who are chilly despite the hot music).
photo by Fadi Kheir
These events make for a great date night or family night. At the performances, you can see couples picnicking on a blanket, kids playing frisbee or mothers bouncing babies on their knees. Everyone is surrounded by the magnificent New York City skyline.
photo by Ryan Muir
The lawn at Bryant Park opens at 5pm; performances begin at 7pm. For info visit Bryant Park. Here are upcoming performances.
CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Thurs, June 5 | Limón Dance Company, EMERGE125, KAŌS Dance Collective
Fri, June 6 | Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, Gibney Company , Syren Dance
Fri, June 13 | Doug Varone and Dancers and Kyle Marshall Choreography, LaneCoArts
JAZZMOBILE
Saturday June 14 at 7 PM – 8:30 | The Jimmy Heath Big Band with Music Director Antonio Hart, an evening of hard bop and swing from the Jimmy Heath Big Band.
EMERGING MUSIC FESTIVAL
Friday, June 20 | Folk Night: Why Bonnie, Tasha, Marem Ladson
Saturday, June 21 |Disiniblud Robber Robber, Sasha and the Valentines, and more TBA. The park‘s annual celebration of young indie, rock, folk, soul, and pop bands returns with seven groups over two nights, curated by AdHoc.
NEW YORK CITY OPERA
Thursday, June 26 | Opera Goes to Hollywood
Friday, June 27 | Opera Goes to Hollywood
Thursday, September 4 | Carmen
Friday, September 5 | Carmen
In June, stars of the New York City Opera stage, accompanied by the City Opera Orchestra led by Maestro Constantine Orbelian, recreate your favorite operatic movie moments.
New York City Opera returns in September to perform a fully staged version of the beloved Bizet classic, Carmen. Glorious melodies bring to life the story of the tempestuous yet irresistible seductress Carmen and her hapless lover Don José in one of the most famous operas of all time.
NEW YORK GUITAR FESTIVAL
Thursday, July 3 | Pedro Cortes Flamenco, Big Lazy, Marel Hidalgo
Friday, July 4 | Louis Cato, Jackie Venson, Jontavious Willis, celebrating American blues traditions in a special concert for America’s birthday.
CARNEGIE HALL CITYWIDE
Friday, July 11 | The Knights with Julian Labro
Friday July 18 | La Excelencia
Friday July 25 | Cécile McLorin Salvant
Friday August 1 | Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band
Friday August 8 | Dez Duron
WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE
Friday August 15 at 7 PM – 9:00 PM | Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East + Gamelan Dharma Swara
NEW YORK CITY CIRCUS FESTIVAL
Saturday August 16 | Sxip Shirey Sound Action Ensemble, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, ABCirque, Hybrid Movement Co., Dzul Dance, Company 29 and Minty Fresh Circus
The park’s first-ever circus festival is a love letter to New York City’s groundbreaking circus artists showcasing soaring aerial performances, acrobatics, clowning, a giant Rolly apparatus, and more!
BELONGÓ
Friday, August 22 | Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
To celebrate the 400th birthday of NYC, 8-time Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill leads an orchestral retrospective of NYC big band music.
ACCORDIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Friday, August 29 | featuring Livia Mattos from Brazil, among others
THE TOWN HALL
Saturday, August 30 | New York Loves Sly! Feat. Steven Bernstein
AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Friday September 12 | New York Profile
Showcases five American composers who lived and worked in New York, whose scores reflect the diverse musical styles of the mid – 20th century and celebrate their lasting influence on both the city and American music.
