SummerStage Concert Series Launches in NYC with Diverse Lineup

New York City’s SummerStage concert series kicks off Wednesday evening in Central Park, promising an exciting lineup for music lovers.

Headlining the opening night at 6 p.m. is Marcus Miller, a Grammy-winning jazz bassist, who will share the stage with Tank and the Bangas and The Soul Rebels, bringing the sounds of New Orleans jazz to life. Gates open at 5 p.m. at Rumsey Playfield.

This outdoor arts festival spans the entire summer, taking place in Central Park and 13 additional parks across all five boroughs. Over 70 performances are scheduled, showcasing genres such as salsa, jazz, hip-hop, indie-rock, dance, opera, pop, and soul.

City Parks Foundation Executive Director Heather Lubov highlighted some of the notable acts: "You can see the Roots in Queens, that's going to be really great. Big Freedia is going to be in Brooklyn. Lettuce, that's a jazzy, funky band, is going to be in Coney Island. We have Rakim, who's going to be performing on Staten Island. So there's a huge number of artists," she stated.

In addition to well-known performers, the festival aims to spotlight emerging talent. "We're doing a number of showcases, particularly in Central Park. We have Aussie Day, which features a lot of up-and-coming singer-songwriters from Australia. We have Canada Day, which is similar. Mike's Young World, which is a hip-hop festival in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn. It's going to feature local artists from the community," Lubov explained.

This marks the 39th season of SummerStage. For more details about the full schedule and performances, visit their online brochure.