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One of the surest signs of summer is here: yes, the schedule for the 2017 SummerStage festival has arrived. This year, the free music series will present more than 100 shows in 16 parks across all five boroughs. R&B icon Mavis Staples opens the season at Central Park on June 3 with support from blues-folk singer Toshi Reagon. Shortly after that, SummerStage brings tireless funk master George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic to Flushing Meadows–Corona Park on June 11.
This year’s festival celebrates a number of NYC-bred genres, including a significant number of local hip-hop heroes, such as Diplomats member Jim Jones (August 19), Bronx MC KRS-One (June 25), influential storyteller Slick Rick the Ruler (July 7), Queens duo Capone-N-Noreaga (July 16) and Brooklyn wordsmith MC Lyte (July 30). Other genres represented include salsa (Frankie Negrón), boogaloo (Joe Bataan) and freestyle (Judy Torres, Lisa Lisa).
Its yearly Charlie Parker Jazz Festival visits Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park with Joshua Redman Quartet, Lou Donaldson, Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science, Anat Cohen Tentet and more. And there’s more jazz too, with Robert Glasper playing Central Park on June 25 (as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival) and the godfather of Ethiopian jazz Mulatu Astatke playing Central Park on August 20.
Soul fans will want to make sure to catch Bilal at Marcus Garvey Park on August 16 and R&B-pop singer Khalid at East River Park on August 12. For indie rock fans, the pickings are rather slim but you could do worse than NYC vets Yo La Tengo with Ultimate Painting at Central Park on July 17.
There's also a handful of non-free benefit shows happening in the park, which include Gov’t Mule (May 17), Elvis Costello & The Imposters (June 15), PJ Harvey (July 19) and Regina Spektor (July 27).
See the full schedule below, or visit summerstage.org.
SummerStage 2017 Full Calendar
June 3 at 7pm
Mavis Staples / Toshi Reagon at Central Park
June 11 at 5pm
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic / Main Source / DJ Marley Marl hosted by Roxanne Shante at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park
June 12 at 8pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series at Central Park
June 14 at 7pm
Yiddish Soul: Klezmatics / Zusha / Maccabeats / Cantors Chaim David Berson and Yanky Lemmer with host Nachum Segal at Central Park
June 14 at 7pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series at Brooklyn Bridge Park
June 17 at 7pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series at Clove Lakes Park
June 17 at 7pm
Laura Mvula / Taylor McFerrin & Marcus Gilmore / Blue Lab Beats in association with Jill Newman Productions and The Blue Note Jazz Festival at Central Park
June 17 at 7pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series at Crotona Park
June 21 at 7pm
Digable Planets at Coffey Park
June 21 at 6pm
Fête de la Musique: Wax Tailor / Her / Ayo / Ala.Ni at Central Park
June 22 at 7pm
Margaret Glaspy / Alexander F at Coffey Park
June 23 at 7pm
Just Blaze in association with Meanred at Coffey Park
June 23 at 7pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series at Socrates Sculpture Park
June 24 at 5pm
Denzel Curry in association with Move Forward Music at Coffey Park
June 24 at 6pm
The Gift / Dead Combo / Sofia Ribeiro in association with Arte Institute at Central Park
June 24 at 7pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series at Jackie Robinson Park
June 25 at 3pm
Robert Glasper / Phony Ppl / Tank and The Bangas presented by the Blue Note Jazz Festival at Central Park
June 25 at 5pm
KRS-One / DJ Chuck Chillout at Coffey Park
June 26 at 6pm
Korea GAYOJE: Year of the Ox / SsingSsing / Coreyah in association with the Korean Cultural Center New York at Central Park
June 28 at 7pm
Rare Essence with special guest DJ Kool / Felix Hernandez Rythm Revue at Betsy Head Park
June 28 at 6pm
Freedom Party NYC at Central Park
June 29 at 7pm
Vivian Green / Music with a Message / GrandWizzard Theodore at Betsy Head Park
June 30 at 7pm
Ginuwine / Boogie Blind at Betsy Head Park
July 1 at 7pm
Everyday People at Betsy Head Park
July 1 at 6pm
Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks with Catherine Russell / Tatiana Eva-Marie & the Avalon Jazz Band / Aurora Nealand & The Royal Roses presented by the French Embassy in association with New York Hot Jazz Festival at Central Park
July 2 at 7pm
Bob Moses / Poolside in association with Meanred at Central Park
July 2 at 5pm
DJ Premier and Friends in association with Lyricist Lounge 25th Anniversary Series at Betsy Head Park
July 5 at 8pm
Just Sole! Street Dance Theater Company / Pretty BIG Movement at Springfield Park
July 6 at 7pm
Mobile Mondays! Funkin with Jamaica w. Tom Browne at Springfield Park
July 7 at 7pm
Slick Rick the Ruler / GrandWizzard Theodore at Springfield Park
July 8 at 7pm
Totó La Momposina / Mariachi Flor de Toloache at Central Park
July 8 at 5pm
The Jimmy Heath Big Band at Springfield Park
July 9 at 7pm
Buffy Sainte-Marie / A Tribe Called Red / Iskwé at Central Park
July 9 at 5pm
Ohio Players / Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue at Springfield Park
July 10 at 8pm
UCB All Stars feat. Sasheer Zamata at Central Park
July 12 at 8pm
Ladies of Hip Hop at Queensbridge Park
July 12 at 6pm
Mon Laferte / Princess Nokia / ÌFÉ in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference at Central Park
July 13 at 7pm
Judy Torres / Cynthia at Queensbridge Park
July 14 at 7pm
Mr. Cheeks / Large Professor at Queensbridge Park
July 15 at 5pm
The Legendary Ladies of SKYY / Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue at Queensbridge Park
July 15 at 3pm
Los Pericos / Chicano Batman / La Vida Bohéme in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference at Central Park
July 16 at 5pm
Capone-N-Noreaga in association with Lyricist Lounge 25th Anniversary Series at Queensbridge Park
July 16 at 3pm
Fela Tribute with Roy Ayers, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 / Underground System / Rich Medina in association with Giant Step at Central Park
July 17 at 7pm
Yo La Tengo / Ultimate Painting at Central Park
July 19 at 7pm
TKA at Corporal Thompson Park
July 20 at 7pm
Lisette Melendez at Corporal Thompson Park
July 21 at 7pm
Joe Bataan / Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue at Corporal Thompson Park
July 22 at 5pm
The Budos Band at Corporal Thompson Park
July 23at 5pm
GZA in association with Lyricist Lounge 25th Anniversary Series at Corporal Thompson Park
July 26 at 8pm
BalletX / YY Dance Company at Central Park
July 26 at 7pm
The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit: Star-Crossed (Los Desdichados) at St. Mary's Park
July 27 at 8pm
SummerStage in association with BAAD! present: Made in the Bronx at St. Mary's Park
July 28 at 7pm
La India at St. Mary's Park
July 29 at 5pm
Frankie Negrón at St. Mary's Park
July 29 at 7pm
Taiwanese Waves: Fire Ex / Dadado Huang + Berry j / Sangpuy at Central Park
July 30 at 5pm
Lisa Lisa / Marlon B at St. Mary's Park
July 30 at 3pm
Rock Steady Crew 40th Anniversary featuring MC Lyte at Central Park
August 2 at 8pm
Rennie Harris Puremovement / Philadanco! at Central Park
August 2 at 7pm
Ultimate Break and Beats Anniversary / BreakBeat Lou / SPECIAL ED / Camp Lo / hosted by Lord Finesse at Crotona Park
August 3 at 7pm
A Bronx Tale at Crotona Park
August 4 at 7pm
Stevie B / Ted Smooth at Crotona Park
August 5 at 5pm
Kid Capri's Block Party Live at Crotona Park
August 5 at 7pm
Elza Soares / Liniker e os Caramelows / Teleseen DJ Set in association with Brasil Summerfest at Central Park
August 6 at 3pm
Basement Bhangra 20th Anniversary: Apache Indian / Panjabi MC / DJ Rekha / Madame Gandhi / Anik Khan / Horsepowar / Sikh Knowledge / DJ Petra / DJ Shilpa at Central Park
August 6 at 5pm
Jadakiss at Crotona Park
August 9 at 8pm
Malposo Dance Company / Daymé Arocena / Nickodemus at Central Park
August 9 at 7pm
Nuyorican Poets Cafe: Stacyann Chin / Ntozake Shange / Sarah Kay at East River Park
August 10 at 7pm
Stefanie Batten Bland with Burnt Sugar at East River Park
August 11 at 7pm
Andy Montañez at East River Park
August 12 at 5pm
Khalid at East River Park
August 12 at 3pm
Family Day: They Might Be Giants: Kids, Science, and Beyond / Bill Childs of Spare Rock, Spoil the Child Radio at Central Park
August 13 at 5pm
Funkbox in the Park: Tony Touch / Danny Krivit / Jellybean Benitez / D-Train / honoring Evelyn Santos at East River Park
August 13 at 5pm
Taj Mo: The Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' Band / Jontavious Willis at Central Park
August 15 at 7pm
Stew and The Negro Problem at Marcus Garvey Park
August 16 at 8pm
Lincoln Center at the Movies: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in association with Dance Films Association at Central Park
August 16 at 7pm
Bilal in association with Jill Newman Productions at Marcus Garvey Park
August 17 at 7pm
Step Afrika! at Marcus Garvey Park
August 19 at 5pm
Jim Jones at Marcus Garvey Park
August 20 at 5pm
Def Poets: A Reunion feat. Ursula Rucker, Jessica Care Moore, Mums, Steve Colman, Vanessa Hidary, Bonafide Rojas, Toni Blackman hosted by Asha Bandele in association with Manifesto at Marcus Garvey Park
August 20 at 6pm
Mulatu Astatke / Emel Mathlouthi / Alsarah & the Nubatones / DJ Sirak at Central Park
August 24 at 7pm
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Jason Samuels Smith's Chasin' The Bird Remixed at Marcus Garvey Park
August 25 at 6pm
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Anat Cohen Tentet at Marcus Garvey Park
August 26 at 3pm
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Lee Konitz Quartet / Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science / Louis Hayes / Charenee Wade at Marcus Garvey Park
August 27 at 3pm
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Joshua Redman Quartet / Lou Donaldson / Tia Fuller / Alicia Olatuja at Tompkins Square Park
August 27 at 6pm
Valerie June / Aloysious 3 / Jalen N'Gonda at Central Park
