Is there any place that does summer as well as New York? From giant flea markets to outdoor cinema screenings, every year the city hosts an array of free and ticketed events to entertain its notoriously discerning inhabitants.

Central Park’s SummerStage concert series has to be one of the best annual events in New York. From June to August, a small playing field normally used for school sports transforms into one of the city’s coolest music venues. Picture the legendary Bowery Ballroom transplanted into a forest clearing and you’ve pretty much got the right image.

The stage doesn’t just have an awesome setting – it’s got pedigree, too. David Bowie, Patti Smith and Sonic Youth have all graced it, and more recently the likes of Arctic Monkeys, The Flaming Lips and The Black Keys have all performed here.

Most of the scheduled shows are free, but every year, a handful of performances from higher profile artists are ticketed. There are 10 shows left this summer (two of which are ticketed). Check out this listing from the excellent NYC music blog BrooklynVegan to see if any take your fancy.

If you’re heading to one of the free shows, turn up well before the start time to avoid the inevitable one-in-one-out line.

Rumsey Playfield is located right off 5th Avenue and 72nd Street. Take the entrance to the Park at 69th and 5th and walk west.

Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…

(Image: sistertothesun)

Brett Ackroyd (567 Posts)

Travel writer for Hg2 | A Hedonist's guide to...™ and contributor to Cheapflights Travel Blogs.

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