Summer in the city isn’t over quite yet, New Yorkers!
Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is heading into the final stretch of its milestone 40th anniversary season, and September’s lineup is stacked.
From September 2 through October 1, Rumsey Playfield in Central Park will host an incredible mix of free outdoor performances and star-studded ticketed benefit concerts before officially wrapping up the 2026 season.
Whether you want to catch GRAMMY winners for free or see legendary artists under the stars, here is what you need to know about the final shows.
Unmissable free shows taking over Central Park
Source / SummerStage NYC
You don’t need to spend a dime to enjoy world-class live music in the park this month. Here are the free shows hitting the SummerStage stage:
September 2: Six-time GRAMMY winner Samara Joy and 11-time GRAMMY winner Christian McBride celebrate Verve’s 70th Anniversary, alongside Mei Semones & Friends performing music from Getz/Gilberto.
September 17: New York Sings Yiddish: Passing the Torch to a New Generation, a vibrant celebration featuring rising stars, klezmer beats, and hosts from YidLife Crisis.
September 22: Music for Action, a special Climate Week NYC concert from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM featuring multi-platinum rock band Young the Giant and alt-pop favorites St. Lucia.
Big-name benefit concerts to close out the season
If you want to catch some of the biggest touring acts in music right now, SummerStage is also hosting a lineup of ticketed benefit concerts (which help support free park programming across all five boroughs):
September 12: Marcus King Band with Penelope Road
September 13: Young Thug and NAV
September 15: Legendary composer Danny Elfman
September 18: Yeat with Glokk40Spaz (Sold Out)
September 23: Of Monsters and Men with August Ponthier
October 1: Charley Crockett with Durand Jones and the Indications (the official season finale!)
What to know before you go
📍 SummerStage Mainstage at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (enter at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue).
📅 September 2 – October 1, 2026.
🎟️ Free shows are first-come, first-served. For ticketed benefit shows and full scheduling updates, head directly to the SummerStage official website.