Summer is almost here, and that means there will be plenty going on in the five boroughs.
From the reopening of public pools and beaches to the return of outdoor concerts, here’s what you need to know to plan your summer in the city.
Beaches
The city maintains 14 miles of beaches. They open for swimming on Memorial Day weekend, beginning Saturday, May 23, and stay open through Sept. 13.
Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Swimming is prohibited when lifeguards are not on duty, as well as in closed sections, which are marked.
All city beaches are free and open to the public.
Cedar Grove Beach (At Ebbitts Street and Cedar Grove Avenue on Staten Island)
Coney Island and Brighton Beach (From West 37th Street to Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn)
Manhattan Beach (Oriental Boulevard, from Ocean Avenue to Mackenzie Street in Brooklyn)
Midland Beach and Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk (From Fort Wadsworth to Miller Field on Staten Island)
South Beach (From Fort Wadsworth to Miller Field on Staten Island)
Orchard Beach and Promenade (In Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx)
Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk (From Beach 9th Street to Beach 149th Street in Queens)
Wolfe’s Pond Beach (From Holton Avenue to Cornelia Avenue on Staten Island)
Public pools
The city’s outdoor public pools reopen for the season on Saturday, June 27. They will be open daily from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., with a break for pool cleaning between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Swimsuits are required to enter the pool area, according to the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Coverups are permitted, but only white T-shirts are allowed inside pool areas. Free sunscreen is provided across all five boroughs.
Bronx
Claremont Pool (170th Street and Clay Avenue)
Crotona Pool (173rd Street and Fulton Avenue)
Edenwald Houses Pool (Schieffelin Avenue and East 229th Street)
Floating Pool (Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue)
Foster Pool (East 164th Street, between Jerome and River avenues)
Haffen Pool (Ely and Burke avenues)
Mapes Pool (East 180th Street, between Mapes and Prospect avenues)
Thompson Pool (East 174th Street and Bronx River Avenue)
Van Cortlandt Pool (West 242nd Street and Broadway)
Brooklyn
Betsy Head Pool (Dumont Avenue and Thomas S. Boyland Street)
Bushwick Pool (Humboldt Street and Flushing Avenue)
Commodore Barry Pool (Flushing Avenue and North Elliot Place)
David Fox/PS 251 Pool (East 54th Street and Avenue H)
Douglass and DeGraw Pool (Third Avenue and Nevins Street)
Glenwood Houses Pool (Farragut Road and Ralph Avenue)
Howard Pool (Mother Gaston Boulevard and East New York Avenue)
Jesse Owens Pool (Lafayette Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard)
Kosciuszko Pool (DeKalb and Marcy avenues)
Lindower Park Pool (Strickland and Mill avenues)
McCarren Park Pool (Leonard and Bayard streets)
PS 20 Playground Pool (Clermont and Myrtle avenues)
Red Hook Pool (Bay and Henry streets)
Sunset Park Pool (Seventh Avenue and 44th Street)
Manhattan
Abe Lincoln Pool (Fifth Avenue and East 135th Street)
Asser Levy Pool (Asser Levy Place and East 23rd Street)
Dry Dock Pool (Avenue D and East 10th Street)
Frederick Douglass Pool (Amsterdam Avenue and West 100th Street)
Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center (110th Street and Lenox Avenue)
Hamilton Fish Pool (Sheriff and East Houston Street)
Highbridge Pool (Amsterdam Avenue and West 173rd Street)
Jackie Robinson Pool (Bradhurst Avenue and West 146th Street)
John Jay Pool (Cherokee Place and East 78th Street)
Marcus Garvey Pool (Fifth Avenue and 124th Street)
Sheltering Arms Pool (Amsterdam Avenue and West 129th Street)
Thomas Jefferson Pool (First Avenue and East 111th Street)
Tompkins Square Pool (Avenue A between East 7th and 10th streets)
Tony Dapolito Pool (Clarkson Street and Seventh Avenue South)
Vesuvio Pool (Thompson Street, between Spring and Prince streets)
Wagner Pool (East 124th Street, between First and Second avenues)
Queens
Astoria Pool (19th Street and 23rd Drive)
Fisher Pool (99th Street and 32nd Avenue)
Fort Totten Pool (Shore and Story roads)
Liberty Pool (173rd Street and 106th Avenue)
Marie Curie Park Pool (46th Road and 211th Street)
PS 186 Playground Pool (72nd Avenue and Little Neck Parkway)
Windmuller Pool (39th Road and 52nd Street)
Staten Island
Faber Pool (Faber Street and Richmond Terrace)
General Douglas Pool (Jefferson Street and Seaver Avenue)
Lyons Pool (Pier 6 and Victory Boulevard)
Maggie Howard Pool (Tompkins Avenue, between Hill and Broad streets)
PS 46 Playground Pool (Parkinson Avenue and Kramer Street)
Tottenville Pool (Hyland Boulevard and Jolin Avenue)
West Brighton Pool (Henderson Avenue, between Broadway and Alaska Street)
Queens Night Market
With more than 100 vendors, the market offers a wide variety of food, art and entertainment. There are also regular performances celebrating the cultural diversity of Queens.
The market is open every Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight through Aug. 22 and then again from Sept. 19 through Oct. 31 in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Harlem Summer Nights
Harlem Summer Nights returns every Friday this summer from July 10 through Aug. 21.
Formerly known as Uptown Night Market, the event will feature more than 60 vendors, live DJs and community-focused experiences each week.
Free summer movies
The city is once again hosting “Movies Under the Stars” at parks and outdoor locations across the five boroughs from May 21 through July 31. As always, screenings are free and feature a mix of animation, romance, action, sci-fi and comedy films.
Harlem Week
This year, Harlem Week takes place from Aug. 1 through Aug. 16. The annual celebration highlights the rich cultural history, arts and cuisine of Harlem’s communities.
The event began in 1974 as “Harlem Day” and expanded over the years as its popularity grew.
Shakespeare in the Park
Central Park’s annual free “Shakespeare in the Park” tradition returns to the Delacorte Theater this summer.
Free performances of “Romeo and Juliet” are scheduled from May 22 through June 28. A second production, “The Winter’s Tale,” is also planned for later in the summer. Ticketing information is available at centralpark.com.
SummerStage
SummerStage is once again bringing dozens of free and benefit concerts to Central Park and neighborhood parks across the five boroughs throughout the summer and into the fall.
The 2026 season marks the festival’s 40th anniversary and includes more than 60 performances featuring artists from genres including salsa, jazz, hip-hop, reggae and more. Events run through Oct. 1.
West Indian American Day Carnival
Brooklyn’s annual West Indian American Day Carnival returns over Labor Day weekend with celebrations along Eastern Parkway.
The annual event celebrates Caribbean culture with music, food and a colorful parade featuring masqueraders, steel bands and dancers. Festivities are scheduled from Sept. 3 through Sept. 7.