The Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage series will return in full force in summer 2022 with an extensive lineup of concerts across 12 public parks in New York City. The series will begin on June 11th at the flagship Rumsey Playfield in Central Park with a free show by Herbie Hancock.
The months-long series of free events will include performances by Waxahatchee with Swearin’, Ohmme, and Delphine Blue (DJ set); Cory Henry with Rustam Ospanoff (DJ set), Black Midi with Sal Valentinetti and Alisa Ali (DJ set) hosted by Sarah Squirm; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis; and many more. For the second year in a row, Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem will host a screening of Questlove‘s Oscar and Grammy-winning documentary Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) on June 17th, commemorating Juneteenth at the site of The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969.
SummerStage will also produce a wide variety of benefit concerts that help finance the array of free programming. These shows include Modest Mouse; Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown with Tank and the Bangas, Big Freedia, Cyril Neville, George Porter Jr. and Dumpstaphunk, and The Soul Rebels; George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic with Dopapod and Pimps of Joytime; Belle & Sebastian with Los Bitchos; Lawrence and MisterWives with Winnetka Bowling League; Michael Franti & Spearhead; Barenaked Ladies with Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket; Lucy Dacus; Parcels; Sons of Kemet; Sharon Van Etten with Angel Olsen and Julien Baker; The Decemberists; Rainbow Kitten Surprise; and many more.
“We are so happy to be back in local neighborhood parks after a two-year hiatus and to be able to once again build our newly refurbished flagship concert venue in Central Park,” Heather Lubov, City Parks Foundation’s Executive Director, said. “Parks have always been neighborhood gathering spaces, but the pandemic brought to light just how absolutely critical parks are to our city’s health. We are thrilled to be able to bring neighbors together in their parks to enjoy a diverse, representative line-up that is reflective of our city’s rich cultural fabric.”
Citywide parks and venues hosting SummerStage this season include Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Von King Park and The Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, Crotona Park in the Bronx, Corporal Thompson Park in Staten Island, and the newly refurbished Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
The 2022 SummerStage series will also feature a number of tribute concerts, including an August 7th show by Force MDs & Friends with DJ S1 and Bugsy Buggs who will honor founding MD and Staten Island native Jesse Lee Daniels at Corporal Thomspon Park. A tribute concert for Greg Tate is also planned with appearances by Burnt Sugar Danz, Harriet Tubman, Resistance Revival Chorus, and more on August 20 at Marcus Garvey Park.
This year will also mark the 30th installment of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, a three-day celebration of the iconic saxophonist August 26th—28th at Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park. The festival will bring together performances from Jazzmeia and Her Noble Force, Calvin Booker On Tap & Friends, Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet, Buster Williams and his quartet Something More, Archie Shepp and Jason Moran, Melissa Aldana, Bria Skonberg, Pasquale Grasso, and many more.
“Each season, SummerStage has always presented a festival full of talent as diverse and broad as the communities that host these performances in parks across all five boroughs,” Erika Elliott, Executive Artistic Director of SummerStage, said. “The artists we are presenting this season not only represent their own distinct cultures but reflect the global diversity that truly matches the spirit of New York City.”
A full SummerStage season schedule is available here. Check out the announcement video below.
Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage 2022 Lineup Announcement