SummerStage's 2023 Programming Puts Hip Hop Front & Center

SummerStage, NYC’s longstanding and beloved city-spanning summer concert series, is back with another jam-packed season of events.

This year, SummerStage is putting hip hop at its forefront as the genre celebrates 50 years since its birth in the Bronx in the early 1970s. A slew of events put on by Funkmaster Flex, DJ Premier, MIKE, and many others are set to take place across the city throughout the summer months, including a massive birthday party hosted by Funkmaster Flex in Coney Island.

The typical slate of indie rock, jazz, salsa, and rock are also on the schedule with performances expected from Regina Spektor, Julia Jacklin, Horsegirl, Manchester Orchestra, and many others. As per usual, most shows are free and first come first serve, but a select few will be benefit shows produced by Live Nation and require tickets.

Read on for everything you need to know about attending SummerStage 2023:

SummerStage 2023 Lineup

SummerStage is putting on 80 free and benefit concerts across the five boroughs this summer. This season’s biggest event is its celebration of 50 years of hip hop, which will see various performances and events put on by the likes of Funkmaster Flex, DJ Premier, Noname, MIKE, Dead Prez, Nice & Smooth, and more scattered throughout the months.

Of course, there will still be the usual programming of jazz, indie rock, salsa, and contemporary dance. See a short list of the shows that stuck out to us, below:

• Dreamland: Pride in Central Park with Purple Disco Machine on June 25
• MIKE’s Young World III: Mike, Noname, Georgia Anne Muldrow, 454 at Herbert Von King Park on July 15
• Julia Jacklin, Y La Bamba, Black Belt Eagle Scout at Central Park on July 19
• Horsegirl, Iceage, Water From Your Eyes, and Lifeguard at Central Park on July 20
• Hip-Hop 50 Special Edition at Coney Island Amphitheater on August 6
• Funk Flex & Friends Birthday Party Concert at Coney Island Amphitheater on August 13
• Cautious Clay, Wet, and Christian Kuria at Central Park on August 19
• Manchester Orchestra, Jimmy Eat World, and Middle Kids at Central Park Stage on August 23
• Regina Spektor at Central Park Stage on August 24

You can see the season’s full programming schedule on SummerStage’s website.

SummerStage 2023 dates

SummerStage 2023 kicks off on June 3, with programming nearly every day at various parks throughout the five boroughs, and concludes September 30.

How to get tickets to SummerStage 2023

As per tradition, nearly all of the shows at SummerStage are free and open to the public. However, select shows are benefit shows, which will require tickets via Ticketmaster. Those can be purchased online at Ticketmaster or through the SummerStage website.