Free live music coming to 11 plazas and open streets across NYC

June 17, 2024

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus performing at Make Music NY Day. Image courtesy of NYC DOT

Free live music is coming to public squares in all five boroughs starting this weekend. The city’s Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday announced the return of Make Music New York Day on June 21, featuring performances at 11 different plazas and Open Streets locations across the city. Additionally, DOT is partnering with Mov!ng Culture Projects to host performances in Brooklyn and Manhattan and is activating public spaces for Juneteenth and Caribbean American Heritage Month throughout the month.

“When we create new open streets, plazas, and public spaces for people, beautiful music can happen. June is Music Month, and we’re delighted to partner with community organizations like Make Music New York to celebrate New Yorkers’ creativity and our public plazas,” Rodriguez said.

“Many of these events will reach a diverse range of communities and showcase a wide variety of New York-based artists. The celebrations continue this summer with activations across the five boroughs! I thank NYC DOT staff and our incredible partners for delivering these free public events, and I urge you to join us!”

“Make Music New York Day” programming

Friday, June 21:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeArtist
Morrison PlazaBronxMake Music New York5 p.m. – 7 p.m.Altin Sencalar Latin Jazz Project
Fordham PlazaBronxMake Music New York3 p.m. – 5 p.m.New Heights Brass Band
Kensington Plaza
Brooklyn
Make Music New York
5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Make music instruments workshop (5 p.m.)
Bucket drumming workshop (6 p.m.)
Artmageddon Band (7 p.m.)
Thatford Avenue Open StreetBrooklynMake Music New York4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.African Peach Arts Coalition
Johnny Hartman PlazaManhattan
Make Music New York
12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Pueblo Harlem (12 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
DJ Set (12 p.m.)
Berta Moreno Afro Jazz Soul Project (1 p.m.)
Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project (2:30 p.m.)
Fat Cats Alumni Ensemble (4 p.m.)
Salsa Dance Class (5 p.m.)
Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (6 p.m.)
Forsyth PlazaManhattanMake Music New York2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
World Record Players (2 p.m.)
Glicky’s Connection (3 p.m.)
The Wigouts (4 p.m.)
Johnny Mellor’s Bastardos (5 p.m.)
Not All Heroes (6 p.m.)
Astor Plaza
ManhattanMake Music New York
4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Charu Suri (4 p.m.)
Cassandra Kubinski (5:30 p.m.)
Corona PlazaQueensMake Music New York5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.Prinkipo Quintet
Diversity PlazaQueensMake Music New York6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
RECAP Quartet (6 p.m.)
Eclectic Charango Beats (7:30 p.m.)
Lowery PlazaQueensMake Music New York1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.Prinkipo Quintet
Minthorne Street Open StreetStaten IslandMake Music New York5 p.m. – 8 p.m.Amber Sweeney (5 p.m.)
This Way to the Egress (6 p.m.)
Alayisha (7 p.m.)
Troutman Street Open StreetBrooklynMov!ng Culture Projects6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.Moisturizer (6:30 p.m.)
Reverend Vince and The Love Choir (7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
Cooper SquareManhattanMov!ng Culture Projects5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Alex Inciardi (5:30 p.m.)
My Frieds (6:00 p.m.)
Hipsy Gap (6:45 p.m.)

Juneteenth programming

Wednesday, June 19:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeArtist
Beach 20 PlazaQueensAfrican Peach Arts Coalition6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.Classique + ClassNotes
120 Street Open StreetManhattanAfrican Peach Arts Coalition1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Mwendo (1:30 p.m.)
Bree + Jam (6 p.m.)

Friday, June 21:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeArtist
Johnny Hartman Plaza
Manhattan
African Peach Arts Coalition
12:15 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Jeri Rae (12:45 p.m.)
Chev (2:50 p.m.)
Lyrical Faith (2:50 p.m.)
Iman (3:30 p.m.)
Storyteller Gordon (3:30 p.m.)
Poetic Boy D (4:50 p.m.)
Thatford Avenue Open StreetBrooklynAfrican Peach Arts Coalition5 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.Yves + Haley (5 p.m.)
Mwendo (6 p.m.)

Saturday, June 22:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeArtist
Simpson Street Open StreetBronxAfrican Peach Arts Coalition3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.Chev (3:45 p.m.)
Iman (4 p.m.)
Jeri Rae (4:30 p.m.)
King Ishtah (5 p.m.)

Caribbean American Heritage Month programming

Saturday, June 15:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Washington Avenue and Empire BoulevardBrooklynWukkout11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.Soca dance classes

Tuesday, June 18:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Hillel PlazaBrooklynWukkout6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.Soca dance classes

Saturday, June 22:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Washington Avenue and Empire BoulevardBrooklynWukkout11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.Soca dance classes
Jennings Open StreetBronxWukkout2 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.Soca dance classes
Water Street Open StreetStaten IslandWukkout2 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.Soca dance classes

Saturday, June 29:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Washington Avenue and Empire BoulevardBrooklynWukkout11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.Soca dance classes

Sing for Hope Piano programming

Tuesday, June 18:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Haven PlazaManhattanBrooklyn Conservatory of Music5 p.m. – 6 p.m.Álvaro Torres

Wednesday, June 19:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Kensington PlazaBrooklynBrooklyn Conservatory of Music2 p.m. – 3 p.m.Kateryna Matvieienko

Friday, June 21:

LocationBoroughPartnerTimeProgramming
Myrtle PlazaBrooklynBrooklyn Conservatory of Music5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.Kateryna Matvieienko
Kensington PlazaBrooklynBrooklyn Conservatory of Music7 p.m. – 8 p.m.Álvaro Torres

Summer 2024 programming schedule

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus:

LocationBoroughDate
Woodside Avenue Open StreetQueensSaturday, July 20
31st Avenue Open StreetQueensSaturday, July 27
Troutman Street Open StreetBrooklynSaturday, July 27
Harrod Place Open StreetBronxSaturday, July 27
Jennings Street Open StreetBronxSaturday, July 27
West 9 Open StreetBrooklynFriday, August 9
Vanderbilt Avenue Open StreetBrooklynFriday, August 9
Fordham PlazaBronxFriday, August 16
Audubon Avenue Open StreetManhattanFriday, August 16
Decatur Avenue Open StreetBrooklynSaturday, August 17
Kensington PlazaBrooklynSaturday, August 17
Myrtle PlazaQueensSunday, August 18
Corona PlazaQueensSunday, August 18
West 120 Street Open StreetManhattanSaturday, August 24
Frederick Douglass Boulevard Open StreetManhattanSaturday, August 24
34 Avenue Open StreetQueensSunday, August 25

Fordham Plaza programming:

EventDate
Salsa performance with Salsa StoriesSaturday, June 15
Authors & Writers Out Loud: Celebrating JuneteenthSaturday, June 15
Bronx is ReadingSaturday, June 15
Bronx is ReadingSaturday, June 22
Authors & Writers Out Loud: Celebrating PRIDESaturday, June 22
Movie Night with Bronx Independent CinemaSaturday, June 29
LocationBoroughDate
Kensington Plaza and Beverley RoadBrooklynSunday, June 23
Water Street Open StreetStaten IslandSaturday, June 29
Frederick Douglass Boulevard Open StreetManhattanSunday, August 25

You can learn more about other Open Streets across NYC here.

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