Free live music coming to 11 plazas and open streets across NYC
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:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Artist |
| Morrison Plaza | Bronx | Make Music New York | 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Altin Sencalar Latin Jazz Project |
| Fordham Plaza | Bronx | Make Music New York | 3 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 Street | Brooklyn | Make Music New York | 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. | African Peach Arts Coalition |
| Johnny Hartman Plaza | Manhattan | 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 Plaza | Manhattan | Make Music New York | 2 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 | Manhattan | Make Music New York | 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Charu Suri (4 p.m.) Cassandra Kubinski (5:30 p.m.) |
| Corona Plaza | Queens | Make Music New York | 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Prinkipo Quintet |
| Diversity Plaza | Queens | Make Music New York | 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | RECAP Quartet (6 p.m.) Eclectic Charango Beats (7:30 p.m.) |
| Lowery Plaza | Queens | Make Music New York | 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Prinkipo Quintet |
| Minthorne Street Open Street | Staten Island | Make Music New York | 5 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 Street | Brooklyn | Mov!ng Culture Projects | 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Moisturizer (6:30 p.m.) Reverend Vince and The Love Choir (7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.) |
| Cooper Square | Manhattan | Mov!ng Culture Projects | 5:30 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:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Artist |
| Beach 20 Plaza | Queens | African Peach Arts Coalition | 6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. | Classique + ClassNotes |
| 120 Street Open Street | Manhattan | African Peach Arts Coalition | 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Mwendo (1:30 p.m.) Bree + Jam (6 p.m.) |
Friday, June 21:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Artist |
| 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 Street | Brooklyn | African Peach Arts Coalition | 5 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. | Yves + Haley (5 p.m.) Mwendo (6 p.m.) |
Saturday, June 22:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Artist |
| Simpson Street Open Street | Bronx | African Peach Arts Coalition | 3:30 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:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Washington Avenue and Empire Boulevard | Brooklyn | Wukkout | 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Soca dance classes |
Tuesday, June 18:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Hillel Plaza | Brooklyn | Wukkout | 6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. | Soca dance classes |
Saturday, June 22:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Washington Avenue and Empire Boulevard | Brooklyn | Wukkout | 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Soca dance classes |
| Jennings Open Street | Bronx | Wukkout | 2 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Soca dance classes |
| Water Street Open Street | Staten Island | Wukkout | 2 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Soca dance classes |
Saturday, June 29:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Washington Avenue and Empire Boulevard | Brooklyn | Wukkout | 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Soca dance classes |
Sing for Hope Piano programming
Tuesday, June 18:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Haven Plaza | Manhattan | Brooklyn Conservatory of Music | 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Álvaro Torres |
Wednesday, June 19:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Kensington Plaza | Brooklyn | Brooklyn Conservatory of Music | 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Kateryna Matvieienko |
Friday, June 21:
| Location | Borough | Partner | Time | Programming |
| Myrtle Plaza | Brooklyn | Brooklyn Conservatory of Music | 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Kateryna Matvieienko |
| Kensington Plaza | Brooklyn | Brooklyn Conservatory of Music | 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Álvaro Torres |
Summer 2024 programming schedule
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus:
| Location | Borough | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Woodside Avenue Open Street | Queens | Saturday, July 20 |
| 31st Avenue Open Street | Queens | Saturday, July 27 |
| Troutman Street Open Street | Brooklyn | Saturday, July 27 |
| Harrod Place Open Street | Bronx | Saturday, July 27 |
| Jennings Street Open Street | Bronx | Saturday, July 27 |
| West 9 Open Street | Brooklyn | Friday, August 9 |
| Vanderbilt Avenue Open Street | Brooklyn | Friday, August 9 |
| Fordham Plaza | Bronx | Friday, August 16 |
| Audubon Avenue Open Street | Manhattan | Friday, August 16 |
| Decatur Avenue Open Street | Brooklyn | Saturday, August 17 |
| Kensington Plaza | Brooklyn | Saturday, August 17 |
| Myrtle Plaza | Queens | Sunday, August 18 |
| Corona Plaza | Queens | Sunday, August 18 |
| West 120 Street Open Street | Manhattan | Saturday, August 24 |
| Frederick Douglass Boulevard Open Street | Manhattan | Saturday, August 24 |
| 34 Avenue Open Street | Queens | Sunday, August 25 |
Fordham Plaza programming:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Salsa performance with Salsa Stories | Saturday, June 15 |
| Authors & Writers Out Loud: Celebrating Juneteenth | Saturday, June 15 |
| Bronx is Reading | Saturday, June 15 |
| Bronx is Reading | Saturday, June 22 |
| Authors & Writers Out Loud: Celebrating PRIDE | Saturday, June 22 |
| Movie Night with Bronx Independent Cinema | Saturday, June 29 |
| Location | Borough | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Kensington Plaza and Beverley Road | Brooklyn | Sunday, June 23 |
| Water Street Open Street | Staten Island | Saturday, June 29 |
| Frederick Douglass Boulevard Open Street | Manhattan | Sunday, August 25 |
You can learn more about other Open Streets across NYC here.
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