Five straight hours of headliners in a Harlem park, free: Joshua Redman's tenor, Catherine Russell's Harlem-rooted songbook, Nat Adderley Jr.'s piano and Nicole Glover's saxophone, stitched together by DJ Kultured Child. Any one of these names would fill a downtown club at sixty dollars a seat. If you want the single best value in New York music this weekend, bring a blanket and stay for all of it.
What to expect
An afternoon that builds rather than starts - a thin early crowd on the lawn by two, a packed amphitheater bowl by five. Vendors, art tables and the We're Outside exhibit fill the surrounding paths, so there is something to wander to between sets. The sound carries well past the seating into the shaded upper rock.
Good to know
- 2/3 or 4/5/6 to 125th Street, then walk south to the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater
- Completely free with no ticket, no RSVP and no reserved seats
- Come early to claim amphitheater seating; latecomers spread onto the surrounding lawn and rock
- Bring sun cover - the bowl is largely unshaded through the afternoon sets
- The We're Outside art exhibit runs alongside in the same park, so pair the two
- All ages and stroller friendly; restrooms are in the park
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Common questions
How long does the whole thing run?
Five hours of continuous programming with multiple headline sets and DJ transitions in between. You can arrive at any point and still catch full performances - most people rotate in and out.
Is seating provided?
The Richard Rodgers Amphitheater has fixed bench seating, but it fills fast. Most attendees bring a blanket or a low folding chair and set up on the lawn and rock around the bowl.
Is there anything else to do in the park?
Yes - the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association mounts a free outdoor art exhibit with 28 local artists in the same park during the same hours, including a drop-in self-portrait workshop.
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