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Lincoln Center Presents
Summer for the City
June 12–August 10, 2024
200+ FREE or Choose-What-You-Pay events for all New Yorkers!

Fast Track reservations open Mondays at noon

In addition to General Admission, we’re offering a FREE Fast Track option for most Summer for the City events—giving you priority access. Bookmark this page »

Get the ultimate access

Become a Member today, and you’ll unlock early access to Choose-What-You-Pay tickets ahead of the general public and secure a Fast Track Pass for priority entry to free shows, all summer long. Join today »

Upcoming events

EXPLORE THE FULL CALENDAR »

June 12 - All Day

Summer for the City
The Dream Machine Experience

The Bridge

Lincoln Center Presents

June 12 - All Day

Full-campus experience

Time travel through an immersive AR experience across our outdoor spaces led by Cyboracle, the larger-than-life virtual avatar portrayed by Nona Hendryx.

AUGMENTED REALITY

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June 12 at 11:00 am

Summer for the City
Kids, Teens, and Families

Musical Storytime

Lincoln Center Presents
In collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

June 12 at 11:00 am

The Garden at Damrosch Park

Kids of all ages will be entranced by this outdoor book reading with live music!

MUSIC

FAMILY

LITERATURE

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June 12 at 1:00 pm

Summer for the City
Kids, Teens, and Families

Musical Storytime

Lincoln Center Presents
In collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

June 12 at 1:00 pm

The Garden at Damrosch Park

Kids of all ages will be entranced by this outdoor book reading with live music!

MUSIC

FAMILY

LITERATURE

Learn More

June 12 - All Day

Summer for the City
The Dream Machine Experience

The Dream Machine

Virtual Reality Experience

Lincoln Center Presents

June 12 - All Day

Griffin Sidewalk Studio, David Geffen Hall

Dive headfirst into the future with full-scale virtual reality experiences, conceived by Nona Hendryx with designs by XR artist Sutu.

VIRTUAL REALITY

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Find your bliss as Lincoln Center's outdoor spaces transform

From June 12—August 10, our outdoor campus transforms into a welcoming oasis where neighbors and New Yorkers from across the city can gather, relax, participate in performances, enjoy expanded food options, read a new book, create art, and even play outdoor games! The outdoor spaces are designed by Visual Director Clint Ramos and inspired by flora and fauna of the American prairie—evoking the ideals of Life, Liberty, and Happiness—with greenery and plants by Donyale Werle Design. Explore spaces & venues »

This is your place to BE this summer

CELEBRATE new commissions for the first time

On opening night, RuPaul's Drag Race stars Sapphira Cristál and Monét X Change show off their classical training for an extravaganza of drag and opera! Nona Hendryx pushes the boundaries of art and technology, combining the physical and digital worlds in The Dream Machine Experience. From June 13–16, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sam Green brings his live cinema documentary masterpieces together for the first time. In July, the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center performs the North American premiere of Huang Ruo’s City of Floating Sounds. Bring on the laughs as the clever, big-hearted stylings of musical theater maestro Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra are elevated for the first time by a full orchestra on June 28. Or, celebrate the Queens of Hip-Hop with an immersive night of orchestral music, DJs, and dance.

PARTICIPATE at the intersection of arts and civic engagement

Join us for our Civic Saturdays performance series, designed to unite friends and strangers in the spirit of shared community. On July 6, we present Anthem to US, the culmination of a monthslong collaborative effort to create a contemporary anthem echoing our collective hopes, struggles, and histories. In August, we honor the centenary of the iconic author, social critic, and culture changer James Baldwin. Also that month, pop culture meets activism with the Ruidosa Fest, the Latine-led international feminist platform, with a full day of lectures, live music, and a late-night silent disco.

SING and DANCE with the return of long-time favorites

NYC's largest outdoor dance floor with a now-iconic 10-foot disco ball shines bright as the centerpiece of Summer for the City with FREE social dance nights and silent discos every week. The Wedding: New York's Biggest Day also returns for the third year, inviting hundreds of couples to celebrate love. Free family shows for all ages, including storytimes, Big Umbrella Day, and dance workshops are offered all summer long. Plus, much-loved performances—globalFEST, a Juneteenth Celebration, BAAND Together, Deaf Broadway, La Casita, and so much more—come back for an encore!

You're invited to Opening Night!

EXPLORE THE FULL CALENDAR »

FREE: June 12 at Damrosch Park

Soundcake

Aural Confections by Sapphira Cristál & Monét X Change

FREE: June 12 on The Dance Floor

Sissy Elliott Live at Lincoln Center

Silent Disco

Series & programs

Plan Your Visit

Visual Director Clint Ramos transforms Lincoln Center's outdoor campus with multiple open-air public spaces—welcoming all New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy throughout their day, whether a show is on the agenda or not! Take a spin on The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza with a 10-foot mega disco ball, read a book from PEN America's pop-up Little Library for Big Ideas at The Garden at Damrosch Park, or relax and play games at Hearst Plaza. Explore spaces & venues »

Campus map

Download the Summer for the City campus map here.

Summer venues & outdoor spaces

The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza

New York City's largest outdoor dance floor with a—now iconic—10-foot disco ball returns to Josie Robertson Plaza as the centerpiece of Summer for the City. Designed once again by Visual Director Clint Ramos, this year's dance floor is inspired by flaura and fauna of the American prairie, setting the ambiance for the joyful and popular Social Dance and Silent Disco series. Don't miss New York City's hottest outdoor summer dance parties that are sure to satisfy any dancer's taste, including nights devoted to salsa, Lindy hop, disco, country, Hip-Hop, freestyle, ballroom, and much more.

Damrosch Park

The 2,500-seat amphitheater plays host to headlining events as part of India Week, The Outdoor Film Series presented in collaboration with Film at Lincoln Center, the 20th Annual NYC in C, Brasil Summerfest, a meditative concert adaptation of The Ritual of Breath, a concert by Steel Pulse, and dozens of the most celebrated names in music, dance, and theater—all FREE, all summer long.

The Underground at Jaffe Drive

Also designed by Visual Director Clint Ramos, The Underground—a speakeasy-inspired performance space now expanded in size—returns this summer. Tucked away on Jaffe Drive, under Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza, the pop-up stage and bar hosts FREE comedy shows with NYLaughs, jazz sets presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Living Music Underground series curated by Nadia Sirota.

Hearst Plaza

We invite visitors to enjoy the outdoor space of Hearst Plaza this summer, equipped with outdoor games and cafe seating with shade. Hearst Plaza hosts free performances for kids, teens, and families, pop-up events by Voices of a People's History, La Casita, Urban Bush Women's Haint Blu, a performance by Elite Pan Consortium, and so much more!

The Garden at Damrosch Park

Looking for a quiet place to unwind and relax while at Lincoln Center this summer? Stop by The Garden at Damrosch Park, a greenhouse-like retreat to chat, read a book from PEN America's pop-up Little Library for Big Ideas, escape the sun, and be zen. The space is filled with greenery and plants designed in collaboration with Donyale Werle Design. On Wednesday mornings and afternoons, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts presents arts-based storytimes for children, and Poet-in-Residence Mahogany L. Browne curates poetry & meditation events throughout the summer.

Indoor Venues

The general public is welcome to make use of the public space, facilities, and dining options at David Geffen Hall and the David Rubenstein Atrium. Select events are also held at Alice Tully Hall, the David H. Koch Theater, and the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Snacks at the Night Market at Damrosch Park

New this summer is the Lincoln Center Night Market, an outdoor food emporium open nightly from 5:00–10:00 pm, featuring a wide range of cuisines at affordable prices including Jerrell's Betr Brgr serving 100% plant-based burgers; Maya's Snack Bar featuring Mexican dessert snacks; Harlem Seafood Soul with gourmet seafood and soul food; Japanese-style street food from Yakitori Totto; Manousheh serving traditional Lebanese street food; and authentic Mexican from Taqueria al Pastor. There will also be a tent with rotating food offerings that align with that week's programming. Joe Coffee will be available during the day. Additional vendors to be announced soon. Our permanent on-campus options will be open all summer as well!

Lincoln Center Night Market is presented by CHASE

Accessibility

Lincoln Center seeks to create a more inclusive experience and meet access needs for our audiences by providing a range of accommodations for all performances.

All venues include accessible seating, entrances and restrooms, and alternative entry for guests who are unable to stand in line due to a disability. ASL interpretation, audio description, live captioning, and haptics are integrated into dozens of performances.

Click here to explore accommodations for Summer for the City »

Health & Safety

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts ("LCPA") is committed to the safety of our visitors, performers, and employees. Our guidelines for events and performances at outdoor and indoor venues managed by LCPA when LCPA is the presenter can be found here.

How to Get Tickets to Summer for the City

There are three ways to get tickets to Summer for the City at Lincoln Center, depending on the venue and the programming. Please refer to the dedicated event page of the show you’d like to attend to confirm ticketing options.

Free General Admission

For free events, over half the venue capacity is aways available for General Admission. Just show up; no tickets needed! Entry to most Summer for the City performances and events is available for FREE via General Admission—first-come, first-served. Learn more »

Free Fast Track

In addition to General Admission, we’re offering a FREE Fast Track option for the majority of Summer for the City events held at Damrosch Park, The Dance Floor, The Underground at Jaffe Drive, Hearst Plaza, and the David Rubenstein Atrium, and other select venues.
• By booking Fast Track for events ahead of time, guests can access the Fast Track line at the venue which gives them priority entry to that event.
• While event admission is not guaranteed, Fast Track ticket holders will have priority over the General Admission line up until 10 minutes before show time (please note: show time for social dances on The Dance Floor is the start of the dance lesson). We recommend arriving an hour before show time to ensure entry into the event.
• Please check the event's dedicated web page to confirm if Fast Track is available for the performance you'd like to attend.
Learn more »

Choose-What-You-Pay

Tickets to most indoor events are available on a Choose-What-You-Pay basis; day-of general admission will not be offered for these shows. This includes Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center programs and the BAAND Together Dance Festival, among others. All Choose-What-You-Pay events have a suggested ticket price of $35 and the option to pay more or less. There is a $5 per ticket minimum. Learn more »

Box Office Hours

Call CenterCharge at 212-721-6500 from Monday–Saturday 10:00 am–8:00 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm–6:00 pm

Book in-person at the Alice Tully Hall box office (Broadway and 66th Street) or the David Geffen Hall Welcome Center from Monday–Saturday 10:00 am–6:00 pm and Sunday noon–6:00 pm.

Living Music Underground

Some of today’s most exciting art springs from the cracks between genres. Lincoln Center displays its devotion to the cultivation of the next generation of experimental canon with this summer's category-defying Living Music Underground series. Set in the uniquely cavernous acoustical space of Jaffe Drive beneath Josie Robertson Plaza, Living Music Underground features virtuosic soloists and trailblazing ensembles performing compelling programs of instrumental music at the fringes of classical, jazz, experimental, ambient, electronic and pop. The series’ curator and host, Nadia Sirota, is an acclaimed violist, conductor and Peabody Award-winning producer.