CityParks Shows plays a central role in activating City Parks Foundation’s mission to create vibrant and healthy urban communities through dynamic programming in parks for all New Yorkers. We bring hundreds of live music, dance and theater performances to communities throughout New York City’s five boroughs through the Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage festival, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, and the traveling PuppetMobile.
Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is one of New York’s most beloved, broadly accessible, free outdoor performing arts festivals. SummerStage annually presents more than 80 free and benefit performances in Central Park and neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs to 217,000 fans. With performances in genres that represent the cultural fabric of New York City ranging from jazz, hip hop, Latin, global, indie and contemporary dance, SummerStage fills a vital niche in New York City’s summer arts festival landscape. Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage.
New York is the quintessential global city, and the place we have been proud to call home for more than three decades. SummerStage brings renowned artists and rising stars from around the world to local neighborhood parks, presenting distinctly New York genres — salsa, jazz, and hip-hop — alongside indie, reggae, Afrobeat, soul, modern dance, and much more. We turn local parks into dynamic and accessible performance spaces. There truly is no better place to experience music than amongst the trees in this iconic spot. Come watch a legendary artist or discover the performer you’ll love next!
Each year we assemble some of the finest musicians in the world who reflect jazz luminary Charlie Parker’s musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.
For decades, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park has been bringing enjoyment to legions of people through its contemporary and innovative marionette productions based on children’s classics.
CityParks PuppetMobile, the oldest continually operating company of its kind in the country, presents free performances and puppet-making workshops in neighborhood parks, recreation centers, and schools throughout New York City.
Generous private support for SummerStage is provided by The Thompson Family Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Rick and Danielle Arnstein, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, The Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation, The Shubert Organization, Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation, the Mitzi and Warren Eisenberg Family Foundation, and NYU Community Fund. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the NYC Council under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, with special thanks to Council Member Kamillah Hanks, Council Member Chi Ossé, Council Member Keith Powers, and Council Member Carlina Rivera; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the NYC Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; the National Endowment for the Arts; and the Consulate General of Brazil in New York. Capital One is the title sponsor of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage. Supporting Sponsors Safehold, Subaru, poppi, Guayaki Yerba Mate, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Brooks Running Shoes, Sixpoint, Fiddlehead, Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Sunboy, Archer Roose, The Dermatology Specialists, United Airlines.
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Generous private support for CityParks PuppetMobile is provided by the Connelly Foundation in memory of Judith Connelly Delouvrier and The Weininger Foundation. In partnership with NYC Parks.
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Generous private support for the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre is provided by the Connelly Foundation in memory of Judith Connelly Delouvrier, The Weininger Foundation, and Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation. In partnership with NYC Parks and the Historic House Trust.
Because of you, NYC’s kids are learning how to protect our environment and being introduced to a new sport for life, community volunteers are transforming a green space in need of care, and free world-class performing arts are being brought to our parks all around the city—all for free. When you support City Parks Foundation's free programs, you are helping our parks, our communities, and our city thrive.
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