First-Time Visitor
If you only have one day — the marquee free events and must-see landmarks worth planning a visit around.
Upcoming events for First-Time Visitors
40 upcoming events matching your interests.
Aug 27
07:00
Gottesman Pool: Lap Swim
Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center
Gottesman Pool: Lap Swim at Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center. NYC Parks Department event — Fitness, Swimming/Aquatics.
Aug 28
15:00
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances
Summit Rock
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances at Summit Rock in Central Park.
Aug 28
17:30
Dance for Hope: Afrobeat in the Park
Bandshell Plaza
Dance for Hope: Afrobeat in the Park at Bandshell Plaza in Central Park.
Aug 28
07:00
Gottesman Pool: Lap Swim
Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center
Gottesman Pool: Lap Swim at Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center. NYC Parks Department event — Fitness, Swimming/Aquatics.
Aug 29
15:00
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances
Summit Rock
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances at Summit Rock in Central Park.
Aug 29
17:00
Salsa Dura Social
Bandshell Plaza
Salsa Dura Social at Bandshell Plaza in Central Park.
Aug 29
18:00
Tango - Shakespeare Statue
Shakespeare Statue Plaza
Tango - Shakespeare Statue at Shakespeare Statue Plaza in Central Park.
Aug 30
11:00
Central Park International Folkdancers
King Jagiallo Plaza
Central Park International Folkdancers at King Jagiallo Plaza in Central Park.
Aug 31
18:00
Xinsheng Chinese Choir Summer Concert
Bandshell Plaza
Xinsheng Chinese Choir Summer Concert at Bandshell Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 2
19:00
Samara Joy and Christian McBride Celebrate Verve’s 70th Anniversary / Mei Semones & Friends play the music of Getz/Gilberto / Sparklmami DJ set
Rumsey Playfield
Performers for this celebration of the label’s 70th anniversary include Samara Joy, a six-time GRAMMY winner and Bronx native, and Christian McBride, a world-class bassist and bandleader, a Juilliard graduate and 11-time GRAMMY winner who has recorded with legends of both the jazz (McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, and more) and pop (Sting, Paul McCartney, Celine Dion) spheres. Also, Mei Semones, an American indie rock musician who writes jazz-influenced
Sep 4
15:00
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances
Summit Rock
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances at Summit Rock in Central Park.
Sep 5
15:00
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances
Summit Rock
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances at Summit Rock in Central Park.
Sep 5
18:00
Tango - Shakespeare Statue
Shakespeare Statue Plaza
Tango - Shakespeare Statue at Shakespeare Statue Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 6
15:00
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances
Summit Rock
Barefoot Shakespeare Presents Our August 2026 Performances at Summit Rock in Central Park.
Sep 6
11:00
Central Park International Folkdancers
King Jagiallo Plaza
Central Park International Folkdancers at King Jagiallo Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 12
11:00
Chess Lecture & Simul with Kassa Korley
Chess & Checkers House Chess & Checkers House (mid-Park at 64th Street) Saturday, September 12 Start: 11:00 am Join International Master Kassa Korley for a 30-minute lecture, followed by a simul. Register to Attend Born and raised in New York City, Kassa Korley learned to play chess at the age of 5 and has been passionate about the game ever since. Without a coach or formal instruction, he has always learned by playing, losing, and making adjustments. At 15, Korley became the youngest African American National Master in history, a mark that has since been broken. He went on to earn the FIDE Master title in 2010 and became an International Master in 2014. That same year, he switched federations to Denmark, where he also holds dual citizenship through family ties. Korley is currently a Senior Fair Play & Communications Advisor at Chess.com. This event is free and open to players ages 6 and up. Register in advance to secure your spot. Registration opens one month prior to each scheduled program date. Participation is limited to 30 players. A limited number of walk-up spaces will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. Prior chess experience is required to participate. Beginners are welcome to watch.
Learn techniques from International Master Kassa Korley. Then, put your skills to the test while he challenges up to 30 players—simultaneously!
Sep 12
19:00
Darling Blue PT2 Tour: Marcus King Band / Penelope Road
Rumsey Playfield
SummerStage Member Presale: Thursday, March 12 at 10AM Capital One Cardholder Presale: Wednesday, March 11 at 10AM General on-sale: Friday, March 13 at 10AM GRAMMY-nominated country artist Marcus King is hitting the road with his longtime live band on the Darling Blue PT2 Tour, a reunion eight years in the making. His upcoming album, Darling Blue , features a who’s who of country music such as Billy Strings and Kaitlin Butts. His twangy, guitar-heavy songs like “Wildflowers and
Sep 12
18:00
Tango - Shakespeare Statue
Shakespeare Statue Plaza
Tango - Shakespeare Statue at Shakespeare Statue Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 13
11:00
Central Park International Folkdancers
King Jagiallo Plaza
Central Park International Folkdancers at King Jagiallo Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 13
20:00
Young Thug: The New Generation Tour with NAV
Rumsey Playfield
SummerStage Member Presale: Thursday, July 16 at 10AM Capital One Cardholder Presale: Wednesday, July 15 at 12PM General Onsale: Friday, July 17 at 10AM Young Thug will be bringing The New Generation tour to SummerStage on Sunday, September 13, with support from NAV . The Atlanta-born rapper has been putting out hit songs like “Old English” and “Danny Glover” since bursting onto the scene and has collaborated with stars including J. Cole and Lil Wayne.
Sep 14
17:00
Dance Is Life
Bandshell Plaza
Dance Is Life at Bandshell Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 15
20:30
Danny Elfman
Rumsey Playfield
Capital One Presale: Wednesday, July 8 at 12PM SummerStage Member Presale: Thursday, July 9 at 10AM. General onsale: Friday, July 10 at 10AM. The internationally acclaimed film and classical composer has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Tim Burton, scoring films like Edward Scissorhands and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure . More recently, he’s returned to his legendary rock roots (formerly of new wave icon Oingo Boingo) with his album Big Mess and his forthcoming fall album, which he
Sep 17
19:00
(RESCHEDULED) New York Sings Yiddish: Passing the Torch to a New Generation Featuring The Shvesters / YidLife Crisis / Yair Keydar / Riki Rose + More
Rumsey Playfield
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to the threat of severe weather, New York Sings Yiddish has been rescheduled from Monday, June 22 to Thursday, September 17 at 7 PM. While we’re disappointed not to gather with you tomorrow evening, the good news is that we’ll still be celebrating together this fall with an unforgettable night of Yiddish music under the stars at SummerStage in Central Park. We look forward to seeing you on September 17! The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene returns to Centr
Sep 18
20:00
RESCHEDULED: SOLD OUT: Yeat: The LOVE/LYFE Tour / Glokk40Spaz
Rumsey Playfield
This show has been rescheduled to Friday, September 18. Yeat’s latest album ADL (A Dangerous Lyfe / A Dangerous Love ), released just this past Friday, features an all-star list of collaborators ranging from Elton John to 070 Shake to Grimes, showcasing his talent for bringing together unique sounds and pushing the boundaries of his genre. Since 2018, he has gained a huge social media following and a loyal Gen Z fanbase in the process. Glokk40Spaz will support the evening.
Sep 20
13:00
Justin Lees Jazz Group
Bandshell Plaza
Justin Lees Jazz Group at Bandshell Plaza in Central Park.
Sep 20
07:00
TCS New York City Marathon Training Series 18M
Ted Corbitt Loop
New York Road Runners' 18-mile marathon training run in Central Park, the second and longer leg of the TCS New York City Marathon Training Series.
Sep 22
18:00
Design Your Financial Future: a Vision Boarding Workshop
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center Join us for Design Your Financial Future: A Vision Boarding Workshop at the Dana Center, where you’ll use the visual power of collaging to map out your financial future, including savings goals, financial priorities, and more. Get Directions Secure Your Spot
Build your financial future with an interactive workshop and networking mixer.
Sep 23
19:00
Of Monsters and Men / August Ponthier
Rumsey Playfield
The Icelandic indie band broke onto the scene in 2011 with their hit “Little Talks,” which led to more than a billion Spotify streams and a Saturday Night Live performance. Since then, they’ve run the gamut of performance from cameos on HBO ’s Game of Thrones to sets at Coachella, Glastonbury, and Lollapalooza. After some time pursuing solo projects, they’re reuniting for The Mouse Parade Tour, named for their most recent 2025 album. Indie singer songwriter August Ponthier will
Sep 24
18:00
Building Cross-Sector Ecosystems for Climate Action Panel Discussion
Arsenal
Building Cross-Sector Ecosystems for Climate Action Panel Discussion at Arsenal. NYC Parks Department event — Nature, Art.
Sep 25
17:00
Carlos Konig Salsa
Bandshell Plaza
Carlos Konig Salsa at Bandshell Plaza in Central Park.