Brooklyn Music Festivals
Explore the vibrant music festival scene in Brooklyn, featuring a diverse array of genres and renowned artists. Discover nine exciting music festivals that celebrate everything from jazz to hip-hop, offering an unforgettable experience for every music lover.
Brooklyn is home to many music festivals. From a summer-long outdoor concert series to weekend-long festivals, there are numerous events around Brooklyn. Here are nine music festivals that will appeal to fans of jazz, folk, indie rock, and almost any music lover. From established acts to up-and-coming bands, you’ll find it at these festivals.
Northside Festival
If you want to be in the epicenter of Brooklyn’s creative renaissance, add a visit to the Northside Festival to your Brooklyn itinerary. The festival takes place from June 6-12, where “over 100,000 creative and cultural trendsetters converge in Brooklyn to uncover the future of music, innovation, and content; with over 400 bands, 150 speakers, and 100 content creators.”
Seaside Summer Concert Series
This July, Coney Island will be home to a new 5,000 seat open-air Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk. In addition to hosting comedy, family shows, and other events, it will be the new home for the longtime Seaside Summer Concert Series. This popular free concert series will announce their 2016 lineup soon. Be on the lookout for events at this oceanfront Amphitheater, which “incorporates the Childs Building, built in 1923 and designated as a New York City Landmark.” This is a definite stop when you visit Coney Island.
Celebrate Brooklyn
For a suggested donation of three dollars, you can see everything from rock to classical concerts at the Celebrate Brooklyn concert series held at the Prospect Park Bandshell. This summer concert series is a Brooklyn summertime tradition, running from June 8 until August. Don’t forget to pack a picnic blanket and enjoy the lineup!
Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
The 12th annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, held from July 13th-16th, will celebrate all aspects of Hip-Hop culture including art, film, dance, and community activism. The festival’s “Big Show” at Brooklyn Bridge Park will feature performances from renowned artists such as Nas, Fabolous, and Talib Kweli on July 16th at 1 pm.
Brooklyn Country Music Festival
You don’t have to travel to Nashville to hear great country music; Brooklyn hosts the Brooklyn Country Music Festival. Last year, music lovers filled the popular Bell House to see performances by Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and The Defibulators. Founded by Alex Battles, the festival recently celebrated an 84th birthday bash tribute for the legendary Johnny Cash in Williamsburg.
Brooklyn Folk Festival
The 8th annual Brooklyn Folk Festival takes place in April. Head to this three-day festival, which includes over “30 bands, vocal and instrumental workshops, a family-friendly square dance, jam sessions, film screenings, and the famous Banjo Toss contest.” The festival is held in the historic St. Ann’s Church in scenic Brooklyn Heights. Be sure to visit the iconic Brooklyn Heights promenade between sets and enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants on Montague Street.
Afropunk Fest
The annual Afropunk festival takes place in Commodore Barry Park, Fort Greene. This multicultural music and art festival occurs on August 27 and 28, featuring performers like Ice Cube and CeeLo Green. If you’re traveling to France, note that there is also an Afropunk festival in Paris on June 3-5.
Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival
The 17th annual Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival takes place from April 15th to May 15th and is “NYC’s longest continually running grassroots festival dedicated to jazz.” Its mission is to “recognize the contributions of artists while promoting the dignity of a people.” Enjoy over fifty events celebrating Brooklyn’s rich jazz culture, including spoken word, reggae, and youth jazz jam sessions.
Live at the Archway
Live at the Archway is a free concert series that takes place on Thursdays at 6 pm under the Manhattan Bridge Archway in DUMBO for 18 weeks from June 2nd to September 29. The series features a broad range of musical genres including salsa, R&B, jazz, and classic rock, alongside performances from emerging indie bands and modern dance companies. The lineup also includes free swing dance classes from the Harlem Swing Dance Society and the Millennial jazz-lounge group Bellatonic.