In New York City, the coming of summer can be sensed as much by the warming temperatures as it can by the increasing number of lineup announcements for outdoor performances.
SummerStage released its lineup late last month, and now the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival — the city’s other significant and long-running source of free outdoor music each summer — has also made its lineup public.
Highlights of the 2026 season schedule include “Queen of Percussion” Sheila E., Brooklyn-born father-son DJ duo Saint James Joy, and Grammy-winning rapper Common. The few ticketed benefit shows (which are still free for those within earshot to listen to) include performances from “Godmother of Soul” Patti LaBelle and Gen X rock legends Sleater-Kinney.
In all, Celebrate Brooklyn’s 47th season will feature 15 free shows and three benefit concerts from June 4 to Sept. 19 at Prospect Park’s Lena Horne Bandshell. Entry works on a first-come, first-served basis, but festival organizer BRIC Arts Media encourages attendees to RSVP for shows online beforehand.
The full 2026 Celebrate Brooklyn! schedule below:
- Thursday, June 4: Sheila E., Leon Knight, and DJ Spinna
- Saturday, June 13: Antibalas, KidsRead with Kate Yamasaki, and DJ Marc Bars
- Friday, June 19: Infinity Song, Annie and the Caldwells, Victory Boyd, and DJ Duane
- Saturday, June 20: Wayne Wonder, Lila Iké, and DJ Gravy
- Friday, June 26 (benefit show): Patti LaBelle
- Friday, July 10: EMEL, Mai Elgizouli, Nesrine, Yacine Boulares and the Habibi Festival House Band, and Yalla! Party Project
- Saturday, July 11: Saint James Joy, Pahua, and Puppetmobile
- Saturday, July 18 (benefit show): Royel Otis, and Ax and the Hatchetmen
- Friday, July 24: Cindy Blackman Santana, The Patricia Brennan Septet, and Lucía. (This show takes place on Park Place between Brooklyn and Kingston avenues.)
- Saturday, July 25: BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at Brower Park with Black House Radio
- Friday, July 31: CARRTOONS & Hailé Supreme, Sofía Valdés, and Julia Zivic
- Friday, Aug. 7: DakhaBrakha, Yeison Landero, Sally Baby's Silver Dollars, and Sunju Park
- Saturday, Aug. 8: BRIC Celebrates Aaliyah: One in a Million
- Friday, Aug. 14: Lyricist Lounge 35th Anniversary
- Saturday, Aug. 15: Yola, Dom Flemons and the Traveling Wildfires, and Cleo Reed
- Friday, Aug. 21: Sasha Velour's NightGowns
- Friday, Aug. 28: Common and Special Guests To Honor the Social Justice Legacy of Harry Belafonte
- Saturday, Aug. 29: Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso Presents Dominican Night at the Bandshell
- Saturday, Sept. 19 (benefit show): Liz Phair & Sleater-Kinney, and The Flannel and The Fury 2026
