Celebrate the Summer Solstice with Outdoor Music and More

Wednesday, June 21 is the first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice – the longest day of the year. To celebrate the great outdoors, we’ve provided you with a list of ways to enjoy it.

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The 17th annual Make Music New York festival (on June 21) will offer free performances at locations throughout the five boroughs, with three of those locations on the Upper West Side:

• One participating location on the Upper West Side will be the Open Street of West 103rd between Broadway and West End Avenue, where festivities will run from 3:30-8:30 p.m. This will include six musical acts, a kid’s obstacle course, a sketch artist, tarot card readings, backgammon and more. Here’s a flyer for the event.
• Make Music New York will also take place on Pier I (at West 70th Street in Riverside Park South), with two performances between 5-7 p.m. Here’s more info about those free concerts.
• Lastly, three performances will be taking place at the Martin Luther King, Jr. High School terrace. This will be between 4-7 p.m., and details can be found here.

The Lincoln Square BID will also be launching its Summer Jazz Sensations series on Wednesday from 12-1:30 p.m. at Dante Square Park at 64th and Broadway. Kicking things off will be saxophonist Eric Person’s Soul Saturation. According to the BID, the opening day reception will also be attended by local officials and BID president Monica Blum. Here’s a bit more info about this series, which will run through August 30.

June 21 is also World Yoga Day, and from 6-9 p.m., free yoga-related festivities for kids and adults will be taking place at Waterline Square Park, located between 59th and 60th streets along Riverside Boulevard. Here’s the schedule.

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On Thursday, June 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the Hudson Classical Theater Company will perform Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” on the North Plaza of The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive. More details can be found here here.

As part of NYC Parks’ free summer movies series, a screening of The Woman King will be taking place on Friday, June 23 from 9-11:45 p.m. at Tecumseh Playground (78th and Amsterdam Avenue). Here’s some info about the movie. Bring your own blanket. Alcohol and glass bottles are prohibited. Here’s the official event listing by NYC Parks.