SummerStage books Laurie Anderson, Mavis

Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage announced its 2026 lineup on Tuesday, setting Laurie Anderson, Mavis Staples and De La Soul across New York City parks. (billboard.com) (rollingstone.com) City Parks Foundation says the 40th-anniversary season includes more than 60 free and benefit shows in 13 parks. The season opens June 10 with Ledisi performing a Dinah Washington tribute in association with the Blue Note Jazz Festival. (cityparksfoundation.org) (billboard.com) The announced roster also includes Angélique Kidjo, Spoon, Andrew Bird, Bilal, Julieta Venegas, SHABAKA, Kokoroko, Shaggy, WayV and Charlie Aponte. Shows are scheduled for Central Park and neighborhood parks in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. (rollingstone.com) (cityparksfoundation.org) SummerStage is marking 40 years in 2026, and the anniversary framing is built into the season rollout. City Parks Foundation says the first SummerStage concert was Sun Ra Arkestra at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park in June 1986. (cityparksfoundation.org 1) (cityparksfoundation.org 2) The nonprofit says the festival has presented thousands of artists and drawn more than seven million people over four decades. Its 2026 anniversary campaign also includes a historical timeline, a fan-submission portal and a photo exhibition of SummerStage images by Jack Vartoogian. (cityparksfoundation.org 1) (cityparksfoundation.org 2) The benefit side of the calendar is doing part of the financing work for the free shows. Billboard listed ticketed dates including The Martinez Brothers on June 13, Elderbrook on June 20, Anjunadeep on July 18, Blues Traveler with Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors on Aug. 15, Simple Plan on Aug. 19, The Marcus King Band on Sept. 12 and Charley Crockett on Oct. 1. (billboard.com) City Parks Foundation says SummerStage reaches more than 227,000 fans each year and remains one of the city’s largest free outdoor performing arts festivals. The 2026 season brochure describes the lineup as pairing “beloved SummerStage veterans and tomorrow’s icons.” (cityparksfoundation.org) For this anniversary year, the booking tells the story SummerStage wants to tell about itself: avant-pop from Laurie Anderson, gospel-soul from Mavis Staples, and hip-hop from De La Soul in public parks across the city. (billboard.com) (rollingstone.com)