CITYPARKS FOUNDATION CONCERTS start at 7 p.m. unless listed otherwise.
Staten Island: The Delphonics (July 30), Chubb Rock (Aug. 6), Barbara Mason (Aug. 13), all at Mahoney Playground.Manhattan: KRS-ONE (July 24), Slick Rick (Aug.13), Big Daddy Kane (Aug. 14), Toby Love (Aug. 26).
Central Park SummerStage: Mavis Staples (June 13), Vampire Weekend, Kid Sister and Born Ruffians (4 p.m. June 14), Seun Kuti (3 p.m. July 6), Taj Majal, Skatalites, Los Pinguos (July 27). CityParksFoundation.org.
Check out Governor’s Island on July 5th! See the New York Philharmonic!
The New York Philharmonic will perform a free show on Governor’s Island beginning at 6:30 pm. The concert will take place on the Parade Grounds overlooking the Statue of Liberty, Lower Manhattan skyline, and Brooklyn waterfront. Ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
Bonus: Spend your afternoon exploring the island, which features sixteen acres of recreational facilities and a mile esplanade for jogging and walking. Bring your picnic baskets and snag an early seat to one of this summer’s most anticipated concerts.
THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, the creme de la creme of classical music outfits, begins its 24-year-old free Concerts in the Parks series June 24 in Central Park. It continues at: Richmond County Bank Ballpark (July 8); PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J. (July 9); Cunningham Park, Queens (July 10); Van Cortlandt Park, the Bronx (July 11); Heckscher State Park, East Islip, L.I. (July 12); Prospect Park, Brooklyn (July 14), and then back to Central Park (July 15). All concerts begin at 8 p.m. nyphil.org. Fireworks follow every show except the Jersey date. For weather updates, call 212-875-5709. Later this summer, the Snug Harbor Pops bounces onto the orchestra scene with an Aug. 9 gig at 8 p.m. on the South Meadow of its namesake cultural center in Livingston. NYPhil.org
THE WESTERLEIGH FOLK FESTIVAL runs noon to 6 p.m. June 14 at Westerleigh Park, Corners of Maine, Neal Dow and Willard Aves. Performers are Karlus Trapp, Queen Tipsy, Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir, Jim Indell, Louise Luger, Guys In The Band, NightDancers, Pete Saladis, Mort Jacobi, Stan Jay, Norm Pederson, Don Lombardi, Tom and Sue Daily, and Jim Fahey. Refreshments and raffles will also be available. Visit karlustrapp.com, myspace.com/queentipsy.
OPERA IN THE PARKS: Back in the day, the Metropolitan Opera got around. But for 2008, there will only be a single outdoor performance June 20. The chosen spot: Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The performance on the ball field area of Long Meadow begins at 8 p.m. Renown opera singers Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna perform together some of opera’s greatest hits: Arias and duets by Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, Massenet and others. Plus, transportation is free. To attract the widest possible audience, 25,000 pre-paid MTA MetroCards will be provided by Bank of America at selected branches in each of the five boroughs. The MetroCards — in a sweet commemorative holder — will be given away starting June 16, on a first-come, first-served basis at 2196 Forest Ave., Mariners Harbor. MetOperaFamily.org
SUMMER SUNDAYS at Snug Harbor Cultural Center offers new reasons to explore its lush campus Sundays this summer at 5 p.m. The free lineup on the outdoor stage includes: The Lascivious Biddies (June 29), Professor Louie and the Crowmatrix (July 13), Art Lillard & the On Time Quartet (July 20), The Lost Chord Trio Swing Street Ensemble (July 27), Bindlestiff Family Cirkus (Aug. 3), and the “The Harbor Variety Hour: Great Entertainers of the 20th Century” (Aug. 10). Snug-Harbor.org
FOREST FANFARES: The Staten Island Chamber Music Players goes all dreamy with its summer concert series this summer on four Sundays at 2 p.m. in High Rock Park (718-667-2165, sichamberplayers.com). Forest Fanfares begins with the String Quartet (July 20) and continues with the Woodwind Quintet (July 27), the Jazz Quartet (Aug. 3) and the Brass Quintet (Aug. 10). SIChamberPlayers.com
BOROUGH PRESIDENT JAMES MOLINARO’S STARLIGHT CONCERTS return to parks across the isle beginning July 17 in Clove Lakes Park with Juke Box Heroes. All shows are at 8 p.m.
Next up: Snug Harbor Cultural Center hosts Mighty String Demons, United We Sing — USO Tribute, Danny Rodriguez (July 24); Alice Austen House: Witness, Alive n’ Kickin (July 31); Westerleigh Park: The Blue Meanies, Alan Quin Orchestra (Aug. 7); Conference House Park: Diva Express, Parkside Symphony (Aug. 14), and Silver Lake Park: The Four Pops, Vince Vacarra: A Tribute to Bobby Darin (Aug. 21).
The borough president’s beach concerts with fireworks go off three times this summer. The pyrotechnics pop after the music.
Wolfe’s Pond Park: Due South, United We Sing — tribute to the armed forces, Rag Doll (June 29, 6-9 p.m.); South Beach Dolphin Fountain: The Expressions, Kenny Vance and the Planatones (Aug. 7, 7:30-10 p.m.); Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier: Project 19, Joe Bonamo and the Godsons of Soul (Aug. 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m.). StatenIslandUSA.com
BACK TO THE BEACH: The cost of loading your sunscreen-slathered kids and their sand shovels and pails into the minivan for a trip to New Jersey is practically unthinkable with the price of gas this summer. Think closer to home. Think Back to the Beach.
For the 13th year, Borough Hall will host its popular Back to the Beach festival June 21-22 and Aug. 16-17 from noon to 9 p.m. Dizzying amusement park rides and games of chance will appear along the Midland Beach Promenade as music groups belt out tunes from the ’50s and ’60s.
Midland Beach‘s Sea Turtle Circle, a huge sprinkler at Capodanno Boulevard and Midland Avenue, will be focal point of activities. 718-816-2133.
CONEY ISLAND‘S MERMAID PARADE: Even Poseidon might quiver at some of these sights. Mermaids, mer-men, mer-babies, wandering lighthouses, drill teams, antique cars and yachts keep your eyes guessing June 21, rain or shine. Get down to Surf Avenue between West 10th and West 15th streets well before the 2 p.m. start time. Check online to see which celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid will rule. Stay for the Mermaid Parade Ball, a post-parade gathering where costumed parade participants gel with spectators for live music, burlesque and sideshow acts. ConeyIsland.com/mermaid
SNUG HARBOR brings three all-time big screen faves to its lawn this summer on Friday nights at 8 with live openers at 7. Screenings: “The Birds” (June 20) with Pro Musica; “The Blues Brothers” (June 27) with the Big Frank’s Delta Blues, and “Airplane” (July 11), hosted by the Mancrush improv comedy trio. If it rains, the movies move indoors. Snug-Harbor.org
THE STATEN ISLAND BALLET welcomes the kiddies into the dance domain with its Family Series Program, free for children 12 and younger and $15 for adults. The curtain goes up July 19 at 7 p.m. and July 20 at 3 p.m. The New York International Choreographers Festival returns to the Staten Island Ballet Fountain Stage, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at the College of Staten Island, 2800 Victory Blvd., Willowbrook. Tickets will either be free or subsidized. 718-980-0500, StatenIslandballet.org
CHECK INTO NEIL SIMON’S “PLAZA SUITE,” June 28 at 8 p.m. or June 29 at 2 p.m. at the VMH Playhouse on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center. The comedy is comprised of three one acts: “Visitor from Mamaroneck,” “Visitor From Hollywood,” and “Visitor From Forest Hills.” Part of the Harbor Reading Series, “Plaza Suite,” summons to the stage Island theater vets Mickey Tennenbaum, Karen O’Donnell, John Griffin and Erin Flanagan. A $5 donation is suggested. snug-harbor.org, 718-448-2500
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK is still the hottest free theater ticket in town at 34 years. The Public Theater produces two shows each summer in Central Park. Part of the draw is celebrity actors who perform on stage during the summer break from film and television series.
Lines form at the Delacorte Theater (near 81st Street) about 6:30 a.m. when the park opens officially for folks wanting the coveted vouchers for that evening’s performance. Voucher distribution is at 1 p.m. and is usually completed by 1:40 p.m.
This year’s productions are “Hamlet” which continues its run through June 29 and “Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” (by Silver Lake’s own Galt McDermott) which runs July 22 to Aug. 17 in “Hamlet.” Andre Braugher (“Gideon’s Crossing,” “Homicide: Life on the Streets”) Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under”) and Sam Waterston (“Law & Order”) star.
In addition to voucher distribution at Central Park, there are also locales in each borough. “Hair” vouchers are available at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terr. on July 22. Because of construction this year, no vouchers are distributed at the Public Theater.
PublicTheatre.org
-From SI LIVE by Jodi Lee Reifer, Ben Johnson, Lisa Ann Williamson and Rob Bailey
http://www.silive.com/entertainment/recreation/index.ssf/2008/06/get_out_the_free_guide.html
PS 373R Robert Randall School 