Bring a lawn chair or blanket and picnic in the park this summer. Free, unless indicated. Check back in June for 2012 events.
| Concerts in the Parks | Movies in the Parks | Plays in the Parks |
concerts in the parks
Arts Council of the Morris Area Annual
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concert
Great Lawn, Giralda Farms Corporate Park, Rt. 124, Madison (rainsite: Madison High School), 973-285-5115 ext. 14.
Berkeley Heights Summer Concert Series
Memorial Park, 908-464-0550.
Bernards Township Parks & Recreation
Jayne Hannigan Summer Concert Series
Pleasant Valley Park, 908-204-3003.
Boonton Area Concerts in the Park
Grace Lord Park, W. Main St. & Essex Ave., Boonton.
Chatham Community Band
Concerts 7:30pm in Chatham at the Chatham Community Gazebo in Reasoner Park on Fairmount Ave.; or in Chatham Township at The Joe Stauss Memorial Gazebo on Southern Boulevard.
East Hanover Music in the Park
Lurker Park, Ridgedale & Eagle Rock Ave., East Hanover, 973-428-3095.
Essex County's Summer Concert Series
973-268-3500. Concerts are held at parks throughout Essex County.
Florham Park Gazebo Concerts
Gazebo, 111 Ridgedale Ave.
Freehold Summer Concert Series
Hall of Records Parking Lot, Freehold, 732-462-3584.
Hanover Township Concert Series
Malapardis Park, 189 Malapardis Rd., Cedar Knolls, 973-428-2463. Activity line: 973-887-7870.
Hoboken Summer Enchanted Evenings
Free concerts along the Hudson 7-9pm. Frank Sinatra Park, Sinatra Dr. between 4th & 5th Sts., 201-420-2207.
On the Hudson Summer Concert
Lincoln Harbor Park on the Weehawken Waterfront. Concert hotline: 201-716-4540.
Hunterdon County Park System Music Under the Stars Concert Series
Deer Path Park (Rt. 78 to Rt. 31S), W. Woodschurch Rd., Readington Twp., 908-782-PARK.
Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Events hotline: 212-875-5766.
Livingston Music Under the Stars
Memorial Park Gazebo, Livingston, 973-535-7925.
Long Branch Jazz & Blues on the Beach
West End Park, corner of Brighton & Ocean Aves., Long Branch, 732-923-2044.
Madison Downtown Concert Series
On the lawn of Museum of Early Trades & Crafts, Main St. at Green Village Rd., Madison, 973-377-2982.
Met in the Parks
212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera presents free performances in parks in and around New York City each summer.
Millburn-Short Hills Summer Concerts
Sundays at 7pm in Taylor Park, Millburn, 973-564-7097.
Morris County Park Commission
The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morris Twp., 973-326-7601.
Morristown Music Without Borders
Concerts at noon on the Morristown Green feature a wide range of musical styles.
Music at Moorland
Moorland Farms, Far Hills, 908-685-2500.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Theater Square, One Center St., Newark, hotline: 973-353-8046.
New Providence Night Under the Stars
Centennial Park, corner of Springfield Ave. and Academy St., New Providence, 908-464-4430.
New York City Summer Concerts
NBC Today Show Free Summer Concerts
Friday mornings on the plaza at Rockefeller Center (between 49th & 50th Sts. near 5th Ave.). Show starts at 7am. Sign up online for limited number of fan passes.
Good Morning America Free Summer Concerts
Friday mornings in Summerstage Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (Fifth Ave. & East 69th St., entrance at 72nd St.). Show 7-9am, recommended arrival at 6am.
PNC Arts Center
Parkway exit 116, Holmdel, 732-442-9200. Free classical programs and heritage festivals presented by Garden State Arts Center Foundation.
Red Bank
Downtown Red Bank.
River to River Festival
Free music, film, dance, theater, art and games take place at different locations in lower Manhattan including the World Financial Center Plaza, Rockefeller Park, Battery Park, South Street Seaport and others.
Sandy Hook Beach Concert Series
Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook, Beach Area E, 732-291-7733.
Scotch Plains Summer Concert Series
Alan Augustine Village Green, 430 Park Ave., 908-322-6700.
Somerset County Park Commission Summer Concert Series
908-722-1200. Concerts at Duke Island Park bandshell, Old York Rd., Bridgewater.
Somerville Friday Night Concert Series
Classic car show downtown and concert on the lawn of Somerset County Courthouse Friday night, weather permitting.
South Orange Outdoor Concert Series
Meadowland Park, N. Ridgewood Rd., South Orange, 973-378-7754 ext. 3.
Main St. South Orange Downtown After Sundown (DAS) Concert Series
Spiotta Park, Village Plaza & South Orange Ave. and corner plaza on Sloan St. and South Orange Ave. 973-763-6899.
Summerfest Music Series
"The Gardens" on eastern side of Liberty House Restaurant, Audrey Zapp Dr., Liberty State Park, Jersey City, 201-547-4327.
SummerStage
Rumsey Playfield, mid-park at 72nd St. off 5th, Central Park, 212-360-2777. Parks weather hotline: 212-875-5709. City Parks Foundation brings more than 30 free concerts, performances, and readings to Central Park June-Aug. A series of benefit concerts, featuring some of the biggest stars in contemporary music, support the free shows.
Summit "Hot Summer Nights"
Village Green, Broad St., Summit, 908-277-2932 x12.
Union County Summer Arts Festival
Wednesday evening concerts at 7:30pm are held at Echo Lake Park, Springfield Ave. end, Westfield/Mountainside or Oak Ridge Park, 136 Oak Ridge Rd., Clark, 908-527-4900.
Warren Recreation
Municipal front parking lot, 46 Mountain Blvd., Warren, 908-753-8000, ext. 270.
Westfield Summer Concerts
Mindowaskin Park Bandstand, E. Broad St., 908-789-4080.
Woodbridge Wednesdays
Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge, 732-602-6045.
movies in the park
Bedminster Outdoor Movie Night
Miller Lane Park, Bedminster, 908-212-7014.
Bernards Township Movies & Games in the Park
Dunham Park, 908-204-3003.
Branchburg Movies in the Park
White Oak Park, Baird Rd., 908-526-1300 ext 188.
Chatham Movies
Chatham High School, 255 Lafayette Ave., Chatham.
Fanwood Movies at LaGrande Park
LaGrande Park, Fanwood, 908-370-7092.
Florham Park Outdoor Movie Night
Gazebo lawn of municipal complex, 111 Ridgedale Ave., Florham Park, 973-410-5390.
Hoboken Movies Under the Stars
Pier A Park (at the east most end), 1st St. and Frank Sinatra Dr., 201-420-2207.
Long Branch Drive In Movie Car Show
Great Lawn on the Boardwalk, Long Branch, 732-923-2044.
Princeton Art Museum Outdoor Films
Lawn outside the main entrance, McCormick Hall, center of campus, Princeton, 609-258-3788.
Somerset County Park Commission
Friday Nights at the Drive-in Movies
Duke Island Park, Old York Rd., Bridgewater, 908-722-1200.
Summit Screen on the Green
Village Green, Broad St., Summit.
Union County Family Fun & Flix
908-527-4900, Hotline: 558-4079.
Warren Recreation
Warren Township Library lawn, 46 Mountain Blvd., Warren, 908-753-8000.
Washington Crossing State Park Open Air Theatre
355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville, 609-737-0623.
plays in the park
Bernards Township Parks & Recreation
Pleasant Valley Park amphitheater, 908-204-3003.
Brookdale Summer Shakespeare Ensemble
The Great Lawn, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, 732-224-2411.
Hudson Shakespeare Company
973-449-7443, hudsonshakespeare.org. Free performances in Hudson County parks and throughout the state.
Plays-In-The-Park
Stephen J. Capestro Theater, Rt. 1S (1 block south of Menlo Park Mall), Edison, 732-548-2884.
The Public Theater Shakespeare in Central Park
Delacorte Theater, mid-park at 80th St., Central Park, 212-260-2400.
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey Outdoor Stage
Open-air Greek amphitheatre on the campus of the College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Station, Morris Twp., 973-408-5600.
Washington Crossing State Park Open Air Theatre
355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville, 609-737-0623.