Live, Outdoor Concerts In Lower Manhattan You Won’t Want To Miss This July

Fourth of July weekend is the perfect time to celebrate our independence — our independence from Zoom concerts, that is. Live outdoor music is back in a big way this summer, and Lower Manhattan features a slate of great shows to lead into July, starting with some red, white and boozy parties over Fourth of July around the Seaport. 

Three stages will take over the Seaport for the Seaport Independent Festival from July 1-5, featuring a mix of genres, from soul to yacht rock. The stages are located at Fulton and Front streets; on the Riverdeck at Pier 17; and at The Greens on The Rooftop at Pier 17. 

The Fulton Street stage, located on the cobblestones, will feature artists including SUSU Supernatural and Soul in the Horn with Natasha Diggs and DJ Clark Kent.

At the Riverdeck stage at Pier 17, you can find DJs including Mel DeBarge and Walshy Fire of Major Lazer. 

For a more loungey experience, you can reserve a private mini-lawn space at The Greens on the roof of Pier 17 to enjoy DJs and other performances. See the full lineup here. 

After the holiday weekend, the River & Blues festival will kick off on the other end of the neighborhood on July 8, bringing rollicking blues, soul and DJs to Wagner Park every Thursday of the month starting July 8. 

Those free shows include performances by soul singer and songwriter Nicole Atkins (July 8), the modern soul of Devon Gilfillian (July 15), Grammy Award winning Gullah quintet Ranky Tanky (July 22) and activist, theologian and musician Rev. Sekou and the Freedom Fighters (July 29). Before each show, DJ Susan Z. Anthony will spin an eclectic mix of tunes to set the scene. 

The shows will take place in Wagner Park; enter at Battery Place. 

photos: Seaport District, Battery Park City Authority