PS1 Warm Up
At MoMA PS1’s Warm Up series, you’ll meet someone interesting. The outdoor music event, which kicks off on Saturday and runs every week until 5 September, is at the more sophisticated end of the dance party spectrum. Architects, artists, musicians and their associated hangers-on all come together to mingle between the stark concrete walls of the gallery’s courtyard for its summer weekly programme of music events.
Pachanga Boys are opening the season this Saturday, while Kyle Hall, Kingdom, Untold and Boyz Noise are among some of the artists playing throughout the summer.
Like the gallery, the series’ curation is quirky and at time jarring, but in a way that just works. “Every weekend has a different vibe with a baseline of having this guaranteed good time feeling,” Margaret Knowles, curatorial assistant, said. “It’s what keeps people coming every weekend.”
Saturdays, 27 June - 5 September, Long Island City
Tickets $18 in advance, $20 on the door
SummerStage
New York is one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, but for a few months in the summer, having fun for free is easy to come by. SummerStage is the summer-long calendar of free shows in Central Park and other city parks. To mark this year’s 30th anniversary, the season has been extended and more shows added.
“Simply put, we are the distinctly New York festival,”Erika Elliott, artistic director, said. “The quantity of shows and venues are unprecedented. The variety of offerings from local to international, across an unrivaled amount of genres and diversity, truly reflect the cultural fabric of the city itself.”
Highlights include: the Metropolitan Opera, Basement Jaxx, Caribou and NPR’s Ask One Another. SummerStage happens whatever the weather, but get there early to avoid disappointment as the shows are first-come, first-served. Leave your selfie stick at home, though – they’ve been banned.
Events throughout the summer in Central Park and other city parks
Free
Mister Sunday
This party is so inclusive, even dogs and babies are welcome. Phones, however, not so much. The longstanding Brooklyn party, Mister Sunday, is famous for its rules, chief among them that phones aren’t allowed on the dancefloor. And what a dancefloor it is – flanked by trees and sandwiched between two warehouses with a sparkling disco ball hanging overhead.
The vibe is backyard barbecue at an old friend’s house. It’s the no frills kind of fun, with organisers Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter spinning the tunes themselves. “My favorite thing about Mister Sunday is the crowd,” Carter said. “There’s such a great cross section of people that come. It really feels like New York.”
Expect dancing like nobody’s watching, a killer closing song and long lines for the toilets.
Sundays at Industrial Cities, Brooklyn
Tickets $10 advance, $15 on the door
Governors Island
At the top of Governors Island there’s a fake beach club which sporadically hosts parties. While the “beach” part itself is more of a glorified sandpit, you can drink on it while marvelling at the imposing view of the southern tip of downtown Manhattan.
The events programme is varied and includes a funk ’n cue party (that’s a barbecue set to funk music), a full moon party (for any lost gap-year students) and an electronic music dance party headlined by Victor Calderone.
Aside from the goings on at the Governors Club, the island also hosts more grown up events, among them a jazz age lawn party and a new gospel quintet.
Events through the summer on Governors Island and at the Governors Club
Verboten’s stageONE
Verboten’s four-part series of parties in Bushwick Inlet Park will make even the chin-scratchiest of dance music devotees happy. The Williamsburg club has put together a strongly European-influenced lineup, which opens on Independence Day weekend with Sasha headlining with support from Scuba and Agoria.
“Summer parties in New York are great because after a long, cold winter trapped in our dark, tiny apartments, New Yorkers are more than ready to get outside in the sun for some al fresco dancing,” Verboten co-owner, John Perez said.
The other dates features some of hottest DJs and acts of this year, included Jamie xx, whose critically acclaimed debut album came out in early June, Maya Jane Coles, David August, Moodymann and Magda.
Detroit techno heavyweight Carl Craig will be left to round out proceedings at the closing event in September.
3 July, 23 August, 6 September, 19 September, BrooklynSingle day admission $60-$70, combo pass $225
Rooftop parties
You can’t go all summer in New York without venturing onto a roof. The upgrade of the lowly rooftop bar is the rooftop party. Just remember to bring a hat – the tarmac beach can get pretty toasty.
The gay bar the Eagle in Chelsea throws its Teabag party on Saturdays complete with leathers; Output has a party every Sunday on its roof and for the morning people, head to Daybreaker for a 7am dance party on the High Line.
Teabag at the Eagle every Saturday; Sundays on the Roof at Output; Daybreaker on the High Line, 1 July
Tiki Disco
While the emphasis at most parties in New York is just being there and oozing cool, this is an actual party-party, where people get drunk and dance.
The venue alternates between the Well in Bushwick and the roof of Output in Williamsburg.
Dates and locations change, check website for details
Block parties
Nothing in this guide to you liking? Or maybe you want to party outdoors but you prefer to do it literally on your own doorstep? Throw a block party. As long as you have a permit, you can close off your street to cars for a few hours and have a party. Open up the fire hydrant and you’ve got yourself a proper New York outdoor party.
