Afropunk and 8 Other Outdoor Concerts to Put on the Calendar

The summer festival season may be almost over, but it’s about to enter its most enchanted hour. Late summer and early fall can bring some of the balmiest days to the city, and a host of outdoor festivals and one-off concerts offer the chance to capitalize on it. (The Sept. 24 show by the B-52s in Central Park is just one of many.) Here we provide a quick rundown of the performances you’ll want to know about.

Commodore Barry Park

Afropunk Festival

Now in its 15th year, this festival has expanded far beyond its roots in the D.I.Y. community that was seeking space for black punk bands. Recent iterations have drawn more heavily from the realms of soul, rap and R&B, booking big names to draw tens of thousands of attendees to the two-day event in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. This year’s headliners include the cosmic jazz revivalist Kamasi Washington, the neo-soul singer Jill Scott and the British pop hypnotist FKA twigs; other noteworthy acts include the surrealist rapper Tierra Whack and the singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas. General admission tickets for Saturday have sold out, but tickets for Sunday are available, as are V.I.P. tickets and weekend passes. Aug. 24-25; afropunk.com. OLIVIA HORN

Various Locations in Manhattan

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival

A trusty New York ritual now in its 27th year, this free festival attracts overflow crowds to public parks throughout Harlem and the East Village. The highlights come at Marcus Garvey Park — where Mwenso and the Shakes will present their nouveau jazz revue on Friday evening, and the vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will top the bill on Saturday afternoon — and at Tompkins Square Park on Sunday afternoon, when the drummer Carl Allen will pay tribute to Art Blakey, and the tenor saxophonist George Coleman, a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, will lead a trio. Through Aug. 25; cityparksfoundation.org/charlieparker.

Rooftop at Pier 17, South Street Seaport

Z100’s Summer Bash

Out of a Nine Inch Nails sample, a Dutch producer’s bedroom studio, and a teenage rapper’s playful mind came the smash hit of 2019: Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” All of two minutes long, the song has inspired as many think-pieces (on the meaninglessness of genre, on racism in country music, on homophobia in rap) as it has dance parties. Ultimately, it’s evidence of a sea change that was bound to happen: the blurring of the divide separating electronic dance music, trap and mainstream country. Further proof of that change: the teaming up of the country singer Kane Brown with the EDM D.J. Marshmello on the new single “One Thing Right.” Lil Nas X and Marshmello will headline Z100’s Summer Bash, and Brown will appear as a special guest. Aug. 29; pier17ny.com.

Randalls Island Park

Electric Zoo

For 11 years, this blowout festival has turned Randalls Island into an outdoor rave, bringing together a cross-section of mainstream electronic musicians from emerging figures to established stars. This year’s headliners include Dog Blood, the duo of Skrillex and Boys Noize; the D.J. and singer Alison Wonderland; the perennial festival favorites Above & Beyond; and the versatile producer Diplo. Aug. 30-Sept. 1; electriczoo.com.

Rumsey Playfield, Central Park

Mitski

This bassist, singer and songwriter released her first album in 2012, full of poetic power ballads that told of her desires and insecurities with excruciating precision, and owed equal debts to Fiona Apple, Kim Deal and Liz Phair. Seven years later, she has thoroughly changed her sound (opting for pop grandeur and heavy production on last year’s “Be the Cowboy”) but somehow not her persona. Joining her on the bill across two nights at SummerStage will be Lucy Dacus, another young talent with a literary, confessional songbook. Sept. 7-8; 212-360-2777, cityparksfoundation.org.

Forest Hills Stadium

Willie Nelson and Family

At 86, this outlaw-country eminence has begun to make his victory lap look like a marathon. He still tours constantly, and, in an age of legalization, he has only stepped up his lifelong marijuana advocacy. (Yes, there is a Willie Nelson CBD brand.) And in recent years Nelson has experienced the additional joy of watching his son Lukas emerge as a successful frontman in his own right. Lukas’s group, the Promise of the Real (which is also Neil Young’s touring band), will join the elder Nelson on this bill, which also includes Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats — a crew of Memphis soul-drenched, country-throwback scofflaws — and Alison Krauss, who has taken a career rooted in bluegrass to rare heights. Sept. 11; foresthillsstadium.com.

Rooftop at Pier 17, South Street Seaport

Janelle Monáe

Pop’s major avatar of digital-age experimentalism and sci-fi fantasy, Monáe has gone from Afrofuturist dreamer to Hollywood star, while holding onto her visionary streak. She began working on “Dirty Computer,” her most recent album, when Prince, her mentor, was still alive, consulting with him frequently in the early stages of recording. His influence runs throughout the record, which ranges from cyborg funk to politically incisive, take-no-prisoners rap. Sept. 25; pier17ny.com.

Great Lawn, Central Park

Global Citizen Festival

Held each year in multiple cities around the world, the Global Citizen Festival applies the old Live Aid stratagem on an even larger scale. The proceeds go toward fighting extreme poverty across the world, and the festival aims to cultivate investment in social-justice work by allowing fans to use actions — like calling elected representatives or signing petitions — as currency for obtaining tickets (they can also be purchased). At this year’s New York edition, Queen (which performed at the original Live Aid in 1985, and is now fronted by the young pop star Adam Lambert) will headline. The lineup also includes Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Carole King and French Montana. Sept. 28; globalcitizen.org.

Citi Field

Rolling Loud Festival

A diverse sampling of hip-hop — both contemporary and classic — is on tap at this year’s New York edition of Rolling Loud. A few nods to the hometown are to be had: Alongside Meek Mill and Travis Scott, the Staten Island heroes in Wu Tang Clan will share top billing. And the festival will serve as a homecoming of sorts for ASAP Rocky, the Bronx-born rapper recently released from custody in Sweden. Oct. 12-13; rollingloud.com.

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