Came here to see the All-American Rejects, Dashboard Confessional and the Maine in August 2017 through SummerStage. LINES - Doors opened at 5:30 and I got there at 5:45pm and there were only 5 rows of people in front of us. We were easily able to walk in, get our bags searched and head inside. ATMOSPHERE: It's definitely a low-key festival, with minimal security (we were able to bring in our own water bottle, half empty). They have booths with fun stuff like merchandise, take your own photo, a smorgasburg booth with supposedly the highlights of all the booths (pomme frites!), califia station...etc. They also have water refilling stations and beer available. SEATING: There are bleachers in the back where you can sit if you don't want the "floor" feel but I think for these kinds of concerts why wouldn't you want to be in the midst of it all? The stage is pretty large so you can see a good amount from wherever you stand. The area right in front of the stage has the fake grass that you can sit on. I really appreciated that because it was supposed to rain and I was worried about mud. People sat down until the band started coming on stage so it was nice to sit. SOUND: I'm not super picky but the sound was fine, there were times it was hard to hear the lead singer but that's probably a combination of how he was singing and the crowd singing over him. They played random songs in between and while we were waiting. There was probably a 15 or so minute gap between each artist to reset for the next one. Overall, I liked the venue and it was conveniently located in Central Park. Just walk down either 69th or 71/72 from 5th ave. read more

Rumsey Playfield is a great place in Central Park to visit during the summer. I came here recently for the Knicks Playoff Palooza. It previously was in Brookfield Place but it was moved here to accommodate more people. It is a nice grassy area with a stage where people can hang out. There were several vendors in the area selling overpriced food as expected. The stage and sound system were loud but out of the way for most people. I occasionally walk through Central Park but never knew this area existed. I hope to attend more events here in the future if I get a chance. read more

Rumsey Playfield in the summer time is called Summer stage. It is a great outdoor venue for musical concerts and events alike. I have been here for many concerts and some festivals. Like this past weekend was here for Oktoberfest. For Each event its different set up. Most events here have a VIP section where they get their own private "real" bathrooms instead of using a porta potty. The people who volunteer/work at these events are usually pretty helpful and nice. I like coming to events and concerts here. read more

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Rumsey Playfield in Central Park is a total mess. I'm see people wrote reviews a while ago. Maybe they haven't been back in a while. I was really shocked when I was there about a week ago. It's got remnants of electricity outlets. It's sand and rock that's not fit to walk on let alone play. The building is locked up. It's supposed to be a sports field for older children. I wouldn't feel safe playing there at any age. There were conservatory volunteers working nearby outside the fence. I asked for a bathroom. They said there wasn't a bathroom here. Nearest one is at Bethesda Terrace. It's my opinion it should be completely renovated and used for a better purpose. It looks abandoned. read more

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Loved it. If you sign up for a summer concert (summerstage concert), they give you pretty clear instructions. Just make sure to enter from the south end of the 72nd street to enter the park. Do not come from the north side of the street. You have to end up walking down further south anyway and make an u-turn back. Crowd control was great. And they have free sunscreen, which supplied me for a month during the summer time. Didn't see bathroom nearby though so come "prepared." If the instructions tell you to get in line at 6am, then get in line at 6am. The lines get long super fast. Unless you are like the biggest fan or something, there is no need to come earlier than that since you can still get a good view regardless of your post. Probably just a bit towards the back. read more

Rumsey Playfield is a terrific spot for special events in Central Park located a few minutes walk away from the east side location by the 72nd and 5th Avenue entrance. I have been here a bunch of times for things and just this weekend for the annual German - American Oktoberfest that is held each year here. Again, a great time. PROST! Usually, the security and line organization is set up pretty efficient and this event was no exception. The lines were marked with accurate signage, the crowds were under control, and the staff on hand were polite and did their jobs. They even had a lot of new portapotties around that were labeled for men and women. The huge tent was set up with a ton of tables. Plenty of space to get around for beer and food outside of it. Large stage set up for all the bands to perform. Security was walking around but you hardly noticed them. Very laid back and did not have any attitude or get in the way of the festivities. The weather was perfect this day and the event was a blast. They do a great job setting this up each year. One of the best locations for a public event as long as the weather cooperates. read more

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LaGuardia had their 2021 High School graduation here and it was pretty cool. Great weather made it a fantastic experience. read more

Rumsey Playfield - LaG HS Graduation 2021!! - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I stayed here over night , patiently waiting to see the beautiful Beyoncé. What a lovely experience. The park is very nice and kept clean. I didn't see any strange animals but there was a lot of people so maybe they were frightened. Anyways, if you're going for a concert don't expect to see all that much. I could barely see Beyoncé, but I wouldn't blame the park for that. There were nice little benches to sit on and plenty of lanterns to keep the park well lit at night. read more

Rumsey Playfield - Beyoncé - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

Great venue and I've always had a great time here. I highly recommend this place especially if it's a free show!

This is a really fantastic place for public events and shows, as long as the weather wants to cooperate. The location is great and wasn't nearly as deep in the middle of Central Park as the map makes it seem. The people working the venue and security are surprisingly friendly. I didn't get a chance to really check out the food and drinks, but there seemed to be a fair amount of options for both. The venue was set up nicely, with options for sitting on the ground, standing in front, and even bleachers in the back. I was standing front and center and had a great time, though my spot did allow me to experience some minor problems with the sound system. The waits between each act weren't as long as they have been in other venues I've been to. I saw Year of Ox, a Korean-American rap duo, headlining with two other Korean groups (SsingSsing and Coreyah) here on Monday, thanks to the Korean Cultural Center of NY. The show itself was a blast and I'd definitely be back for more Year of Ox! Word of advice: go to the bathroom before arriving. My show was from 5-10 and there were only portable toilets, all of which were an absolute mess inside. read more

Rumsey Playfield - Year of Ox - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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Outdoor venues can be cool and all and I suppose there's much allure to seeing a concert in Central Park for that statement alone, but that's as far as that point will take you. I came here for a festival, but all of it felt so squished and contained within the limited space. Signs were on top of each other and to get to the other stage, you had to exit the area. In order to get back in you had to walk all the way back around and go through security again. The headache wasn't worth it. read more

No glass, no alcohol, they are super strict. They will take away your items and check them. I just let them keep the salsa. Know this. You CANNOT BYOB into a Summer Stage event. If you do, you'll have to be crafty and put it in a water bottle or something. As an outdoor venue, it definitely gets 5 stars. The acoustics are incredible. Not too loud, but we heard everything perfectly. There is bleacher seating but your best bet is to bring a blanket in case you need to sit on the AstroTurf. If it's a show you really want to see, arrive early. They have port-a-potties so go before you get here. And bring hand sanitizer! read more

Probably THEE MOST romantic place for summer-night movies in the park! Enclosed venue surrounded by the darkness of the "forest," lights draped around the trees, stars in the sky, and the wine booth; this place has it all. Bring a blanket, bring some lawn chairs, bring some small bites, and enjoy the night with a classic movie and a beautiful date. =) read more

I think there's a rule here that the main act can't start until the audience has stood around for an hour and a half. In both of my experiences at the Rumsey Playfield SummerStage, once for Foster the People and the Kooks and again for Childish Gambino, Yelper Ben Y. and I waited through long stalls between opener(s) and the headliner. But I think some sort of chemical is released in your brain the moment the headliner does come on, because the frustration over waiting dissipates as quickly as your money when you buy anything from the merch stand. Security is super light at these concerts. "Security" is 20-25 year old girls walking around with a badge that says "staff," telling concert-goers to not cross the yellow line. The whole place is super lax. The food is classier than you would initially expect. City Winery (love the place) has a booth set up for wine, and there are several beer stands, and a homemade brick-oven pizza stand. We ordered two slices and a water bottle and the total was twelve bucks. Not bad. Both shows I've seen here were great, and we got to sit in the bleachers they have set up. Most people choose to stand, but I'd rather not get involved in the riff-raff of mosh-pits, etc. I look forward to next year's SummerStage line-up! read more

Rumsey Playfield - The Kooks and Foster the People at SummerStage! - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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Imagine being exhausted, having slept only a couple of hours the night before, and then getting up at the crack of dawn to see Demi Lovato!!!! No, I wasn't chaperoning, although the tweens looked at me, like, "Is that Ms. Kim?" One of the things on my "must-do list" was to attend a free GMA concert taping. I just so happen to love Demi's music...so, low and behold, I got up that morning, called my friend (with a baby-- such a trooper), and said, "meet me at Central Park, we're sooooo doing this!" "You're crazy, Soo!" Better believe it. I walked across Central Park with my fobby backpack (about a mile) to the East Side at around 6:30am, followed the herd of young teenagers and their disgruntled parents, and watched the most awesome taping. I was surprised that the crowd wasn't as big as I had thought. Luckily, it wasn't Coldplay or a bigger band, I think then, the entire place would have been packed! The funniest part: was seeing my friend with her baby just shaking her head in disbelief. 1) security must have thought she was the biggest freak, like, "she's that big of a fan that she brought her baby?" 2) she didn't know who the hell Demi Lovato was. Poor thing. But I loved the fact that she was such a trooper! That's what friends are for. Seeing a live taping is different than a real concert, for starters, they stop the song half way through to do interviews. Or, she'll sing a little bit of one song and then start over. After an hour and half, we both looked at each other and said, "it's hot and it's time for some coffee." I will never forget this experience. Hands down, one of my best moments. See link for vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxtjsquUq_4&feature=relmfu read more

Why is everyone reviewing every nook and cranny of central park? I came here because Barilla was hosting an event here. I had a great time, and if it was 5 stars because of Barilla, then they deserve it. I'm not sure if the actual playfield is all that, but when decorated Italian style, I had a wonderful experience.. read more

I saw The Kooks, Kimbra, and Foster The People here! And Childish Gambino next month. It's a very cool venue in the belly of Central Park. There are very few shows like this in NYC!!! The crowd mostly stands on the astroturf area in front of the stage, but it is not sloped so it's very hard to see. I prefer sitting in the bleachers. They are far from the stage but it's easier to sit when its so hot and so many people and you can still see the stage great. The lines for the bathroom and all concessions are absolutely enormous, but hey that's life. They say you can't bring your own water/drinks, but they barely check your bags when you come through security so it's probably easy to sneak stuff through. The performers play rain or shine, so buckle in if the drops start following from the sky! Could be a wet one, but you'll never forget it!!! The Summerstage and Rumsey Playfield are a fun and unique New York City venue. Tons of people and tons of great music! read more

Rumsey Playfield - Foster the People on stage! - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I recently came here for Oktoberfest and it was a ton of fun! I had never visited Rumsey Playfield before because it's rare that I go to Central Park (I prefer smaller parks, to be quite honest). When I first arrived, security kept everyone organized by having standby groups in one line, and those of us with tickets in a separate line. The line did get a bit messy as it grew closer to the starting time of the event but it still remained fairly organized. The tent with the tables was set up perfectly with the stage. There were TONS of portapotties around, and were clearly labeled men and women. Security inside the event was pretty laid-back. It's a great place to host an event and/or catch a show. I would love to return for an actual concert one day just to see how that turns out. read more

I like this place, I think this is where channel 7 does their concerts in the mornings now. I have not seen any of the Shakespeare in the Park but intend to soon. I saw a Calle 13 concert here about a year and a half ago and loved it. Also, M.I.A was here (before she really blew up) with Mr. Vegas and that was one of the best days of my life. It was perfect weather, I was with a perfect group of people and met some really cute shorties. Vegas was great on stage and M.I.A blew it out of the water. hands down ,BEST FREE CONCERT I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. That concert was in 2005 and I still consider it best free concert I have ever been to and honestly I have been to SOOOOO many since then. Still never made it to Shakespeare in the Park even in 2012 season, oh well- have to check next year. read more

Shit be legit for outdoor concerts (we peeped The Neighbourhood and Danny Brown last night). The sound system kill't it. You can hear the concert from a mile away. - Where to sit and watch the artists: the astro turf and the stands - Where to make out or smoke the sticky icky: the stands (whaaaaaa...) $8 beers and $7 kim-chee pork/burgers from the AsiaDog food stand. I can't believe we left the concert at 10:30pm and didn't get sexually assaulted walking in the park. Oh yah, its not the puerto rican day parade. read more

I've seen a few shows here (wilco [twice] and pavement) and when the weather is nice, it's a great summer/fall venue for a show. Rain or shine the show goes on, well, unless there's lightning involved. The area is general admission and SRO and obviously a first come, first serve basis. There are metal bleachers as well if you choose to sit. Food options are the usual: pizza slices, fries, burgers, some other tasty bites. The toilets are port o potties which can get gross, especially at night when one is unable to see, so it's best to hold it if you can. It rained when I saw wilco a couple days ago. Some people had their umbrellas up, but I find that rude to block peoples' views (that, and the umbrellas weren't helpful). As I stood there, completely drenched I didn't give a shit. I was in my favorite park, watching one of my most favorite bands, the sound was amazing and the Six Point Pilsner (at $8 for 12oz! yikes.) was quenching my thirst. And really, what more does one need to be happy? read more

I went to see two great bands perform one evening in September, and the show rocked. The venue is the same as it's always been... hard concrete, awful bathroom lines, etc. -- but I guess it was a combination of the mild weather and cheap beer that made me think to myself, "I suppose 2 stars was a little harsh." Cheap beer? Yup. $3-$4 cheap. Tall boys. I drank a bit too much to remember the exact price, and this was a few months ago, so... well, I do recall that I walked around with a full six-pack in my hand. That was a first for a concert, as far as I am concerned. No limit for beers? Unheard of. It made an enormous difference. Imagine not having to go back to the bar at all during the show? Brilliant. A solution to the lengthy port-o-potty lines must now be explored. Overall impression: I did really enjoy being at a concert with a six-pack in my hand, so, +1 star. read more

This is a nice, outdoor venue located in the middle of Central Park. Depending on which show is playing, it can get pretty crowded. Since it has general admission, I recommended arriving early if you want a good spot on the AstroTurf. Food vendors that sell hot dogs, tacos, pizza, beer and wine are located inside. Like any other venue the food is mediocre and a bit pricey, but good when you're starving. Beware of the long lines (at the entrance, for food and drink purchases) and the port-o-potties! read more

I saw my favorite band, arctic monkeys, here so my view may become a bit skewed. This place is great but it's really a good idea to watch where you stand. There's a large pole that can block your view of the stage, or part of the stage. The beer and drink lines are a bit of a free for all so stand your ground! People try and cut all the time. The venue itself is on a big fieldturf carpet so if you're short, get in front. It's a cool place though and fantastic on a great night read more

The setting here for concerts is great. I saw Nas and Damian Marley in August 2011. They performed fantastically. The venue had enough room for everyone, the crowd was live and enthusiastic, the police were unconcerned with non-violent statutory violations, the search upon entry was cursory if you carried no bag, the line was not long, the beverages (while not cheap) were of solid quality, and everything just worked out well. my only qualm was that the astroturf of the standing area in front of the stage was laid over very uneven stones, and one might easily have tripped and twisted an ankle dancing. On the other hand, I danced and jumped all night with no untoward effects, so maybe my concern is misplaced. read more

I came here for the Ingrid Michaelson Summerstage concert and was pretty underwhelmed by the space. Having attended the Black Eyed Peas benefit concert in Central Park a couple of years ago, I thought this event would be on par. There was very long, but very fast-moving, line to get into the venue. Once inside I could tell that it was going to be a very claustrophobic evening. The space is very small and there are a number of bleachers that are blocked off specifically for SummerStage members. That left a small-ish seating/standing area in front of and to the left of the stage and two small bleachers... Summerstage's website encourages you to bring a picnic dinner and blanket to these events but the venue is nowhere near big enough for everyone (or even half of everyone) to do this. We had a blanket set up (since we got there relatively early) but were asked by staff multiple times to move forward to accomodate the rest of the ticket holders. Why not just tell people not to bring blankets and set up chairs on the turf? Or expand the temporary walls of the venue to make for a bigger space? I was also underwhelmed by the sound set up. I understand this was probably an issue with the performer's set up but there were only speakers on stage and the acoustics (or lack thereof, since we were outside in the middle of a park) were bad so it was a generally quiet show. Honestly, I'll probably stick with the summer concerts in Prospect Park in the future. read more

Listening to the Metropoltan Opera recital was nice last night...could've been better if I didn't have to keep forcing myself to tune out the dumb asses who go to these events and chatter the entire time. I was a good girl and didn't knock anybody out. read more

Outdoor concert venue. Quite crowded. Astroturf for the seating area. Being outside is definitely nice, of course, only on nice days! =)

I came to the free Passenger show at summer stage over the weekend. I thought this would be a great venue since it's located in Central Park. I was very wrong. First of all the venue smelled so bad. It stunk of barbecue and hot dogs and cigarettes. About one fourth of the people I saw were smoking. It was disgusting. I don't go to outdoor concerts to breathe smoke. None of the workers cared of said anything. The benches they had set up (which were the only seats) were extremely uncomfortable. Forget about standing unless you get to the venue hours early. You won't be able to see much. There were also a bunch of poorly behaved kids there. I regret that I already bought a ticket for the Gavin degraw show here. I don't ever want to return to this venue. read more

I've seen two shows here this summer - a Comedy Central "Indecision in the Park" (night of stand-up), and the recent Friends/Two Door Cinema Club show. Both were great, though I think they oversold for the amount of space the venue has. Luckily, we had good weather both times, because there's no overhead cover. Expensive beers and food, so bring a picnic. Also, cash only! read more

Skipped Smorgasburg here last year and finally made it for Summerstage a year later. Nice venue in the Park, with acoustics that are better than they need to be. read more

I saw Jimmy Cliff play his Raggae music there today. It was fabulous. He had us singing & dancing up a storm. read more

Great spot for a concert. Easy to get to, excellent sound system and nice selection of beer.

Went to Foster the People Concert just recently and earlier last summer Florence and the Machine. These were both paid concerts. 50+ dollar tickets with ticketmaster. The sound was horrible. I had hoped they rectified the issue since last summer. They just had huge speakers projecting out from the stage. The venue was closed off, you guys couldn't put big speakers at the corners of the venue for a surround sound effect? If you weren't in the sweet spot of the speakers...packed with people... the sound was muffled mess. If this was a free concert, I would have given 4 stars but paid concerts you guys should be ashamed. In addition you have a sound booth right in the middle of the sweet spot sound area and people can't see past it. There was a skyclub seating in the back and I felt bad for the people who paid extra for those seats, their views were probably entirely obstructed. I can't blame the bands because they tried their best. But at least have your manager demand quality projection from the venue or people are going to say the band sucked. read more

Went to Summerstage events the last 5+ years at this venue and only the ticketed events (where you have to pay) allowed for late entry. The free events have long lines to enter and most of the people that are on line are holding spots for others. So after waiting 2+ hours for the gates to open and being sure to get into Rumsey all of a sudden those people that came late but had their friends hold spots for them were able to get into the venue while others that actually waited on line for 2+ hours could not. There should be a colored entry tickets provided for people that are actually waiting on line (1-100 blue ticket), (101-200 yellow ticket), (201-300 green ticket) and so forth. If you get there 10 minutes before the venue starts and they run out of tickets then you do not get in because you did not wait in line. For all of those people that can not get into the venues Rumsey should setup a large video screen facing the hill where people can at least watch the performance from the outside. Why trek all the way into central park only to find out you can not enter the premises? In the last few years the organizers have made efforts to get in as many people as possible by not allowing people to spread blankets in front of the stage but to rather stand and crowd in which is a good thing to get more people inside but not good for those that arrived with their picnic spreads. If the performance is not going well or the weather is getting nasty people start to leave early and then sometimes people waiting outside are allowed to enter but most of the time there is a lack of communication with the event staff and security. The event staff tells the security to allow people to enter but security does not allow them to. Rumsey may have the most popular performances but many of the other Summerstage performances are at venues where there are no entry limits. So if you do not want to wait on long lines and have people that did not wait get into Rumsey and you do not get in then skip Rumsey and go elsewhere. read more