Summer nights, after work or a day out, will once again be alive with music and dance thanks to Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America.

Starting in June, the Picnic Performances will bring the best of NYC to the stage, including the New York City Opera, Jalopy Theatre, Carnegie Hall, the Classical Theatre of Harlem and the American Symphony Orchestra.

RECOMMENDED: A massive spring market will be open for shopping at Bryant Park

Best of all, all 26 performances are free and open to the public! On these days, picnicking at Bryant Park will include a show.

“Thanks to Bank of America’s support, Picnic Performances has become an established venue for major cultural events,” said Bryant Park Corporation’s President Dan Biederman. “There is no easier way to experience NYC’s extraordinary music, theater, and dance: just come to Bryant Park, grab a free blanket or chair, and enjoy.”

Below is the full, awesome line-up:

• June 1 — New York City Opera: La Bohème at 7pm
• June 2 — Jazzmobile: Steve Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra at 7pm
• June 8 — Contemporary Dance: Robin Dunn and more TBA at 7pm
• June 9 — Contemporary Dance: Artists TBA at 7pm
• June 15 — Contemporary Dance: Terk Lewis + Kayla Farrish at 7pm
• June 16 — Contemporary Dance: Soles of Duende + Josh Johnson at 7pm
• June 23 — Emerging Music Festival: THUS LOVE, Psymon Spine, Katy Kirby at 7pm
• June 24 — Emerging Music Festival: Ky Vöss, Seramic, Miss Grit, Dead T00th at 5pm
• June 30 — Jalopy Theatre: Michael Daves Quartet ft. Tony Trischka, Yacouba Sissoko, Terrell King at 7pm
• July 07 — Carnegie Hall Citywide: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra at 7pm
• July 14 — Carnegie Hall Citywide: Tessa Lark + Michael Thurber at 7pm
• July 21 — Carnegie Hall Citywide: Magos Herrera featuring The Knights at 7pm
• July 28 — Carnegie Hall Citywide: Champe-Soukous Collective at 7pm
• August 03 — Ailey Moves NYC: Ailey II at 7pm
• August 04 — Carnegie Hall Citywide: Ndlovu Youth Choir at 7pm
• August 18 — New York City Opera: The Barber of Seville at 7pm
• August 19 — New York City Opera: Alessandro Lora in Concert at 7pm
• August 25 — Accordions Around the World: Diana Burco, Suistamon Sähkö, Ragini Ensemble at 7pm
• August 26 — Roulette Intermedium: 75 Dollar Bill, Ka Baird, Additional Artist TBA at 7pm
• September 01 — Classical Theatre of Harlem: Langston in Harlem at 7pm
• September 07 — American Symphony Orchestra: American Expressions at 7pm
• September 08 — New York City Opera: Romeo and Juliet at 7pm
• September 09 — Drom: Gaye Su Akyol (U.S. Debut) at 7pm
• September 14 — Harlem Stage: 40th Anniversary Celebration at 7pm

All performances will be livestreamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website in case you can’t make it in person.

These Picnic Performances have become popular, so much so that last year, 75,000 people attended and nearly half a million watched online.

Don’t miss out—put these on your calendar this summer!

* This article was originally published here

We often invoke the expression “What’s past is prologue” to suggest the continuity of the Black experience from one generation to another. Well, a good example of that occurred recently in the Republican-led Tennessee House when two representatives thrust their fists in defiance after being banished for supporting gun control.

No, Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were not on the victory podium like Tommy Smith and John Carlos were in Mexico during the Olympics, but their action, along with brandishing bullhorns on the state House floor resonated with a similar conviction and determination.

They were joined by a white woman Rep. Gloria Johnson, who was not removed from the House, which drew accusations of racism.

This incident comes in the wake of notable Democratic victories in Wisconsin and Chicago, where Brandon Johnson became the Mayor-elect. The expelled Justin Jones has been reinstated, and there’s a good chance Justin Pearson will also return to his seat after a vote by the Memphis commission.

As we move closer and closer to the 2024 elections—and Biden, who has not announced a rerun, though he has told some friends he will—all of these positive developments should not be ignored by the Democratic National Convention. The other day Biden announced that the convention will be held in Chicago which is another indication of the past is prologue.

In several ways the election date is way down the road, but it will be here sooner than you expect. Either way, the DNC has to take advantage of the energy and political savvy employed in Tennessee and make sure an impetus is given to the increasing number of young citizens poised to enter the political arena.

The post Past is Prologue appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here