The New York Philharmonic is back this week with two free concerts on the Great Lawn in Central Park, and the weather (so far) looks really promising. Just jinxed it, sorry.
The concerts start at 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday nights but you should get there earlier. The Central Park Conservancy sent out a pretty through summary of what to know, which you can read in full here. Here are a few particularly important things to note.
Some paths will be closed:
Some of the paths north of the Great Lawn (surrounding the Arthur Ross Pinetum and the basketball courts) will be closed and used as a staging area. Please plan to enter the concert via the south, east, or west to avoid this area.
Take a blanket, but do NOT take your dog!
Blankets are a must (no lawn chairs please). Don’t forget your bug spray and sunscreen, too. The evening breeze can get chilly, so you may feel comfortable bringing an extra layer or two as well. As always, no dogs are allowed on the Great Lawn.
Know where the bathrooms are:
The nearest restrooms are located behind the Delacorte Theatre, near the southwest corner of the Great Lawn. Portable restrooms will also be set up by the Parks Department around the perimeter of the Great Lawn.
See our events calendar for many more local events this week.
I’ve been going to these concerts since they began. There have always been lawn chairs. I have never seen anyone asked to leave the great lawn because they have a chair. Without this option many people, especially the elderly, would not be able to attend.
As someone rapidly approaching Medicare eligibility, I understand your seating concern for the elderly. Any concern for the people sitting on blankets BEHIND their chairs?
Those who need a chair can sit in one on the side of the lawn, enjoy the music, and not block anyone else’s view of the stage.
Let’s be considerate of all.
Those needing chairs should have the same opportunity for a good listening position as those on blankets. Even the front of the seating behind the VIP section is so far back that the visuals really don’t matter. After all, this is a music concert not a play.
Again I’ll ask……..what about the people sitting BEHIND the chairs whose view is blocked??
Shouldn’t they have “the same opportunity” for a good VIEWING position as those people (not always the elderly, BTW) blocking their view with their chairs?
Case in point…….”Cato’s” post:
I too loved these concerts from the time they began. I stopped going some years ago because of the incessant partying (always accompanied by portable lighting, of course) and the lawn chairs. (If you’re sitting on the ground, a lawn chair — or, more commonly, two or three or four, side by side — can be fifty feet away from you and still block your view.)
The idea of being considerate is simply foreign to too many New Yorkers. It’s a shame.
Well put, Cato.
“Fireworks alert! Following the concert, a fireworks show will commence at approximately 10pm and will last approximately 20 minutes. If your dog or children are frightened by loud noises, please be aware and plan ahead.”
Thanks for the info!I had only seen the original link (with info above) and didn’t bother reading all the way to the end. I know people who are (were) planning on taking dogs/kids. I continued on to read the dog regulations on the Central Park website and was surprised at the areas where they’re not allowed to go. I’ve seen dogs in playgrounds, in the Turtle Pond, and I’m positive they were present on the Great Lawn chasing Frisbees, as well as being present during ball games and school field days.
Am I imagining things or are the rules just not enforced, lol?
Be forewarned, the vast majority of the audience comes to drink and party. We were half way back last year, right in front of the speakers, and could not hear a thing. You need to be way up front to hear the music. Unfortunately the very front section is reserved for paying guests. (yes the free concert is not totally free – you can always pay to circumvent the rules).
I too loved these concerts from the time they began. I stopped going some years ago because of the incessant partying (always accompanied by portable lighting, of course) and the lawn chairs. (If you’re sitting on the ground, a lawn chair — or, more commonly, two or three or four, side by side — can be fifty feet away from you and still block your view.)
The idea of being considerate is simply foreign to too many New Yorkers. It’s a shame.
Your view? What view? you can stand up, look at the orchestra then sit down. The view or the orchestra doesn’t change during the music. People don’t go to the concert for the view, they go for the music. (Ok, so maybe not the rowdy crowds in the back who are just interested in partying). You are right about many people not being considerate however I think you have this one backwards. You need to be considerate of the people who need chairs. If these people are there early enough to score a great piece of real estate then so be it. If you are sitting behind them you won’t miss one single note of the concert. It should still be a great experience for all.
I’ve been there, set up on the ground, and had people set up chairs directly in front of me (between me and the orchestra). Without a second thought or any awareness of what they were doing. More than once, in fact.
And, by your reasoning, I might just as well stay at home and listen to my stereo. The sound is better and I don’t have to look at other people who *do* get to see the orchestra performing.
Frankly, that’s what I do. *You* can go watch the backs of inconsiderate people in chairs and listen to the brie and champagne being thoughtlessly, and boisterously, circulated by lantern-light next to you. I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks Cato. Obviously, Music Lover enjoys music without visuals, and staying home listening to his stereo is a good idea for him/her.
and if they don’t need to see, they can set up their chairs RIGHT UP FRONT at the EDGE of where everyone who WANTS to watch. They get a good view, the old folks get to hear.
The reason there aren’t supposed to be chairs blocking the view is that many people (obviously not you) WANT to see the musicians performing (like I do….and the hundreds of others who pay big bucks to hear AND SEE the orchestra at Lincoln Center).
I don’t believe one has to pay for seats anywhere at all. The front section is for VIP’s. Exactly what one has to be or do is unclear to me.
Some part of the front has typically (at least 25 years) been reserved for HAI, Hospital Audiences, Inc, an organization that brings disabled people to public events. There may also be space for VIPs, but I would not begrudge the HAI use of space.
The front section is a VIP section often used for press, media and NY Phil. members of a certain level. I once sat there with a friend who covers entertainment and culture for Crain’s.
Hey everyone:
There’s another NY Phil Central Park concert on Thursday night, with a different program. So go twice, or once on Thursday if you can’t make it to the Wednesday concert.
this is highly overrated. I went last year, got there an hour early, had a spot off of the main lawn, couldn’t hear anything and it was so crowded and congested it was very unenjoyable.
Why do they always play music nobody knows? These are mostly “casual” classical music fans – and instead of play the “hits” and making people happy they play something obscure from Dvojac that even he would find boring! Wisen up!
used to go to these concerts with enthusiasm but now they’re so sardine-like with people who seemingly have no manners that it’s just not fun anymore. I consider the $50 tickets sometimes available to listen to the Philarmonic in their space at Lincoln Center worth the price to avoid the concert in Central Park. Sometimes I still do train up to the Bronx to catch the show in Van Cortland park as outdoor music is something I really love and up there I’ve found the experience less frenzied and annoying.
Sad. Until fairly recently,compassion, priority and respect for the who generation who came before us was ingrained into the human psyche. How and why did this reverse so dramatically?
Sad. Until fairly recently,compassion, priority and respect for the generation who came before us was ingrained into the human psyche. How and why did this reverse so dramatically?