Upcoming Concerts and Events in New York City - May 2026
May 2026 in New York City is an unusually loaded month: Bruce Springsteen at Barclays, the Mandalorian and Grogu opening Memorial Day weekend across town, Frieze New York returning to Hudson Yards, the NY Liberty home opener, and Carnegie Hall stacking back-to-back nights of Evgeny Kissin and Heather Headley. Below is the verified, chronological calendar — every event has been confirmed against official venue listings as of late April 2026.
May 2026 NYC Events Calendar
| Date | Event | Venue | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Nimesh Patel | Beacon Theatre | Comedy |
| May 2 | Bring Me The Horizon | Madison Square Garden | Concert |
| May 3 | National Symphony Orchestra | Carnegie Hall | Classical |
| May 5 | Cinco de Mayo Parade | Central Park West | Free / Festival |
| May 5 | Concert of the Century 50th | Carnegie Hall | Classical Gala |
| May 6 | Behzod Abduraimov, Piano | Carnegie Hall | Classical |
| May 7 | Heather Headley | Carnegie Hall | Broadway / R&B |
| May 8 | NY Liberty Home Opener | Barclays Center | WNBA |
| May 11 | Tom Morello | Madison Square Garden | Rock |
| May 13 | Evgeny Kissin, Piano | Carnegie Hall | Classical |
| May 13-17 | Frieze New York 2026 | The Shed | Art Fair |
| May 14 | Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band | Barclays Center | Concert |
| May 16 | Ragtime (previews) | Vivian Beaumont | Broadway |
| May 16-17 | Michelle Buteau | Beacon Theatre | Comedy |
| May 21 | Roberto Carlos | Radio City Music Hall | Concert |
| May 22-23 | Harry Connick Jr. | Carnegie Hall | Jazz |
| May 25 | Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade | Bay Ridge | Free |
| May 30 | M.I.A. with Big Boi & A-Trak | Madison Square Garden | Concert |
1. Nimesh Patel — May 1 (Beacon Theatre)
Date: Friday, May 1, 8:00 PM | Venue: Beacon Theatre, Upper West Side | Tickets: ~$55-$150
Comedian Nimesh Patel kicks off the month with his "With All Due Disrespect — The 2026 Tour." Sharp, observational stand-up in a landmarked Broadway-style venue. Book through msg.com · resale on StubHub or SeatGeek.
2. Bring Me The Horizon with Amira Elfeky — May 2 (Madison Square Garden)
Date: Saturday, May 2, 8:00 PM | Venue: MSG, Midtown | Tickets: ~$80-$300
The British post-hardcore powerhouse headlines the Garden as part of their global arena run. Loud, theatrical, and floor-level seats are essentially gone. Tickets via msg.com or Ticketmaster.
3. National Symphony Orchestra — May 3 (Carnegie Hall)
Date: Sunday, May 3, 2:00 PM | Venue: Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage | Tickets: ~$40-$180
The NSO returns to Carnegie for a Sunday matinee, a perennial favorite of classical regulars. carnegiehall.org.
4. Cinco de Mayo Parade — May 5 (Central Park West)
Date: Tuesday, May 5, starts 12:00 PM | Route: Central Park West, 106th to 96th Street | Free
NYC's official Cinco de Mayo Parade marches down Central Park West with mariachi bands, dancers, and floats celebrating Mexican heritage. Details at nyc.gov/events.
5. Concert of the Century 50th Anniversary — May 5 (Carnegie Hall)
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 7:00 PM | Venue: Stern Auditorium | Tickets: ~$75-$500
A landmark gala marking 50 years since the legendary 1976 benefit concert. Expect an A-list classical lineup. Book early via carnegiehall.org.
6. Behzod Abduraimov, Piano — May 6 (Carnegie Hall)
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 PM | Venue: Stern Auditorium | Tickets: ~$35-$120
The Uzbek-British pianist plays his fifth Carnegie recital — Stravinsky, Liszt, Debussy, Brahms.
7. Heather Headley — May 7 (Carnegie Hall)
Date: Thursday, May 7, 8:00 PM | Venue: Stern Auditorium | Tickets: ~$50-$200
The Tony- and Grammy-winning Broadway and R&B star headlines a one-night-only Carnegie show. Expect a mix of standards and Headley originals.
8. NY Liberty Home Opener vs. Connecticut Sun — May 8 (Barclays Center)
Date: Friday, May 8, 7:30 PM | Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn | Tickets: ~$25-$200
Defending champs tip off the WNBA season at home. Tickets sell fast for Liberty openers. barclayscenter.com · Ticketmaster.
9. Tom Morello — May 11 (Madison Square Garden)
Date: Monday, May 11, 8:00 PM | Venue: MSG, Midtown | Tickets: ~$60-$220
The Rage Against the Machine guitarist brings his solo tour to MSG. He returns May 16 — both shows on sale.
10. Evgeny Kissin, Piano — May 13 (Carnegie Hall)
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 8:00 PM | Venue: Stern Auditorium | Tickets: ~$45-$200
Beethoven's Sonata No. 7 plus Chopin mazurkas from one of the era's defining pianists.
11. Frieze New York 2026 — May 13-17 (The Shed, Hudson Yards)
Dates: May 13-17 | Venue: The Shed, West 30th Street | Tickets: Day passes ~$65; preview $185+
The fair's 15th edition gathers 67 galleries from 26 countries, with collaborations spanning the Whitney and Dia. frieze.com.
12. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band — May 14 (Barclays Center)
Date: Thursday, May 14, 7:30 PM | Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn | Tickets: ~$150-$800
The "Land of Hope & Dreams" American Tour hits Brooklyn. Three-plus hours, no opener, signature show. The hot ticket of the month. Box office · StubHub resale · SeatGeek.
13. Ragtime on Broadway — Performances begin May 16 (Vivian Beaumont, Lincoln Center)
First public preview: May 16 (approximate) | Venue: Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center | Tickets: ~$89-$299
Lincoln Center Theater's revival of the Tony-winning American epic. Member tickets May 18. Book through lct.org · TodayTix lottery for $40 seats.
14. Michelle Buteau — May 16-17 (Beacon Theatre)
Dates: May 16-17, 8:00 PM | Venue: Beacon Theatre | Tickets: ~$50-$140
The "Survival of the Thickest" star's "Surviving & Thriving Tour" lands for a two-night run.
15. Roberto Carlos — May 21 (Radio City Music Hall)
Date: Thursday, May 21, 8:00 PM | Venue: Radio City Music Hall, Midtown | Tickets: ~$90-$450
The Brazilian pop legend's rescheduled date — a rare U.S. arena-scale appearance. msg.com/radio-city-music-hall.
16. Harry Connick Jr. — May 22-23 (Carnegie Hall)
Dates: May 22-23, 8:00 PM | Venue: Stern Auditorium | Tickets: ~$80-$350
Two nights of New Orleans-flavored jazz, swing, and standards from the multi-platinum singer-pianist.
17. Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade — May 25 (Bay Ridge)
Date: Monday, May 25, 11:00 AM | Route: 78th Street & 3rd Avenue to 101st & 4th Avenue, Bay Ridge | Free
NYC's 156th annual Memorial Day Parade — veterans, NYPD, FDNY, and community groups. The Intrepid Museum on Pier 86 hosts a free flag-unfurling and wreath-laying ceremony the same morning at intrepidmuseum.org.
18. M.I.A. with Big Boi and A-Trak — May 30 (Madison Square Garden)
Date: Saturday, May 30, 8:00 PM | Venue: MSG, Midtown | Tickets: ~$75-$400
A genre-bending bill: M.I.A. headlining, OutKast's Big Boi, plus DJ A-Trak. One of the month's most curated arena shows.
Tips for Booking NYC Events in May
- Book Springsteen and Mandalorian-weekend events now. The most valuable seats sell out 2-3 weeks before the show.
- Use TodayTix for Broadway lottery. Ragtime previews especially — lottery winners get $40-50 seats vs $89+ list.
- Carnegie Hall student tickets are $15. Day-of, with valid student ID, at the box office. Worth the line.
- Subway and bike are faster than cabs for MSG / Barclays / Radio City. Allow 30 minutes from anywhere in the boroughs.
- Memorial Day weekend gets crowded. Hotels in Midtown spike 60% — book by mid-April or stay in Brooklyn / Long Island City.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the biggest show in NYC this May? Bruce Springsteen at Barclays Center on May 14 is the highest-demand ticket. Springsteen has not played Brooklyn since 2016, and his "Land of Hope & Dreams" tour has been the year's hottest arena run.
Are there free events in NYC in May 2026? Yes — the Cinco de Mayo Parade on May 5, the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade on May 25, and the Intrepid Museum's flag ceremony are all free. Frieze New York also has free public programming during the fair week.
What Broadway shows are starting previews in May? The major one is Ragtime at Lincoln Center, beginning previews around May 16. Several other Broadway revivals continue from April (Sunset Boulevard, Hamlet, etc.) — check Broadway.com for full listings.
How early should I book Carnegie Hall tickets? Marquee shows (Kissin, Connick, Concert of the Century) often sell out 4-6 weeks ahead. Less-marketed recitals can have day-of availability at the box office, especially for matinees.
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