Everything You Need To Know About The Celebrate Brooklyn (Mostly) Free Concert Lineup

Photo via Celebrate Brooklyn

Nothing says summer like free outdoor concerts, and we’ve got some of the best ones in the city right in Prospect Park. The lineup for Celebrate Brooklyn 2015 has been announced, and the season launches on June 3 with Chaka Khan, and continues through August with mostly free (some not) shows from acts including Lucinda Williams, Modest Mouse, tUnE-yArDs, and Willie Nelson, plus shows for kids, movies with live music, dance, and more.

Here are the 13 most important things you need to know:

1. Don’t drive. Parking in the area, as we know, is not the easiest to find.

2. The closest subway to the Bandshell (at the 9th Street/Prospect Park West entrance) is the F/G at 7th Avenue. Next closest is the 2/3 at Grand Army Plaza, then the B/Q at 7th Ave or the Prospect Park or the F/G at 15th St/Prospect Park.

3. Buses: B61 to Prospect Park West, B68 to Bartel-Pritchard Circle, B69/B67 to 9th Street, B41 to Grand Army Plaza, B16/B43/B48 to Lincoln Road or Empire Blvd.

4. Bike valet and self park/lock is available for up to 400 bicycles thanks to Transportation Alternatives.

5. The “free” shows have a $3 suggested donation, and the paid shows help support the free ones.

6. If you volunteer at a few shows, you can get reserved seats to free shows; volunteer at a lot of shows, you can get free tickets to the paid shows.

7. What’s not allowed: smoking, booze, cans and glass bottles, coolers, pets, recording devices.

8. What is allowed: lawn chairs, strollers, food, non-glass water bottles, umbrellas.

9. There’s food on site from The Farm on Adderley and sweets and snacks from The Good Batch.

10. There are seats (about 2,000) for the free shows, but a small section is reserved, and the rest are first-come, first-served.

11. Gates open one hour prior to showtime, and you can start lining up an hour before the gates open. You’ll want to get there early for the more popular acts, for sure!

12. Performances are rain or shine, but extreme weather can cause a cancellation/rescheduling, which they would announce on Facebook and Twitter.

13. The 2015 Celebrate Brooklyn Lineup:

Chaka Khan
Wednesday, June 3, 8pm, FREE

Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
Saturday, June 6, 4-7pm, FREE

Krosfyah Featuring Special Guests Lead Pipe & Saddis / Something Positive
Thursday, June 11, 7:30pm, FREE

Esperanza Spalding Presents: Emily’s D+Evolution / José James
Friday, June 12, 7:30pm, FREE

Lucius / Luke Temple / Pavo Pavo
Saturday, June 13, 7pm, FREE

Damien Rice
Wednesday, June 17, 7:30pm, tickets on sale now

eighth blackbird with Special Guest Will Oldham / Bill Frisell & Sam Amidon
Thursday, June 18, 7:30pm, FREE

DanceBrazil / Forro in the Dark
Saturday, June 20, 7:30pm, FREE

Lucinda Williams / Jason Walker
Thursday, June 25, 7:30pm, FREE

Screening of Paris Is Burning / JD Samson
Friday, June 26, 7:30pm, FREE