Deer Tick, Margo Price, William Bell, James Hunter & more playing free shows in Hudson River Park

This summer, Hudson River Park will host a series of free and low-cost events called Summer of Fun with music, movies, dance, food festivals, family events, fitness, walking ours, fishing and river cruises. It kicks off on May 21 with the annual Hudson RIver Park Games and the series continues through September.

The music includes an "Americana" show on Saturday, July 16 on the Hudson RiverStage (Pier 97) with an acoustic Deer Tick set, country breakout Margo Price, Justin Vernon collaborator (and quality artist in her own right) Anais Mitchell, and Brooklyn "occult blues" singer Breanna Barbara. That show is totally free, and goes from 2-9 PM.

There's also a "soul" show on Saturday, August 6 on that same stage with Stax Records legend William Bell, British singer James Hunter (who just released a new album on Daptone), Meters founder George Porter Jr with his band The Runnin' Pardners, and beloved soul/rock and roll DJ Jonathan Toubin. This one's totally free too, and also goes from 2-9.

Other music events include the 17th annual free Blues BBQ on August 20 on Pier 97 with Gaye and the Wild Rutz, Cash Box Kings, Bernard Allison Group, Sugaray Rayford Band, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. There's also the free "Sunset on the Hudson" shows on Friday nights from June 10 to August 19 on Pier 45 (but no show on July 1). Those include Shanti Star & the Afro-Reggae All-Stars (6/10, 7/8 & 8/12), the Chuck Braman Jazz Band (6/17, 7/22 & 8/5), and Max Gallico & Friends (6/24, 7/15, 7/29 & 8/19).

Full Hudson River Park calendar HERE.