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Celebrate Brooklyn! Unveils 2026 'Radical Joy' Season With Free Shows and Benefit Headliners

BRIC casts the summer as 'Radical Joy' to invite neighbors to gather for free music.

Overview

  • Festival organizers released the full 2026 schedule, setting June 4 to Sept. 19 at Prospect Park’s Lena Horne Bandshell with 15 free shows and three benefits.
  • Headliners include Sheila E. at the June 4 opener, Patti LaBelle on June 26 as a benefit, Common on Aug. 28, and Liz Phair with Sleater-Kinney on Sept. 19.
  • BRIC says the season follows a 'Radical Joy' theme that centers Brooklyn’s cultural diversity through curated genre nights and a Brower Park pop-up with Rooftop Films.
  • Patti LaBelle’s show is BRIC’s first major-artist booking done independently of a corporate promoter, signaling a shift in how the nonprofit secures marquee acts.
  • Entry is first-come, first-served with online RSVPs encouraged, and the benefit concerts help fund the free lineup as the series sits alongside SummerStage in the city’s summer music calendar.