Photo: Suraiyya Mohammed via Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0
Jones Beach Summer Concert Series — Opening Night
Jones Beach Theater kicks off the 2026 summer concert season with a headliner under the stars. Park at the West End lot by 6:30 PM — the main lot fills fast on opening night. The amphitheater holds 15,000 and the back lawn is the locals' move: cheaper, breezier, you can still hear everything. Bring a sweater; ocean wind off the Atlantic comes in cool after sundown.
Jones Beach Theater officially reopens for the 2026 summer season on June 15. The full lineup of summer headliners drops in waves through the season — opening night sets the tone.
If you’ve never been: the venue is an open-air amphitheater literally on the beach. The breeze off the Atlantic after sunset is the single best concert experience on Long Island. Pack a light jacket — even in June, post-sundown gets cool by Brooklyn standards.
Practical:
- Parking: West End lot fills by 6:30 PM on big nights. East Field is the backup.
- Food: Stadium prices inside. Eat at one of the diners on Wantagh Ave first.
- Lawn vs reserved: Lawn is half the price, the sound is fine, and you can spread out.
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Other Live Music events
Editor's Pick Billy Joel at Jones Beach Theater — Hometown Show
Billy Joel's annual Jones Beach Theater hometown show — the Long Island summer ritual since the early 1990s. Cold Spring Harbor's most famous son returns to the 15,000-seat amphitheater on the Atlantic. Best Long Island concert experience of the year for any LI native.
- When
- Where
- Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh
- Price
- TBD
The Suffolk — Blues Night
Touring blues + soul lineup at the restored 1933 Art Deco theater. 600-seat hall, table service in the orchestra, traditional rows in the balcony. Dinner at Tweed's first (5-min walk), nightcap at North Fork Roasting Co. after.
- When
- Where
- The Suffolk, Riverhead
- Price
- TBD
Staller Center Jazz Series — Stony Brook Spring Season
Stony Brook University's Staller Center for the Arts brings a Saturday-evening jazz series each spring — touring quartets, trios, and headliners in the 1,000-seat main stage. Prices are dramatically below NYC equivalents for the same artists. The locals' move for serious jazz on Long Island.
- When
- Where
- Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook
- Price
- TBD