SummerStage concert series to debut new and improved Central Park venue

If you’re heading to Central Park for a concert this summer, you’ll notice some changes at Rumsey Playfield. The City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage series — which will open Saturday with a free performance by singer-songwriter Emily King — boasts a new stage, better vantage points, swanky decks for the well-heeled and connected, new sound and light systems and updated food and booze options by the company that runs concessions at Forest Hills Stadium.

The Post got a tour of the updated digs on Wednesday, including the general-admission bleachers, which have been raised 3 feet. The rentable VIP Members Lounge, The Terrace and The Deck — like the new artist hospitality areas — are swanky yet cozy, tricked out by Brooklyn-based design company West Elm. A new sound system by d&B Audiotechnik has been installed, and LED screens have been added to the stage and to its left and right. The venue now h♕olds 5,500 patrons, an increase from just under 5,000, and the canopy that covers the stage is now 20 percent larger in diameter.

While Central Park is the concert series’ show pony, SummerStage — which goes through October — is actually a citywide festival, with shows in 18 parks across all five boroughs. The majority of the events are free, while ticketed concerts are benefits that help fund the program. Highlights of this year’s SummerStage calendar include George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic’s farewell tour show (June 4, ticketed), Khruangbin (June 20, sold out), Corinne Bailey Rae (Aug. 4, free), The Mountain Goats (Aug. 10 at East River Park, free), King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Aug. 28, ticketed) and The B-52s (Sept. 24, ticketed). Various city parks will also host events marking the anniversaries of cultural flashpoints like the Harlem Renaissance and the Stonewall Riots.

“This season’s lineup is thoughtfully curated to celebrate community across all five boroughs by bringing distinctly New York artists to neighborhoods where they have personal history,” Erika Elliott, executive artistic director of the City Parks Foundation, said in a statement. “The Festival also acts as a platform for global talent to perform for New Yorkers, and a place to see some of the most diverse and exciting talent around.”

SummerStage has aligned with Keychange to achieve a 50-50 balance between male and female performers, reaching the goal in 2019, a 🔴year ahead of target.

The City Parks Foundation says the renovations cost $5.5 million. Capital One has signed on as SummerStage’s new multiyear title sponsor, and Best Beverage will sell food and drinks.

For more information and the full SummerStage schedule, visit