By Dan Murphy
Yonkers has a large array of activities, concerts and movies all available for your summer enjoyment – and free of charge.
The Cross County Shopping Center’s Summer Fest is back and underway. Concerts will be held Thursdays in July and August. Shoppers are invited to bring beach blankets and chairs to the Green Lawn at Center Court to enjoy different genres of music, and enjoy tasty treats and savory snacks from local and regional food trucks.
July 11 will be FDR Drive Band playing top 40; July 18 will be The Dirty Vice Band playing funk/soul; July 23 will be The Nerds playing Jersey Shore classics; Aug. 1 will be Big House Band playing top 40; and Aug. 8 will be The NY Bee Gees tribute band.
Family Fest is new at Cross County and will start with the Story Pirates on July 13, a science workshop with Groundwork Hudson Valley on July 24, and a musical instrument-making workshop and concert with Bash the Trash on Aug. 20. The School of Rock House Band from New Rochelle will perform free concerts June 18, July 16 and Aug. 6.
The Yonkers Downtown Business Improvement District has begun its yearly summer concerts on the Yonkers Pier. Upcoming shows, which take place Friday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., include:
July 5 – Back to the Garden 1969. This Woodstock tribute band will play a veterans’ concert along the river.
July 12 – Base Camp. Be a part of the ultimate R&B experience with this six-piece band performing soul-filled classics.
July 19 – Reggaelution. Groove to reggae on the river with this international group.
July 26 – Luis Fernandez. Enjoy the sounds of Latin music and sound house.
Aug. 2 – Rock Steady Revival. Pay tribute to the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
Aug. 9 – The Joey Berkley Band. Get swept away by the contemporary jazz and R&B sounds of this acclaimed saxophone player and special guest vocalist Chrissy Tambakis.
Aug. 16 – Anaisa. Enjoy traditional Cuban charanga by this 10-member lineup of flute, strings, Latin rhythm section and vocals.
Aug. 23 – Night of Blue Eyed Soul. Grab a friend for a night of songs by Adele, Amy Winehouse, Robin Thicke and more.
Aug. 30 – Motown 60th Birthday Extravaganza. Dynamic songstress Roz will salute 60 years of Motown.
For more information on BID happenings this summer, visit www.YonkersDowntown.com.
The City of Yonkers and Mayor Mike Spano will host a summer series of concerts and movies during July and August at several Yonkers parks. The family-friendly series is free of charge.
Music begins promptly at 7 p.m. Thursdays throughout the summer and begins with Beatles tribute band Strawberry Fields at Richter Park on July 11. Seven other concerts will take place in July and August, including tribute band Larger than Life: The Ultimate Boy Band on Aug. 22. Visit YonkersNY.gov for all dates and locations.
Summer family-friendly movies from the City of Yonkers, taking place Friday evenings at dusk, include: “Hotel Transylvania 3” on July 5 at Lt. Roy McLaughlin Park, “A Dog’s Way Home” on July 12 at Sullivan Oval, and “Incredibles 2” on July 19 at Rubeo-Cielinskix Park. Call the Yonkers Parks Department at 914-377-6450 for more information.
Movie Mondays are back at Ridge Hill and include, “The Lego Movie 2” on July 8, “Mary Poppins Returns” on July 15, “The Incredibles 2” on July 22, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” on July 29, and “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse” on Aug. 5.
The Untermyer Performing Arts Council has begun its summer events and concerts to be held Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. at Untermyer Park. Upcoming concerts include:
July 6 – Jerry Constanzo’s Jazz & Swing Band, performing music from the swing era to Frank Sinatra.
July 13 – Connecticut Ballet. This perennial UPAC audience favorite returns with four different ballets.
July 20 – Slyvana Magda with the Katende Band and Viva Brazil Dancers, featuring part music and Brazilian cultural outreach.
July 27 – Julius Caeser, by Hudson Valley Shakespeare.
For more information, call the Untermyer Performing Arts Council’s Arts Line at 914-375-3435. For updates, visit www.untermyer.org.
