Jones Beach Theater — Summer Season Opener
Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater opens its 2026 summer concert season at the iconic open-air amphitheater on the Atlantic. The 15,000-seat venue has hosted Long Island's signature summer concert moments since 1952. Tickets $45-175 depending on artist + seating tier.
Jones Beach Theater’s 2026 summer season opens June 15 at the iconic open-air amphitheater on the Atlantic. The 15,000-seat venue has been Long Island’s signature summer concert experience since 1952 — sunset over the bay during the opening act, Atlantic Ocean breeze through the back half of the set, no other concert venue on the East Coast like it.
Practical:
- Lawn seats ($45) — the LI native move. Bring a blanket, no chairs.
- Lower-bowl seats ($85-175) sell out within hours of public on-sale for big artists
- Parking at the Bay Parkway lot ($30) is the convenient option
- LIRR Wantagh + 20-minute Uber ($25-35 on weeknights) is the car-free move
- Don’t drive home tipsy — Jones Beach DUI enforcement after concerts is the heaviest of any LI venue
- Pre-show drinks at the West End boardwalk bars (4 mi west, 10 min)
The 2026 season runs mid-June through early September. Marquee artists typically announce by April; lawn-seat fan-club pre-sales open 8 weeks before show date.
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Other Live Music events
Editor's Pick 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.
- When
- Where
- Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh
- Price
- See ticket page
Editor's Pick Billy Joel at Jones Beach Theater — Hometown Show
Billy Joel's annual Jones Beach Theater hometown show — the most-sacred concert ritual on the Long Island calendar. The Hicksville-raised, Cold Spring Harbor-resident Billboard Hall of Fame inductee returns to the 15,000-seat amphitheater on the Atlantic for a single summer night. The LI deep-cuts come out. The crowd is the most-LI crowd you'll see at any concert. The sunset over Bay Parkway during the opener is structurally perfect. Forty years of LI summer history in one show.
- When
- Where
- Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh
- Price
- See ticket page
Editor's Pick Open Mic Night w/ General George @ Nautilus Roasting
General George hosts this free bi-weekly open mic at Nautilus Roasting's Huntington Station location every other Thursday at 7 PM. The coffee shop is right on New York Avenue with easy parking behind the building. Sign up when you arrive or just come to listen.
- When
- Where
- Nautilus Roasting Co - Coffee Shop and Cafe, Huntington Station
Read before you go
- seasonal What We're Tracking: The Long Island Summer 2026 Calendar Takes Shape The Editors' Memorial Weekend reset on what we're tracking for Long Island summer 2026. Programming announcements, venue updates, the new restaurants worth a drive, the festivals that bumped their dates, and the East End rhythm shifts. Updated weekly through Labor Day.
- venue spotlight Long Island Concert Venues Compared: The Local's Guide to Every Major Venue Every major Long Island concert venue, compared by capacity, vibe, sightlines, parking, LIRR access, and accessibility. Jones Beach Theater, NYCB Theatre at Westbury, The Paramount, Mulcahy's, Suffolk Theater, Bay Street Theater, Argyle Theater, 89 North Music Venue.
- safety Driving on Long Island: The Safety + Insurance Guide for 2026 A practical guide to driving safely on Long Island — the most dangerous corridors, NY no-fault insurance basics, what to do at the scene of a crash, and how to navigate a claim. Editorial content, not legal advice.