Music to My Ears

Arguably the best part of summers in the city is the host of concert festival freebies that offer New Yorkers the chance to enjoy any genre of music pro bono. From the New York Philharmonic in the Parks to Celebrate Brooklyn!, NYC doles out a healthy dose of costless tunes perfect for balmy nights. Bring a blanket and stop by Whole Foods or Fairway Market near Fordham's LC campus to grab snacks for an outdoor picnic and a little Central Park Summerstage, or wake up nice and early to peruse the Union Square Farmer's Market before tuning into the Washington Square Music Festival. Every night is something new - and completely gratis.

I made sure not to miss She & Him's free 4th of July show on Governor's Island. I took the ferry, spent the day sunning waterside, and then cozied up to 3,000 of my closest friends for a little serenade from Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward.


The Beach at Governor's Island

And just last weekend some friends and I took the D train from Fordham directly to Coney Island for The Village Voice's 10th Annual Siren Music Festival. Not only did we catch a bunch of up-and-coming Indie bands like Surfer Blood and Cymbals Eat Guitars and Brooklyn natives Matt & Kim, but we also walked along the Coney Island boardwalk, grabbed a few frankfurters from Nathan's, and then cooled off in the Atlantic Ocean. Rides and food cost money, but everything else was - you guessed it - free.


The Coney Island Boardwalk


Matt & Kim on the Siren Musical Festival Main Stage


I always say, "New York can be the most expensive city in the world as well as the cheapest." Having lived here for a few years now, I find myself enjoying the big apple on a small budget at no cost to entertainment value. It kinda gives a whole new meaning to being home free, doesn't it?

--Posted by Jillian Switzer, CBA 2011.