Ford Ampitheater + beachside concerts = a perfect day in Coney

Summer in Coney Island is more than just hot dogs and amusement park rides. Just a few blocks from the Stillwell Avenue–Coney Island station sits the Ford Amphitheater, a covered, beachside concert venue and gastropub that restored a 1923 landmark, the former Childs Restaurant, to its original glory.

The summer concert lineup at this 5,000-seat music venue features a stellar mix of hip hop, rock, reggae, and old school legends. See headliners like Big Daddy Kane, Wiz Khalifa, Barenaked Ladies and The Beach Boys. Or go full-nostalgia with shows like Lost 80s Live featuring Flock of Seagulls, Nu Shooz and more, or Boardwalk House Party with blasts from the past like Kid ‘n Play and Naughty By Nature.

Adjoining the amphitheater is a restaurant, Kitchen 21, and rooftop bar where you can begin and end every performance—the makings of a perfect day in Coney.

Here are some of summer’s best shows to pencil in—many of them free:

June 20: Big Daddy Kane *FREE SummerStage Show

June 27: Barenaked Ladies with Better than Ezra and KT Tunstall

June 29: Happy Together Tour featuring The Turtles, Chuck Neron of Three Dog Night and more

June 30: Boardwalk House Party featuring Kid N Play, Naughty By Nature, Coolio, Tone Loc, 2 Live Crew, and Black Sheep

July 7: Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons

July 8: Barrington Levy with Third World, Kabaka Pyramid, DJ Gravy, and Federation Sound *FREE SummerStage Show

July 12: Free Rein Summer Tour with Rebelution, Stephen Marley, Common Kings, Zion I, DJ Mackle

July 13: Tito Rojas and Andy Montanez *FREE SummerStage Show

July 21: Coheed and Cambia and Taking Back Sunday

July 28: The 40th Anniversary of Dance Fever with Tavares, France Joli, The Trammps featuring Earl Young, Disco Unlimited and more

July 29: The Lox with Young M.A, Special Guest DJ Funk Flex, Hosted by Torae *FREE SummerStage Show