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Free Broadway Concert in Times Square to Celebrate NYC’s 400th Birthday: Date, Lineup & Event Details
Don’t Miss NYC’s 400th Birthday: Free Times Square Concert Featuring 23 Broadway Shows on September 7, 2025
New York City is celebrating its 400th birthday in grand style with a spectacular free Broadway concert in the heart of Times Square. On Sunday, September 7, 2025, “Founded By Broadway” will transform Duffy Square into an open-air stage, bringing together stars from 23 of Broadway’s most acclaimed shows for an unforgettable musical showcase. The festivities will kick off at 11:00a.m., rain or shine, inviting both New Yorkers and visitors to join the city’s ultimate birthday bash.
“Founded By NYC” campaign is dedicated to honoring 400 years of New York history with citywide concerts, outdoor movies, museum festivals, and more. “Founded By Broadway” underscores the deep connection between Broadway and the city itself, showcasing how the theater district has continuously inspired, entertained, and defined NYC’s cultural and economic landscape.
Audience members in Times Square can expect show-stopping performances from a vibrant lineup of hit musicals and plays, including:
- Aladdin
- Wicked
- The Book of Mormon
- The Lion King
- MJ
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Mamma Mia!
- & Juliet
- Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- SIX: The Musical
- Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
- Chicago
- The Great Gatsby
- Death Becomes Her
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow
- Hell’s Kitchen, and many more.
All acts will be accompanied by live music, courtesy of The Music Performance Trust Fund and the Film Funds, promising authentic Broadway energy in the open air. This celebration also coincides with the kickoff of NYC Broadway Week, offering theater goers special 2-for-1 ticket promotions at numerous productions across the city.
The story of Broadway is the story of New York City, and with ‘Founded By Broadway’ and this Times Square concert for all to partake in for free, we will help tell both of these stories this September. The concert aims to draw locals and tourists alike, celebrating the city’s artistic spirit and demonstrating once again why New York remains “the greatest city in the world.”
Image by Andreas H.