Joe’s Pub

Joan Wasser, known professionally as Joan As Police Woman, is a critically acclaimed New York-based artist. As a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist she defies easy categorization, crafting her own sound that blends various genres. She has released ten albums of original material, two cover albums, and an anthology. Beyond her solo career, Wasser is a sought-after collaborator. She’s a member of Iggy Pop’s touring band and performs with Damon Albarn’s Africa Express. Her collaborative spirit has led her to work with Tony Allen, Lou Reed, Anohni & The Johnsons, Meshell Ndegeocello, Rufus Wainwright, Joan Cale, David Byrne and many other notable musicians around the world.

Britton & The Sting is a funk liberation band led by Tony Award–winning artist-activist Britton Smith, creating music that celebrates queer holiness, radical authenticity, and collective joy. Each performance is a ceremony—a church without walls—where rhythm, sweat, and spirit merge into a shared pulse of belonging. The band is composed of world-class musicians—each a star in their own right—who perform with major artists across the country.

The band has performed around the world and sold out venues including Apollo Music Café, Rockwood Music Hall, and Joe’s Pub, with features in Vanity Fair, Vogue, The New Yorker, and Paper Magazine’s “Bops Only” list.As NYLON Magazine describes, “Britton & The Sting are building something more than a concert—they’re creating a space where music, identity, and liberation collide.”

Their latest project, Return to MAMA—originally commissioned by Little Island—is a concert-forward theatrical album and ritual experience exploring water as teacher, memory, and guide. “a genre-defying ritual—part concert, part spiritual awakening—rooted in the urgency of our relationship to water and each other.” THEM. The album is now available on all streaming platforms. In 2026, Britton & The Sting will launch the MAMA Impact Tour, a six-city national tour bringing free performances and community convenings to regions most vulnerable to water inequity across the United States.Britton Smith is represented by Creative Artists Agency.

Bryant Park lends out hundreds of free blankets on a first come, first served basis, or bring your own cotton or fleece blanket. To protect the lawn, please do not sit on waterproof materials such as plastic tarps, yoga mats, or inflatable chairs. 

Take a seat in one of the pre-set chairs on the lawn or grab a chair from the gravel. You can use a chair anywhere on the lawn except for the center lawn blanket zone. 

Purchase food and drinks from tents on the east side of the lawn or bring your own picnic. Look for Stout NYC and Heaster Street Fair vendors, and be sure to visit the Bryant Park Shop, too!

Visit the Bryant Park Shop tent for exclusive Picnic Performances merchandise and more.

Find a parachute, hula hoops, and more fun on the east side of the lawn at select events. 

Dogs are welcome on the gravel and bluestone, but not on the lawn.

Performances are cancelled when it is unsafe to be outdoors. In some cases, the lawn may be too wet to open but the performance may continue. Follow @bryantparknyc for day-of event updates. You can also check the lawn status on the bryantpark.org homepage.