“A hotbed of intellectual and aesthetic adventure.” —New York Times
After a two-year absence, a magnificent Spiegeltent returns to SummerScape for a celebratory 15th year. Sumptuous summer weekends of dazzling performances, drinks, and dancing await you! Returning favorites and new faces inhabit a summer-long party with a program that offers something for everyone.
The Sound of (Black) Music
Black Roots Summer
“One of the most titanically entertaining musical nights of the year”—The New York Times
The hills are alive (again!) with the sound of Black music! Experience the songs from one of the most beloved American musical classics as reimagined through an Afrofuturistic lens in this return engagement, back by popular demand.
June 24
Mwenso and the Shakes
Black Roots Summer
An explosion of ideas, sounds, and radiant joy await as Michael Mwenso and his band bring their empowering quest to unify with love. Come along on their journey through the kaleidoscope of Black ancestral diasporic music and traditions.
June 25
Rhythm & BBQ
Black Roots Summer
Believing that Black music holds many gifts: medicine, nutrition, meditation, therapy, and solace, the Black Roots Summer cohort invite the community to gather for an all-ages celebration. Live music, DJs, dancing, and more fill the Spiegeltent inside and out for a late afternoon of joy, hope, healing, and BBQ.
June 26
Nona Hendryx and Mamafunk
Revolutionary art-rock new-wave goddess Nona Hendryx (“Lady Marmalade”) makes a third appearance at the Spiegeltent with her band Mamafunk. Heaping helpings of hot summer-in-the-city rhythms and cool sounds make for a perfect way to kick off your holiday weekend.
July 1
Susanne Bartsch presents: New York, New York!
A little risque but always extraordinary, nightlife maven Susanne Bartsch returns with another iconic lineup of the best variety performers the city has to offer. A cross between a night at the theater and burlesque circus, New York, New York! is a wake-up call direct from the city that never sleeps.
Featuring Amanda Lepore, Joey Arias, Julia Atlas Muz, Brent Ray Fraser, Chartruice, Leonid the Magnificent, Neon calypso, Lola Von Rox, Rocky Lanes, and more!
This event contains nudity and adult content and is recommended for mature audiences only.
July 2
Kinder Disco
Movers and shakers from age 4–94, this is your call to the dance floor! Founder of the acclaimed sensation Baby DJ School, DJ Natalie spins an eclectic mix of tunes to keep humans of all ages grooving all afternoon long.
Children under 5 may attend if they remain masked throughout the event.
July 3
Summertime Swing
with the George Gee Swing Orchestra and Got2Lindy Dance Studio
End your weekend with a swing! Local swing impresarios Linda and Chester Freeman of Got2Lindy Dance Studios lead a night of dancing featuring the stylings of top Big Apple Big Band phenomena, the George Gee Swing Orchestra.
July 10
Ms. Lisa Fischer and the Badass & Beautiful Band
with Mr. Louis Cato
After two summers of exuberant, sold-out Spiegeltent performances, Ms. Lisa Fischer (Twenty Feet from Stardom) invites you to become a member of her very own social club! Ms. Fischer’s legendary, soulful voice will welcome you into a badass and beautiful world of song, joined by the multi-instrumentalist Mr. Louis Cato (music producer of The Late Show with Steven Colbert and member of Jon Batiste’s Stay Human band).
July 22 & 23
Jazz at Lincoln Center Summer Jazz Academy Big Band Showcase
The preeminent gathering of the next generation of great jazz musicians, JALC’s Summer Jazz Academy, brings together stellar young talent every summer at Bard College. Led by and featuring members of the JALC Orchestra, this culminating showcase will keep the whole family swingin’!
July 24
Martha Redbone
Roots rocker Martha Redbone is a “charismatic indie-soul diva” (Time Out New York). In her Spiegeltent debut, Redbone blows open the boundaries of American music with her eclectic and foot-stomping style: amplifying her mixed Native American and African American heritage, her Appalachian birthplace, and her Brooklyn upbringing.
July 30
Justin Vivian Bond: Oh Mary, What a Big Tent!!!
To celebrate the end of another fabulous Spiegeltent season, Mx Viveca La Rue Hootchie Cootchie Bond and Band conjure a brand new performance of glamourous virtuosity. Join the “immortal angel of cabaret” (Time Out New York) as they take you on a journey from the mystical, mythical mists of Maryland through the sultry, sassy spectrums of stardom.
August 5 & 6
After Hours
Dance away your weekend nights with top DJs, including returning favorites and fresh faces. Full DJ lineup will be announced soon!
Fridays and Saturdays, June 24 – August 6
Spiegeltent Garden Bar opens at 6:30 pm, weather permitting
Doors open 10:30 pm –12 am, Spiegeltent closes at 12:30 am
Doors open at 9 pm on July 15-16
Open to patrons age 21 and up
Tickets: $12, or free with your ticket to another same-day SummerScape event
Programs, dates, and times are subject to change without notice. Friday/Saturday and After Hours performances may contain nudity, and are for mature audiences only. Friday/Saturday admission is restricted to those over 18 years old unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. No one under 21 is permitted during After Hours.
Venue by Mirror Palace BVBA via West Coast Spiegeltents.
Eat & Stay
Grab a bite and a drink while you’re at the Fisher Center! We offer theater concessions at Sosnoff theater, LUMA theater, and Olin Hall. Across the way, is the al fresco Spiegeltent Garden—or grab a nosh while seeing a Spiegeltent Performance. There is ample space for outdoor picnics across Bard’s campus. Nearby villages and towns in the Hudson Valley boast a large selection of restaurants, as well as a variety of hotels, motels, inns, and bed & breakfasts.
