Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
Marcus Garvey Park; 8/24 at 7 p.m. and 8/25 at 3 p.m.; 120th St., at Fifth Ave. 212-360-7777
Tompkins Square Park; 8/26 at 3 p.m.; 7th St. at Ave. A; 212-408-0100
Indulge your inner jazzhead with days of free concerts. On Friday night in Harlem, violinist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson leads a reimagining of the 1955 classic Charlie Parker With Strings. On Saturday, legendary drummer Roy Haynes headlines with the hip-hop-inflected groups of Jamire Williams and Derrick Hodge. On Sunday in the East Village, vocalist Gregory Porter and saxophonist Patience Higgins share the bill.
Afro-Punk Festival
Commodore Barry Park; 8/25 and 8/26.; Nassau St., nr. Navy St., Ft. Greene, Brooklyn
A multi-culti music fest with an urban-skater twist, featuring Erykah Badu, Janelle Monáe, Reggie Watts, Gym Class Heroes, Das Racist, Ninjasonik, and much more. Those with an X Games bent can dust off their boards for Nike’s Battle for the Streets Skate and BMX Competition, where participants are chosen by video uploads. By all means, throw in some fancy editing along with those kick flips, but please don’t hurt yourself.
4X4 Festival
Saint Peter’s Church; 8/27-8/31 at 7 p.m.; 619 Lexington Ave., at 54th St.; 212-935-2200
The local early music community’s end-of-summer Baroque festival. A concert focused on continental composers in England, including Mendelssohn, Barsanti, and Scarlatti, is on August 27 at 7. Violinist Robert Mealy and project director Avi Stein play sonatas by Bach, Biber, Castello, and others, August 28 at 7. Early seventeenth-century music from across the Alps is up August 30 at 7. Bach’s Jesu meine Freude is juxtaposed with vocal work by Buxtehude, Capricornus, and Weichlein, August 31 at 7.
Mostly Mozart Festival
Various Venues ; Thru 8/25; 212-721-6500
The festival closes this week. Louis Langrée leads the festival orchestra, joined by clarinetist Martin Fröst, in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major; also on the program, the Concert Chorale of New York and vocal soloists unite for the Beethoven Mass in C major, August 24 and 25 at 8. Fröst returns to play a late-night concert of chamber works by Brahms and Schubert with soprano Lisette Oropesa and pianist Shai Wosner, August 24 at 10:30.
Electric Zoo
Randalls Island Park ; 8/31 thru 9/2.; 20 Randalls Island Park
An open-air Labor Day all-ages beat-party featuring Axwell, David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Sasha, Tiesto, and more. Not for those afraid of neon or glowing things, but good for those who have kids, as there will be face-painting and child-friendly activities onsite throughout the weekend.
Rock the Bells
PNC Bank Arts Center ; 9/1-9/2.; Exit 116, Garden State Pkwy, Holmdel, NJ
Hip-hop heads will want to venture to Holmdel, New Jersey, for this annual cavalcade of rappers, featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Nas, J Cole, Ice Cube, Dipset, Salt-N-Pepa, Future, and more. And if you’re rolling in dough, don’t forget your autograph book: A $450 VIP ticket gets you a backpack, drink tickets, access to a VIP restroom (which, let’s face it, might be worth it), and face time with some of the artists at a meet-and-greet.
Budweiser Made in America Festival
Ben Franklin Pkwy.;9/1-9/2; at Eakins Oval, Philadelphia, PA
You may not have copped a ticket to his shows at the Barclays center, but just a bus (or train, or car, whatever) away, celebrate the holiday weekend with Jay-Z, alongside Pearl Jam, Santigold, Skrillex, and more. Should you choose to ride your bike, congratulations — you’re not only keeping it green, but there is special storage for your vehicle at the festival once you get there.