Part of Adams Administration’s “Founded By NYC” Campaign Commemorating City’s 400th Anniversary Through Concerts, Celebrations, and Free Events During 2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Tourism + Conventions (NYC Tourism), and The Broadway League today announced “Founded By Broadway,” a free live concert to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of New York City and spotlight Broadway’s vital role in the city’s history. The concert — which will take place live in Times Square on September 7, 2025 at 11:00 AM, rain or shine — will be a marquee event for “Founded By NYC,” the Adams administration’s immersive year-long campaign commemorating 400 years of New York City history. “Founded By Broadway” will celebrate the past, present, and future of Broadway, with performances and appearances by some of Broadway’s newest and most celebrated shows, including Aladdin, & Juliet, The Book of Mormon, Buena Vista Social Club, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Chicago, Death Becomes Her, The Great Gatsby, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hell’s Kitchen, Just in Time, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Maybe Happy Ending, MJ, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, The Outsiders, Punch, SIX: The Musical, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and Wicked. All performances will be accompanied by live music courtesy of The Music Performance Trust Fund and the Film Funds. Performances and artists are subject to change closer to the final performance date.

Originally unveiled at the end of 2024, Founded By NYC celebrates the 400^th anniversary of New York City through activations across the five boroughs — including New York City-themed movies as part of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) free summer movies series; the largest-ever New York City Department of Transportation Summer Streets with 400 blocks of free events citywide; the 47th annual Museum Mile Festival; and more.

“For well over 100 years, a small stretch of theaters in the heart of Manhattan has transported audiences across the entire world and through time. From stories set as close as Hell’s Kitchen to epic adventures in far-off lands, Broadway has inspired generations of New Yorkers and visitors alike with its creativity, energy, and ambition,” said Mayor Adams. “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. Thanks to ‘Founded By NYC,’ we’re thrilled to be hosting events like this all year long as we commemorate more than four centuries of New York City history and show, once again, why we are ‘the greatest city in the world.’”

“There’s only one Broadway and there’s only one New York City. The heart of Times Square is the perfect place to celebrate Broadway’s legacy,” said Jason Laks, president, The Broadway League. “As we mark 400 years of this extraordinary city, the ‘Founded By Broadway’ concert will bring together the energy, talent, and storytelling that define New York and inspire the world. We’re proud to be part of the ‘Founded By NYC’ campaign and to showcase the artists, productions, and performances that continue to make Broadway a cultural cornerstone and economic engine for our city.”

“Broadway is synonymous with a visit to New York City, and what better way to celebrate 400 years than with a free, live concert in the center of it all, Times Square,” said Julie Coker, president and CEO, New York City Tourism + Conventions. “As a marquee moment of our ‘Founded By NYC’ campaign, this celebration will spotlight our renowned theater scene and launch NYC Broadway Week, offering 2-for-1 admission to a variety of remarkable shows this season while supporting local businesses in the theater district.”

Event Details

Title: Founded By Broadway

Date: Sunday, September 7, 2025

Time: 11:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.; rain or shine

Location: Duffy Square in Times Square (West 46^th and West 47^th Streets between Broadway and Seventh Avenue)

Cost: Free

Website: nyctourism.com/foundedbybroadway

The Adams administration’s Founded By NYC campaign — led by NYC Tourism + Conventions — brings together organizations across the city, including the Lenape Center, The Broadway League, the Museum of the City of New York, Times Square Alliance and multiple other Business Improvement Districts, all city agencies, and more. Throughout the year, New York City’s 400^th anniversary is being incorporated into major city events in the worlds of art, film, music, and more, including Gracie Mansion’s art installations, New York free summer movies featuring notable films set in the five boroughs, the Museum Mile Festival, performances by Broadway stars, and the largest-ever Summer Streets. New York City’s 400th anniversary themes are also being featured at additional events, parades, festivals, institutions, and celebrations across the city throughout the year. The campaign is supported by Hamilton, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, including the song, “The Schuyler Sisters,” which provides the soundtrack for the Founded By NYC video. 

The Founded By NYC campaign highlights the achievements, creativity, and resilience of the five boroughs and its people, including the perspectives of marginalized audiences like those of the Indigenous community, women, and people of color. Throughout planning for New York City’s 400^th anniversary, the Mayor’s Office has partnered with the Lenape Center to uplift the voices of the Lenape community. Last year, Mayor Adams proclaimed November 20 “Lenape Heritage Day” in a ceremony at Gracie Mansion. This announcement came one year after Mayor Adams hosted the first-ever mayoral reception celebrating Native American and Indigenous heritage at Gracie Mansion to ensure the past contributions and painful experiences of the Lenape people and other Indigenous communities are not lost to history.

As part of the campaign, NYC Tourism launched “From Times Square to the World,” a video series featuring local hosts using Times Square as a starting point to explore all five boroughs and uncover groundbreaking cultural movements, creative cuisines, and revolutionary ideas that make New York City unlike anywhere else. The video series can be found on the Founded By NYC website and NYC Tourism social media pages, alongside two series entitled Origin Stories and Object Lessons. The campaign also includes Founded By NYC branded content, created with media partners WNBC New York and Telemundo, as well as Atlas Obscura and the Bowery Boys.

Founded By Broadway will be held in partnership with The Broadway League. The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry representing more than 800 members from nearly 200 national and international markets including theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the commercial theatre industry. Key league programs and resources such as Kids’ Night on Broadway, The Jimmy Awards/National High School Musical Theatre Awards, Broadway Bridges, Black to Broadway, ¡Viva! Broadway, Broadway Membership Fellows, Broadway Speakers Bureau, and the Internet Broadway Database represent the League’s ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive culture within the industry that is geared toward accessibility and advancing audience development, industry practices, and workforce opportunities. The Broadway League co-administers the dotBroadway top-level domain, providing online visitors assurance that the web address they are accessing is from a verified League member. Since 1967, The Broadway League has been co-presenting the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards.