Already dreaming of summer? Dozens of big concerts and comedy shows are on the way in CT

Now is not the time to want to be at big outdoor concerts in Connecticut, but it’s a great time to dream of going to them a few months from now. Some of the big outdoor venues in the state already have many impressive acts on their spring and summer schedules.

The sheer amount of major tours that are already announced — some of which are already selling very well — speaks to how arenas (outdoor and otherwise) have not just bounced back from the COVID-19 crisis of just six years ago but now dominate the concert market. In an age when music acts make more from touring than from recording, acts are making big moves in big arenas. Look at “Weird Al” Yankovic, a nationally known act since the 1970s, he was still playing places like Toad’s Place well into the 1990s and theater venues a decade ago. This summer, Yankovic has two arena shows within weeks of each other, at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater and Mohegan Sun Arena.

All the elements of a summer concert season are already in place with a couple of Grateful Dead tributes, a ’70s soul/R&B package tour, comedy rock, country pop, guitar heroes, reunions, farewells and lots of lots of nostalgia. Many more shows will be announced in the next few months.

Here are the key big upcoming arena shows that are already on the 2026 concert-going calendar:

Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater has announced eight big shows happening between May and September: David Byrne’s “Who Is the Sky” tour on May 15; Khalid (with Lauv opening) on May 28; the return of James Taylor and His All Star Band (which now seems to be an annual event) on June 22; Alison Krauss & Union Station with the Dobro/lap steel guitarist Jerry Douglas as a special guest and Theo Lawrence as an opening act July 26; “Weird Al” Yankovic on July 28 with operatic clown Puddles Pity Party also on the bill; guitar hero Joe Bonamassa and swamp rockers JJ Grey & Mofro on Aug. 5; a country/Americana night of Parker McCollum, Gabby Barrett and Kassi Ashton on Aug. 6; the just-announced return of the summer rock staple Tedeschi Trucks Band with special guest Sheryl Crow for two nights on Sept. 4 and 5; and an intriguing bill of three eclectic pop/rock/groove artists O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw and KT Tunstall on Sept. 20.

The Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford, which reverted to its original name recently after years as the Xfinity Theatre, has rapper Kid Cudi on June 3 with special guests M.I.A, Big Boi, and A-Trak, MGK (aka Machine Gun Kelly) on June 6, Dave Matthews Band on July 25, co-headliners Ne-Yo and Akon on July 26, country star Riley Green’s “Cowboy As It Gets” tour on Aug. 14 and perpetual party-bringer Pitbull on Aug. 28 with Lil Jon opening.

Westville Music Bowl in New Haven has three shows on its 2026 slate so far: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead on May 23, Lord Huron on June 25 and a Mt. Joy 10th anniversary tour on Sept. 22.

Indoors, the spring and summer concert season at the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville kicks off shortly after the Big East Women’s Basketball Tournament takes place March 6-9. Rod Stewart is at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 13 followed by ‘90s Canadian rockers Three Days Grace on March 14; Black Label Society on April 2; lively young country singer Bailey Zimmerman with opening acts Hudson Westbrook and Blake Whiten on April 9; Lake Street Dive with opener Carrtoons on April 10; the return of octogenarian ‘50s teen-pop star Paul Anka on April 17; a plus-sized metal bill of Lamb of God with its “Into Oblivion Tour” and Kublai Khan TX, Fit For An Autopsy and Sanguisugabogg on April 25; pop/R&B singer/songwriter Charlie Puth on May 23 with Daniel Seavey and Ally Salort; the accustomed summer tour of 5 Seconds of Summer on May 29; Meghan Trainor on July 4; “Weird Al” Yankovic on July 15 (two weeks before his Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater gig); dancer Derek Hough’s “Symphony of Dance: Encore” tour on July 26; a ‘90s nostalgia opportunity with Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms with Spin Doctors on July 31; two nights of comedian Matt Rife on Sept. 4 and 5; and Goo Goo Dolls on Sept. 6.

The other major casino in the state, Foxwoods Resort Casino, has the spring and summer sounds at the foreground of its programming by early March. Concentrating on just Foxwoods’ larger Premier Theater venue, the warm vibes kick off on March 6 with the old-school ‘70s Soul Jam tour featuring The Stylistics, The Manhattans, Delfonics and The Blue Notes, hosted by comedian/actor Jimmy “J.J.” Walker. The Dead-loving Dark Star Orchestra is on March 7; the Latin pop trio Reik is there March 8; R&B divas Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight on March 15; Cheap Trick (who have been a band for over 50 years now) on March 21; Puscifer on April 10; and Aaron Lewis and the Stateliners on April 11.

Foxwoods has a leg up on other big venues in Connecticut thus far in terms of booking big comedy acts during the warm months. You can find Joey Diaz at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater on March 14, a tremendous retro talk show host double bill of Jay Leno and Arsenio Hall on March 20, musical comedian Morgan Jay on his “Goofy Guy” tour on July 2, Jerry Seinfeld on July 18, Nikki Glaser on Aug. 14 and Gabriel Iglesias on Sept. 6.

Bridgeport’s Total Mortgage Arena generally defers to the nearby Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in regard to big summertime concert tours, but in the spring has a country bill of Brandon Lake, Franni Cash and Pat Barrett on March 14, rapper Meek Mill on April 11 and arena-filling comedian Katt Williams on April 26.

PeoplesBank Arena, which until last year was the XL Center, has five big concerts happening between mid-March and late August: Journey’s farewell “Final Frontier” tour on March 14, TobyMac’s “Hits Deep” tour with Crowder and Jeremy Camp on March 27, the divine Cardi B on April 3, Latin pop vocalists Romeo Santos and Prince Royce on April 10, a double bill of Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire on July 10 and clean comedian Nate Bargatze on Aug. 6.

Some arenas have yet to be heard from for 2026. Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center tends to announce its summer slate in April. The season at Westport’s Levitt Pavilion has not been announced and starts in May.

It was announced last year that Hartford’s Rentschler Field would be regularly music events again, with a Chris Brown concert this past August reportedly being the first of many. There has been no news about such shows, however, since Brown played there.