Upcoming events in Atlantic City
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Atlantic City's live-event scene in brief
Atlantic City has no major-league teams, but it books more concerts, comedy and combat sports than almost any city its size, because nine operating casinos compete for weekend visitors with entertainment. The anchor is Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, a 1929 arena that holds up to 14,770 people. Around it sit three casino rooms large enough for national tours and several smaller showrooms for comedy, tribute acts and residencies.
- Arena shows: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, the city's largest indoor venue, for big concerts, multi-night band runs, family ice shows and boxing.
- Casino concert halls: Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena (about 7,000) at Hard Rock and Ovation Hall (about 5,000 seats) at Ocean Casino Resort.
- Theater-size rooms: the Borgata Event Center (about 2,400) and the Borgata Music Box (about 1,000), both in the Marina district.
- Outdoor summer shows: the beach and Borgata Festival Park, a seasonal outdoor space for about 4,500 people.
Atlantic City is a weekend city. Friday and Saturday nights carry most of the big bookings, and hotel rates move with the event calendar.
Which room books which shows
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
Formerly the Atlantic City Convention Hall, the building at 2301 Boardwalk opened in 1929 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1987. It hosted the 1964 Democratic National Convention, the Beatles on their first U.S. tour in August 1964 and the Miss America pageant for most of its history. It also holds the world's largest musical instrument, a pipe organ with more than 33,000 pipes. Today it books arena concerts, comedy events and family shows; the fall 2026 calendar included a three-night Phish run (October 2–4), the Atlantic City Comedy Festival (October 9–10) and Disney On Ice (November 6–7). The smaller Adrian Phillips Theater inside the building is used for more intimate events. Hockey configurations drop capacity to about 10,500, a reminder that the floor layout changes from show to show.
Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Opened in 1990 inside the former Trump Taj Mahal as Etess Arena, the room reopened as Hard Rock Live in June 2018 after the property became Hard Rock. Capacity is about 7,000, up from 5,200 before the renovation. It books major touring acts, boxing and mixed martial arts.
Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort
A 5,000-seat concert hall on the Boardwalk at Ocean, used for touring rock, pop, country and comedy headliners.
Borgata Event Center and Music Box
Borgata, opened in 2003 in the Marina district, runs the 2,400-capacity Event Center for concerts and the 1,000-capacity Music Box for music and comedy. These rooms are a good fit for acts that sell out arenas elsewhere but want a closer setting, and the small size means nearly every seat is reasonably close to the stage.
Where to sit in Atlantic City's venues
- Boardwalk Hall: the building is a long, high-ceilinged former convention hall, so end-stage concerts put the far end of the room a long way from the stage. Sideline seats in the lower level closer to the stage usually see more than floor seats far back. For multi-night runs, compare listings across all nights, since demand rarely splits evenly.
- Hard Rock Live and Ovation Hall: both are mid-size rooms where the lower seating and the front of the floor carry the highest demand. At 5,000 to 7,000 seats, even rear sections are closer than the back of a full arena.
- Borgata Music Box and Event Center: the small capacity rewards buying for the center of the room over a front-row side seat; extreme side angles miss part of the stage production.
- Boxing and MMA: floor seats around the ring cost the most; raised seats in the first rows of the risers often give a clearer view over the crowd standing on the floor.
The Atlantic City event calendar
- Summer: peak season. Beach concerts, outdoor shows at Borgata Festival Park and the annual Thunder Over the Boardwalk airshow, which draws hundreds of thousands of spectators, all add to the casino calendar. Hotel demand is highest.
- Fall: one of the busiest periods for indoor shows at Boardwalk Hall and the casino halls, including comedy festivals and multi-night band runs.
- Winter: family ice shows and comedy keep the arena busy, and midweek hotel rooms are at their easiest.
- Holiday weekends: Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day and New Year's Eve often bring big headliners to the casino rooms, and tickets and hotel rooms tend to tighten together.
Getting to Atlantic City and between the casinos
Atlantic City is about 60 miles southeast of Philadelphia and about 125 miles south of New York City.
- Rail: NJ Transit's Atlantic City Rail Line runs from Philadelphia's 30th Street Station to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, beside the Atlantic City Convention Center and a few blocks from the Boardwalk. As of 2026, the last train back toward Philadelphia leaves around 10:51 p.m., which can be before a late concert ends, so check the schedule at njtransit.com before you rely on it.
- Jitneys: the AC Jitney Association runs a complimentary shuttle from the rail terminal to the casinos, and jitney minibuses also run local routes around the city.
- Driving: the Atlantic City Expressway leads into town. At Boardwalk Hall, the Arena Garage sits beneath the building off Mississippi Avenue, with the Convention Center garage and the Wave Garage on Fairmount Avenue nearby. Event rates vary, and the venue suggests reserving through ParkMobile.
- Flying: Atlantic City International Airport is about 20 minutes away; Philadelphia International is about an hour.
Neighborhood notes and visitor tips
- Midtown Boardwalk: Boardwalk Hall sits in the middle of the Boardwalk, close to the convention center, the rail terminal and several casino hotels within walking distance.
- The Boardwalk casinos: Hard Rock and Ocean put their concert halls inside the resort, so a show night can include dinner and a hotel without leaving the building.
- Marina district: Borgata is separated from the Boardwalk, so plan a car, rideshare or jitney if you are staying on the Boardwalk.
- Book the room with the ticket. On big concert weekends, casino hotel rates rise with demand; booking both early usually works better than waiting.
- Check age rules. Some casino showrooms set age restrictions for specific shows, so read the listing.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest concert venue in Atlantic City?
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, which holds up to 14,770 people. The largest casino room is Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, with about 7,000.
Can you take a train to Atlantic City for a concert?
Yes. NJ Transit's Atlantic City Rail Line runs from Philadelphia's 30th Street Station to a terminal beside the convention center, a few blocks from Boardwalk Hall. As of 2026 the last train out leaves around 10:51 p.m., so late shows may need another way home.
Where is parking for Boardwalk Hall?
The Arena Garage is beneath the building off Mississippi Avenue, and the Convention Center garage and the Wave Garage are nearby. Rates vary by event.
Is Miss America still held in Atlantic City?
No. The pageant was held at Boardwalk Hall for most of its history, but it left Atlantic City after 2019 and has since been held at Mohegan Sun.
How far is Borgata from the Boardwalk?
Borgata is in the Marina district, away from the Boardwalk, so most visitors drive, take a rideshare or use a jitney to get there.