With our eyes still dry from hours of staring at the Coachella live stream online last weekend, the time has come for New Yorkers to get their fair share of the music festival experience. Check out these summer music festivals in New York to erase all envy of California deserts, Ferris wheels and palm trees.
NYC Popfest
Multiple Venues, New York, N.Y. / May 30 to June 2 / $60 4-day pass / 18 and older
Staged at venues around the city, NYC Popfest is back for its seventh year, bringing with it a lineup of artists from around the world. With talent ranging from Canadian rock to Swedish pop and old school Brooklyn based bands, the festival has become famous for giving groups their big break. This year’s lineup includes bands from the international rock scene like The Very Most, Silkies and Azure Blue.
Electric Daisy Carnival NYC
CITI Field, Flushing, N.Y. / May 17 to 18 / $215 2-day pass / 18 and older
Much to the delight of electric dance and house music fans, EDC is returning to New York for its second year. The festival’s sponsor, Insomniac Events, explains on its website that they are not “concert producers,” but “experience creators.” This year’s lineup will boast 81 different artists including Afrojack, Zeds Dead, Calvin Harris and Porter Robinson.
Great GoogaMooga
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N.Y. / May 17 to 19 / Friday $54.50
The Great GoogaMooga festival will not only be showcasing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Flaming Lips across their 3-day festival in Brooklyn this summer, but will also have 85 food vendors, 75 types of beer and 100 different wines.
Camp Bisco
Indian Lookout Country Club, near Albany, N.Y. / July 11 to 13 / $185 / 18 and older
Camp Bisco is well worth the $80 quick shuttle ride to the woodsy festival grounds in upstate New York. This year’s lineup features Passion Pit, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and countless others who will take to the festival’s five stages, which include two side-by-side outdoor main stages that will allow viewers to see all the action at once.
Downtown Festival NYC
Multiple Venues, New York, N.Y. / May 10 to 11 / $45 single day, $79 2-day pass / 21 and older
For two days all over the city, DT:NYC will take over some of New York City’s most well known music halls including Bowery Ballroom and the Cake Shop, bringing 32 different bands to the city. This year’s lineup is headlined by Black Hippy and Purity Ring, and features Sky Ferreira, Palma Violets and DIIV. Pro tip: While the festival is billed as 21 and older, check the individual venues for younger age restrictions.
A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, May 2 print edition. Alex Pastron is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].