Check Out These Music Festivals in New York for 2018

New York City struggled for years to land a proper mega-festival and finally found the perfect partner with The Governor’s Ball. Taking place on the Hudson River on Randall’s Island, festival fans can settle back and enjoy the show with the unforgettable NYC skyline as the backdrop.

Held in the picturesque Hunter Mountains, Mountain Jam is a three-day rock festival set out to bring rock fans together in upstate New York. With more than 50 artists on the lineup covering multiple stages, headliners each year include legends in the rock world.

Founded in Brooklyn, the Afropunk Festival has made its away around the world to London, Paris, Atlanta, and South Africa. The flagship edition, which takes place in mid-August, has grown to over 60,000 attendees with two days of world-class hip-hop, soul, and rock.

Much like its west coast massive sister festival Coachella, Panorama Music Festival boasts a diverse lineup with something for everyone. At its home in Randall’s Island Park, Panorama brings top artists to New York City each year for three days of music and fun. Calling upon New York’s creative hub, art installations motivated by technology are showcased throughout the festival.

Country music heads to the hills when Taste of Country rolls into Hunter Mountain. The ski resort provides cozy camping and ToC provides some of the biggest stars in country music. We don't see many country music festivals up here in the Northeast, which makes this one a must for genre fans.

Electric Zoo is New York City’s premier electronic music festival every Labor Day weekend. With stacked artists ranging from bass to techno and everything in between, Electric Zoo promises to not disappoint attendees. As the largest and longest-running electronic festival in the city, the park transforms into an electronic playground for a three-day jammed pack festival.

The GrassRoots Festival, held in late July, takes place in the scenic Finger Lakes region of New York. The non-profit brings in 80+ bands for four days of music and camping. Can't get enough, there's also GrassRoots festivals in North Carolina and Virginia Key Beach Park, just off the coast of Miami.

The Great Hudson River Revival, usually just called The Clearwater Festival, is one of America's oldest environmental events. The non-profit both celebrates and helps the Hudson River with folk and Americana artists. Founded in 1966 by Pete Seeger, this riverfront festival also features activities like kayaking, rowboating, and rides on the tall ships.

Since 1992, the Great Blue Heron Music Festival, has enticed thousands of fans to the rolling hills of Western New York, for a weekend of Americana, reggae, swing, Celtic, rock, and bluegrass music. Taking place over the long 4th of July weekend, festies can take advantage of the excellent camping with sites tucked away in the woods that surround the nearby lake.

The Northside Festival, Brooklyn’s answer to South By Southwest, takes place over seven days in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood. Music dominates the weekend with a slate of 350 artists performing over 20 venues. While most events required a festival badge or individual ticket, the first Saturday of Northside offers plentiful options for fans of free tunes.