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The Best Things to Do at Governors Ball This Year

Governors Ball returns to Citi Field in 2022, June 10-12. Hereโ€™s what to know. ๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐ŸŽค๐Ÿ—ฝ

by New York Bucket List

ย 

โ€œThe greatest city in the worldโ€โ€™s premier music festival is back! We almost canโ€™t handle the explosion of Grammy-winning and far-reaching indie artists, the variety of food and drink offerings, signature art installations, official after parties, and experiences-within-experiences coming our way. 

Bucket Listers has everything you need to plan the perfect weekend at the Governors Ball, returning to its iconic Citi Field venue June 10-12 in 2022. 

Weโ€™ve got a breakdown of official after parties, including at the world-class photography museum Fotografiska and one featuring musical artists The Knocks at Summer Club Penthouse. Plus, a must-hit list of experiences, food, and cocktails among their thousands of options. 

Letโ€™s get the Gov Ball rolling, below:

Admire art in between sets


While you frolic in the venueโ€™s state-of-the-art horseshoe design (preventing sound bleed and long walks between sets)โ€”gorgeous art installations in the form of mural towers, huge statues like their signature graffitied and sunglass-wearing Lady Liberty, and high flying inflatables will dot your path. 

And, as you know Gov Ball is โ€œby New Yorkerโ€™s, for New Yorkerโ€™s,โ€ you can expect to see their massive shipping containers painted and remodeled into jaw dropping pieces by local artists. Essentially creating street art that mirrors the cityโ€™s energy right on the lawn. 

Even the recycling is aesthetic! Hydrate responsibly with Liquid Death water cans, then feed your cans to the pop art filled Liquid Death Recycling wall.

For more information on art at the venue

Catch incredible live music performances


The massive three-day lineup is headlined by a trio of legendary performers: Kid Cudi, Halsey, and J.Cole (all artists with unique connections to New York). 

Each lead performer brings melody and a modern day twist to rap and hip hop, setting a tone for the fluidity and notability of their preceding acts. 

Friday | June 10th

Friday starts incredibly fun: with โ€œStir Fryโ€ hip hop trio Migos, indie-pop singer Quin XCIIโ€”known for his addicting entire EP โ€œChange of Scenery,โ€ and โ€œFirst Classโ€ rapper and singer Jack Harlow. This all builds up to the incredible contemporary legend Kid Cudi finaleโ€”and/or Louis the Child, if you prefer the EDM swing of things. 

The day also includes the nostalgic-dream performance of sisters Aly & AJ early in the dayโ€”who got their start on Disney, then went re-viral on TikTok with the eternally catchy โ€œPotential Breakup Song.โ€

And for a masterclass of electric bass guitarโ€”donโ€™t miss DJ and songwriter Blu DeTiger, the 21 year old NY native who grew club famous for pulling out the bass during her DJ sets, then world famous for Instagram lives and TikTok videos. 

Saturday | June 11th

Halsey and Flume rule the day Saturdayโ€”and things get appropriately more electric and โ€œGrammy genre.โ€ See the โ€œNightmareโ€ singer perform an incredible show on the GovBall main stage to close out your night for a quintessential experience.

The day includes massive acts throughoutโ€”including the edgy swedish synth pop sensation Tove Lo (โ€œtalking bodyโ€ and โ€œhabitsโ€), heavy hitter rappers YG and Roddy Rich, and the sure to be unique DJ set from Dieselโ€ฆbetter known as the NBA legend and entrepreneurial Shaquille Oโ€™Neal. 

Sunday | June 12th

The lineup of our dreams finishes hard and amazing with generation-defining rapper J. Cole, R/B and soulful house artist Kaytanada, and performance king and self-styled โ€œmumble rapperโ€ Playboi Carti. 

Earlier in your final day, make sure not to miss lofi sensation Clairo, โ€œShowerโ€ singer and internet darling Becky G, and indie British rock band Glass Animals: singers of โ€œHeat Waves,โ€ โ€œYouthโ€ and โ€œGooeyโ€, which will all always make our summer playlists. 

For more information on the lineup 

Escape the heat with a cool treat


Dancing all weekend can certainly leave us parchedโ€”and NYC can run hot in June. We recommend some preemptive cold treat and sweet drink planning for such a scenario. 

Taste the swirly part MatchaBar and part Sun Scoop (plant-based ice creamery) delicious vegan matcha soft serve.

Or, treat yourself to โ€œdessert for breakfastโ€ just because you can with Milk and Creamโ€™s nostalgic childhood cereals mixed into their picturesque ice cream cones. 

Dairy or soft serve not your thing? Thereโ€™s a Mexican ice popsicle you can grab between sets to keep you cool all day long from La Newyorkina!

For more information on the 2022 Govenorโ€™s Ball Food and Beverage Lineup.

Attend a Gov Ball After Party With The Knocks at Summer Club at Penthouse


Enjoy water and skyline views as your dance all evening to a live performance by The Knocks at Long Island Cityโ€™s Penthouse. The venue takes place specifically at Summer Club, and the party begins right as Gov Ball ends. The after party event will also feature DJs, live footage, and more! Who says the music has to stop when the headliner wraps? 

General Admission: 

Tier 1: $35 per person

Tier 2: $40 per person

Tier 3: $45 per person

When: Friday, June 10th at 10 PM - 2 AM

Where: Penthouse at Summer Club: 80 Queens Plaza S, Astoria, NY 1101

For tickets to Gov Ball After Dark Party ft. The Knocks at Summer Club Penthouse.

Take advantage of a ton of experiences, activities, and pop-ups


See our highlights below: 

Recharge and Pamper: 

  • Recharge in the Verizon Cabana: Phone dying and/or over pushing through the crowds? Verizon customers can score a laid back exclusive view of the GovBalNYC stage, with lounge seating and complimentary phone charging.
  • OGX Love is in the House: OGX is running their product and styling bar so you can have a pampering moment amid the chaos, and get your hair festival ready (and very picture-worthy) in a snap. 
  • Supergoop! Sunshine Shack: One of the most essential on the listโ€”stop by Supergoop!โ€™s shack for regular SPF lathering! Plus, Gov Ball merch and treats.
  • Red Bull Skyseats: Red Bull gives you wingsโ€ฆ and elevated seats above the crowd to see your favorite sets. Head to the seats location (by the GoPuff Stage) any time during the weekend to grab a can of Red Bull/Red Bull mocktailโ€”and sign up for a set time to save your 360-degree view spot! 
  • ElectroLIT Zone: Festivals ๐Ÿค Extra Hydration. Come to this cool off zone to rest and try their premium hydration drink, filled with the proven essential electrolyte formula for immediate full hydration, and glucose to make that recovery instant. 

Drink and Dance:

  • Summer Water Social Club: Did you know that June 11 is National Rosรฉ day? Embody the vibes at Gov Ballโ€™s Summer Water Social Club. Bring the festival fam for some swag, games, and the iconic chilled Summer Water Rosรฉ. Plus, great picnic-esque photo ops! 
  • Casa Bacardi: Things start to heat up at the Casa Bacardi beach zoneโ€”where you can match up at the pickleball playa, customize your festival gear, and try their one and only Gov Ball Punch: a passionfruit and coconut flavored rum mix. 
  • Bud Light Seltzer Sessions: Seltzers are the drink medium of choice these daysโ€”for great reasonโ€”and Bud Light Seltzers have set up the ultimate performance spot to serve! Head to the station to try your favorite flavor while enjoying live sets (lineup is here) and some exclusive merch! 
  • Tito's Party in the Shack: Titoโ€™s shack is doling out its fresh handmade vodka cocktails along with custom swag, an inside look at their distillery history, and the chance to creatively personalize your own dog tags.
  • Hacienda Patron: Cool off at the iconic Copper Bar of the Patron Tent, and spiritually escape to their flagship Mexican distillery in Atotonilco El Alto with their epic tequila cocktails. 
  • Coca Cola Real Magic: Truthfully, no alcohol may be able to top ice cold Coca-Colaโ€™s societal presence. And, to match their star power, theyโ€™ve assembled a larger-than-life Coke โ€œstudioโ€ experience, with interactive and engaging bright red structures to play and pose with. 
  • Gov Ball Runs on Dunkinโ€™: Stay cool and caffeinated with an iced coffee or cold brew at the Dunkin patio. And, if youโ€™re a DD perks member, youโ€™ll get to create free custom festival swag and check out a special DD Perks Patio. 
  • Gray Whale Gin Ocean Love Experience: This small batch gin is distilled from California botanicals and forged alongside the migratory path of the Gray Whaleโ€”and every bottle sold supports ocean restoration and protection! Their incredible blue VW Bus Bar has been touring the nationโ€”and you wonโ€™t want to miss this stop. Youโ€™ll get to drink their cocktails, and enter the #OceanLoveContest for a chance to win a luxury beach vacay!  
  • Aperol Spritz Piazza: Head to the lush greenery and poppy-orange swings of the Aperol Spritz Piazza for a warm Italian welcome within the Gov Ball walls! The lively area features its signature orange hue in interactive installationsโ€”perfect for photo opsโ€”plus two bars serving their cocktails. 

Tech Innovation:

  • Tinder Festival Mode: Still want to assemble a crew? Before you head to Gov Ball, check out โ€œFestival Modeโ€ on Tinder to explore who else is going, and meet at the main stage! 
  • Coinbase Wagimin Club: Enter: our entirely new future. Now at Gov Ball, you can be part of the first ever human profile picture NFT project at Coinbaseโ€™s WAGMI Club. Simply download your free Coinbase Wallet before in order to memorialize your weekend as an exclusive NFT.
  • Citi Custom Cash Card Experience: This freebie is for the Citi card holders. Stop by their Custom Cash Card booth to customize accessories and snag swag to elevate your festival fit. 

For more information on the 2022 experiences of Gov Ball.

Dive into the Gov Ball Food Lineup


The fan favorites are all back! And this being New York, we have to start with the pizza options. 

Make sure to grab a slice this weekend from the beloved Bushwick-born pizza spot Robertaโ€™s, which serves up some of the best Neapolitan pizza in the city. Expect intriguing specials like The Bee Sting, topped with pepperonis, honey and chili flakes, and Ursulaโ€™s Paradise, topped with clams mozzarella and breadcrumbs. 

But, pizza lovers: save room for the seen-on-Shark Tank sensational Pizza Cupcakes on your way to rage to Migos and Jack Harlow.

The food lineup continues with as much variety as the festival itself, including epic Japanese-Mexican street food at Takumi Taco, a mac-n-cheese variety truck, chicken and waffles at Sweet Chick, stir fried veggie noodles doused in sriracha at Flaming Wok, and so much more. 

Thereโ€™s also a variety of vegetarian, gluten free and vegan options to choose from. The plant-based food producer MorningStar Farms will be guest starring, and patrons can visit their spot for complimentary samples of our delicious plant-based Chikโ€™n Tenders and Veggie Pepperoni Pizza Bites.

For more information on the 2022 Govenorโ€™s Ball Food and Beverage Lineup.

Attend a Gov Ball After Party in a world-famous museum


You may recognize this after partyโ€™s venue as the immense, work-of-art-itself building that was coveted by fake-German airess Anna Delvy on the Netflix mini-series โ€œInventing Anna.โ€ Today, it holds the world-class photography museum: Fotografiska

Itโ€™s home to a wealth of photo exhibitions in a landmark Renaissance Revival-style gallery. Fotografiska also features a mid 19th-century chapel cocktail bar and a romantic fine dining restaurant, The Veronika, making this space a velvet, artful and lux celebration.  

Unlike Anna, we definitely โ€œhave time forโ€ the exclusive and official after dark Gov Ball party theyโ€™re hosting here! This is for the art lovers who want to tour the magical halls and acclaimed photography, all while listening to the Razor-N-Tape curated DJ lineup with a drinkโ€”or twoโ€”in hand. 

GA Drink Package: 

$45 (Tier 1 early bird pricing) then $50 per person (Tier 2 pricing) 

Includes: 1 drink (beer or wine) and access to the museum.

VIP Drink Package:

 $70 per person

Includes: 2 drinks (1 premium cocktail & 1 regular drink), a VIP entry line, and access to the museum. 

When: Saturday, June 11th at 11 PM - 1 AM

Where: Fotografiska: 281 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010

For tickets to the Gov Ball Hall of Fame at Fotografiska After Party.

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