This year, UTZ and Mike’s Hot Honey teamed up to distribute chips along with a live mural painting.Photo: Courtesy of Alive Coverage
Over 100,000 attendees flocked to the 12th edition of the festival, which featured a lineup of 60-plus artists including headliners Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, and ODESZA.
This was the fest’s first year at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (previous venues included Citi Field and Randall’s Island Park). The Queens site has hosted historical events including two World’s Fairs and the annual US Open Tennis Championships.
Alex Joffe, head of global partnerships at Founders Entertainment, the production company behind the festival, said, “We’ve had eyes on Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for years. The park was created and designed back in the 1930s specifically for large-scale events, and its sprawling green space and tremendous ease of access make it a perfect urban festival site.”
He added that Founders is in “active conversations with NYC Parks and the City of New York” about returning to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park next year.
Also new this year, organizers added a ticketing tier: GA+. It offered access to air-conditioned restrooms; a centrally located lounge area with shade, seating, and its own bar; food vendors; and water refill stations. The lounge also included a dedicated concierge to assist GA+ ticket holders with their needs.
“We are always looking to offer our fans different, unique experiences that cater to their desires,” Joffe said about the decision to add the new tier. “Some people simply want private space and nicer bathrooms, and that’s exactly what GA+ provides. It’s a level in between GA and VIP, both in terms of amenities and ticket price.”
With 30 official partners—20 multiyear or renewed and 10 new—this year’s festival grounds were packed with fresh activations. For example, Snapchat introduced a new functionality—the first-ever AR Site Map, which allowed fans to navigate a 3D construction of the grounds via the Snap app, as well as offering an opportunity for brands to engage with attendees even more. Coke Studio amplified its physical activation through the digital lens, increasing traffic to its space and providing fans with four custom filters to create selfie artwork. Bacardi used the tech to create a one-of-a-kind, first-ever AR drone show, which was displayed over the Bacardi Stage all weekend long through a QR code.
Keep scrolling to see more from brands and partners including Google Pixel, Bacardi, Bud Light, and more at this year’s Governors Ball…
