The scorching heat and continuous downpour did not dampen spirits at the 15th annual Gov Ball music festival in Flushing Corona Park this past weekend.
Thousands of festival goers lined the parkland and surrounded the Unisphere, excited to hear their favorite artists perform from June 6 to June 8, such as Tyler The Creator, Benson Boone, T-Pain, Tyla, Olivia Rodrigo, Feid, Conan Gray, Young Miko, Marina, Wave to Earth, The Garden, and Hozier.
Trekking over the muddy parkland, revelers ran toward one of the three stages, vying for a barricade spot. Manhattan resident Kristine Sabo, 22, wore bunny ears and had a bright smile on her face as she waited outside the Verizon stage for Conan Gray. She shared that the rain didn’t stop the fun as she geared up to see Claro on Sunday.
“I was really excited to see Tyler, The Creator and Benson Boone on Friday, that day had a really packed lineup,” Sabo said. “I wish we didn’t get pushed back [on Saturday]. But, you know, it was fun to kind of have to run for cover. And it’s all just a part of the experience. It comes with being an outdoor festival.”
While Friday’s showcase experienced sunshine, the following day underwent weather delays, causing a few performances to be cut due to the rainstorm. School of Rock NY, Glasshouse, The Backfires, Lexa Gates, Monoblox, and Die Spitz, all had their sets removed from the schedule, and attendees were told that the festival opening was pushed back to 4:30 p.m., instead of 12 p.m.
Just when fans thought the rain was over, another deluge rained heavily over them. Wearing ponchos, attendees darted through trees plastered with pink fur, hoping to get a good spot for their favorite artist. Others danced in the rain, and notably at The Garden’s show, the crowd moshed in the mud, screaming with joy.
The Steingart family traveled from New Jersey with their five and seven-year-old daughters to see their favorite singer, Olivia Rodrigo, and hoped to hear hits such as “Vampire” and “Driver’s License.”
“We were prepared for the rain! We didn’t realize it was a delayed opening until we got here. I was excited to bring the girls to a festival for the first time,” Victoria Steingart said. “I used to go to festivals all the time before kids, but this is our first time at a festival with kids.”
Steingart says parents bringing their kids to a festival for the first time should be prepared for anything and have a relaxed attitude.
Some were disappointed that Oliva Rodrigo’s set was pushed back to 9:25 p.m. instead of its original 8:30 p.m. time slot, and fans say they lost out on 30 minutes of her performance.
