The Meadows Music and Arts Festival is Finally Back!

Post Author: Dana Pacifico

With the cold fall air ushering at the end of festival season, we New Yorkers are lucky enough to have one more major festival right in our backyards to hold us over until 2018. The Meadows Music and Arts Festival is back, and after a successful inaugural year, there is much to look forward to with this year’s installment on September 15-17th.
Headliners include Jay-Z, Gorillaz, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Finally, Jay-Z is back! Back with a live show and back with some new music. It feels right that New York royalty will be closing our Friday evening unopposed with a set that will surely please old and new fans alike. Gorillaz was enough to suck us in, and after the release of their most recent album, HUMANZ, and their star-studded performances, it’s exciting to get them in NYC for a proper festival set. To be honest, I am most looking forward seeing Damon Albarn have a ball on stage and his gold toothed grin shining. His energy is infectious. Red Hot Chili Peppers are seasoned festival veterans that know how to put on a headlining gig, and it’ll be a massive nostalgic party everyone can hang at on Sunday Night.

Aside from the headliners, there is also a great undercard, something for everyone. Run The Jewels, Migos, Milky Chance, Blood Orange, Big Boi, A-Trak, De La Soul, Nas, Weezer, Two Door Cinema Club, Foster the People, Broken Social Scene, Sleigh Bells, Joey Bada$$ & Kamaiyah are all immediate standouts. With a great lineup comes some severe conflicts. The stunning Ms. Erykah Badu against LL Cool J ft DJ Z-Trip – What? Why? That’s like the same thing…almost. M.I.A. is major and has a prime slot, but that also comes with the fact that you’ll have to choose between her and Gorillaz. Ouch. That’s a slot where timing will be critical.
Founders knows how to put together a music lineup, but they also know how to put together a food line-up. Curated in collaboration with NYC Restaurant Decider, The Infatuation, there are so many mouthwatering options. Roberta’s Pizza & Burger, Dough, Taiyaki, Ramen Burger, The Nugget Spot, DŌ, Luke’s Lobster, Bareburger, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Jalapeno Corndog & Queen’s own Dumpling Galaxy. Fear not vegans and vegetarians! Monk’s Vegan Smokehouse, Try Vegan, & Southernmost Falafel are all incredible options for your dietary needs. I’m not even vegetarian, and those falafels are the bomb, and perfect for on the festival go.

We’re just days away, and if you haven’t grabbed your ticket, you still have the chance to HERE. Don’t miss out on a weekend filled with great music, good food, and your closest friends.