Catalpa Music Festival Rocks New York

New York’s Randall’s Island will host the two-day Catalpa Music Festival headlined by the Black Keys and Snoop Dogg on July 28^th and 29^th.

From Coachella in the Indio Desert to Outside Lands Fest in San Francisco, music festivals have become modern pilgrimages. Now New York offers the inaugural Catalpa NYC Music Festival, a two-day event starting on July 28. Located on Randall’s Island in New York, just 15 minutes from Manhattan, the festival boasts more than 27 musical acts and DJs, including headliners the Black Keys and Snoop Dogg, as well as top acts including TV On The Radio and Girl Talk. In addition to the Indie-rock and hip-hop bands, 22,000 fans are expected to enjoy art installations, VIP areas with private cabanas and Jacuzzis overlooking the stage, food from some of New York’s top restaurants, and a silent disco tent where everybody wears headphones. For a splash of Vegas, there will even be an inflatable 60-foot wedding chapel so music lovers can get hitched.

For those traveling from outside of New York, there is a festival hotel package in conjunction with The Standard:

Catalpa – Standard Hotel Festival Package – $1,150 GA or $1,370 VIP

– 2 nights stay for two people at The Standard with Check-in Saturday, July 28th Check-out Monday, July 30th

– 2 General Admission or VIP Catalpa Festival Weekend Passes

– 2 weekend round-trip ferry passes to Catalpa Festival.

– 2 Catalpa Festival official T-Shirts.

– 2 Catalpa Festival official posters.

Book your tickets for The Standard Travel package or individual passes here.

Getting to the Festival:

Transportation is always an issue in NYC and below are several options for traveling from Manhattan to Randall’s Island.

Ferry – Ferries will travel to and from Randall’s Island throughout both days of Catalpa from the East 35th Street Ferry Landing, located at the intersection of East 35th Street at the FDR, with ferries running approximately every 10 minutes. Ferry tickets to Catalpa MUST be pre-purchased on the site during the event ticket purchase process. $35 for a 2-day return ferry pass. Guests WILL be able to buy ferry tickets on the day of the event at the info booth at the Festival grounds on Randall’s Island to return by Ferry.

Bus – Shuttle buses will travel to and from Randall’s Island non-stop throughout both days of the Catalpa Festival leaving from and returning to 3rd Avenue between 124th & 125th Street. Shuttle Bus passes can be bought in advance for $20 for 2-day return shuttle passes. Shuttle Bus tickets will also be sold at the Shuttle Bus departure point, as well as at the Info Booth and Box Office at the festival grounds on Randall’s Island.

Walking / Cycling- You can walk across the footbridge from E. 103rd St. in Manhattan onto Randall’s Island Park during daylight hours (6am – 9pm). It takes about 20-25 minutes to walk from the Manhattan side of the footbridge to the festival entrance. Pedestrians can also walk across the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge from Manhattan (about 15 minutes), Queens (about 30 minutes), or the Bronx (about 15 minutes).
 Bicycles are NOT allowed on the ferry or buses. Bicycle parking is South of the RFK Bridge Pedestrian Walkway, near the Ferry Landing on Randall’s Island.

Parking on Randall’s Island is very limited and cannot be guaranteed. Parking passes can be purchased on the Catalpa website. $50 for a 2-day parking pass. There is no overnight parking and no tailgating allowed on Randall’s Island.