As a freelance music journalist/photographer, I have had the honor of covering this festival for several years. It's one of the best put together and organized festivals I've ever been a part of. That says a lot when it's being held in a large population area (Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn). The sound is top-quality, the vendors, bathrooms, workers, and volunteers have it together. Tons of food trucks. With this came the pleasure of bucketlist things like watching Grace Jones perform from the stage (stage right) with her mother, brother , and her mother's best friend and then hanging out with them in her tent afterwards. In addition, I was able to hang with my friends in Fishbone, Ice-T & Coco, QuestLove, Bad Brains, Suicidal Tendencies, Body Count, and many, many more. The park is large with spacious ground, enough to accommodate the thousands of folks in attendance at any given time. Truly an amazingly inclusive event to be asked to be a part of. read more

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Compared to other festivals I've been to, AP is by far one of the most organized and spacious ones out the bunch. I went in 2018 (just the Saturday show) and it was a really decent time. The grounds were clean, there was some bench seating and I wasn't suffocating from the clouds of marijuana in the air. All I do is go to festivals in the summer so I'd urge anyone who hasn't been to AP in NY to check it out. P.S: Don't get the VIP band. It's a waste of money! read more

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Great Celebration of music and culture!!! This festival is a place to be your wild and creative self! It is a open, judgement- free zone. It is also a drama free zone! The Afropunk festival is definitely something that everyone should experience. There is such an array of music from rock to rap to metal to house to r&b and everything in between. There are always great dj's performers, and headlining artists. Definitely get your tickets in advance because #1 they are cheaper the earlier you buy and #2 they always sell out. Definitely visit the website for more info: http://afropunkfest.com/brooklyn/ All are welcome, so come with an open mind and an open heart. Be free, Be Yourself, and enjoy the music! read more

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So much fun!!!! We were vendors for BK2022. Lots of traffic and patrons shopping even though it rained. Felt safe selling and was confident in security to keep our stand safe overnight. read more

Afropunk Festival - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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This was my 3rd Afropunk and it was my least favorite. This yr I earned tickets by doing community service and boy am I glad I didn't spill coins. The overall setup was very different and it failed in my opinion. There weren't that many big ticket artists so to speak. Cee Lo Green, Ice Cube and Janelle Monae were pretty much it. Well and George Clinton. The times alloted didn't work. You had to run from one to catch a piece of the other. The Green and Red stages were so close you heard both all night at the same damn time. Clinton and Cube had mic issues which delayed their schedules and they put Ms. Monae on the worse stage. DJ Moma did his things on the ones and twos and I probably enjoyed him more than the featured acts. The shops were cool as usual. Bought a couple dope ass sweatshirts for the fall. I'll go back next yr because I know I'm ot buying tickets and I pray that they'll make changes to have things be better. P.S. the lines to get in were ridiculous. Almost an hr this yr. No bueno! read more

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Omg I've gone to Afropunk Atlanta before, but I have to say that this was the best time I've had thus far. Just the people, and the vibes were amazing. Everyone of all backgrounds, ages, and nationalities coming together for the love of music with Brooklyn in the background was awesome! All weekend I felt the love from everyone. The variety of food, the events, and the different stages were amazing too. I could see the effort put into this event-and it showed. I could also definitely tell a difference in the crowd from day one vs day two. Day one was way more crowded, and day two was much more chill and relaxed. I enjoyed my time regardless though. If you come be prepared to show out, and have fun. I did both, and I'll definitely be back again next year! read more

Afropunk Festival - By the stage - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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It claims to be a safe space but the staff at one of the food stands called me a "slut" for no reason. Now I could see if I was twerking on her grampa, or something that was actually slutty. I literally did nothing but order food Also there's absolutely no straight men at afropunk. There's female after female trying to make you feel bad if you are ugly. It was honestly a waste of time. If I wanted to be bullied about being ugly (things I can't control) I could have stayed home read more

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Way too packed with no space to move your arms. People cutting in line. Others smoking weed and cigarettes. The Afropunk Festival was fun, but just be prepared for all of the above. The crowd were for the most part friendly and there to have a good time. I would come back here. read more

Afropunk Festival - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

GO TO AP, BUT DO NOT BUY VIP. It is not worth it; they underdelivered on so much of what was promised. No charging stations. The marketing suggests there are enough seats so you don't need a blanket like those in general admin. There were about 10 seats in each VIP section; yet they probably sell 100, 200 (maybe more) VIP tickets. The bathrooms were not well monitored for upkeep: people were using maxi pads as toilet paper because there were none. VIP viewing area should mean that your view will be better; it is not and in some cases it is worse. The red stage VIP, you couldn't even see the stage at all. You could see the side and I don't mean a side view of the performers because there's equipment and stuff that won't allow a view. You have to leave VIP to see anything. That being said, I still had a great time. The VIP ticket didn't elevate my experience because I spent more of the time outside of VIP. I mean I had to if I actually wanted to see the artists and enjoy. I recommend going to AP Brooklyn because it is such chill, black hippy type vibes. I think in the early days I wouldn't have enjoyed it because it was probably heavy on the punk, but now it has something for everyone. There's punk, soul, rap, alternative, house music, DJ's, etc. There's a thrift shop to buy your outfit for the next Black Panther premiere or some beautiful art. There is a chance to learn about activism in the local community. In a large crowd, I never felt like my space was invaded. An atmosphere of respect & love is cultivated and you can feel it. The people are beautiful both inside and out during AP. You should go at least once in your life. Also don't put pressure on yourself to dress up extravagantly. Yes many people wear glorious costumes, but many people also come in regular outfits. Be you beautiful & wear whatever makes you comfortable. read more

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What a great way to celebrate black music, inclusivity, creativity, and acceptance. I know this festival has been around for a long time (and was actually free at one point!), and I'm sure it's changed a lot from its first iterations, but as a newcomer I was still so impressed by how unique it is compared to all of the other million music festivals out there these days. From Black Pantera, a Brazilian death metal band who said it was their dream come true to play Brooklyn's Afropunk, to Janelle Monae, who absolutely destroyed with her incredible stage production, choreography, and of course that voice (and who, during her set, credited Afropunk with making her career), this was definitely a celebration of music, but I almost think that the bands played second fiddle to the unique and beautiful crowd, many of whom showed up in absolutely gorgeous outfits that you definitely won't see at any other music festival. The crowd was so friendly and welcoming to everyone, that I could see, including this basic B in my cutoff shorts and sandals :) The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because the schedule was way off the whole time and made it really hard to plan the day and see all the acts I wanted to. They have MCs at all of the stages, so they could have come on and updated the crowd about the length of the delay, but instead there was a lot of waiting around in confusion, at times not even knowing what act I was listening to because I wasn't sure how behind they were. That made things a bit disappointing for me on the music front, but I still had an amazing time overall. There are banners all over the venue that remind the audience: No sexism No racism No ablesim No ageism No homophobia No fatphobia No transphobia No hatefulness I wish these things were a given at every event like this, but unfortunately they're not, which is why it's so great that Afropunk is around and thriving after so many years! read more

5 fucking stars, it was the best free concert I have ever been to and I pretty much go everywhere. If you call me a social whore, I would not really disagree with you. I thought the day I went sunday had a really impressive lineup. It was nice to see the art, music, food vendors and just over all vibes of the people around that day. I saw the stage mostly that included Danny Brown (huge following, most people came just for him), Big Freddia, Trash Talk, and Chuck D was actually last to perform at that stage. Living Colour performed on the other stage and had many GOOD songs, not just CULT OF PERSONALITY (the CM PUNK song). Questlove did become the last official performer on the other stage on other side of field. There was some pushing and shoving in the front of the crowd during Danny Brown set but it was okay, I felt like he gave 110% that day to the crowd. I loved going to this event, I am not gonna lie. I think if you missed the saturday or sunday events, you really missed out. I had to work on the saturday and could not make it. Had some really good food too at the Fried Chicken and more truck. Loved the reggae section on the other entrance of the park, got to chill over there for a bit and heard some great music. THANKS Afropunk, it was so nice to go and get the free candy and just enjoy being with all these amazing people. No real crazy fights or whatever, at least from where I was. See you next year AFROPUNK FESTIVAL. York Street on the F train was closest stop to event. read more

Most awesome thing ever! Live music - art- great people - great scene- great weekend. 2 stages with 2 different styles of rock and close contact with the acts I feel it was pretty well ran and organized. They had EVERYTHING from free nutrition bars and water while on line. A yoga program/opening + mini dance jam.So many different types of vendors ( food, clothing, indie films), and array of well known leading rock acts.No pretention. Just fun The people that moshed were respectful and stayed in their area,unlike how at other Rock venues - I've seen people get taken out bloody from wild over zealous crowd surf accidents, & moshing accidents, drugged out of thier mind, vomiting anywhere. You could have been close to the stage, or off laying in the grass relaxing. Its a really big park with different sections. Harley Davidson exhibits , bmx bike trickers, & showmen, as well as a wall for rock climbing, hearty restaurant on wheels food trucks Check out thier instagram, & those of people who went, it was awesome.! Yes by night fall I realized some people had smoked cigarettes.It is so big with so much going on, its hard to regulate or catch that. I didn't mind the marijuana smell though. the VMAs were up the block, so Afro punk had cool unexpected guests Cant believe this was all free read more

Afropunk Festival - International guest teachers Faith Hunter Natasha Blank & Jonni Pollard, DJ Dre led the glorious morning yoga sequence of poses - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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This is my second time attending AP fest. The first time I went was incredible, and I got to see Chuck D. along with some local bands. This time around it was the 10th anniversary of Afropunk fest. So many artists across 4 stages, so it was virtually impossible to see every single one. I did get to see Lianne La Havas, Valerie June, Alice Smith, plus a few local acts on day one. The atmosphere was quite different this year throughout the venue because of the events in Ferguson. Example of that was when Ice T was performing with his band Body Count and he did f*** the pigs. It was on everybody's mind but regardless there was fun to be had in a safe environment. Day two was even more live, DJs were doing sets, old school house and hip hop blasting all around, the greenery burning, and people dancing. I got to see SZA, The Internet(odd future), even Zoe Kravitz band Lolawolf came to perform. I wish I could've told Zoe I love her, but security would've crushed me. The main event was D'Angelo!!!!! The one name legend himself was the main headliner and best believe when 8pm came around there was a army waiting for him to bless us with his presence. Since it's well documented that he's a recluse and a no show to events both free and paid, people became upset when he took too long to hit the stage. Then alas relief when Questlove came out with other members of The Roots getting the crowd ready. Then HE came!!!! He came out!! I was hyped. He didn't do any of his more commercial hits, but who cares. The songs he did do were appropriate for the mood and he killed the Sly and the Family Stone's "Thankful and Thoughtful" and Prince's "She's in My Hair" It was a experience, and I went home happy and satisfied, not to mention high as hell from the 7 hour contact high and drunk off the nutcrackers being sold. read more

Afropunk Festival - The one and only D'Angelo. Had to get a tall sista to get this shot for me - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

This year was my first time attending this event and I was super excited. The atmosphere was full of colorful spirits with amazing souls. I got to the venue a bit early because I got a ride and I wasn't turning down a ride. Lol..Since I was early I asked if anyone needed my assistance before I headed to my booth LivOnNY, which advocates for organ donation. I met some awesome people while I helped set up the cafeteria with food, snacks and beverages. Everyone was so nice and polite. At 12pm I headed to my booth to help spread the importance of Organ Donation. I thank those who opened their heart and took the time to register to become an organ donor. The gift that saves many lives is awesome. I am also happy that I had the chance to see such great artist perform especially Celo Green! Despite the extreme heat of the weather, I had an awesome time and I can't wait for next year's event. read more

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The diversity of people, music, culture,art - experience: Wonderful! All LOVE! Will definitely come again next year! Totally recommend! The food truck assortment is great! Weather: great! People: great! Love: encompassing! Wonderful all round! Don't hesitate, just go! I will...again. Maybe next time, I'll be selling some wares, too :) read more

Nyc 2015 was good. There are a variety of artists to listen to. The phone app was very helpful in knowing who was performing and where. Should organize entry into park better. Day 1 line was winding around the corner and took 1hr+ to get in. Food truck lines are obnoxiously long (I'm talking 1 hr long lines for food! ). I didn't really notice any improvements from last year to this year even though this year wasn't free. The performers are great. Overall it's good time with new artists and chill vibe. read more

Afropunk Festival - Gold stage. 1 of 3 stages at Barry commodore park - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

Awesome celebration of blackness and individualism. A little too crowded for me but I enjoyed the performances. I think the concert has moved away from the punk aspect but still enjoyable. read more

Awesomeness!!! Definitely a festival I would attend again and again. I was working at the Sailor Jerry tent, but i still had a blast. Met all kinds of people from all over. The vibe was so friendly and laid back. Very chill and a sense of togetherness. I got a chance to walk around and check out the different food trucks. Tried the Korean tacos and they were pretty decent. There was kimchee, cheese sauce, and your choice of bagogi (sp) beef, spicy pork, or chicken. I got to see Lenny kravitz , so I'm happy I got to see at least one performance. Can't wait till next year! read more

Afropunk Festival - Working the Sailor Jerry rum tent! See you all next year!! - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

I skipped out on last year's festival after attending the previous 2 years due to being impatient and unprepared while waiting to buy tickets at the gate. I'm glad was not the case this time. I still didn't buy tickets in advanced it was a easy process at the gate on Saturday. Sunday I just bought it online before I showed up. **Note to self, just save money and buy a weekend pass in advanced even if you're not sure that you'll attend both days, because you know that you're going to pull some way to attend both dates anyway... The festival is amazing every year, even aside from the amazing music lineups. It's just a beautiful atmosphere among a lot of beautiful brown faces. It's kind of the definitive view of "Spread Love, It's the Brooklyn Way." $80 for a two-day music festival with a lot of diverse artists and great DJs is well worth the ticket price. Even $55 at the gate day of is pretty worthwhile as well. If you have the whole day free, get there early to avoid very long lines for entry, especially on Saturday. Saturdays always seem to have the longest lines if you don't get there before 2:30pm. Bring a blanket or a towel vibe and relax in the grass during the day between sets. Do not leave your blankets out during packed sets too close to the stage. People will try to be respectful of you because you got there first but don't be a jerk taking up 15 square feet of space for you and one other person to lie on the ground during the most popular sets of the day. Once the sun goes down, get up or move to the back and let other people enjoy. There's a lot more I could say but it really doesn't need to much explaining. Buy your tickets and get ready for next year. Maybe check out some of the other city festivals as well. read more

Yet another reason to love Brooklyn. This is a free music festival, which is great considering the amount of top notch artists you'll see performing all in two stages of the park. Afropunk is the perfect weekend to discover new, up and coming musicians, & see your favorite grammy-winning/nominated, platinum record selling artists you already love for free (or a suggested $5 donation). Really, a weekend at Afropunk is a perfect two day celebration of culture within Brooklyn; from the food you'll eat to the people you'll meet, all surrounded by amazing live music. The stage areas are quite large, and you don't have to walk far at all between them. Thousands of people attend this festival so if you're short like me, it's difficult to see the performers on stage unless you're front and center. Non-music happenings include: food trucks (lined up at the park entrance), two beer gardens (though beers can only be consumed within the garden & not at the stages), vendors to buy art, fashion, trinkets, etc. (all local merchants!), a skate park where you can witness the amateur skater competition, and lots of art work to see around the venue. No bags get checked upon entrance, and though the line to get in looks incredibly long (especially past 6pm) it moves fast. I'd definitely recommend this festival & would go again next year - both days, too. read more

Honestly and truly one of the best events Brooklyn has to offer every summer. Afropunk Festival is called the "most multicultural festival" of the year and it really is. A visual overload of fashion, art, and beauty book ends an impressive and exhaustive music line up that does not fail to impress. That's because artists who perform at Afropunk aren't just happy to be there, they are PROUD to be there and their shows are delivered with an extra bit of energy in honor of a very special audience. Plenty have written about Afropunk's fashion and musical impact, but few mention that the energy throughout the event is one of positivity, love, and community for anyone that is truly all about those values. It's one of the most sincere and genuine demonstrations of live and love I've had the privilege to be a part of. Staff, volunteers, vendors, and artists set up an impressive round of entertainment that keeps festival attendees engaged for 24-48 hours. Time flies when you are at Afropunk. If you are aversive to festival crowds and nuances, Afropunk is a good festival for you. The event is run with an eye to managing all of this for two days straight. Oh, and the app is incredibly useful and should be nominated for a best festival/ live event app. It's a darn good use of technology and you absolutely need to download it before you go. If you like a little something extra, the VIP ticket is worth the shorter drink/food lines and pockets of smaller groups assembled. I like to think I've lived a few lives and seen a few things in my time. The best part of my Afropunk experience was that I walked away feeling like I had learned something and seen something through an entirely new perspective. Now THAT, is something everyone should experience more than once in their lifetime. For that alone, go to Afropunk- listen to everything, look at everything, talk to someone you never thought you would, and leave with the sense that you were just a part of something that really mattered. read more

I have been coming to AP since it's inception and let me say, this festival is AMAZING. It showcases the other side of black culture that we never see in mainstream media which is great because we aren't a multifaceted group of people. That said, I always feel at home here being the off-beat person of color I am. This year was awesome. Headlining acts included Lauryn Hill, Kelis, Gary Clarke Jr., and Lenny Kravitz. Lenny blew my damn mind....his closing set was the bomb.com so it is safe to say that he outdid himself. I also checked out some of the vendors like Carol's Daughter, who had a cute photobooth and chilled at the beer garden to sip some spiked cider. Afropunk is the perfect end to summer and I suggest that everyone, especially people of color, come support this important event. read more

I've been to several festivals, including Coachella. This is by far the best festival I've attended. The cost for hotel and air was affordable. Stay in Brooklyn! It's so much to do and plenty of places to eat! The tickets to the festival was under $100 and well worth it. The lineup was great. The only thing that was bad, it's small and crowded. It was a nightmare to get out of the festival grounds at the end of the night. Almost scary. Also, it was so hot and difficult to find water! Several people passed out before they started throwing bottles of water into the crowd. Other than that, go!!!! read more

The good: I choose to give this 4 stars even with the few gripes that I have about it because it's the only thing like it and there are so many amazing people and things to see that it's hard to talk bad about it. The vendors, the fly people, the sights and sounds make this festival worth it plus the fact that it's pretty much free is also worth it. If you love music and you love being around people that love music, art, and style, and culture then this is a festival for you! The scenery is also wonderful, this festival is in the heart of inner-city Brooklyn and I'm from Philly so I felt right at home. I didn't appreciate waiting around for D'angelo with a sore back from standing all day but when he came on he showed out and proved why he's still lauded as a great artist. The bad: I think they should be a little more informative with what is and isn't allowed in the park. Crowds cramped into one area is going to be annoying no matter how you slice it. It's still not easy to navigate between the stages but they have managed to fix that somewhat. It's also pretty annoying when the schedule isn't followed closely and acts get pushed back but this is all a part of going to music festivals. The ugly: The porta-potty situation needs to be addressed. It's not so much that I'm too bougie to use a porta-potty, it's the fact that after coming out the porta-potty there was no soap in the soap dispenser at the water pump. It's pretty gross not to have soap when you've already endured the traumatizing experience of a portable bathroom. Next time I'll know to come prepared with a huge bottle of hand sanitizer. read more

Great vibes, beautiful people everywhere, and dope artist. Brooklyn is already quite fashionable on it's own, but the Festival is a fashion riot! The vendors were interesting, multiple stages that were great, great sound systems, lots of people, good food, decent drinks and plenty to do. I'll be back next year for the VIP treatment. read more

Afropunk Festival - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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Best free concert in NYC by far. Excellent music, great vendors, diverse crowd. You best be wearing your flyest garb because this crowd is trendy as f. Taking in the main stage with the (relatively new) Downtown Brooklyn skyline behind you is awesome. Pro Tip: to Skip the line make a donation of any size (even if its $10) read more

**Throws up Black Power fist in the air!** This event is so uplifting and so much fun. It is a festival where there are black vendors selling products unique to Black people such as dread lock socks, Black imaged Art, and handmade/organic everything (like shea butta/jewelry). There were free activities such as face painting and lenticular printing of ur pics with friends. There was a lot of information if you are into advocacy and neighborhood news. **TIPS** -Wear old sneakers. Lots of dirt in the park. I ruined my already beat sneakers after this event. The crowd is heavy and packed! -Arrive before 3:30 if you don't have VIP tix -I would not bring my kids here, But I saw about 2 or 3 kids. Make sure Kids come early and leave early. The crowd gets too packed towards concerts key performers which are generally at night. THE CONCERTS: The Top line ups were Cee-Loo, Tyler the Creator, Janelle Monae, DJ Moma, Icecube, the Internet and so much more. There were about 3 stages and performances overlap PROS: I was able to bring in my backpack with water, and chips. Food cost me 12 bucks for a steak burrito and 3$ for water. Liquor and beer is also sold here. Security is good with checking bags and patting people down. CONS: -People will see their friends and cut the line! The line wrapped around 3 full blocks and security wasn't big enough to catch these people (but it moved decently) I arrived at 4:36 and got in at 6:01pm. Just buy VIP tix! -Bathrooms were mostly Porter Potties read more

I attended the 8th annual Afropunk Festival today on a whim. It was the second day, with major acts Erykah Badu, Gym Class Heroes, Janelle Monae, Das Racist all having performed yesterday. The festival takes place in Commodore Battery Park, which is just beyond the overpass to the Manhattan Bridge (the directions on the website weren't great, and there was zero signage before reaching the park). The festival is mainly composed of a lineup of AfroPunk artists performing 30 minute sets with 30-45 minute DJ intervals in between. There are two performance stages; a "green" stage in the main portion of the park, to the right of the entrance and a "red" stage area to the left. The two stages run through their lineups simultaneously and are sufficiently far away from each other that the music from one area can't be heard from the other. The Green Stage area seemed to be where most of the mainstream acts performed and was filled with people sitting on blankets in the grass and taking in the show. The Red Stage area seemed to have the heavier punk acts, with an actively swirling mosh pit, concrete, and a skateboard and bmx biking area. There are a number of vendors in both the Green and Red areas peddling everything from skateboards, T-shirts and jewelry to political action pamphlets. Certain vendors like Vitamin Water and even Yelp were there operating hospitality booths. The only thing that was hard to get to was refreshments. ALL of the food trucks were located on the street outside of the venue entrance. It was not such a problem when I arrived at 1:30pm as the venue was relatively empty and it was easy to come and go. But around 4:30pm the venue started to get crowded, and going to get food meant having to get on a line that stretched down the block and around the corner just to get back in. Getting beer was also an ordeal, since it could only be purchased and consumed in two designated fenced off areas that were not within view of the stage. But all in all it was a great day. All of the acts were on point and there was not a single lull in the program. I was glad that I got there at 1:30p when due to the light crowd I was able to walk right up to the stage to watch acts and to walk around the grounds easily between acts. As the day wore on, particularly after 4:00pm it got a lot more crowded and more hectic, with large clouds of reefer. read more

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My stars will remain a solid five stars, and my original review is still valid. But, an update is necessary for this year's Afropunk Festival. I came back to the fest with two of my favorite people. The first thing we did when we entered was hula hoop (yes, hula hoop). There was a section for hula hooping while listening to the music play from one of the four stages at the festival. So cool! After we were all hula hooped out, we decided to shop around at the market area. My best friend and I purchased super cool shades for $7. I also purchased a ring for $2. Both of my items are pretty good quality. After shopping around, we headed to a beer garden to power up on blue moon and sangria. Then we headed to Nuchas empanada truck (peep my review) for quick eats. While we were eating our empanadas we spotted NYC mayor, Bill de Blasio, and his wife! They were walking away as soon as we got up to ask for a picture. Darn it! After we ate, we walked around for a little while, and then decided to leave a bit early since none of the artists we liked were performing. I love everything about Afropunk Festival. Great crowd, cool outfits, lots of space, chill vibes, yummy food trucks. What else does a girl need? read more

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As far as festivals go, Afropunk leads from the front. Seeing black people come together to celebrate music on a major scale is uplifting and empowering. Our culture needs events like Afropunk to showcase the energy and vibrancy and diversity in our communities. I hope to return again soon. Brooklyn is also the best forum for Afropunk because much of our history and creativity stems from this location. read more

Cool festival. Music not my vibe but great people watching and great vendors. Very diverse and so different from typical nyc street festivals. They were all super nice too. I would go back just for the experience. My biggest gripe is lack if water for sale. They forbid the food trucks from selling drinks just so they can make more money inside. My feelings on this practice aside, they should at least set up water stations run by the organizers all around. It was impossible to find water at the moment I needed it. In the summer, this is not smart. Great selection of food trucks! Made me happy. I would have been happier w a bottle of water in hand though. read more

Love the energy here, the atmosphere, the styles, the colors of the rainbow, diverse music, food vendors... Quench truck filled with water tasted BAD though, like I was drinking the inner lining of it. Much prefer the NYC tap water option that was by the food trucks. Have and will gladly return, and will make sure to bring lots of water! read more

I went to this year's festival for the first time and I would definitely go again. I went both days and was very happy that D'Angelo actually showed up on the last day. The park is huge and I love the fact that there are park benches to shade yourself from the heat. There wasn't any bag-checking on the first day, but on the second day they got brand-new. I bought the fast-pass ticket which is supposed to give you a no-line-wait entrance into the park. Not the case. You still have to wait , and in a line as well, but at least you get in before everybody who didn't pay for a ticket. When you get past the people checking tickets, you walk past the food trucks and down to the little staircase where someone else will check to make sure that you have your fast-pass ticket. The chick on the second day took her job too seriously, wanted to recheck bags and sh**. She let up, but give these people just a little bit of power and they go crazy. Are non-police security types like that? The food trucks outside of the park were alright. Kimchi Taco was my favorite with their burrito. There was a BBQ truck whose name I forget (will try to update when I track down their name) that had terrible food. I got the brisket and the sauce which I now wish I hadn't poured, no, squirted onto my brisket because it was so oily and not thick, has this very weird after taste. The roll, the potato salad with the pickles, the brisket with and without the sauce, all had this nasty glue-flavored taste. It was disgusting. Didn't try the trucks inside. The artists were varied and I loved seeing Alice Smith and Meshell N., and became a fan of Loaf Muzik and Cakes da Killa. That is all. Next time I'd bring closer to $200 to purchase from the vendors selling clothes and purses and such. And would also come with a boo, so many people were coupled up, served for me feeling some type of way! What they need to do is have better directions to get to the park. I ended up walking down and over from the Dekalb stop on the Q, through a friggin housing project, and that was the shortest journey I found/stumbled upon. Hopstop has gotten really bad with their directions. I'd go again. With an empty water bottle and cash for food throughout the day you'll be good, or better stock up when you first get there so you don't have to wait in long-behind lines and risk seeing a performer that you really want to later. They'll say on your ticket you can't bring chairs that fold up but so many people had them, that pissed me off. read more

I went to this festival for the first time on Saturday. To me it was a little hyped up. I did enjoy the fact that they give people a chance to show their talents. I saw people I knew on the set list and it made me smile. Nothing better than local artists getting a chance to shine as they deserve. The music was okay, a few people really caught my attention. There were to stages. One that catered more to the rock/metal aspect of music. Another that catered to Rap/DJ's and whatnot. My only complaint would be the bathroom lines but what can you really expect from an outdoor festival. Cool place to meet people and vibe out with your fellow music lovers. read more

Wow!!!!! What an amazing time I had at this festival!!!! And in my opinion the pics that are posted on yelp don't give this event justice The people that walk through the park look like true rockstars and I couldn't help but to just stare and admire ... Afropunk creates the perfect atmosphere for people watching, and different people even approached me to ask if I wouldn't mind getting my picture taken which was really awesome....one guy from a food truck even gave me a complimentary meal because he loved my outfit!!!! My advice for anyone who hasn't been yet, bring an open mind and be prepared to meet some really cool people... The eclectic mix of music, the cute little independent businesses and the smell of marijuana in the air was just the icing on the cake Oh how I love New York read more

So many beautiful people at one place at one time! Great acts, great environment, great location, everything. So happy I got to see my favorite singer D'Angelo despite him performing material not from his albums, it was still amazing. I paid $25 for the quick pass thing that also included 2 free drinks. I had a Blue Moon and some Cabernet Sauvignon and it actually had me feeling right. And I'm not a lightweight. Either way... this is a must attend event in NYC. Everything it stands for is great. Very accepting and inclusive of everyone. I love Afropunk! read more

The festival was awesome from music (Alice Smith, Sharon Jones and the Dap - Kings , Bad Brains, Body Count etc...), food really a stellar line up of food truck's outside the park a few inside, and loads of cool art , jewelry, body products and clothing to shop ! And the beautiful people I may have enjoyed that most of all just seeing all the gorgeousness it was awesome ! read more

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Such an amazing time with so many beautiful creative people with amazing vibes enjoying music art life and food definitely was a highlight of the summer read more

Afropunk Festival - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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Loved the festival but Afropunk 2015 was so UNORGANIZED! I bought the VIP package but didn't receive not one drink that came with the packet because they gave them all away, free, to the people with the ten dollar tix. On top of that, the workers were attitudinal and not pleasant at all. When my bank tried to get a refund for the VIP tix that I purchased for nothing, we were told that I couldn't prove that i didn't get the drinks. They also mislead customers by making it seem that food was also included in the VIP packet. It wasn't! So basically I paid almost 300 bucks just to have a view of the concert beside the stage. On the last night, I decided to enjoy the show with the ten dollar people and sat on the field. That was the best experience ever! Lenny Kravitz rocked!!! Pissed! But will I go again, yep! For ten dollars! Lmao Just be aware people. That's all I'm saying. read more

This was my 4th Afropunk fest. I have been going long enough to remember when it was in a different area of Brooklyn. In fact the crowd was very, very light back then. To see it grow into what it is now is both fascinating and bittersweet. There was something really light and special about the first one I attended. This was around 2007 or 2008, I believe. In light of what was my first taste of Afropunk, I can clearly see consumerism pervading almost every area of the fest. The price is still reasonable (kinda) for the festival but I notice every year it goes up and up. I guess they have to pay the entertainers and pay for the logistics, but still. Add to that, this year's side-eye-worthy act was Cee-Lo. I guess that's my own opinion coming through, but I'd liked hearing the lesser-known acts. It's still hot and the crowd control is still a mess ( the 2nd day, early morning seemed to be slightly better), but I will keep supporting good music. read more