Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, NY — June 5-7, 2026

The Governors Ball returned to NYC this year, and as always, the vibes were immaculate. Gov Ball’s lineup brings out some of the world’s biggest performers alongside stars who are just having their breakout moment, and this year was no exception. Lorde debuted a new show, Dominic Fike debuted a new song, Gov Ball had its first K-pop headliner, and that’s not all. If you missed it, we’re here to catch you up on some of the standout moments we saw this weekend.

The first set we saw was breakout star Audrey Hobert. She performed her hit song, “Sue Me” while on a trampoline; choreographed bounces had her legs carefully flailing from side to side. During the set she said, “News Flash: I just had my ‘I made it’ moment.” Hobert has been compared to many pop stars, but this moment for her, and for the fans, felt like it was cementing that status. Following were stunning performances from Del Water Gap, King Princess, The Dare and Pierce The Veil, who brought out a highly energetic crowd. We quickly ran next-door to Katseye who took the stage directly after. (The crowd consisted mainly of parents and their kids, who screamed along to every song — especially their TikTok-viral hit, “Gnarly.”) 

Lorde closed out the night with a spine chilling performance. Gov Ball marks the first time she has debuted this new show set-up. The performance entailed her filling up her water bottle at a water fountain, a pair of storytelling dancers and epic walls of lasers and LED lights. The performance felt raw despite its high production; entirely new and fresh, despite the nostalgia of old hits prevailing. Everything about it felt like a culmination of Lorde’s career so far and it was incredible to watch. 

“I haven’t been this nervous for a show in a while,” Lorde said, and addressing the crowd, added, “I’m obsessed with you.” We’re obsessed with you too, Lorde.

Saturday’s lineup got cut short due to a full on thunderstorm — but not before we were able to catch some incredible acts. 2hollis took the stage with one of the rowdiest crowds of the festival. Ravyn Lenae provided a breath of fresh air, with her R&B hits where the live versions provided a fresh perspective and often added higher energy to match the festival audience. 

Stray Kids has one of the most devoted fan bases out there. (Unsurprising to anyone who knows anything about K-pop.) They will ride or die for their boys, so as soon as the festival gates opened there were fans camping out at the barricade. The catwalk extended into the audience, making the performance feel entirely interactive. Fans chanted, screamed along and reached out for their idols hoping just for the chance to catch their attention for a moment. Their energy felt warm and gracious, but quickly snapped into insane dances when it was time for the choreo to kick in. As soon as the performance ended, a huge wind hit blowing rain and dirt at fans. To most it was worth it though, still carried by the warmth of the performance. 

The energy didn’t slow down for the final day — in fact, it looked to be the most crowded day yet. Slayyyter brought the type of performance that makes you feel like summer has finally arrived. She played with a live band, translating her hyper-pop ballads into a performance fit for a rock star. She IS one, after all. Japanese Breakfast, Between Friends and Holly Humberstone followed with three completely different but entirely joyful performances. Dominic Fike took the stage with all his hit songs. Fans may have noticed some strange behavior, such as saying “If you see me in the street, try to knock me out” and talking his pants off on his way off the stage, but despite the hiccups, he remains incredibly talented and a great performer. JENNIE has been breaking into the American mainstream with collaborations with artists like Doechii and Dominic Fike, which made Gov Ball a huge opportunity to bring K-pop fans and other festival goers together. Both longtime fans and people who were just waiting for A$AP Rocky were brought into the joy of the K-pop universe. A$AP Rocky closed out the festival with an explosive performance, putting a cap on this year’s Gov Ball.

Every day at Gov Ball brought new surprises. It’s clear that Gov Ball is a huge deal for both the fans and the artists they are there to see. You can feel that excitement emanating from everyone that stepped foot on festival grounds. We can’t wait to see what happens next!

Words & Photography: Emma Fischer