We Belong Here - Central Park Edition
We Belong Here returned to New York for its second Central Park edition, holding its three-day festival at the Wollman Rink from Friday the 10th through Sunday the 12th. Although, the weather wasn't as perfect as the Brooklyn installment the weekend before, it was still a solid weekend.
The festival continues the intimacy vibe, music-forward programming, and a relatively understated production compared to stadium-scale EDM events. It also expanded elements like art installations, vendor stalls, and lounge / comfort spaces to complement the performances.
Arrival & Vibe — Day 1 (Friday)
I rolled up in the early evening, when the sky was bruising into dusk. Getting into Wollman Rink felt smoother than I expected — security seemed organized, lines moved, and people already had that “here for the weekend” glow. The 360° stage was impressive: you could see DJ booths from multiple angles, and the park skyline made for a striking backdrop.
One of the first things I noticed: space. Unlike mega-festivals where you're elbowing for inches, there was room to move, stretch, breathe. That in itself changed the energy: more relaxed, less frantic.
Nicky Elisabeth‘s set struck a chord. Her mix of luminous textures and well-placed builds got people nodding before the beat even dropped. Sultan + Shepard followed, steadily bridging the mood from airy to groove-driven. By the time the headliner (Lane 8) held court, the crowd was warmed, ready, and singing along at points. That first night set a high bar — one that whispered, this is going to be special.
Between sets, I wandered the vendor and art zones. There were cozy lounge spots, great food and cool items to purchase — places to pause without feeling like you left the party. It is the small touches (a comfortable bench, a well-placed hydration point) that stick with you at multi-day events.
Deep into the Weekend — Day 2 (Saturday)
Saturday opened under cloudy skies, and rain early on left parts of the floor slick. But that didn't really dampen things.
VNSSA’s set felt like a turning point. Her remixes of indie and pop tracks (reworked through house lenses) caught a lot of people by surprise — you’d see heads turn, then feet start moving. Later, Porter Robinson’s set anchored the night. He wore the crowd’s emotions on his sleeve: moments of introspective calm, interwoven with peaks that made the floor surge. You would see people around with their eyes closed and ride the transitions. It was a set that was one for the books — emotional, dynamic, elevating - the kind of performance you rewatch in your memory for weeks.
The Finale — Day 3 (Sunday)
Sunday was a wet mess. With the Nor’easter looming over the weekend, the times for the final day were updated - 12 PM to 6 PM with an indoor party afterward. It felt bittersweet, as part of me wished it had stretched later, but part of me appreciated the gentler close and getting to be home and in bed on the earlier side.
The crowd in daylight had a different energy: brighter and a little more mellow, with the anticipation of the rain. You could see people revisiting favorite “corners” of the festival — a particular art installation, a food stall, a vantage point of the stage. As the rain begin to start that didn't damper the mood. Everyone put their ponches on and started dancing in the puddles. Nora En Pure’s closing performance captured that mood well: melodic and atmospheric, with moments that made you want to slow your breathing and just feel.
Closing Thoughts — From the Floor
We Belong Here 2025 in Central Park largely succeeded in delivering a refined, immersive, and musically earnest festival experience. It didn't try to compete with mega-festivals in size or flash — instead, it leaned into what makes a three-day event special: connection, pacing, diversity, and space to breathe. For fans of melodic, progressive, and thoughtful electronic music experiences, it delivered more often than not.
