This past weekend, John Summit brought his first-ever Experts Only Festival to New York City, taking over Randall’s Island for two days of house and techno. With more than 50,000 fans in attendance, the festival marked one of the biggest electronic events in NYC this year and gave Summit a chance to showcase his vision for a curated, fan-first experience.
The layout and atmosphere stood out just as much as the music. After a long hiatus from major festivals at Randall’s Island, it felt refreshing to return to the iconic setting with its skyline views and open space. The energy across the grounds was buzzing, with stages designed for both intimate grooves and massive peak-time moments.
The Co-Founders of Medium Rare shared: “With the absence of Electric Zoo, and now Brooklyn Mirage, we saw a major hole in the market for this kind of show. It’s no easy feat to produce a 50,000-person festival on an island but we’re fortunate to have done it before and have gained the trust of city officials. It’s a full circle moment for us and it’s truly incredible to see the Experts Only Fest come to life.”
On stage, the lineup delivered exactly what fans came for. John Summit closed both nights with high-energy sets that reminded people why he’s at the top of modern house music, with Sunday’s two-hour closer easily considered one of his best yet. Kaskade’s back-to-back with Cassian was another highlight, blending soaring melodies with club-ready beats that had the crowd locked in from start to finish.
Other standout performances came from Green Velvet b2b Layton Giordani, LP Giobbi, Kasablanca, and AYYBO, creating a diverse mix of styles, while keeping the house and techno heartbeat strong. Summit said in an interview on ABC, “…trying to find lesser known talent instead of just working with the names that everyone knows, I think it’s awesome to put the more undiscovered names on.” The featured artists on this lineup, top to bottom, did not disappoint.
In the end, Experts Only Festival made a powerful debut. It filled a major gap in New York’s dance music scene and reminded fans how special Randall’s Island can be for large-scale events. Between the uniquely curated lineup, the positive energy of the crowd, and Summit’s own headline performances, the weekend felt like the start of something much bigger: a new tradition in New York City’s festival calendar!
