Crowds at the recent Korea Fest at Culture Lab. The festival was one of the most popular events of Culture Lab’s 2024 outdoor season. Photo: Culture Lab
April 18, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
Culture Lab LIC will celebrate the launch of its outdoor season at the beginning of May, ushering in a season of outdoor live music performances, cultural festivals and dog-friendly events.
The outdoor space, officially rebranded as “The Lot” for the 2025 summer outdoor season, will launch with a grand opening event from 3 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, at Culture Lab, located at 5-25 46th Ave.
The event will also mark an important milestone, celebrating the fifth anniversary since Culture Lab Executive Director Edjo Wheeler founded the non-profit art gallery in 2020.
Culture Lab’s outdoor space quickly became a location for impromptu gatherings and events and has hosted a wide variety of events over the past five years, including the popular monthly “Pup-up” series, which connects local Long Island City residents with dog shelters from across the city.
The upcoming 2025 outdoor season will feature a diverse lineup of local and emerging artists, spanning genres from indie rock to electronic beats in addition to a “rich tapestry” of cultural festivals, Culture Lab said. Last October, Culture Lab’s outdoor space hosted the venue’s first-ever Halal Fest, while the venue also hosted New York City’s first-ever Korea Fest last September, featuring a wide range of Korean foods and products.
The outdoor space will continue to host dog-friendly events for the 2025 season, with Pup-up events set to return. Last year, the non-profit hosted the popular event on the first Sunday of every month throughout the summer season.
Culture Lab will also continue to host several exhibitions in its popular indoor art gallery throughout the season, with “Threads of Resilience: A Mental Health Exhibition” on display during next month’s grand opening celebration.
Meanwhile, Culture Lab representatives are also promoting the “sunset views” and “relaxed vibes” on display at the venue over the summer and said a “curated selection of food and drink vendors” will supply refreshments at the space throughout the season. Culture Lab will additionally offer a variety of grilled cheeses, hot dogs and local beverages during the summer.
Dawn DeVito, Director of Events & Marketing at Culture Lab, noted the significance of the rebranding of Culture Lab’s outdoor space, pointing to the fact that the rusty old Ford pick-up that once acted as the stage for local musicians is now The Lot’s logo.
“It was always The Lot to everyone who’s come here,” DeVito said in a statement. “We had a lot of different ideas on how to rebrand the space, but we wanted to listen to our community. We wanted to take a space that could be rough and urban and transform it into something warm and inviting.”
“We envisioned The Lot as more than just an outdoor space. It’s a place where people can truly connect – with art, music, their pets, and each other. We’re building a community here, a place where memories are made against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful sunset views in the city.”
The grand opening celebration will feature music from Queens County Roots, Os Clavelitos, and others, as well as a special kick-off parade featuring L-Train Brass. The event will focus on celebrating Culture Lab’s first five years and looking ahead to the future.
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