Rock The Bells Festival
- Dates
- Expected August 2027
- Status
- Expected
- Venue
- UBS Arena
- Price
- Not announced
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Aug 14, 2026
Rock The Bells Festival comes to UBS Arena, Elmont, NY, Expected August 2027. Froligo tracks ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
The experience
What's special
Rock The Bells Festival is a one-day celebration of foundational and golden-era hip-hop, revived by LL Cool J under his Rock The Bells brand and staged in and around his native Queens, New York. It curates reunion-style bills of legendary MCs and DJs rather than current chart acts, framing itself as a purist, culture-first tribute to hip-hop's roots. The 2026 edition was announced for UBS Arena in Elmont, NY
Last time around (2023)
The 2023 edition, held August 5 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, marked hip-hop's 50th anniversary before a sold-out crowd of roughly 13,000, with LL Cool J joined by Run-DMC, Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa and more across nearly ten hours. Reporting noted a nostalgic, celebratory atmosphere alongside recurring sound and scheduling problems (a De La Soul set was affected) and steep concession prices
Listen
Tap an artist to play them right here.
No official playlist linked yet. Find Rock The Bells Festival on Spotify.
Lineup
2027 lineup not yet announced. Here's who played in 2025:
Getting there
Nearest airport JFK.
How do I get to Rock The Bells Festival?
By car
Most people drive to Rock The Bells Festival. The nearest major airport is JFK, and from there it is a straightforward drive to the venue. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
The most direct rail path from JFK: take AirTrain JFK to Jamaica Station, transfer to an LIRR train on the Hempstead Branch, and ride to the Elmont-UBS Arena station, which sits about half a mile from the arena with free shuttle buses to close the gap (or a walkable ~10-15 min). The Elmont-UBS Arena station is served every day (not just event days) by the Hempstead, Huntington, and Ronkonkoma Branches, per the MTA's own stadium-access guide. worth re-checking closer to the event date since this is described as a temporary condition, not permanent
Book / info →By bus & public transit
The Q2 and Q82 city buses stop directly at UBS Arena and connect with the LIRR/subway hub at Jamaica-179 St a secondary option to the direct LIRR route above, more relevant for attendees already in Queens than as a first choice straight from JFK
Book / info →Taxi & rideshare
UBS Arena is roughly 10 miles south of JFK, normally a 15-25 minute drive depending on traffic one of the shorter airport-to-venue hops in this dataset. UBS Arena's own official rideshare drop-off/pickup point is on the arena's north side, reachable via Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road, with a phone-charging waiting area on the main concourse near section 118
Book / info →Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost General lots roughly $30-55 depending on tier and how far ahead the pass is bought (prepaid typically 10-20% cheaper than day-of); Anyone who parks in the Belmont Park Garage WITHOUT a prepaid pass is charged $125 on exit this specific figure is corroborated by both the arena's own site and independent parking guides. Prepay via Ticketmaster (the arena's own event-parking add-on, not a third-party platform like ParkMobile/SpotHero) passes can be bought up to two hours before doors via the arena's Ticketmaster event page; walk-up purchase is also available on-site at Emerald Parking. Rideshare pickup/drop-off is a dedicated zone on the arena's north side (Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D + Green Road), separate from the general parking lots
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire at JFK
Not the primary recommendation here UBS Arena has strong direct rail access from JFK (AirTrain + one LIRR transfer) and a short, cheap-relative-to-Manhattan rideshare hop, unlike this dataset's remote camping festivals. Car hire suits only attendees combining this one-day arena show with a wider NYC-area trip, not a standalone recommendation for reaching the venue itself
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
UBS Arena
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Rock The Bells Festival?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Hotels nearby 4
Airbnb & private camping
the broader New York City short-term rental market is large with well-documented surge pricing around major events, so expect the same pattern for a UBS Arena date, though this is a general seasonal inference rather than a cited fact for this specific event
Search Airbnb →Very limited relevance for a Long Island arena show Hipcamp's private-land camping/glamping listings cluster well outside the NYC metro area (further out on Long Island's North/South Forks or in the Hudson Valley/Catskills), not within a practical distance of Elmont for a one-day event
Search Hipcamp →Pricing
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