My Experience at the 2023 NYC Lavender Festival 

Every year an organization called Earth Matter hosts the NYC Lavender Festival at the Lavender Field on Governor’s Island. This year the festival was on June 10-11–last month! However, you can still enjoy the beauty of Governor’s Island and potentially any remaining lavender blooms (most are harvested by now). And, fellow New Yorkers, you also can catch next year’s festival! Read on to know what to expect at the NYC Lavender Festival (without having to drive to Long Island or New Jersey for a lavender experience). 

Getting There

Governor’s Island is only accessible by ferry. You can catch the ferry throughout the week from lower Manhattan at Battery Park Terminal or from Red Hook, Brooklyn. On Saturdays and Sundays the ferry also runs from Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park (near Atlantic Avenue). The ferry is free before noon on the weekends. 

The ferry ride is very short—maybe 10 minutes—and includes beautiful views of lower Manhattan. The ferry will not bring you very close to the Statue of Liberty though, so if you wish to really see that you should book a trip to Liberty and Ellis Islands. Governor’s Island is nearby, but the ferry landings are on the opposite side of the island. However, you can see the statue from the southeastern side of Governors Island though. 

The Lavender Festival 

The Lavender Field is closest to the Yankee Pier ferry landing. It’s hard to miss: very close to the road and the shore. On festival weekend, the English lavender was nearly in full bloom, with the French lavender preparing to bloom in the follow 1-2 weeks. 

The Lavender Field is small, but is a solid block of lavender with small paths between the rows of plants. Strollers and wheelchairs cannot be in the field, but  can certainly be near the edge, taking in the sight and scent. 

The Lavender Festival had a good handful of activities: Pick-Your-Own lavender, wreath and wand making tutorials, and a distillation demonstration. Some required tickets in advance, while the distillation demonstration was free. 

Distillation 

Around the corner of the field, Earth Matter had set up a distillation station, where a worker was collecting essential oil from the lavender buds. The station was in constant use throughout the festival weekend, demonstrating the distillation process. The process started with 5 pounds of lavender buds. Through heating and steaming those lavender buds yielded 5ml of essential oil! The  apparatus used is the same for the last couple centuries, with only one substitution: a pump similar to what you find in a fish tank. The pump helped to circulate the ice water to condense the steam and oil—which would drip down into a jar at the end. Then the oil would be skimmed from the water.

Pick Your Own Lavender 

We did decide to pick our own lavender, and we decided to reserve tickets for the very first opening on the Saturday morning. We wanted to get the first go at the lavender blooms! At the correct time, the workers directed us toward one of the tables to collect our pruning scissors, which were carefully treated and disinfected between uses. We were instructed to cut only one bush—if we wanted to move between bushes then the scissors would need to be disinfected again. This treatment is to prevent any disease—if present— moving between plants. A worker came with us into the field and helped us select a bush. She also instructed us in how to cut the lavender: low enough on the stalk, but not into the brown color part. 

We had at least 20 minutes to cut however many blooms we could. We ended up with large bouquet of Munstead lavender, which we subsequently divided into 5 small bouquets once we were at home. We were given instructions on how to dry our lavender and on its potential uses. They carefully wrapped our lavender for its journey home. 

On a side note, I have to say the workers were very understanding of our 11-month-old son, who “helped” us harvest lavender by playing in the dirt beside us and then climbing on me! 

Other Activities on Governors Island 

This was my second visit—but first proper visit— to Governor’s Island, having been there 6 years ago for a race. The island has beautiful views of the water, city skyline, and is a peaceful retreat from the rat race of the city. Often, the island holds weekend festivals or special events—this particular weekend there was some kind of 1920s themed festival going on, complete with costumes, music, and dancing! 

There are several fields on Governor’s Island, including Picnic Point at the island’s southern end and the Parade Ground, which is closer to the Lavender Field. Basically there are plenty of picnic places throughout the island with the city skyline and water in the distance. There are also several playgrounds—I witnessed some children on what I can only describe as a “small hammock swing.” Think of a tire swing size, but turn it into a hammock. Great for all ages! 

When you get hungry, never fear, there are restaurants too! Admittedly the prices are a bit steeper than what you find in the “mainland” city. There is a pizza place closer to the Lavender Field—and, in a different area there is a group of food trucks alongside picnic tables and chairs. The trucks represent some restaurants in the city, including a Joe Coffee, while others seems to be a bit more unique. My husband and I split a burger, which was good (we were hungry!). 

Beyond fields and food, there are also plenty of historical buildings on the island. The island used to be an army base at varying times: in the War of 1812 and in the early 20th century. We walked past many buildings that used to be more modern army buildings and barracks—some now abandoned and some repurposed into restaurants, art galleries, or event spaces. However, we did stop into Castle Williams, which was active starting just after the American Revolution. It was originally part of a multi-fort system to protect the NYC Harbor. Apparently the British took one look in the War of 1812 and decided to sail south to Washington DC instead! Later on, it was used as a military prison. It was intriguing to walk around the ground floor and read the informational signs explaining the fort’s different uses throughout its existence. On our visit, we were also lucky to also have a ranger at the entrance to answer questions! 

I highly recommend a visit to Governor’s Island to take in a different view of NYC and for a bit of relaxation away from the city bustle. It’s perfect for a few hours—or a full day. I personally plan to go back in future for a summer picnic and to explore some other areas. And, of course, I absolutely plan to go back for a future lavender festival!