Zlatne Uste Festival: Where Queens Becomes the Balkans for a Weekend

Six years ago, I went to my first Zlatne Uste (Golden Lips) Festival. Zlatne Uste is a renowned 10-15-piece ensemble of musicians performing songs from the Balkan region. Each year, they host a festival where they and other like-minded musicians join for a two-night celebration of lively Balkan music, food, and drinks. This year, it was the 40th anniversary and was hosted in Astoria, Queens, at The Marquee Astoria.

Friday night is the kick-off, with dance instruction followed by a dance party with live music.

Saturday night is the big night with five stages of music for dancing and listening, 50+ bands, complimentary Balkan appetizers, cash bars serving classic Balkan liquors, a Balkan coffeehouse, and the Charshiya Artisan Market.

The best way to experience it is to volunteer. They have different tasks you can sign up for that guarantee a free ticket or a discount.

There were so many good performances, from Albanian folk singer Merita Halili, Greek Island music by The Lesvians, the West Philadelphia Orchestra, and the band Zlatne Uste themselves, that you will find yourself walking around The Marquee forgetting you're in Queens, New York.

There was free meze and dessert, Balkan coffee from The Balkan Grind coffeehouse, and the Charshiya Artisan Market—named after the Ottoman-era market districts where people, ideas, and goods came together.

Bottom line: if you want to dive headfirst into Balkan culture without leaving NYC, this festival is for you. Just wear comfortable shoes, and prepare to dance!

Visit their website to learn more: https://goldenfest.org

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