Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. invites the public to attend the 2013 Essex County Free SummerMusic Concert Series. The free Concert Series brings a diverse group of musicians and entertainers to perform at locations throughout the historic Essex County Park System and provides residents with an evening leisure activity to enjoy the parks. This year’s series features two concert and fireworks spectaculars, Friday night concerts in Brookdale Park and six cultural festivals.
“Our Free Concert Series offers a diverse line-up of performers who will take center stage in venues throughout our historic Essex County Park System. Pack a blanket, enjoy the cool evening breeze and dance to the sounds of classical, rock and roll, jazz, big band, Latin and more. We have an amazing line-up that is sure to entertain and impress,” DiVincenzo said.
The SummerMusic Concert Series is being sponsored by Rose Squared Productions, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Filippo Berio Olive Oil, TD Bank and the Branch Brook Park Alliance. The series is also made possible, in part, by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Over the course of 13 weeks of summer, there are 28 different performances, featuring some of the best local and international acts in jazz, rock and roll, big band, reggae and more. The 2013 SummerMusic Concert Series begins Saturday, June 15th with a Gospel Festival in Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park sponsored by the City of Orange and concludes Sunday, September 8th with the South Orange International Blues Festival in Essex County South Mountain Reservation. There will be two Concert and Fireworks Extravaganzas this summer; the first features the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra on Friday, June 28th in Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark and second features The Infernos on Tuesday, July 2nd in Essex County Brookdale Park in Bloomfield/Montclair.
The 2013 concert series schedule is as follows:
- Saturday, June 15th, 12 noon to 5 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Gospel Festival
- Saturday, June 22nd, 12 Noon to 8 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Newark: House Music Festival
- Tuesday, June 25th, 7 p.m., Essex County Veterans Memorial Park, Newark: Tony Scally Jazz Quartet
- Wednesday, June 26th, 7 p.m., Essex County Irvington Park, Irvington: Carrie Jackson All Stars
- Thursday, June 27th, 7 p.m., Essex County Independence Park, Newark: Ray Rodriguez Swing Sebroso
- Friday, June 28th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Branch Brook Park, Newark: Concert by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Fireworks Spectacular
- Tuesday, July 2nd, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Concert by The Infernos and Fireworks Spectacular
- Friday, July 5th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: British Pop featuring the “Long Live the Beatles Show”
- Tuesday, July 9th, 7 p.m., Essex County Yanticaw Park, Nutley: Somers Dream Orchestra
- Wednesday, July 10th, 7 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Volora Howell
- Thursday, July 11th, 7 p.m., Essex County Riverbank Park, Newark: Junior Vega Quintet
- Friday, July 12th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Louis Prima, Jr. & The Witnesses
- Wednesday, July 17th, 7 p.m., Essex County West Side Park, Newark: Donovan’s Reggae Group
- Friday, July 19th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Tribute to the Beach Boys: “Beach Party Boys”
- Tuesday, July 23rd, 7 p.m., Essex County Kip’s Castle Park, Montclair/Verona: American Bandstand Revue
- Wednesday, July 24th, 7 p.m., Essex County Vailsburg Park, Newark: Music n’ More
- Friday, July 26th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: The Stylistics
- Tuesday, July 30th, 7 p.m., Essex County Watsessing Park, Bloomfield/East Orange: The New Standard
- Thursday, August 1st, 7 p.m., Essex County Grover Cleveland Park, Caldwell/Essex Fells: The Kootz
- Friday, August 2nd, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Tribute to the Bee Gees: “Night Fever”
- Tuesday, August 6th, 7 p.m., Essex County Ivy Hill Park, Newark: Richard Reiter Quintet
- Wednesday, August 7th, 7 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Newark: Pulse Jazz Band
- Friday, August 9th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: The Garden State Concert Band
- Saturday, August 10th, 4 to 9 p.m., Essex County Ivy Hill Park, Newark: Food and Music Festival
- Sunday, August 11th, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Latin Festival
- Tuesday, August 13th, 7 p.m., Essex County Riverfront Park, Newark: Frank & 3 to Clave
- Saturday, September 7th, 12 noon to 7 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Caribbean Festival
- Sunday, September 8th, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Essex County South Mountain Reservation, West Orange: South Orange International Blues Festival
Concerts are held at accessible sites. Persons who require special accommodations or assistance are asked to call at least two weeks prior to the concert to alert staff as to their needs. Admission to the concerts is free. For more information, please call the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs at 973‑239-2485.
