Summer in New Jersey wouldn’t be the same without amazing live music. These music festivals will bring out the best of the best artists, plus great dining options, activities for the kids, arts and cultural displays and beautiful views of the ocean.
Tidal Wave Music Festival
Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City
August 11-13
Rock out at this beachfront country music festival. The lineup includes dozens of artists including Nate Smith, Jo Dee Messina, Thomas Rhett, Corey Kent, Jason Aldean and Brooks & Dunn. There is also a Next From Nashville concert series each night.
Sea.Hear.Now
Sept. 16-17
Asbury Park waterfront
The Killers and Foo Fighters headline this beachfront mega-fest, which includes not only music on the sand but also surfing and a photo collective. Other artists include Greta Van Fleet, Sheryl Crow, Quincy Mumford, Weezer, The Beach Boys, Tegan & Sara and Waiting on Mongo.
XPoNential Music Festival
Wiggins Park, Camden
Sept. 22-24
The 2023 lineup features Old Crow Medicine Show, Tegan and Sara, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, The Hold Steady, Margo Price, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Allison Russell, Low Cut Connie, Sammy Rae & The Friends, Bailen, Wednesday, Wilder Woods, Celisse, Leyla McCalla, Bobby Rush, Say She She, Sunny War, Don McCloskey, Julia Pratt, Nik Greeley and the Operators, Christine Havrilla & Gypsy Fuzz, Moustapha Noumbissi, Mobbluz and Velvet Rouge.
Orange Loop Rock Festival
Sept. 31 to Oct. 1
Showboat Festival Grounds, Atlantic City.
Three beach blocks of restaurants, bars, live music, coffee, yoga and more will take place inside the Showboat Hotel. The lineup for 2023 is not yet announced.
Keep an eye on these music fests for next year:
Exit Zero Jazz Festival
Stages throughout Cape May
May
There are three days of live jazz music performed on different stages: Cape May Convention Hall, the Convention Hall Deck Stage, Rotary Park Stage, Carney’s Main Room and Carney’s Other Room.
Adjacent Music Festival
May
Atlantic City beachfront
Headliners blink-182 and Paramore will perform along with popular acts Coheed and Cambria and Jimmy Eat World, and newer artists like Hot Milk, Wheatus and Neil Rubenstein. Overall, there will be almost 50 musical acts across multiple stages over the course of the weekend.
Roots Picnic Weekend
The Mann in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA
June
Lauryn Hill will celebrate the 25th anniversary of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Other performers include Diddy & The Roots, Lil Uzi Vert, Ari Lennox, Maverick City, DJ Drama, Uncle Waffles, Glorilla, a live mixtape, Mary Mary, Beanie Sigel, Young Gunz, Symba, DJ Diamond Kuts, Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee, QuestLove Supreme and dozens of other performers. This year, a special standup comedy performance from Dave Chappelle and The Roots at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.
Hot 97 Summer Jam
UBS Arena, Belmont Park, Long Island, NY
June
The hip-hop lineup includes Ice Spice, Coi Leray, GloRilla, Lola Brooke, French Montana, Fivio Foreign, Lil TJay, Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop with The LOX, and Cardi B.
Barefoot Country Music Fest
Wildwood beachfront
June
Thursday night’s kickoff concert features John Pardi with special guests Michael Ray, Shane Profitt and John Eddie. Then, spend the weekend bouncing from five different stages to see more than 40 different country artists, such as Blake Shelton, Kid Rock, Darius Rucker, Lady A, Jimmie Allen and Lainey Wilson.
KTUphoria
Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
June
103.5 FM KTU Radio presents its annual summer concert. Performing live are Kylie Minogue, Deborah Cox, Taylor Dayne, Daya, Kristine W. and Ally Brooke, with more acts to be announced.
Beardfest
Paradise Lakes Campground, Hammonton
June
Aside from music, art and workshops, there will be swimming and camping for you nature lovers! Some of the top performers include Spafford, Pink Talking Fish, Dogs in a Pile, Mark Guiliana’s Beat Music and the West Philadelphia Orchestra.
Sad Summer Festival
PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
July
Taking Back Sunday, The Maine, Pvris, Hot Mulligan, Mom Jeans and Stand Atlantic are the headliners. There will be special guests on special dates, plus more artists on the bill.
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