New Brunswick Heart Festival Returns for Sixth Year: “Come for the Music, Stay for Everything Else”
New Brunswick, NJ
That’s the invitation extended by organizers of the sixth annual New Brunswick Heart Festival, kicking off Saturday at 2 p.m. at the intersection of George Street and Livingston Avenue.
This year’s edition promises to be bigger and better than ever, with participation spanning artistic, cultural, community, historical, and government organizations.
New attractions this time around include an artist’s alley, a craft merchant village featuring one-of-a-kind goods, dance workshops led by the American Repertory Ballet, a health and wellness pavilion sponsored by Garden of Healing, and a history corner hosted by members of the East Jersey Old Town Village.
The New Brunswick Heart Festival—presented by State Theatre New Jersey, the New Brunswick Cultural Center, the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), and the Arts Institute of Middlesex County—is a free, all-welcome family event that has evolved well beyond its musical origins.
Saturday’s celebration will also include appearances from local police and fire department representatives.
“It’s a little bit of everything that New Brunswick and Middlesex County have to offer,” said Tracey O’Reggio Clark, interim executive director of the New Brunswick Cultural Center. “Our main goal with festivals is to explore how many venues we can bring in and how much we can go beyond that. How many family members can you bring together at once? How many unique experiences can you have? How many cultural moments can you fit into one day?”
Of course, the organizers haven’t forgotten the music.
Live entertainment will feature tap dancer Omar Edwards, funk/Motown/disco hits from The Discoteks, dance pieces by InSpira Performing Arts Cultural Center, and a performance by Grupo de Danza Folklórica La Sagrada Familia. DJ IZM will also be on hand to keep the energy flowing throughout the day.
