SummerMusic Brings Diverse Sounds to Essex County Parks

Summer's coming, which means Essex County parks will feature the sound of music.

The annual SummerMusic free concert series is returning, said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. The events will take place at locations throughout the historic Essex County Park System. The 2013 schedule features two concert and fireworks spectaculars, Friday night concerts in Brookdale Park and six cultural festivals.

"Our free concert series offers a diverse lineup of performers who will take center stage," said DiVincenzo. "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."  

The 13-week-long series will feature 28 different performances. It kicks off June 15 with a Gospel Festival in Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park and ends with the Sept. 8 South Orange International Blues Festival in Essex County South Mountain Reservation. The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will headline a concert and fireworks extravaganza on June 28 at Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark. Fireworks will also provide the backdrop for a performance by New Jersey band The Infernos on July 2nd at Essex County Brookdale Park, which straddles Bloomfield and Montclair.

The full 2013 concert series schedule is as follows:

• Saturday, June 15, noon to 5 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Gospel Festival
• Saturday, June 22, noon to 8 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Newark: House Music Festival
• Tuesday, June 25, 7 p.m., Essex County Veterans Memorial Park, Newark: Tony Scally Jazz Quartet
• Wednesday, June 26, 7 p.m., Essex County Irvington Park, Irvington: Carrie Jackson All Stars
• Thursday, June 27, 7 p.m., Essex County Independence Park, Newark: Ray Rodriguez Swing Sebroso
• Friday, June 28, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Branch Brook Park, Newark: Concert by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Fireworks Spectacular
• Tuesday, July 2, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Concert by The Infernos and Fireworks Spectacular
• Friday, July 5, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: British Pop featuring the "Long Live the Beatles Show"
• Tuesday, July 9, 7 p.m., Essex County Yanticaw Park, Nutley: Somers Dream Orchestra
• Wednesday, July 10, 7 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Volora Howell
• Thursday, July 11, 7 p.m., Essex County Riverbank Park, Newark: Junior Vega Quintet
• Friday, July 12, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Louis Prima, Jr. & The Witnesses
• Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m., Essex County West Side Park, Newark: Donovan's Reggae Group
• Friday, July 19, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Tribute to the Beach Boys: "Beach Party Boys"
• Tuesday, July 23, 7 p.m., Essex County Kip's Castle Park, Montclair/Verona: American Bandstand Revue
• Wednesday, July 24, 7 p.m., Essex County Vailsburg Park, Newark: Music n' More
• Friday, July 26, 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, Aug. 1, 7 p.m., Essex County Grover Cleveland Park, Caldwell/Essex Fells: The Kootz
• Friday, Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield  and Montclair: Tribute to the Bee Gees: "Night Fever"
• Tuesday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m., Essex County Ivy Hill Park, Newark: Richard Reiter Quintet
• Wednesday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Newark: Pulse Jazz Band
• Friday, Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: The Garden State Concert Band
• Saturday, Aug. 10, 4 to 9 p.m., Essex County Ivy Hill Park, Newark: Food and Music Festival
• Sunday, Aug. 11, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Latin Festival
• Tuesday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m., Essex County Riverfront Park, Newark: Frank & 3 to Clave
• Saturday, Sept. 7, noon to 7 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Caribbean Festival
• Sunday, Sept. 8, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Essex County South Mountain Reservation, West Orange: South Orange International Blues Festival

The SummerMusic Concert Series sponsors include 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.

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.

For more information, call the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs at 973-239-2485.