New Jersey Folk Festival Celebrates 50 Years with Free FolkLIVE Events and Cultural Celebrations

This summer, four free events will join the FolkLIVE series at the Arts Institute of Middlesex County. Last year's series drew 81,000 visitors.

"Through FolkLIVE, we're creating space for communities to share their traditions with pride," said Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum to MyCentralJersey.com.

The East Brunswick Fairgrounds will host a two-day Native American gathering June 21-22. Artists, dancers, and teachers will share customs from the Lakota, Navajo, and Cherokee nations. Visitors can taste buffalo burgers while watching dance shows from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Over a thousand performers will take part.

Monument Square Park welcomes the Gospel Music Festival on June 28. Fred Hammond, who won a Grammy, and Kierra Sheard, who earned a nomination, will perform from 2 to 6 p.m.

On August 23, Davidson's Mill Pond Park hosts the New Jersey Folk Festival's 50th year. The state's oldest folk fest runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Musicians, dancers, and food sellers will fill the grounds.

Boyd Park caps off the series with a Mexican Independence Festival on September 13. Dance troupes and mariachi music will fill the air. The Mexican Consulate in New Brunswick joins as a partner.

Find details at MiddlesexCountyCulture.com. While most shows are free, the Native American gathering needs tickets from redhawkcouncil.org.

Bad weather in April pushed the Folk Festival to its new time slot. The switch puts a spotlight on New Jersey farms while keeping costs at zero for guests.