‘North to Shore’: Music and arts festival coming to Newark, Asbury Park, and Atlantic City this summer

Headlining music and comedy acts include Halsey, Santana, Stephen Colbert, Bill Burr, and Demi Lovato.

Tennyson Donyéa

March 14, 2023

Halsey performs during the Sweetlife Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, May 14, 2016, in Columbia, Md. (Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced that a month-long festival will emanate from three cities across the state beginning this summer.

Newark, Asbury Park, and Atlantic City will all play host to the inaugural “North to Shore” Festival, which kicks off on June 7.

Headlining music and comedy acts include Halsey, Santana, Stephen Colbert, Bill Burr, and Demi Lovato. Homegrown talents are also slated to take the stage.

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Murphy said that the festival took inspiration from the South By Southwest Festival, which is currently underway in Austin, Texas.

“We are thrilled to announce North to Shore — New Jersey’s first multi-city festival celebrating the very best of music, comedy, film, and technology,” Murphy said. “This superstar event, held over three weekends in June, will attract folks from all over, creating another great reason for tourists to visit the Garden State as well as opportunities for local businesses in three of our iconic cities to shine. These festivals will generate economic activity and have a significant impact on our region.”

N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy (third from left) and First Lady Tammy Murphy (third from right) took the stage at NJPAC’s Prudential Hall, NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Asbury Park Mayor John Moor, and Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small to announce the North to Shore Festival — N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy (third from left) and first lady Tammy Murphy (third from right) took the stage at NJPAC’s Prudential Hall with NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Asbury Park Mayor John Moor, and Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small to announce the North to Shore Festival on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Jake Hirsch/N.J. Governor’s Office).

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in Newark, will produce the festival along with Montclair Film, Newark International Film Festival, Tech United/Propelify, and MediaSense.

“Hopefully, people will get an opportunity to hang out here in our arts and education district, take a look at the museum, the library, hang out a Swahili village and go on over to Harriet Tubman square and check out the incredible monument that we just built,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was known as an artist and poet long before he held office.

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NJPAC has invited local art organizations in all three cities to apply for funding to present events highlighting their city’s cultural community. Applications will be accepted through March 24.

Tickets go on sale March 17.

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