Your Summer Guide to Outdoor Entertainment
ALEXKICH/ADOBE STOCK
It’s truly common to happen upon an authentically cultural burst of music, laughter, aroma or energetic experience just by walking down a street or through a park during the summer in Newark. From pop-up street fairs on Treat Place outside of Source of Knowledge bookstore to several citywide festivals, Newark is an epicenter for summer fun.
Recently, a consortium of festival organizers bonded together under the Newark
Alliance to ensure that Newark remains a year-round destination for cultural celebration and community engagement. So, 2025 promises to bring even more excitement to the stage. “These festivals, each with its unique flair, collectively showcase the rich tapestry of Newark’s arts and culture scene,” says Ashley Mays, Chief Marketing Officer at the Newark Alliance. “By uniting under the Festivals United banner, we aim to pool resources, coordinate programming, and amplify the collective impact.”
Festivals United is a collaborative initiative that brings together six of Newark’s most vibrant cultural events: AfroBeat Fest, Halsey Fest, Lincoln Park Music Festival, Newark Arts Festival, Newark Pride, and Newark Winter Village along with the Newark City Parks Foundation, a critical stakeholder in the production of several of the coalition’s events.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Downtown Newark faced challenges with reduced foot traffic and business activity, says Mays. “By supporting Festivals United, the Alliance seeks to mitigate this negative impact by leveraging the festi-vals and authentically engaging Newark’s residents and visitors, which will stimulate local businesses, and reinforce Newark’s identity as a hub of cultural vibrancy,” she explains. “Our involvement underscores a commitment to inclusive growth and the belief that arts and culture are pivotal to Newark’s continued growth.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEWARK ALLIANCE
HALSEY FEST
September 18, 2025
Halsey Street
The annual Halsey Fest welcomes thousands of new and returning visitors to the historic Halsey Street district in downtown Newark. The celebrated festival stretches several city blocks and includes activations, giveaways, a fashion show presentation, a vibrant market of local artisans, and a lively festival mainstage. Halsey Fest attendees have a unique opportunity to experience the Halsey Street neighborhood f irsthand with a delicious array of food options, exciting programming, and special performances from local DJs and arts organizations. Festival goers include a diverse mix of residents, students, community partners, stakeholders, the community at large as well as visitors.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AFROBEAT FEST
AFROBEAT FEST
July 12th, 2025
Military Park
Founded in 2017, Afro Beat Fest is an annual one-day family festival in Newark, occurring on the second Saturday of July. Celebrating the art, food, fashion, music, and culture of the African diaspora, it stands as the largest such celebra-tion in the state, drawing more than 10,000 attendees and 300 vendors from Newark and beyond. Inspired by Ghana’s vibrant markets and the culture of the Ashanti people, the event offers a free and open cultural space with a vendor’s market, children’s village, community pavilion, and live performances.
PHOTO COURTESTY OF LINCOLN PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
20TH ANNIVERSARY LINCOLN PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL 2025
Week One: July 23rd -27th, 2025 Week Two: August 1st-5th, 2025 Lincoln Park
The annual Lincoln Park Music Festival (LPMF) is the largest music experience rooted in traditions of the African American and Afro Caribbean diaspora in the tri-state region. LPMF has expanded into an audience of 50,000-60,000 international attendees that come together for a full season, peaking over two weekends in July and August, to experience dedicated days to genres of music including Gospel, Jazz, House, Hip-Hop, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Kompa and of the Latinx/His-panic diaspora.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWARK PRIDE INC.
NEWARK LGBTQ PRIDE FESTIVAL
20 Anniversary Newark Gay Pride
Festival 2025 • July 7th-13th, 2025
The annual Lincoln Park Music Festival (LPMF) is the largest music experience rooted in traditions of the African American and Afro Caribbean diaspora in the tri-state region. LPMF has expanded into an audience of 50,000-60,000 international attendees that come together for a full season, peaking over two weekends in July and August, to experience dedicated days to genres of music including Gospel, Jazz, House, Hip-Hop, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Kompa and of the Latinx/His-panic diaspora.
