North To Shore Festival Will Return To Newark In 2024

NEWARK, NJ — Earlier this year, hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents turned out for the inaugural North to Shore Arts and Ideas Festival, a series of concerts and other arts events held in Newark, Atlantic City and Asbury Park held to spotlight New Jersey’s diversity and “spirit of innovation.”

Now, the festivities are coming back for 2024, organizers announced Tuesday.

The North to Shore Fest will launch in Asbury Park from June 10 to June 16, swing down to Atlantic City from June 17 through June 23, and conclude in Newark from June 24 through June 30.

The Newark-based New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will produce the festival in partnership with other live entertainment presenters and producing partners.

“What makes the North to Shore so exciting is that — even if you only spend one day at the festival — there’s so much to hear, to see, to learn and to do,” NJPAC president and CEO John Schreiber said.

“It’s a perfect introduction to New Jersey’s incredible arts scene,” Schreiber added.

According to organizers, the festival was an “unqualified success” in its first year, drawing an audience of nearly 250,000 to more than 300 shows in more than 100 venues in three of New Jersey’s most arts-rich cities. Events included concerts, film screenings, art exhibits and panel discussions.

While the majority of festival events were free to the public, ticketed events brought in $7.6 million in ticket sales, organizers noted.

In all, 56 artists based in Newark, Atlantic City and Asbury Park were awarded grants to produce performances and events held during the festival weekends in their cities. That will continue in 2024, organizers said:

“North to Shore Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to artists, producers, small businesses and nonprofit organizations based in each festival city, to self-produce performing and visual arts events during the festival. For the first time, grants will also be offered to artists interested in performing on the North to Shore Festival Community Stages, centrally-located performance venues in each city. Grantees will be chosen by a committee of local arts and culture leaders from each city, who are familiar with the spirit and range of the local arts ecosystem. Between 15 and 20 grants will be awarded in each city. The application period for festival grants opens today (October 10) and closes on November 10. Virtual information sessions for grant applicants will be held in October and November, and those chosen to appear at the festival will be notified by late-December.”

Local artists and arts organizations seeking grants can visit northtoshore.com for more information.

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