Main Events In Newark's Lincoln Park Music Festival Begin This Weekend
The Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) has seen the festival grow to a full season of music, arts, culture, and wellness. It's free for all, and celebrates film, arts, culture, digital media, and music business education as well as music. (Shutterstock / Anthony Mooney)
NEWARK, NJ — On its 15th anniversary, Newark's Lincoln Park Music Festival is celebrating two New Jersey hip hop radio pioneers with a pop-up exhibition and two weekends of performances.
The Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) has seen the festival grow to a full season of music, arts, culture, and wellness. It's free for all, and celebrates film, arts, culture, digital media, and music business education as well as music.
This year's theme is "Ahooga! A journey through 40 years of hip hop radio pioneers," celebrating DJs and radio personalities The Awesome 2. The duo is made up of Special K and Teddy Tedd, who are both from North Jersey.
A pop-up media exhibition about The Awesome 2 opened Monday at Cement Gallery, 6 Crawford Street in Newark. Viewings are Thursday and Friday from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1-8 p.m.
The closing event is an artist talk with The Awesome 2 on August 1 from 6-8 p.m.
There's also a "Spirit of Dance Soul Line Dancing" on Thursday from 6-9, with Step 4 Step Soul line dancers Andrea "Lil Bit" Mason, Jillian "Lady J" Barrick, and Douglas "X-Man" Hawkins.
Artists performing in the park span several genres, including house, gospel, R&B, hip hop, reggae, dancehall, and music of the Latinx/Hispanic diaspora.
Here's a list of music events:
Wednesday 7/27: Gospel Night In The Park from 5-9 p.m. with Le'Andria Johnson, Provenance Music Group, Anthony Ponder & Ministry's Desire, and voices from Newark's choirs.
Friday 7/29: Yendor presents Rodney’s House: A Celebration of the late Rodney M. Gilbert, from 5-9 p.m. Performances by Mia X, Kenny Bobien and Students of Yendor, and "vibes by DJ Fauzi."
Saturday 7/30: House Music Day from 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., starring Barbara Tucker. With Mike Dunn of Chicago's Chosen Few DJs, as well as DJ Danny Krivit, DJ Kamala, DJ Chris Flowers, DJ Shawn Lover, Sara Devine, and Aaron K. Gray.
Sunday 7/31: Hip Hop Culture Day, beginning at noon and featuring The Awesome 2 with special guests Nice & Smooth and other guests.
Saturday 8/6: The Soul of Lincoln Park – announced soon.
Sunday 8/7: Lincoln Park Caribana – announced soon.