Music Lineup At Upcoming Highlands Festival At WaterlooThe New Jersey Highlands Coalition announces the music lineup for the third annual Highlands Festival at Waterloo set to be held Sept. 19-20, at Waterloo Village and Concert Field in Byram and Allamuchy.

For the past two years the festival had only utilized the historic Waterloo Village area, this year it has expanded to also include the Waterloo Concert Field. This environmental festival is a “Celebration of all Things Local” and promotes local music, food, art, history, cultural and natural resources.

“We continue to grow in size and scope as we host our third annual Highlands Festival at Waterloo,” said Julia Somers, executive director of the coalition. “This festival aims to raise awareness in a fun and interactive way about how important our natural resources are and in particular, to showcase that our precious water source here in the Highlands benefits much of the region.”

This rain-or-shine event is open to people of all ages and features a range of activities, including musical performances, a children’s corner, a local food court, beer garden, crafts and fair trade marketplace, historical tours, animal demonstrations, various workshops, kayaking, and guided nature hikes. A full schedule of events will be released soon. New also this year is the ability to camp at Waterloo during the festival. Festivalgoers that wish to camp are highly encouraged to reserve in advance online, due to the limited amount of spaces available.

The Highlands Festival celebrates Waterloo Village’s past glory as a renowned musical performance venue, enriched by its historic nature and the wealth of musical talent in NJ and surrounding areas. In keeping with the locally driven mission, the festival aims to highlight musicians with ties to NJ and our local tri-state area.

The following is the list of artists slated to perform in the festival:   Atlanta Café Band, Joe Cirotti,  Lost Ramblers, Milkweed, Turkey Farm 5, Willie Nile, Brown Rice Family,  Craig Thatcher Band,  Garland Jeffreys, Hub Hollow, Nadïne LaFond,  Occidental Gypsy.

The Coalition is thrilled to bring more music back to Waterloo and to continue adding to the tradition of presenting exciting performances for music enthusiasts. Over the years, other well-known acts such as the Beach Boys, Judy Collins, James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Phish and the Metropolitan Opera have performed at Waterloo.

“Music truly brings people together,” said Mark Clifford, musician coordinator for the Highlands Festival. “We believe we have curated a fantastic weekend of performers that will offer a terrific blend of an eclectic array of musical genres that will please people of all ages.”

Tickets are now available online. Tickets purchased in advance are $15 for one day; $25 for both days; and $25 for a campsite reservation. At the gate, tickets will be $25 for one day; $40 for both days; and $45 for a campsite if spots remain. The festival is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Sat., and from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sun. To purchase tickets online and for more information about the festival, visit the festival website at: HighlandsFestivalAtWaterloo.org.

The NJ Highlands Coalition hosts the Highlands Festival to raise awareness about the natural resources of the NJ Highlands region, to promote the missions of the NJ Highlands Coalition’s 80+ nonprofit member organizations, and to fund the Small Grants Program which supports local grassroots organizations.  As a nonprofit organization in Boonton, the coalition works to protect, restore, and enhance the water and other natural and cultural resources of NJ’s Highlands. The coalition serves 88 municipalities in Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties that are protected under the NJ Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act in addition to the 5.4 million state residents who depend on the Highlands for drinking water.

For more information on the NJ Highlands Coalition or to become a member, visit the organization’s website: https://www.njhighlandscoalition.org/