21st Annual Hoboken Fall Arts & Music Fest Returns on Sept. 28

The 21st annual Hoboken Fall Arts and Music Festival will return to the city on Sunday, Sept. 28. Admission is free and the event will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine. The festival will take place between Washington Street between Observer Highway and 7th Street. The family-friendly event is hosted by Mayor Dawn Zimmer and the City of Hoboken.

The arts and music festival will feature more than 300 artists, sculptors, photographers and local crafters, local businesses, nonprofits, restaurants, food vendors, and much more. There will also be a special children’s section on 3rd St. with rides, games, craft activities, face painting and more.

Special features include:
• Children’s activities on 3rd Street with rides, games, creative activities, face painting, sand art, balloons, live performances and much, much more.

• Art/Craft displays including: paintings, sculpture, photography, pottery, metalwork, wood items, mosaics, glass, painted furniture, quilts, household items made from recycled materials, clothing & fashion accessories, hand knits, candles, jewelry, dried florals, soaps & body products, honey, herbs & teas, and other unique handcrafted items.

• Food: Lots of great food throughout the fair. An eclectic variety of international foods such as: Thai, Indian, Greek, French, Mexican, Cajun and Italian. Festival favorites: sausage & peppers, cheesesteak, pulled pork, zeppoles, fried oreos, crepes, gyros, crab cakes empanadas, mozzarepas and more.

Music
In the true spirit of the annual festival, three large stages will be erected to feature legendary singer, Darlene Love. “Darlene Love’s thunderbolt voice is as embedded in the history of Rock & Roll as Eric Clapton’s guitar & Bob Dylan’s lyrics,” The New York Times hails.

Darlene Love continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her warm, gracious stage presence and sensational performances. When she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, it was just another accolade in a long ongoing career.

In 1957, while the singer was still in high school, she was invited to join a little-known girl group called The Blossoms, who in 1962 began working with producer Phil Spector and his wall of sound hit factory. Her powerful lead vocals have been part of Number One records such as (“He’s A Rebel” for the Crystals) as well as many chart hits (“He’s Sure the Boy I Love”, “Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart?”, “Today I Met The Boy I’m Going To Marry”) & the perennial Christmas favorite “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” which she has performed annually for the last 27 years on The Late Show with David Letterman.

As backup singer with The Blossoms, Love contributed backing vocals behind many of the biggest hits of the 1960s, including The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” Shelley Fabares’ “Johnny Angel,” Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash,” Frank Sinatra’s version of “That’s Life,” the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and the Crystals’ “Da Doo Ron Ron.”

The Academy Award-winning documentary “20 Feet From Stardom,” released in 2013, tells the story of Darlene Love and other classic backup singers. But this was not her only foray into film. She also played Danny Glover’s wife in all the Lethal Weapon films. She also appeared on Broadway in hits like Hairspray and Grease and even starred as herself in Leader of the Pack (based on the Ellie Greenwich songbook), credited as Broadway’s first jukebox musical.
She is currently in the studio working on a new CD with E Street Band member Steve Van Zandt and a bio pic called “My Name is Love,” is expected to air on the Oprah network in 2015.

Rolling Stone Magazine has proclaimed Darlene Love to be “one of the greatest singers of all time.”

The festival will also featuring performances by the following artists:

Maddy Bowes
A fresh faced 16 year old out of Hoboken NJ, ready to strike. The soulful prowess is vocally and lyrically unique, real and honest, and wise beyond her years. Maddy Bowes has a voice that’s fierce, yet full of grace when she peels off the wool and takes off the gloves. She debuts with self-composed, musically addictive breakout songs that smash the heart.

The Sensational Soul Cruisers
The Sensational Soul Cruisers are not just another 11-man vocal harmony group with horns. It is unlikely that you will ever find a band that performs with as much energy, passion, and talent as these guys. Under the tutelage of Jackson resident sax player Screamin’ Steve Barlotta, the captain of this fantastic soul cruise for over 20 years, he has captured the true essence of the Jersey Shore sound and its true R&B roots.

The Harmonica Lewinskies
The Harmonica Lewinskies are the type of band you’d bring home to your momma and in two months’ time, your momma would be dating them. Over the past 5 years, they have amassed a dirty cornucopia of influences ranging from Delta Blues, to molten Rock and Roll, to the art of seduction. The Harmonica Lewinskies are an 8-piece NYC based blues and soul band. They have played at the 2012 and 2013 CMJ, Northside & CBGB festivals. Last summer they held a month-long residency at Piano’s in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

Allison Strong
Two-time Hoboken Music Award Winner Allison Strong released her debut album, March Towards The Sun, on August 31st to a standing room only crowd at New Jersey’s prestigious Bergen PAC. In addition to playing well-received solo sets at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall & Pianos, she has opened for headliner Teddy Geiger, performed for former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, and has appeared on stage at the White House, the Metropolitan Opera, and on Broadway in Bye Bye Birdie and Mamma Mia.

Frankie Morales & the Mambo of the Times Orchestra
Frankie Morales has sharpened his sound since starting out on the streets of El Barrio, NYC’s Spanish Quarter. At the age of 14 he sang backup for Latin legend Joe Bataan and at 15 with Hector Lavoe. This led to other opportunities singing with Celia Cruz, Ismael Rivera, Ismael Miranda, Pelin Rodriguez, Cheo Feliciano, Joe Cuba, Fania 6 & Tito Nieves. Frankie Morales was the Lead singer for Tito Puente Orquestra 1990-2000, which won him 2 Latin Grammys, 1 Nomination, Ace Latin Award & Bobby Capo Lifetime Achievement Award!

Preschool of Rock
Preschool of Rock has redefined children’s music by combining entertainment and education through exhilarating performance, offering classes, shows, preschool enrichments and birthday parties throughout New Jersey and New York. They provide the hippest music education for young children, inspiring creativity, confidence, and freedom of expression.

Erin Lee and the Up Past Bedtime Band
Get ready to hop, holler and sing along with funky songs about baseball and boating. It’s perfect for anybody not-quite-ready-for-bed on a summer evening. Erin Lee Kelly is an award-winning songwriter whose children’s music has received rave reviews (“Irresistible!” -Disney’s Family Fun Magazine) and radio play from Massachusetts to New Mexico. The Up Past Bedtime Band are New York City musicians who can usually be found up well past bedtime playing everything from country music to punk in many of NYC’s top venues. Together, they create fabulously interactive music for families featuring intricate harmonies, groovy drumming and silly songs about the everyday challenges of childhood.

Jeremy Beck & the Heavy Duty Horns, Tom Vincent & the Romance Commandos, Emily & the Ideals, Gene D. Plumber, The Garden St. School Band and many more will also perform.

Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed for morning setup on day of the event from 7am to 11am. Please contact Geri at 201-420-2207 in advance if you are interested. For more information, contact Geri Fallo, 201-420-2207 or gfallo@hobokennj.gov.

How to Get Here
Located just 3 blocks from all public transportation: PATH, NJ Transit Trains & buses, NY Waterway Ferries & the Hudson Bergen Light Rail. For details, click here.

Washington Street will be closed from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. between Observer Highway and 7th Street. During this time, NJ TRANSIT Bus No. 22 (North Bergen-Union City-Hoboken), No. 89 (North Bergen-Hoboken) and No. 126 (Hoboken-New York) will operate on a detour.

Customers traveling toward North Bergen and New York will board and alight along Bloomfield Street at customer’s request. Customers traveling toward Hoboken Terminal will board and alight along Willow Avenue at marked bus stop locations.

Food & Beverage Donated by: Anthony David’s, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Luca Brasi, Losurdo Brothers Deli/Tony’s Italian Bakery, D’s Soul Full Cafe

Information and photo courtesy of the City of Hoboken.