Brian Kirk Concert In Middletown's New Mater Dei Park Canceled

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Saint Mary Mother of God church announced this week the concert and fall festival is canceled.

The upcoming Mater Dei Park in Middletown will hold a first-ever fall concert this September, Saint Mary's Catholic church announced Wednesday.

Mater Dei Park is Middletown's newest park, and it's so new it hasn't even opened yet: Demolition of the former Mater Dei Prep High School is currently underway, and will take several weeks to complete.

Once that happens, the 25-acre property, located at 538 Church Street in Middletown, will officially become a town park.

Mater Dei's outdoor track, football field and four baseball fields will all remain. It will be renamed Mater Dei Park.

The first-ever fall festival will be Sept 28 at the park, and will be held rain or shine. Saint Mary's said it was pleased to book well-known band Brian Kirk & the Jirks to perform, plus local bands The Wag and Rocket Academy.

Purchase tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/4kse3mfv All proceeds benefit youth scholarships from the Colin P. Casey Foundation at Saint Mary's School.

“My father loved this community, and he believed in the power of people coming together,” said Kelly Casey Balletto, Casey's daughter. “This festival is a beautiful way to honor him while also giving young people the chance to further their education.”

The festival will be held from 2-6:30 p.m. on the Mater Dei football field. There will be live music, food trucks, artisan and craft vendors and family fun. Festival-goers can choose to pack a picnic basket and enjoy a relaxed afternoon on the field or savor offerings from a variety of local food vendors. They are now taking vendor sign-ups: Local businesses and food vendors interested in participating can sign up directly on the official event page at colinpcasey.org.

“This event is about more than music and fun; it’s about investing in the future of our young people,” said Marybeth Pritzlaff, board member of the Colin P. Casey Foundation. “We are thrilled to bring the community together for the very first concert at Mater Dei Park, and to do so in a way that supports scholarships for local youth.”

Mater Dei Prep closed its doors forever in 2022, citing a steep drop in student enrollment. For more than 60 years, Mater Dei provided a well-regarded Catholic education to Monmouth County teens, but enrollment had dwindled to just 220 students when it closed.

Middletown Officially Takes Ownership Of Mater Dei Prep, Will Become A Public Park (June)