Newark Alliance launches inaugural ‘Holiday United’ event program

Newark Alliance On Friday, the City of Newark announced the formation of Festivals United, a coalition comprised of some of the city’s top annual events from the City of Newark Arts Education District and the City of Newark Parks Foundation, including Afrobeats, Halsey Beats, Lincoln Park Festival, Newark Arts Festival, Newark Pride, and Newark Winter Village. The initiative, made possible by a $1.5 million grant awarded in December 2023 by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, marks a major milestone in bringing together Newark’s vibrant cultural offerings under one unified banner.

“What makes Newark a success story for so many across the country is our unity – our unity for common progress,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “Nothing creates unity better than a festival, which creates a shared memory, a strong sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves, a sense of sharing something important and exciting. In Newark, we are developing a way to connect through a shared experience of the arts. It is our language of hope, happiness, and healing.”

“We are grateful to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Governor Phil Murphy for recognizing the transformative potential of the Festival Alliance and believe it will establish Newark as ‘Festival City,'” said Ashley Mays, Chief Real Estate and Marketing Officer of the Newark Alliance.

The Festival Alliance aims to establish Newark as a year-round destination and regional hub for arts, culture, entertainment and small business discovery. With key Newark locations including Halsey Street, the Newark Museum of Art, NJPAC, Military Park, Tubman Square, Mulberry Park and the Lincoln Park Shore Cultural District, these multi-day events will bring additional traffic to businesses and attractions around downtown Newark.

Here is the 2024 United Festival program list:

• AfroBeat Festival: July 13, 2024
• Halsey Festival: June 8, June 15, June 29, July 19, September 19, 2024
• Linkin Park Festival: July 24-28, July 31-August 4, 2024
• Newark Arts Festival: October 9-13, 2024
• Newark Pride Festival: July 8-14, 2024
• Newark Winter Village: November 30, 2024 – January 12, 2025
• Newark Parks Foundation: Visit the website to learn about plans for all downtown parks.
• The Halsey Fest series of events is organized by the Newark Alliance and includes media sponsor NJ PBS, and major sponsors Prudential Financial and Newark Alliance.

“As a proud supporter of the arts, New Jersey PBS is pleased to sponsor Halsey Festival programming,” said Joseph Lee, vice president and general manager of New Jersey PBS. “We believe in the power of storytelling and cultural expression to unite communities, and Halsey Festival is a shining example of this. By showcasing Newark’s rich diversity through events like these, we are helping to amplify the city’s unique voices and bringing people together in celebration.”

“Prudential is honored to sponsor Halsey Fest as part of our commitment to fostering the economic and cultural vitality of Newark,” said Lata Reddy, Prudential’s senior vice president of financial inclusion solutions and chair of the Newark Alliance board of directors. “Festivals United builds on that commitment by creating more opportunities for our city’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and amazing local talent.”

NJEDA’s Activation, Revitalization and Transformation (ART) program, which provides grant opportunities to support these cities’ post-COVID-19 economic recovery, was piloted in Newark and Atlantic City. Last year, the NJEDA Board of Directors approved ART grant funding to support the Newark Alliance’s creation of Festivals United.

“The ART program aligns with Governor Murphy’s commitment to revitalize New Jersey’s downtowns and is designed to encourage economic activity in areas that have experienced reduced commuter traffic due to the pandemic,” said Tai Cooper, Chief Community Development Officer for the New Jersey Educational Development Agency. “We are honored to award a portion of this grant to support Newark’s resilience, which speaks to the power of collaboration in Newark.”