After a triumphant inaugural year that drew hundreds of thousands to celebrate the arts and ideas of New Jersey, the North to Shore Festival is set to make a grand return this June, marking the beginning of summer 2024 with a three-city, three-weekend extravaganza. Conceived by Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, this extraordinary event aims to showcase the state’s rich culture, creativity, and diversity.
The festival’s lineup kicks off in Asbury Park from June 10-16, moves down the Shore to Atlantic City from June 17-23, and concludes in Newark from June 24-30. With major support from Prudential Financial, this year’s Title Sponsor, the North to Shore Festival promises a remarkable showcase of diverse and talented artists.
Governor Phil Murphy expressed excitement, stating, “Our inaugural North to Shore Festival was the beginning of a proud, new annual tradition that brings some of the biggest stars to New Jersey to bolster our tourism industry and boost demand for our local businesses.”
This year’s lineup boasts an array of world-renowned acts, including Kevin Hart, Matchbox Twenty, Gary Clark, Jr., The B-52s, Gabriel Iglesias, Bleachers, Jeezy, Scarface, Barenaked Ladies, Lake Street Dive, Prince Royce & Wisin, Keyshia Cole, Trey Songz, Frankie Valli, and Stephen Colbert. The festivities will also feature film screenings, live podcasts, engaging panels, and more.
First Lady Tammy Murphy highlighted the festival’s significance, stating, “The North to Shore Festival is an opportunity to showcase all that New Jersey has to offer, including some of the best local and global acts, our incredible diversity and unique culture.”
In its inaugural year, the North to Shore Festival exceeded expectations, drawing nearly 250,000 attendees to experience over 300 artists in more than 100 venues across Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Newark. The festival, designed as an economic engine for the state, brought in $7.6 million in ticket sales.
The 2024 North to Shore Festival, supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), is set to build on the success of the previous year. NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan emphasized the festival’s role in celebrating the state’s talent and diversity in innovation and the arts.
NJPAC is producing this three-weekend celebration in collaboration with partners such as Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, NJM Insurance Group, NJ Travel & Tourism, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Outfront Media, RWJBarnabas Health, and United Airlines. Prudential Financial serves as this year’s title sponsor.
Shané Harris, Vice President and Head of Social Responsibility at Prudential Financial, expressed the company’s pride in sponsoring the festival, stating, “We are excited to continue our long-standing relationship with NJPAC to bring North to Shore’s creative economic engine to Newark and across the state.”
Producing partners for 2024 include Montclair Film and Newark International Film Festival, TechUnited:NJ hosting the Propelify Innovation Festival, Stockton University managing E-Games competitions and soccer programming in Atlantic City, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) hosting virtual discussions on maternal health, the arts as a catalyst to health, and food insecurity.
A portion of ticket sales to select events will support Growing Healthy Pantries, addressing food security statewide. Jonathan Pearson, Horizon’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, highlighted the importance of good nutrition in promoting overall health.
NJPAC has once again provided direct grants totaling $367,000 to artists, nonprofits, small businesses, and art organizations based in each host city to self-produce performing and visual art events during the festival.
