Laurie Berkner's 'Greatest Hits Solo Tour' Soars at QuickChek NJ Festival of Ballooning

Bestselling children's recording artist and preschool television favorite Laurie Berkner will bring her Greatest Hits Solo Tour to the 35th Annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning with a family show at 1:30 p.m. on the Festival's opening day, Friday, July 28, 2017, at Solberg Airport, 39 Thor Solberg Road, Whitehouse Station (Readington Township), NJ.

The QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning is the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America. This concert, presented by Hackensack Meridian Health, marks the first time the Festival has offered a performance geared to young children and their families.

A pioneer in children's music over the last twenty years, the legendary Laurie Berkner will bring such well-loved hits as "Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz)," "Victor Vito," "We Are The Dinosaurs," and "Pig on Her Head" to this performance, along with songs like "Bicycle," "Bubbles," and "I've Got So Much To Give" from her new album, Superhero. Laurie will showcase many fan favorites, including an array of tunes that encourage kids and grownups alike to get up and dance. Kids should plan to bring their dancing shoes and a stuffed animal (for their heads).

At her solo shows, in addition to familiar hits, Laurie Berkner performs songs that don't always fit with a full-band performance: tunes with simpler arrangements, hand motions, and a cappella singing, like "Bottle Caps," "One Seed," "Telephone," and "Drive My Car."

To give everyone a chance to catch their breath between high-energy moments, the show will include quieter interludes, with songs such as Laurie's classic "Moon Moon Moon."

Laurie says, "I have been looking forward to performing at this festival for months. I can't wait to see all the balloons taking off - I know it will be spectacular! (I really hope I can see them from the stage!) I feel so lucky that I was invited to play at such an exciting venue, and that I'll have Kira Willey there singing a few songs with me. It's going to be a great show!"

"We are thrilled to begin celebrating our 35th anniversary with our first ever concert geared for our youngest balloonatics," notes Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman. "While we have added the top rising Disney teen sensations into our concert series over the past few years for teens and tweens, Laurie Berkner will be our first Kids' Concert for children ages 2-8."

Dubbed "one of children's music's biggest success stories" by USA Today, Laurie Berkner's original songs, albums, DVDs, music videos, and books leave no doubt: Laurie is the uncrowned queen of children's music and the power behind the progressive "kindie rock" movement.

Laurie Berkner was the first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr. and was featured in nearly all the episodes of the channel's Jack's Big Music Show. She currently stars in the animated musical short-form series Sing It, Laurie! on the Sprout preschool channel and has made frequent appearances on Sprout's Sunny Side Up morning show. Laurie is also a familiar presence on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers is publishing a series of three picture books with Laurie Berkner. The first, We Are the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Ben Clanton, was released in March of this year, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the release of Laurie's "We Are the Dinosaurs" song on her very first album, Whaddaya Think of That? Coming in November will be Pillowland, based on Laurie's beloved song by that name, with beautiful illustrations by Camille Garoche. Summer 2018 will see the publication of Monster Boogie, illustrated by Ben Clanton.

A former preschool music teacher by day and indie rocker by night, Laurie Berkner started selling her music nearly two decades ago out of her living room on her own label, Two Tomatoes Records. Laurie has received tremendous critical acclaim. Time Magazine lauded Laurie as "a kind of sippy-cup Sheryl Crow ... Berkner inhabits a kid's curious perspective in her lyrics and pens folk-pop melodies that bear repeated -- very repeated -- listenings." The Wall Street Journal called Laurie "one of the most popular children's performers in America ... her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups."

Watch Laurie Berkner in action on her Youtube channel HERE.

WHAT: Laurie Berkner, Solo! "The Greatest Hits Tour" Comes to the QuickCheck New Jersey Festival of Ballooning

WHEN: 1:30 p.m., Friday, July 18, 2017. Festival gates open at 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Solberg Airport, 39 Thor Solberg Road, Whitehouse Station (Readington Township), NJ 08889

TICKETS: $25, $35, $45, plus applicable fees. Super Premium tickets $75*, plus applicable fees. A limited number of $75 Super Premium tickets are available.

*Super Premium tickets include preferred seating, after-show Meet & Greet, photo opportunity, and a personalized, autographed picture of the Laurie Berkner Band from Laurie.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS: Visit the Ticketfly website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 973-882-5464 or visit the QuickCheck New Jersey Festival of Ballooning website.

PLEASE NOTE: Children 1 and under may sit on a parent/guardian's lap. Children 2 and older will need a ticket to sit in the reserved seating area. Ticket prices are the same for adults and children.

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