New Brunswick Heart Festival at State Theatre New Jersey

Presented by State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick Cultural Center, NBPAC, and I Am D. Muse, this annual FREE outdoor family-friendly festival celebrates the vibrant arts and history of New Brunswick and Middlesex County.

The festival features live music and dance performances by The Suyat Band performing funk and motown hits, InSpira Performing Arts, New Brunswick Brass, Grupo de Danza Folklórica La Sagrada Familia, beats by DJ IZM, the American Repertory Ballet Dance Power Scholars, a poetry reading by Thinkery & Verse, and winners of STNJ's Jersey Talent show, the band, Crowfield! Plus, tap dancing star, Omar Edwards and an outdoor salsa dance class with Elvis Ruiz! Hosted by New Jersey Hall of Famer Bert Baron and Founder of TSO Productions, Sharon Gordon. Come early to STNJ at 1pm for an amazing magic show for families featuring Bill Blagg! Learn more here.

The festival also includes dance classes for kids with American Repertory Ballet, an Arts Market, craft vendors, free balloon animals, free face painting by JazzyJ, a health & wellness tent hosted by Garden of Healing, and a history corner featuring historical interpreters hosted by East Jersey Old Town Village! Other activities include free arts & crafts with Dibble & Dabble, free caricatures by Matthew Many, free button making with the New Brunswick Free Public Library, free Henna by Rashmi, Japanese black ink drawing and affirmation rocks with the Highland Park Arts Commission, free print making with Frontline Arts, a community collaborative art project with the Zimmerli Art Museum, chalk art with Sharpened Mindz, ticket and swag giveaways, and so much more!

4pm-4:30pm | Beginning Dance for ages 4-8. This workshop explores rhythm and music through creative movement. A theme and story will inspire individuality and expression, with an introduction to classical ballet technique. 5pm-5:30pm | Contemporary for ages 9-16. This workshop will explore interpretive dance that embraces innovation, blending techniques from various genres, including classical ballet, jazz, modern dance, and lyrical dance. Open House – 2pm-6pm Tour Princeton Ballet School’s studios at the state-of-the-art New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. Princeton Ballet School’s staff will be on hand to provide you with school information, schedule, and registration details. Also, look out for a special drawing to win Free tickets to an American Repertory Ballet performance coming to NBPAC this September!