(RINGOES, NJ) -- The 17th Annual Sourland Mountain Fest Presented by Unionville Vineyards and benefitting the Sourland Conservancy, returns on Saturday, July 23nd from 3:00pm – 8:30pm, rain or shine, at the beautiful Unionville Vineyards in East Amwell Township, NJ. Attendees will enjoy live music, local food, craft beer, wine and spirits, as well as a variety of local artisans, businesses and educational organizations, all while taking in the bucolic views of the Sourland mountain region. The festival will have performances by The Outcrops, James Popik and Supernova, Rainbow Fresh, and Water Street. Tickets are limited to the first 1,000 sold.
The Outcrops - From the woods of Northern New Jersey, The Outcrops present original blues-infused rock’n’roll. The four-piece band was formed in 2016 by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Cassidy Rain and lead guitarist Bryan Schroeder. As a singer, Cassidy has been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi, but her raw sensibility as a front person could as easily bring comparisons to blues legends like Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters. Bryan’s playing falls somewhere between Duane Allman and Derek Trucks, as many fans have pointed out.
The rhythm section of the band includes Jason Casanovas on bass and Max Adler on drums. Both Max and Jason bring a funk and soul feel that melds beautifully with Cassidy and Bryan, creating their band tag: Rock & Roll, Blues & Soul.
James Popik and Supernova - An 8 piece Juggernaut playing Classic and Modern Jazz with a Jam vibe, what we call Festival Jazz. Featuring the 3 piece 'Psychic' Horn section and led by guitarist James Popik, expect some Brassy grooves and good old fashioned jams.
From Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and John Scofield to classic 60s funky Jazz like Eddie Harris and Horace Silver, Supernova brings the groove and FUN. You just might wanna dance.
Rainbow Fresh, based in Montclair, NJ, consists of Rich Seiner (vocals, guitar), Chip Moore (vocals, guitar, bass), Martin Purcell (vocals, bass, guitar), and John Purcell (drums). You can find them in the NY/NJ/PA/CT/MA area, but they’ve traveled to gigs as far as Warsaw, Poland, and Florence, Italy and have opened for Steve Miller at NJPAC. Rainbow fresh jam regularly with great drummers such as Claude Coleman, Jr. (Ween, Amandla), and Adam Fischel (Debbie Gibson, Jersey Boys) and played alongside Les Paul (R.I.P.) and Bucky Pizzarelli at Club Iridium in Manhattan.
“Our sound is hard to describe, but if you pictured Led Zeppelin's little brother playing Steely Dan songs, threw in a little bit of Latin groove and Disco, you'd be close.”
Water Street is a Pop/Americana group from the northwestern hills of Blairstown, NJ. Formed in 2014, the band began playing in an old warehouse on Water Street where vocalist/guitarist Dave Paulson lived with his family. The band adopted the name Water Street as a nod to their roots and began playing out, starting at coffee houses and open mics, later moving to stages at venues like The Bitter End, The Stone Pony and a main stage at MusikFest. Water Street takes the Americana standards of acoustic guitar and mandolin, but mixes them with electric guitar and a prominent rhythm section which rolls with a hint of a funk groove.
In 2016 the band released their first full length album Waiting for Martin, a 10 track album of original songs to rave reviews. Their follow-up EP Dear You was released in 2017. The band's third album, All We Tried To Be, debuted in March, 2022.
With members Dave Paulson (guitar/vocals), Connor Konecnik (drums), Joe Byrne (bass) and Mike Stark (electric guitar), Water Street continually delivers a unique and authentic musical experience for their audience and are certainly a band on the rise.
The Sourlands is a great place to live and work and the Mountain Festival is proud to showcase some of the local food, artisans and businesses who make this area so special. The Mountain Festival strives not only to give attendees an opportunity to simply enjoy themselves but also a chance to enhance their quality of life for themselves and the community. Mountain Festival Chair Suzanne Parsons said it best, “the Sourland Mountain Festival brings the communities of the Central New Jersey region together and presents the best in musical talent, local food and drink, family fun with a spectacular view”
Attendees - bring your shopping bags (or buy at the Festival) because you will SHOP ‘til you DROP at the Mountain Fest. Dandelion Wishes in Hopewell Borough are a longtime Sourland Conservancy supporter; their shop on Broad Street is filled with carefully curated treasures sourced by owner Heidi Wilenius. Nonesuch Studios from Ringoes creates beautiful handmade treasures for yourself to wear or buy for a special someone. Freitag Arts has hand-Signed and numbered limited edition prints and handmade jewelry. Beautiful decorative flowers and wreaths from the popular, farm market staple Pretty Bird Farm.
Ben D. Straw Creative has original greeting cards, poetry and illustrations which are also available to purchase on Etsy. Purchase a variety of fresh, ethically sourced and sustainably produced coffee from Ringoes own Roastwell Coffee Roasters. Press T Designs will be there to show you the printing capabilities of their recently opened venture which is a female, minority-owned and operated business. Whitehouse Station Hot Sauce Company is always a favorite hot spot. One-of-a-kind, handmade, fair-trade items from Seeds to Sew International. All their sales go to help improve the lives of women and girls in disadvantaged communities. Wild Bone Alchemy will be on hand to provide the coolest jewelry and treasures, which represent a beautiful marriage of nature and art. Local artist Jeannette Solomon of Turtlemoon Studios will bring unique pieces she created just for the fest to grace your home.
If food is your forte - the Sourland Mountain Fest has you nicely covered with something for everyone! Blawenburg Bistro will be providing delicious, healthy sandwiches and desserts so you may picnic on the green as you soak in the views. Thai Cha Chak, a popular food truck often found at the Rosedale Mills, will be on hand serving delicious Thai bites which we are certain will have attendees getting seconds! We Squeeze to Please will be selling refreshing drinks in reusable cups as well as summertime snacks the whole family will enjoy. Speaking of summer, Johnson Family Ice Cream will seal the deal making the Mountain Fest a real day trip destination. Participants are encouraged to bring their own plates, utensils and beverage containers but please, NO styrofoam, NO single-use plastics. Free water will be available on the grounds.
The Ryland Inn will once again provide the VIP service at the Festival! Renowned Chef Chris Albrecht will delight the palettes of VIP attendees with locally-sourced foods from NJ’s beloved restaurant, known for its exceptional service and hospitality. VIP tickets are sold on a limited basis and you must be over 21.
Unionville Vineyards, presenting sponsor of the Sourland Mountain Fest, represents the very soul of the agricultural heritage of the Sourlands. Their fertile and rolling vineyards have produced award-winning wines for over 30 years. Attendees will be able to choose from several wines to enjoy while at the festival. Be sure to plan a return trip to the winery in the future for a personal tasting experience and purchase your own favorites to take-home.
Flounder Brewing Company, from neighboring Hillsborough, was started in 2013and has grown into a full-time, popular destination at their 250 year old carriage barn and tasting room which is a destination in and of itself! They will bring their most satisfying cool and golden summer drafts to enjoy at the Festival.
Sourland Mountain Spirits, also our Sourland neighbors, will be providing artfully crafted cocktails straight from their Hopewell distillery. Folks who like a little KICK to their drink can sip as they soak in the sounds.
The Sourland Mountain Festival is grateful to the following dedicated, local businesses who are still able to sponsor us after the Covid hiatus:The Bank of Princeton, Green Power Energy, Kilbourne & Kilbourne. Stellitano Heating and Air Conditioning, Art Sparks and the Lawfirm of Jenna Casper Bloom. Interested businesses can go to: www.SourlandMountainFest.com.
Teen and adult volunteers are needed before, during, and after the festival. Volunteers receive free admission, a coveted SMF T-shirt, and refreshments. Register at: www.SourlandMountainFest.com/volunteer/.
Sourland Cycles will offer electric bike rides! The fun of a scavenger hunt will also provide youngsters an opportunity to learn more about the importance of the Sourlands. Live critters of the Sourlands will be hanging around from 3:00pm-7:00pm.
The Sourlands is a 90 square-mile hard diabase ridge which starts near the City of Lambertville to the township of Hillsborough. It is one of the three major areas of unbroken habitat in NJ, and the Sourland Conservancy is the only organization dedicated solely to the protection and preservation of the Mountain. Local businesses know that their support helps sustain the Sourland Mountains natural beauty, unique ecology and rich heritage.
The 17th Sourland Mountain Festival will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday, July 23, 2022, from 3:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Rd, Ringoes, NJ. Tickets are limited to the first 1,000 and are available online at a discount until July 22. Children under 12 enter free! Service pets only please. For more information, visit www.SourlandMountainFest.com. Proceeds benefit the Sourland Conservancy.
