Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published on New Jersey Stage from August 9-15, 2026. Each week we publish at least 70 articles, including original columns and features, promoting events and covering arts news taking place throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's top 15 includes articles from 11 counties in New Jersey (Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, and Warren).
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1) BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 8/10/26 - Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Des & the Swagmatics, Bamberdost, Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves, Jonny Couch, Sean Henry Tonight!, and Ava LaMonte. Plus a look back at "Duluth" by Particle Zoo.
2) Passaic County Fair Returns to Garret Mountain August 13–16 - (WOODLAND PARK, NJ) -- The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners and Friends of Passaic County Parks, Inc. invite residents and visitors from across the region to the 2026 Passaic County Fair, running Thursday, August 13 through Sunday, August 16 at Garret Mountain Reservation in Paterson/Woodland Park.
3) 2026 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival to Take Place August 15th - (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty has announced the line-up for this year's free annual Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. It will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026 on the Green. The music begins at noon and runs until 10:00pm. As it has over the years, the festival will honor two of its founders, Linda Smith and Michael Fabrizio, who both sadly passed away within a week of each other in June 2021.
4) The Carriage House at Paper Mill Playhouse Launches Summer 2026 Entertainment Series - (MILLBURN, NJ) -- The F.M. Kirby Carriage House at Paper Mill Playhouse announces its inaugural Summer Entertainment Series, introducing acclaimed Broadway and cabaret artists Evan Tyrone Martin (New York City Center's The Wild Party) and Annie Hägg (Giant) to lead an expanded lineup of live entertainment throughout July and August at the newly refurbished restaurant and event space.
5) Paper Mill Playhouse Announces 2026-2027 Season - (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse has announced its 88th season of world-class shows to be presented during the theater's 2026-2027 season in Millburn. The season includes productions of Mary Poppins, Ken Ludwig's Lend Me a Tenor, Million Dollar Quartet, and Dear Evan Hansen.
6) Center Drama presents "Grease" - (DEAL, NJ) -- Center Drama presents the classic musical, Grease, from August 13-23, 2026 at the JCC Performing Arts Center in Deal. With a hip-shaking rock 'n' roll score featuring hits like "Summer Nights" and "We Go Together," Grease celebrates Rydell High's class of 1959 in all their duck-tailed, bobby-soxed, gum-snapping glory.
7) Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" - (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical across two weekends from August 8-16, 2026. Bold, revolutionary, and electrifying, Hair captures the spirit of a generation and stands as the ultimate celebration of the 1960s.
8) Showboat Resorts Garden Pier hosts RE-WIND 69' Music Festival - (ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The inaugural RE-WIND 69' Music Festival at Showboat Resorts Garden Pier takes place August 14-16, 2026 - the anniversary weekend of the original Woodstock 1969 festival. This is a spectacular revival of a moment in American history when music united generations, healed communities, and sparked cultural change. For three unforgettable days, Atlantic City becomes a living time capsule, bringing the spirit of Woodstock and 1969 back to life through world-class recreations of the now legendary musical performances by a dynamic mix of New Jersey musicians along with national and international touring acts.
9) "Amazing!" Bruce Hornsby LIVE! at Ocean City Music Pier - Music fans on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ walk in the sun towards the historic Ocean City Music Pier this Monday, July 17, 2026 evening for a concert at the Jersey Shore by singer/songwriter Bruce Hornsby and his band, The Noisemakers.
10) South Camden Theatre Company's New Play Reading Series presents a reading of "The Ocean Deep" by Katherine Vondy - (CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Camden Theatre Company's New Play Reading Series presents a reading of The Ocean Deep by Katherine Vondy on Monday, August 10, 2026. Admission is free with live music at 6:00pm and the reading & discussion at 7:00pm.
11) New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2026 Includes a Concert Featuring Two Bands of Rutgers Students - (NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Hanging Coats and Lawns, part of New Brunswick's basement music scene, take the stage for an audio-visual performance on October 2 , 2026 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. A Rutgers student is injecting some sonic youth from the New Brunswick music scene into this year's New Jersey Fall Film Festival.
12) EVENT: OHO Productions presents Rahul Subramanian Live - After touring his stand-up comedy show “Who Are You?” for over two years and earning a nomination for Best Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2025, Rahul is back on the road with a brand new stand-up comedy show. Performed in Hinglish, this show features fresh jokes, new stories, and the same old Rahul - observant, self-aware, and intelligently silly.
13) EVENT: JB & the JB Blues Band Record Release Show - Muddy Waters Gastropub presents some high-quality original blues when respected New Jersey-based bluesman James 'JB' Barnes and his JB & the JB Blues Band perform in concert on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 8:00pm. This is a CD Release Party for Barnes' critically-lauded new album, My Mississippi Blues. Free MMB CDs will be given to the first ten paid admissions.
14) World Premiere of "Parking Spot: The Musical!" to Take Place at Edinburgh Festival Fringe - (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- What started as a joke about the impossible search for parking in Jersey City is about to take center stage on the other side of the Atlantic. This August, Parking Spot: The Musical!, an original musical comedy created by New Jersey-based husband-and-wife team Louis Armistead and Lyndsey Alexander, will make its world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest performing arts festival, where thousands of productions from more than 60 countries perform each summer.
15) Albert Music Hall presents Pineystock on Sunday - (WARETOWN, NJ) -- Albert Music Hall will be filled with peace, pickin' and harmonies on Sunday, August 9, 2026 as Pineystock returns for a "far out" afternoon celebrating the sounds and spirit of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Ellis Paul doesn’t just write songs; he’s a guitar-carrying reporter who covers the human condition and details the hopes, loves, losses of those he observes, turning their stories into luminous pieces of music that get under your skin and into your bloodstream. And much like the artists who have influenced him, everyone from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon to the singer-songwriter who is undoubtedly his greatest inspiration, Woody Guthrie, Paul weaves deeply personal experiences with social issues and renders them as provocative works that are as timely as they are timeless. Born and raised in Maine, Paul attended Boston College on a track scholarship and in the evenings became a fixture on the city’s open mic circuit. After winning a Boston Acoustic Underground songwriter competition, he caught the ear of folk luminary Bill Morrissey, who produced his indie album Say Something in 1993. This led to a sevenalbum contract with Rounder Records and the 1994 album, Stories.
Samara Joy has emerged as one of the most captivating new voices in jazz, bringing a fresh perspective to a beloved tradition. With a sound that feels both rooted in history and uniquely her own, she has quickly drawn the attention of audiences and critics alike. Experience the artistry, warmth, and unmistakable brilliance of a true rising icon—live and in person.
To welcome Fall, renowned organist Ian Fraser will play a selection of Halloween inspired pieces on UCPAC’s “Biggest Little Wurlitzer,” our 1928 organ that is original to our beautiful Main Stage theater, in Illumination – A Haunted Concert by Candlelight!
The 45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place between September 4-October 4, 2026. The Festival will be a hybrid as we will be presenting it online as well as doing select in-person screenings at Rutgers University. Almost all the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VOD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person shows when both are offered.This program is only available Online for 24 hours on this show date!
Musician and historian Bobby Horton combines storytelling, musicianship, history, and a genuine love for the people who settled this nation, fought for our future, and created a new nation in Patriot Songs of the American Revolution.
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Music lovers are invited to experience the artistry of the Wharton Performing Arts School (PAS) faculty at a free Faculty Recital on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at the Plainfield Performing Arts Center (724 Park Avenue) in Plainfield. Showtime is 3:00pm.
(CLARK, NJ) -- Waves of Education's 6th Annual Run Toward a Better Future 5K & Family Fun Event will take place on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at Oak Ridge Park in Clark.
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company will welcome internationally acclaimed Indian classical musician Ustad Shafaat Khan to the Kutz Theatre at the Lackland Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 2:00pm.
(NEW YORK, NY) -- NiCori Performing Arts Academy celebrates the next generation of musical theatre and cabaret talent on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at Triad Theater. The NiCori Youth Cabaret Showcase features an extraordinary group of young performers sharing songs that inspire, challenge, and tell their unique stories. The event begins at 2:00pm.
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre presents a New Play Reading Series from October 5-14, 2026. Plays include Neither Snow Nor Rain by Erin Mallon; The Halal Brothers by Alaudin Ullah; and Sunshine Madness by Lori Fischer. Admission is free, but tickets are required.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Compagnie Hervé Koubi in Sol Invictus on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 7:30pm. Sol Invictus is a contemporary dance work combining acrobatics, street dance, hip-hop, capoeira, and martial arts with powerful imagery and inspired choreography.
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- It's time to ditch the same boring recipes and bring big, playful creativity back into your kitchen! Join Top Chef finalist, Food Network star, and author Joe Sasto to explore his bestselling cookbook Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics in a virtual discussion on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 2:00pm.
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Count Basie Center for the Arts welcomes Tony Award-winning actor, author and advocate Ali Stroker for a Community Conversation exploring mental health, well-being and the power of the arts on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at The Vogel. The event begins at 7:00pm.
(NEWARK, NJ) -- World-renowned artist Bisa Butler and Grammy Award-winning artist Durand Bernarr will headline the 2026 Newark Arts Festival, returning October 7–11 for five days of exhibitions, music, performance, artist conversations, family programming, open studios and late-night arts experiences across Newark.