• By Mabel Pais

Dozens of much-loved Atlantic City artists will carry the torch from the 2024 Asbury Park Festival by stepping into the spotlight in Atlantic City over two days at the ‘Showcase Stage and Artistic Village,’ a new feature of the ‘Prudential presents North to Shore Festival.’

The ‘Prudential presents North to Shore Festival’ presents events in Atlantic City June 17-June 23, including performances by headlining artists the B-52’s, Barenaked Ladies, Justin Silva, Eric Roberson and Avery Sunshine and Prince Royce and Wisin. The festival’s full lineup can be found at NorthtoShore.com.

The Showcase Stage

From 11 AM to 6 PM on Saturday, June 22, and 11 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, June 23, the ‘Showcase Stage’ will offer a continuous series of FREE performances by some of the city’s most-loved singer-songwriters, DJs, comedians, spoken word poets, a Jazz band, pop punk bands and more.

This presentation, featuring a cohort of local artists on one stage adjacent to major festival venues, is a new feature of ‘Prudential presents North to Shore,’ the three-week, three-city summer festival of arts and ideas produced by NJPAC, now in its second annual edition.

“The ‘Showcase Stage’ is our way of spotlighting the talent of Atlantic City’s remarkable creatives while at the same time curating a space where audience members who come out for a headliner show will have a wonderful way to extend their visit and get a genuine sense of the city’s cultural offerings all in one, easy-to-reach spot,” says John Schreiber, President and CEO of NJPAC. 

The Artist Village

Performances are just the start of what’s on offer. The ‘Showcase Stage will be the centerpiece of the Artist Village at the Orange Loop Festival Grounds, effectively a festival-within-a-festival within easy walking distance of the Atlantic City boardwalk that will allow visitors to ‘Prudential presents North to Shore’ to hear local Atlantic City and Atlantic County artists perform, and simultaneously take in live demonstrations by and shop the wares of local artisans including photographers, wood carvers and painters.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Hands-on fun activities for children, including a painting wall (that children can decorate with paint on brushes, loaded into water guns, or simply on their hands) and a decorate-your-own-cupcake station, will also be offered. In the event of inclement weather, the festival grounds will be tented to allow the event to continue.

GRANT BENEFICIARIES

The majority of the local artists and groups appearing on the ‘Showcase Stage’ are Prudential presents North to Shore Official Selections — performers who applied to perform on the festival and chosen to take part in the event by the festival’s committee of Atlantic City arts professionals and community leaders. Each was given a grant to enable them to appear at the festival.

Overall, this season the Prudential presents North to Shore Festival granted $355,600 to local artists and organizations in its three host cities: Asbury Park, Atlantic City and Newark.

“We really wanted to diversify the lineup, to make sure there was something there for everyone. We wanted to be sure there was rock, jazz, pop, punk, blues, hip hop. There will be kid performers, and there will be Angela Burton, who’s a legend in this city. We really curated this for our community members,” says Jon Henderson, founder and CEO of Good Time Tricycle Productions, an Atlantic City event production company that is producing the Showcase Stage event.

‘Official Selection’ artists who will be featured at the ‘Showcase Stage’ include:

Atlantic City actress and comedian Michelle Tomko

Daille Kettrell and Shianne Ladale, better known as inspirational funk-soul duo Open4Business

High-energy R&B and jazz group The Cason Express Show Band

The Children’s Choir of Southern New Jersey, presented by Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation

R&B fusion singer Lem Turner

Teacher and spoken word poet Paige Washington

Local ’70s, ’80s and ’90s cover band Village Bridge

Soul and R&B singer Angela Burton

These ‘Official Selection’ performers will be joined by a lineup of notable South Jersey performers including dance students from nearby Stockton University, rising pop punk band Jersey Calling, up-and-coming singer-songwriter Jake Thistle, Jersey Shore alt-rockers The Break Plans and Mara Justine, the recent ‘The Voice’ contestant from Galloway Township (who also did well in previous years on talent shows including American Idol and America’s Got Talent).

Performances will be interspersed with sets by local turntablists including DJ Aiden Scott, DJ Patrice McBride, DJ Rashaun and DJ Vito G.

On Sunday June 23 only, visitors can be wowed by New Jersey’s immersive WOW Experience mobile activation inside the festival grounds and near the ‘Showcase Stage’.

VENDORS & ARTISANS

Participating vendors and artisans in the ‘Artist Village’ include:

Jay’s Crab Shack – Seafood

Il Porcelino – Italian Market

Coley Cakes – DIY cupcakes

Twisted Lemonade – Lemonade

Coffee Goddess – Coffee

East Coast Fairy Hair – Fairy hair

Heather Hires Art – Face & Body Paint

Dunes Art Gallery – Brigantine Art Studio

EXULT LIFE LLC – Handmade Jewelry + Art

DAVE MASS – Artist / Barber

Chloe Henderson – Visual Artist

Bucksco Barrels – Barrel tables & art

HG Workshops – DIY art studio

Valerie Feo – Visual Artist

Aritimi Design Studio – 3D printed Art + Plants

A. Sullivan Artistry – Visual Artist

Tuft Broad – Handmade Rugs

The Escape Plans – Atlantic City Marketing & Events

In the event of inclement weather, the festival grounds will be tented to allow the fun to continue.

TICKETS

Tickets for the ‘Prudential presents North to Shore Festival’ are available at NorthtoShore.com. Get Festival updates most quickly on social media. 

Follow North to Shore on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok.

The Prudential presents North to Shore Festival

For the latest updates and new concert listings, visit NorthtoShore.com.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

 Learn more at NJPAC.org.

(Stay tuned for information on the next N2S Festival location: Newark).

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)