• By Mabel Pais

At the 2025 ‘Prudential North to Shore Festival’ performances and programs will be held June 14-29 in Asbury Park and Newark, while performances in Atlantic City will extend throughout the coming year.

These festival programs spotlighting the artists who live, work and perform in the festival’s three host cities year-round are made possible by ‘Prudential North to Shore’s Community Arts Awards’ initiative, through which the festival awards local artists, arts organizations, nonprofits and small businesses up to $10,000 each to produce free or low-cost performing and visual arts events.

Through this initiative, this year ‘Prudential North to Shore’ will support New Jersey’s creative economy with close to $400,000 in funding across Asbury Park, Newark, and Atlantic City. A full list of Community Arts Awards recipients can be found at northtoshore.com/community-arts-grants.

“‘Prudential North to Shore’ isn’t just about bringing global headliners to New Jersey—it’s also about giving local artists a platform to shine,” said John Schreiber, President and CEO of NJPAC. “Today and every day, we celebrate New Jersey’s homegrown talent and the vibrant artistic community that helps define life in the Garden State. Their creativity and passion are an essential part of who we are as New Jerseyans.”

LINEUP OF AWARDEE PERFORMANCES

Events to be produced as part of the 2025 ‘Prudential North to Shore Community Arts’ Awards’ program this June include

ASBURY PARK

Awardee: Blue Dot: Social & Community Wellness

Sense of Belonging: An Immersive Sensory Experience For All

6/19/2025 at 3:00 PM

Asbury Park Carousel

104-108 Asbury Ave

Awardee: Asbury Park African-American Music Project Inc.

AP-AMP Presents: Springwood Avenue Sounds – Past, Present and Future – A Legacy

6/19/2025 at 5:00 PM

Blackbird Commons

131 Atkins Ave.

Awardee: Geenetica aka Dr. Geena Buono

She’s NorMale – A Transgender Odyssey 2025

6/19/2025 at 7:00 PM

House of Independents

527 Cookman Ave.

Awardee: Second Life Bikes

Paint on Pine

6/20/2025 at 5:00 PM

Pine Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues

Awardee: Luminous Abstract

Memory Palace

6/20/2025 at 7:00 PM

The Asbury Carousel Building

104-108 Asbury Ave

Awardee: Alexander Simone

Soul In The Park 3

6/20/2025 at 7:00 PM

GotPicz Photography Studio

917 3rd Ave

Awardee: Inspire Life

Juneteenth Family Arts & Cultural Festival

6/21/2025 at 12:00 PM

Springwood Avenue Park

Springwood Avenue

Awardee: Over The Moon Art Studios

Print-a-Palooza

6/21/2025 at 1:00 PM

Over the Moon Art Studios

808 Springwood Ave (Between Main Street and Springwood Park)

Awardee: Ron Lyons and Cazzeek Brothers

Cazzeek Brothers Present Soul in the City Talent Expo

6/21/2025 at 5:00 PM

Springwood Park

Springwood Avenue

Awardee: Konscious Youth Development & Service (KYDS)

SOULCASE Community Night

6/21/2025 at 5:00 PM

Konscious Community Center

631 Lake Ave

Awardee: Asbury Park Dance Festival and Luminous Abstract, with Wooden Walls Project

Dance is Life – An Illuminated Hustle Dance Party

6/21/2025 at 7:30 PM

Asbury Park Boardwalk Carousel Building

104-108 Asbury Ave

Awardee: Georgies Bar

Georgies Community Cookout

6/22/2025 at 1:00 PM

Georgies Bar

812 5th Ave.

Awardee: Rbar

Funk Fest ft. Soul Project & The Ocean Avenue Stompers

6/22/2025 at 2:00 PM

Rbar

1114 Main Street

Awardee: Project Write Now & City of Asbury Park’s Mayor’s Wellness Committee

Sound Bytes: Stories & Food for the Soul

6/22/2025 at 2:00 PM

Salvation Army Asbury Park

605 Asbury Ave.

Awardee: Carmen Davis Hall, Head Of My Life Productions

Heaven vs Hell

6/22/2025 at 3:00 PM

Good Hope Annex

1306 Washington Avenue

Awardee: BiBi Bennett, The Asbury Park Reporter and Luminous Multi Media

Lens on Asbury Park: A Photo Workshop with BiBi Bennett and Rodney Cross

6/22/2025 at 3:00 PM

GotPicz Photography Studio

917  Avenue

Awardee: Quasonna Moore

Prudential North to Shore Asbury Park Photography by Quasonna Moore

Mainstage festival events that will feature Asbury Park performing artist awardees as opening acts include:

Awardee: James Dalton

Opening for Emerson Woolf and the Wishbones

6/20/2025 at 7:00 PM

Asbury Lanes

209 4th Ave

Awardee: Ryan Gregg

Opening for Emerson Woolf and the Wishbones

6/20/2025 at 7:00 PM

Asbury Lanes

209 4th Ave

Awardee: the dts

Opening for Penelope Road

6/22/2025 at 7:00 PM

Wonder Bar

1213 Ocean Ave N

NEWARK

Awardee: Newark Pride, Inc.

Love Out Loud: Open Mic Experience

6/25/2025 at 5:00 PM

Dutch’s Lounge @ Tryp Hotel

24 E Park St.

Awardee: DEW Ministries, Shaquana Jordan and Najiyyah Bailey

The Woman at the Well: Dance Experience

6/25/2025 at  6:00 PM

First Presbyterian Church of Newark

820 Broad Street

Awardee: Project for Empty Space, Newark City Parks Foundation, and Newark Grounds

Newark Grounds Night Fest

6/26/2025 at 4:00 PM

Mulberry Commons Park

Mulberry St. (Between Edison Pl. and Lafayette St.)

Awardee: Newark Pride, Inc.

Love Out Loud: Open Mic Experience

6/25/2025 at 5:00 PM

Dutch’s Lounge @ Tryp Hotel

24 E Park St.

Awardee: Ta-Tanisha Harrell

Respect The Mic

6/26/2025 at 6:00 PM

Newark Stage (The Black Box), Newark Symphony Hall

1020 Kenneth Gibson Blvd.

Awardee: Daryl Stewart Productions

Broadway in the Bricks

6/26/2025 at 6:00 PM

Newark Public Library

5 Washington Street

Awardee: EqualSpace

Drunk Black History

6/26/2025 at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM

ES550

550 Broad St, Floor 4

Awardee: Lyrics Matter Foundation

Lyrics Matter: The Salon Series hosted by Rah Digga

6/27/2025 at 6:00 PM

The Vault

221 Washington Street

Awardee: Yendor Theatre Company

Soul-O: A one-person play series (Matinee Show)

6/28/2025 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM

NJPAC Arts Education, Horizon Theater

24 Rector Street

Awardee: Carrie Jackson & Her Jazzin’ All Stars

Carrie Jackson & Jazzin’ All Stars Band

6/28/2025 at 5:00 PM

Clement’s Place

15 Washington Street

Awardee: Roger Costa (Brazilish Productions) 

Tropical Noise Fest- A Brazilian Celebration

6/28/2025 at 7:00 PM

Lua Lounge

90 Ferry Street

Awardee: Gregory Burrus Productions

Jazz and Joy – Mind Over Music featuring The Lynette Sheard Experience with Nat Adderley Jr and Friends

6/28/2025 at 7:00 PM

Jazz and Jamming – Improvising Life Featuring Charisa The Violin Diva with Koka Strings

6/28/2025 at 9:00 PM

Clement’s Place

15 Washington Street

Awardee: Rest Fest, Marcy DePina and Lauren LeBeaux Craig

Rest Fest

6/29/2025 at 11:00 AM

The Newark Museum of Art

49 Washington Street

Awardee: Plusable, LLC

Taste of the City, Sounds of the Ironbound

Presented by Plusable in collaboration with Councilman Michael J. Silva

6/29/2025 at 2:00 PM

Ferry Street (Five Corners)

Corner of Ferry Street and Wilson Ave

Awardee: Femme Curator Arts

Down In The Ro’ Open Mic, Earth Tones on the Roof

6/29/2025 at 6:00 PM

Adega Bar & Grill Rooftop

130-132 Ferry Street

Awardee: Maurice Chestnut

Horizon Sounds of the City: Maurice Chestnut: Beats, Rhymes, and Tap Shoes Opening for Big Daddy Kane

6/28/2025 at 5:00 PM

NJPAC, Chambers Plaza

1 Center Street

Awardee: P.Genz

Horizon Sounds of the City: P.Genz Opening for Big Daddy Kane

6/28/2025 at 5:00 PM

NJPAC, Chambers Plaza

1 Center Street

Awardee: Gail Campbell

Horizon Sounds of the City: Gail Campbell Opening for Lettuce

6/29/2025 at 5:00 PM

NJPAC, Chambers Plaza

1 Center Street

Awardee: Segdrick Marsh

Horizon Sounds of the City: Segdrick Marsh Opening for Lettuce

6/29/2025 at 5:00 PM

NJPAC, Chambers Plaza

1 Center Street

ATLANTIC CITY

Community Arts Awards recipients in Atlantic City will produce events scheduled throughout the coming year, from June 2025 – May 2026. They include:

Awardee: SkateAC

Bash at Back Sov 2025

6/14/2025 at 1:00 PM

Sovereign Avenue Skatepark Back Sov

End of Sovereign Avenue

Awardee: Weekday Underground and Dylan Caccamesi

Orange Loop Block Party

6/14/2025 at 12:00 PM

Cardinal

201 S. New York Ave

Awardee: Chelsea EDC

Global Grooves

6/15/2025 at 1:00 PM

O’Donnell Memorial Park

3501 Atlantic Ave

Awardee: The National R&B Music Society Inc.

The National R&B Music Society Presents “The 2025 FREE Summer Concerts at Gardner’s Basin” feat. Atlantic City Artists The Ty Turner Band, The Cason Express Show Band with SiSi Dash, and Judah Dorrington & Paradise

6/21/2025 at 1:00 PM

The Historic Gardner’s Basin

800 N. New Hampshire Ave.

Awardee: The National R&B Music Society Inc.

The National R&B Music Society Presents “The 2025 FREE Summer Concerts at Gardner’s Basin” feat Atlantic City Artists Chris-N-Teeb, Village Bridge, Special Occasion, and Shawn Rock

6/26/2025 at 1:00 PM

The Historic Gardner’s Basin

800 N. New Hampshire Ave.

Awardee: John Brancy

John Brancy and Peter Dugan Live at the 609 Club

8/23/2025 at 8:30 PM

The Celebrity Theater at The Claridge Hotel

123 S Indiana Ave

Awardee: Hispanic Association of Atlantic County

Atlantic City Latino Festival

9/6/2025 at 12:00 PM

Showboat at the Boardwalk

Boardwalk & New Jersey Ave

Awardee: Mary Cross

Mary Cross’ Phyllis Hyman Musical Tribute (special mini tribute to Angie Stone)

10/4/2025 at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM

RESORTS Casino Hotel – The Screening Room

1133 Boardwalk

Awardee: AC Pride

2nd Annual Dancing Under The Rainbow Dance Competition to Benefit the LGBTQ+ Community

10/2025

Location and Time To Be Announced

Awardee: Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University

Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration

11/1/2025 at 4:00 PM

Noyes Arts Garage

2200 Fairmount Ave

Awardee: Atlantic City Arts Foundation

ARTeriors 2025

11/7/2025 at 6:00 PM

Commercial Vacant Building To Be Announced

Awardee: Derek K. Cason and The Cason Express Show Band

AC Jamming

1/17, 2/14, 3/14, 4/11, and 5/15/2026 at 6:00 PM

Gin Rickey’s Live Music Bar

2831 Boardwalk

All events are subject to change.

TICKETS

For the latest listings, concert listings and tickets, visit northtoshore.com

Prudential North to Shore Festival

The ‘Prudential North to Shore Festival,’ launched in 2023, features all the talent, diversity and creativity that New Jersey has to offer, packed into two extraordinary weeks of performances, parties and conversations. Programs and events are held in three of the state’s most iconic cities: Each June in Asbury Park and Newark, with extended year-long programming in Atlantic City. The ‘Prudential North to Shore Festival’ brings hundreds of thousands of arts lovers together every summer, for 650+ events at more than 250 venues, for an over-the-top showcase of Jersey excellence. Inspired by Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy’s vision of a celebration worthy of the Garden State’s legacy of innovation and excellence in the arts, ‘Prudential North to Shore’ is “the festival only Jersey can handle.” In 2025, the Festival’s title sponsor is Prudential Financial, and several other organizations. For the latest updates and new concert listings, visit northtoshore.com.

NJPAC

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States.  It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day.  As New Jersey’s anchor cultural institution, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city.  Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.  NJPAC has attracted more than 12 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997 and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.  Visit njpac.org for more information.

Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with approximately $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help make lives better and create financial opportunity for more people by expanding access to investing, insurance, and retirement security. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise, and innovation for 150 years. For more information, visit news.prudential.com.

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