Party with Rent Party at its annual family picnic

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Rent Party’s annual family picnic will be Saturday, Sept. 8, from noon to 8 p.m. in Maplecrest Park in Maplewood. In addition to the free live music, there will be food trucks and 20 arts and crafts vendors curated by the Asbury Park Punk Rock Flea Market. There will also be a food drive at the event accepting donations to help support local food pantries.

“This is our fifth year doing this,” Rent Party co-founder Chris Dickson said. “We are really excited about how the event is growing each year. It’s a great family fun day.”

This year’s picnic will feature performances from Heroes of Toolik from noon to 12:35 p.m.; The Transplendent from 12:50 to 1:25 p.m.; Campfire Flies from 1:40 to 2:15 p.m.; Rebecca Turner from 2:30 to 3:05 p.m.; Sad About Girls from 3:20 to 4:55 p.m.; Fond Farewells from 5:10 to 5:45 p.m.; Elk City from 6 to 6:35 p.m.; Tri-State from 6:50 to 7:25 p.m.; and The Lord Calverts from 7:40 to 8:15 p.m.

Started in 2009, Rent Party hosts a live music event at The Woodland each month. The proceeds from these shows help fight hunger in Maplewood and South Orange. Rent Party, supports three local food pantries; built and maintains a large community garden on the front lawn of the South Orange Elks that raises fresh produce for the pantries; and runs the BackPack Pals program that provides a weekend’s worth of nutritious food to approximately 100 food-insecure children in SOMA schools.

For more information about Rent Party, visit www.rentpartylive.com.

  Maplecrest Park, Rent Party