Rent Party Family Picnic grows bigger each year

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Rent Party Family Picnic was never originally planned to be an annual event — let alone one that has grown larger and larger each year..

“When we held our first show three years ago, it was simply a celebration of Rent Party’s fifth anniversary,” Rent Party co-founder Chris Dickson said in a press release. “The fact of the matter is that we all had such a good time, we decided to do it again and again.

“We’re really delighted that this community has embraced the event,” Dickson said

This year’s Family Picnic, a free event, will be Saturday, Sept. 9, from noon to 10 p.m. at Maplecrest Park in Maplewood. All of the event’s performers have graced the Rent Party stage in the past.

“That is a big part of the ‘Family’ element to the day,” Dickson said. “A lot of these bands have been with us, supporting what we do, since the very beginning. It’s also a day where we get together with the folks that we partner with in the community throughout the year, our hunger fighting family.”

The event features a food drive that supports local food pantries, but has increasingly become a fun day for area families. The event also features food vendors, face painting and will host a community corridor showcasing civic groups from the community.

“What’s really nice is that so many families come to this event. It’s a nice chance for parents to enjoy some live music, while keeping an eye on the kids on playground,” Dickson said. “There’s also lots of room for Frisbee and. playing ball and there’s a skate park here too — good family fun.”

Rent Party is partnering with the Asbury Park Punk Rock Flea Market to bring arts and crafts vendors to the event for the first time.

“We are so excited about this connection,” Dickson said. “The folks from APPRFM are just great and our hope is that we pleasantly surprise you with what they bring to the table.”

Started in 2009, Rent Party is a live music series in Maplewood-South Orange. The proceeds from these shows help fight hunger in the community. Rent Party supports three local food pantries — Oheb Shalom, St. Joseph’s and Our Lady of Sorrows. Rent Party built and maintains a large community garden on the front lawn of the South Orange Elks that raises fresh produce for the pantries it supports. Its BackPack Pals program provides a weekend’s worth of nutritious food each week during the school year to approximately 100 food-insecure children in South Orange-Maplewood schools. To learn more about Rent Party, visit www.rentpartylive.com.

Performing at the picnic will be: The 4th Street NiteOwls from noon to 12:40 p.m.; The Campfire Flies from 12:55 to 1:35 p.m.; Rebecca Turner from 1:50 to 2:30 p.m.; The Transplendent from 2:45 to 3:25 p.m.; Elk City from 3:40 to 4:20 p.m.; Bern & The Brights from 4:35 to 5:15 p.m.; Shark Hat from 5:30 to 6:10 p.m.; Glenn Morrow’s Cry For Help from 6:25 to 7:05 p.m.; the Marco Ranieri Band from 7:20 to 8 p.m.; The Anderson Council from 8:15 to 8:55 p.m.; and The Vaughns from 9:10 to 9:50 p.m.

“We’re looking forward to a great day,” Dickson said. “So bring the family and join us!”

  FEATURED, Maplecrest Park, Oheb Shalom, Our Lady of Sorrows, Rent Party, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church