NEW DATE & LOCATION: On Saturday August 23, 2025, the New Jersey Folk Festival will celebrate its 50th Anniversary at Middlesex County's Davidson's Mill Pond Park in North & South Brunswick, New Jersey!

While we had originally planned to celebrate this anniversary on April 26th at the Rutgers University campus, our plans were stifled by threats of severe thunderstorms and lightning. As this is a historic year for the New Jersey Folk Festival (NJFF), we didn't want to host an indoor festival and are very grateful for the support of Middlesex County, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension E.A.R.T.H. Center and Ocean First Bank. And don't worry, in the event of severe weather again, we have the date of Sunday August 24 on hold!

All that being said, We STILL need your help! Due to the change in location and date, we're looking for additional support to make this an anniversary celebration that the truly desrves!

The NJFF is the oldest and largest continuously operating folk festival in New Jersey -- and one of the oldest in the entire country. Founded in 1975, the 2025 50-year milestone event will be organized and presented by New Jersey Folk Festival Inc. as a part of the Middlesex County 2025 Folk LIVE! series. The 50th Anniversary will also serve as a celebration of our founder, Dr. Angus Kress Gillespie, in honor of his retirement from Rutgers University after over 50 years of academic service.

However, due to the loss of financial support from several university departments, we are in a significant financial deficit. We need your help to give the NJFF and Dr. Gillespie the 50th Anniversary that they both deserve. Your support will help the organizing team bring back many of your favorite NJFF elements, including multiple stages of music, craft vendors, heritage area, speaker tent, children's activities, and the beloved food trucks in addition to some new features highlighting the natural features of the park & E.A.R.T.H. Center! 

As a past coordinator, volunteer, performer, friend or fellow folk-enthusiast, we humbly invite you to help us with our $50 for 50 Years Campaign! We are grateful for a donation in any amount that you may be able to contribute. No donation is too small, but $50 (or more) for 50 years would be especially appreciated.

Our website will be continuously updated over the next few months so we encourage you to continue to check back and sign up for our newsletter on the site.

Questions or want to be involved? Email us at njfolkfest@gmail.com!