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Scholastic reading characters entertainment children at the Lincoln Park Music Festival

Newark, NJ – Thousands of people gathered last weekend at the fourth annual Lincoln Park Music Festival: A Celebration of Spirit and Dance. The free, three day music festival, presented by Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD), Mayor Cory A. Booker, and the Newark Municipal Council is the area’s only music festival that focuses on the holistic health and sustainability of an urban community.

The Festival featured a Health Pavilion, Organic Farmers Market and Green Vendor Marketplace where exhibitors such as the City of Newark’s “Go Green With Us” Electric Car, Project Porchlight, Brick City Bike Collective, and Greater Newark Conservancy distributed products and information to help Newarkers go green.

On Friday July 24, as part of the celebration, over 30 graduates of LPCCD’s Green Jobs Training Program received their diplomas on stage in a graduation ceremony that included commencement speaker, Governor Jon Corzine. LPCCD is one of New Jersey’s four Green Job Training Partnership programs. These graduates completed an intensive series of training courses to prepare them for new entry-level jobs in the field of energy auditing and energy efficiency.

“This year, the Festival grew into an intergenerational, green, community event”, explained Baye Adofo-Wilson, Executive Director of LPCCD. “Over 300 senior citizens attended as well as a host of families and children. This year we also collaborated with some of Newark’s leading social service and non-profit organizations such as the United Way of Essex and West Hudson and Newark Community Health Centers.”

Throughout the weekend, a boisterous crowd of revelers danced into the night and sang along with over 30 live performances from artists in three music genres; gospel, house and hip-hop. On Saturday, Grammy Award winner, Thelma Houston was honored for her contribution to African-American Music. Mayor Cory A. Booker and Division of Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director, Melvin Waldrop presented Houston with a proclamation and Councilman Donald Payne Jr. presented her with a resolution on behalf of the Newark Municipal Council.

In what was probably Saturday’s most notable moment, Joe Jackson, father of music superstar Michael Jackson, made an impromptu appearance. Jackson, who was in the Newark area on business, appeared on stage, thanked the crowd for their support and vowed to carry on Michael’s legacy.
The Festival culminated on Sunday with an all day celebration of hip hop music starring the Rock Steady Crew 32nd Anniversary “Rock Steady for Life”. In a crowd rocking performance Newark native and hip hop pioneer, Roxanne Shante performed a musical history lesson on the evolution of hip hop. The concert also included performances from renowned DJ Premiere and DJ Scratch, and rap legends Grand Puba of Brand Nubian and UGod of Wu-Tang.

Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) is transforming a low-income neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey into an urban eco-village. Leading the revitalization of an emerging arts and cultural district, LPCCD is a model for sustainable urban development. The project includes US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified housing units, green collar jobs, music festivals, historic restoration projects and the Museum of African American Music, a Smithsonian Affiliate. To learn more about LPCCD and its initiatives visit www.lpccd.org

Tags: Cory A. Booker, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Park Music Festival, New Jersey, Newark