New Brunswick Heart Festival

Free Outdoor Festival
Sat, August 8, 2026 from 2pm-6pm

This annual FREE outdoor family-friendly festival celebrates the vibrant arts, culture, and local history of New Brunswick and Middlesex County.

Location: Downtown New Brunswick in front of the theaters at Monument Square at 2 Livingston Ave.

The festival features live music and dance including a performance by 5-piece local band, Warehouse Collective (piano, drums, bass, vocalist, sax/flute), performing R&B/Soul and Funk hits by Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind, & Fire, & more! Dance Warz is bringing the ultimate street dance experience to the stage! Founded in 2006 by dancer/choreographer Anthony “Solo” Harris, Dance Warz showcases local iconic hip-hop dancers and rising stars in jaw-dropping performances and epic battles! Headlining the festival is party band The B-Side Band, performing songs from Bruno Mars, Aretha Franklin, Sugar Hill Gang, Motown, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, hits from the 90s and 2000s, and more.  

Other live performances include New Brunswick Brass Band; Grupo de Danza Folklórica La Sagrada Familia; State Theatre New Jersey's 2026 Jersey Talent winner, tap dancer John Boudouvas; New Brunswick High School Cheerleaders; and music by DJ IZM. Hosted by Sharon Gordon and Bert Baron.

The festival also features:

• Art Market featuring local artists
• Craft vendors (jewelry, clothes, crocheted items, soaps, candles, stickers)
• Food vendors (tacos, churros, lemonade, ice cream, s'mores, burgers, fried chicken, Indian food, acai bowls)
• Free face painting (Jazzy J, Eshee White, Cristina Hoyos), Henna (Kavi's Henna), balloon animals, and caricature by Matthew Many
• Health & wellness area by Garden of Healing with massages, zero gravity recliners, yoga, drum circle, and more 
• Free interactive craft activities, including a 3-D collaborative heart display with Zimmerli Art Museum, a ghost puppet craft with Milloweentown, a Tiny Art Community Gallery with artist Kate Eggleston
• Princeton Ballet School Open House - 2pm-6pm - Tour Princeton Ballet School's studios at the state-of-the-art New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. Our staff will be on hand to share information about the school, class schedules, and registration. Visitors can also enter a special drawing to win free tickets to an American Repertory Ballet performance at NBPAC this September!
• Free Workshops: Discover Dance with Princeton Ballet School! Step into the world of dance! Each interactive workshop introduces the fundamentals of ballet while exploring styles such as tap, hip hop, lyrical, and body conditioning. A fun-filled experience of movement, music, and self-expression! Register for a Free Workshop with Princeton Ballet School HERE.
  • Dance Discovery Schedule:
    2:30pm–3pm | Ages 3–4
    3:15pm–3:45pm | Ages 5–7
    4:15pm–4:45pm | Ages 8–12
    5pm–5:30pm | Ages 13 & Up

New Brunswick Heart Festival is presented by State Theatre New Jersey and New Brunswick Cultural Center.

Supported by funding through the NJEDA’s A.R.T.—Phase II Grant Program.