Music Fills The Air

The first question we always get is what new balloons do we have, immediately followed by “Who is performing this
year?”

We’re proud to have created a highly popular live concert series featuring the biggest names in music, from Rock and Roll
Hall of Famers to Grammy Award-winning artists to rising stars, performing on the Main Stage and on the New Jersey
Lottery CASH POP Summer Stage.

As we plan ahead for our big 40th anniversary celebration and with music filling the air this holiday season, here’s a look
back at some of the highlights on how music fills the air at the Festival.

1993 – Looking to provide entertainment in between mass hot air balloon ascensions, Buster Poindexter is the Festival’s
first concert performer

1994 — Jersey Shore legend Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes become the Festival’s first headliner

2000 — The legendary Beach Boys, one of the most successful and enduring acts in rock music, further establish the
Festival as the place to be for Summer fun.

2002 — Investing in bringing entertainment to new heights, the Festival features 3 “A-List” headlining concerts and its
biggest lineup to date: Dave Mason, Hall & Oates, and an encore by the Beach Boys.

2004— The Village People broke the world record for the biggest participation in the YMCA Dance Along, the lineup for 2004 also featured Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, and Grand Funk Railroad.

2005— Legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s The Doobie Brothers were our Sunday Headliner in 2005

2006— The Charlie Daniels Band and Peter Frampton who are now two distinguished musicians in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

2007 — Looking to appeal to a new and growing demographic – tweenagers – a band of brothers from Northern New
Jersey are booked. Six months later, the Jonas Brothers are the hottest concert ticket on the planet.

2008 — 15-year-old Disney Channel teen sensation Demi Lovato continues her launch to super-stardom, performing at the
Festival and attracting the largest meet-and-greet crowd in Festival history.

2011 — Firmly established as the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America, the Festival’s
concert series acts soar with rock legend Meat Loaf headlining the Sunday afternoon concert as balloons take flight above a
sundrenched crowd.

2014 — We love rock and roll: Joan Jett rocks the Main Stage.

2015—The Festival Featured The Tedeschi Trucks Band as a part of their Wheels of Soul Tour which included Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Doyle Bramhall II

2017 — Best-selling children’s recording artist Laurier Berkner opens the Festival with our first ever Kids Concert; rock
trailblazer and 4-time Grammy winner Pat Benatar headlines Saturday night.

2019 — We’re feeling good vibrations as the Beach Boys return with the biggest concert and the biggest crowd in Festival
history

2021— One of our greatest years yet and our first event after the Covid-19 Pandemic featured The Barenaked Ladies, Styx, Laurie Berkner, and Max Weinberg’s Jukebox,

2022— 2022’s talent bill shined with Collective Soul, the one and only Todd Rundgren the musical genius behind Hello it’s Me, KANSAS, and children’s favorite Laurie Berkner

Top-flight tribute bands were a new feature this year as the CASH POP Summer Stage rocked throughout the weekend.

This premier festival destination was home to Vegas McGraw (tribute to Tim McGraw) and Dance Candy (tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire) on opening day, Friday, July 29. 

Mini Kiss (tribute to KISS), All Revved Up (tribute to Meat Loaf), and Simply Spice (tribute to the Spice Girls) performed on Saturday, July 30. 

Vyntage Skynyrd (tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd), The B-Street Band (Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band), and Sugar Mountain (celebrating the genius of Neil Young) performed on Sunday, July 31.

Elvis may have left the building but the King of rock and roll has made his impact here. The skydiving Elvises filled the
sky with spectacular performances in 1996. Continuing our tradition of offering the most spectacular special shaped hot air
balloons in the world, a 105-foot-tall Elvis, complete with sparkling white jumpsuit and 40-foot-wide sunglasses, made his
debut here in 2013.

With gigantic, colorful balloons filling the skies, music and fireworks, we’re proud to continue to offer “Balloons, Tunes &
Booms” on Friday night, the biggest names in music performing alongside our nighttime hot air balloon glow on Saturday
night, and our Sunday afternoon headlining concert as we look forward to the next 40 years of the magic of ballooning!