Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival

Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival
Picture of one of two concert stages at the 2012 Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival.
Genre	acoustic rock, alternative rock, blues, folk, indie, rock
Dates	The festival is usually held in June
Location(s)	Elmer, New Jersey
Years active	Original festival held in 1989
Founded by	Appel Farm’s Executive Director, Mark Packer, and Sean Timmons, Artistic Director
Website
http://www.appelfarm.org

The Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival, is an annual one-day festival held the first Saturday in June at Appel Farm Arts and Music Center located near Elmer, in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. Appel Farm’s signature concert event features a juried crafts fair, a Children’s Village with games and activities, and beer and wine tents. Recently the artists performing have been largely of the adult-alternative genre of music. The festival's draw extends beyond New Jersey, attracting audiences of up to 10,000 from the entire mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

In 1988, Appel Farm’s Executive Director, Mark Packer, and Sean Timmons, Artistic Director, conceived of a one-day musical event to present acclaimed performers to audiences in a rural corner of New Jersey and to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the Appel Farm Arts Camp. Both were familiar with other festivals but wanted their endeavor to have its own identity. Ultimately, they created a signature event celebrating the craft of the songwriter and showcasing high quality craft artists and children’s activities.

“We focus on great songwriting,” said Timmons in a 2006 interview. “That’s really the thrust of what we’re about. They could be folk, country, rock, Latin, hip-hop, anything – we never feel our hands are tied.”

The first festival, held on May 13, 1989 at a 176-acre (0.71 km²) site that was formerly a farm, set a precedent, presenting recognized artists alongside local and lesser-known performers. Singer/songwriters Don McLean, Tom Rush, and Livingston Taylor were headliners while The Taproom Band, Elaine Silver, the Pinelands Dulcimer Society and Shirley Keller provided a more regional flavor. Approximately 800 people attended that first festival, which has since grown to draw crowds of upwards of 10,000 while remaining true to the spirit of its founding principles. Over time, the Festival has earned a reputation as the “ of South Jersey” for its eclectic variety of musicians and its rural setting.

The Festival has been held on the first Saturday of June since 1990, drawing music enthusiasts from throughout the Northeastern corridor of the United States, and from as far away as Texas and California. The family oriented, daylong event offers a lineup of as many as twelve musicians and musical groups, including both recognized as well as emerging artists, performing on two outdoor stages. The Festival also incorporates a Children’s Village featuring children’s theater performances and arts activities and a juried Crafts Fair, which includes exhibitions and demonstrations of artwork in an array of media by over 50 artists.