The Festival in the Borough has always prided itself on not only featuring national acts in its line-up, but showcasing regional favorites as well. This year’s 15th Annual event will be no different as several singer-songwriters and bands will take the stage, as well.

The region’s largest street and music festival offers an array music on three stages, dozens of vendors, food, a beer garden, and a Kids Fun Area that includes a mini golf course. 

Scheduled this year for Saturday Sept. 14, all the action takes place in Downtown Washington from 11 a.m. til 10 p.m.

Presented by the Washington Business Improvement District and PNC Bank, Festival in the Borough is a free admission event and is considered one of the top annual festivals in the area.

Beyond the two national headliners this year, Slambovian Circus of Dreams and Yarn, who recently performed at Waterloo Village, and annual favorites Southbound and the JerZgirls, there are aplenty from the Greater Regional Scene, too.

On the Scotty’s Stage on Belvidere Ave. you can catch Bulldog Mack Band, Trevor B. Power Band, and Janci & Berry, as well as the JerZgirls.  

The Acoustic Stage this year will be held on the lawn by Gaia’s Gifts on Broad Street. Acts here include Diana Dove (pictured above), Hank Reineke, Winterlong, Kevin Defeo and Acoustic Stage headliner Renegade Ramblers. In addition,  the Fantasha Dancers, a belly dancing troupe, will perform at 12 noon (and by the PNC Stage on E. Washington Ave. at 3).   

Sponsors of the Acoustic Tent are New Jersey American Water, Hackettstown Medical Center, Gebhardt & Kiefer, PC, Swift Print Solutions, and Smith Motor Company.

Rounding out the PNC stage line-up are the Chatham Big Band, The Emulators and the Bassboards. Yarn takes the stage at approximately 4:15 followed by the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. The night finishes with Southbound.  

Additional sponsors and support for this year’s event include Elizabethtown Gas, BASF, Hunterdon Healthcare, Rossi Chevy Buick GMC, John Johnson Automotive Group, Scotty’s Stadium Club, Warren County Dental Center, First Presbyterian Church, William’s Irish Tavern, WRNJ Radio, WXPN Radio, Good Impressions Printing & Mailing,  Warren Hills Memorial Home,  Welcome to our Neighborhood, Stew’s Auto Body, and Washington Borough Clean Communities. The Washington Fire Department mans the Beer Garden. The festival is also made possible through a grant from the Warren County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

The Festival in the Borough always has an array of vendors selling crafts and other items and for the second year in a row the Washington Farmers Market will be set up for business as well. The Kids Fun Area, proudly hosted by the First Presbyterian Church of Washington and sponsored in part by Taylor Rental of Washington, this year once again features plenty of free activities and a free craft project for the children with Dove Environmental.

A kickoff party is scheduled at Williams’ Irish Tavern on Friday night, Sept. 13, from 8 p.m. to midnight, with live music by The Dirty Blondes. Additionally on Friday night Scotty’s Stadium Club (Radio Zoo) and Kathy’s Kove (open mic) will be having live entertainment. William’s will also have a post event party on Saturday night with the band, Supernova. Scotty’s will feature DJ Mitch Hess on Saturday night after the festival, as well.  

To see the detailed schedule of music, and for more general info about the Festival in the Borough, visit www.washingtonbid.org. You can also LIKE the Festival in the Borough Facebook page for ongoing details. Vendor openings are still available. Visit www.washingtonbid.org or call 908-689-4800 for further information. The Festival in the Borough is a rain or shine event. Some seating is available although attendees are invited to bring their own lawn chairs. No coolers allowed.