Author: tjohnson

South Jersey’s music scene takes center stage on Sunday, June 22, as the first R.A.D. Fest (Rock Ain’t Dead Festival) transforms Gloucester City’s Proprietors Park into a celebration of community and youth-powered rock.

The free, all-ages event runs from 2 to 9 p.m. and willl include a full day of live music, food trucks and local vendors, a beer garden and kids’ activities along the Delaware River.

Organized by Cherry Hill-based band Lackadaisical Lemon and the Haddon Heights nonprofit Community Rocks Corp., R.A.D. Fest was created to showcase teen and young adult talent emerging from South Jersey’s music community.

“This has been my dream for a long time,” said George Callahan, the 14-year-old front man of Lackadaisical Lemon. “After meeting so many amazing young bands in the local scene, I knew a festival like this would be the perfect way to bring everyone together and put their talent in the spotlight.”

Lakadaisical Lemon – formed in 2022 and known for its genre-blending mix of prog, funk, reggae and rock – will headline the Main Stage along with youth-driven bands like Sunrise Cries, Wasted Potential and The Big Trip & Friends. The Side Stage will feature acoustic performers during changeovers, including the Voorhees-based teen duo Dissonance, made up of John Langan and Ava Prendergast, students at Eastern Regional High School.

“We play original music that moves fluidly between funk, prog rock, reggae, punk and more,” Callahan noted of his band’s set. “There’s a lot of improvisation and energy; we want people on their feet, dancing and having a great time.”

For John Callahan, George’s father and Lackadaisical Lemon’s manager, organizing R.A.D. Fest is a full-circle moment.

“I met Sarah O’Brien of Community Rocks in 2013 at Studio Luloo in Oaklyn during one of her open mics,” he recalled. “I used to bring George to those events when he was just a little kid. Now, at 14, he’s performing in front of big crowds and we’re teaming up again to give other young artists that same kind of platform.”

The choice of Proprietors Park was deliberate, according to the elder Callahan.

“We wanted it to feel like a real music festival – open air, grassy fields and a beautiful view of the water,” he explained. “It’s also close to the Community Rocks studio on King Street, which has deep roots in this community.”

In addition to music, R.A.D. Fest will include a Kids Zone with crafts, games, face painting and balloon animals; art vendors; and a beer garden for adults 21 and over. Leashed pets are welcome and attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for lawn seating.

This rain-or-shine event will move indoors to Community Rocks Studio in case of extreme weather. Updates will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.

“We want this to be more than just a concert,” John Callahan pointed out. “It’s about giving young people a place to be themselves, be creative and be inspired by their peers. That’s what makes R.A.D. Fest special; we’re building community through music.”

For more information or to volunteer, contact John Callahan at (856) 296–4027 or email lackadaisicallemonband@gmail.com. You can follow the festival and its performers on Instagram at @dissonance__band and other linked profiles.

The Voorhees Cultural and Diversity Committee (VCDC) is spreading a message of unity and inclusion this month with two cultural celebrations happening on the same day across Camden and Burlington counties.

The committee will have a presence at both the Philippine Independence Fiesta 2025 in Cherry Hill and the annual South Jersey Eid-al-Adha Festival in Mount Laurel, both on Saturday. The events are free.

The fiesta will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cooper River Park to celebrate the Philippines’ rich heritage and commemorate its declaration of independence from Spanish rule. Hosted at the Jose Rizal Monument and Bataan Death March Shrine, it will feature cultural performances, children’s games, a patriotic program and Filipino cuisine.

The Eid-al-Adha Festival, scheduled for 2 to 7 p.m. at Laurel Acres Park, will include carnival activities, a petting zoo, face painting, sales and cultural performances to mark the Islamic holiday celebrated by millions around the world.

Lisa Witherspoon, secretary of the Voorhees Cultural and Diversity Committee, said participating in both events is part of the group’s larger mission of celebrating multiculturalism and fostering inclusion across South Jersey.

“VCDC is very involved in the community as well as networking outside of Voorhees,” Witherspoon noted. “Not only are we diverse within our committee, we also involve ourselves in every cultural diversity festival, celebration, activity, or event we can, not only to show our appreciation within other cultures, but also to learn about them and celebrate alongside them.”

The committee will host an information table at each event to engage with guests, promote cultural understanding and invite residents to get involved in future initiatives.

“Events like these are incredibly important to us,” Witherspoon explained. “They reflect the vibrant diversity of our region and give people a chance to share stories, food, dance and traditions. It’s about building bridges and celebrating our differences while realizing we all belong to the human race.”

The committee’s message is clear: South Jersey’s cultural mosaic is something to be respected and embraced.

“Our message is to love the melting pot of all cultures, respect them, and learn from them,” Witherspoon offered. “We may be culturally diverse through our food, dance, clothes, or religion, but we all belong to the human race and can relate through embracing those differences.”