The shows go on for a New Jersey concert field that once hosted the first Lollapalooza tour.
The stage may be coming down, but the shows will go on for a classic New Jersey concert venue.
The Fields at Waterloo Village -- part of an historic site in Allamuchy Mountain State Park, and former host of large events including the first Lollapalooza tour in 1991 -- is expected to see 15,000 people next month for the Bourbon Street Blues Festival, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said Wednesday.
"This festival marks a revival for this great venue," DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said in a news release.
Who's played at Waterloo Village?
The rural concert field at the edge of Warren and Sussex counties was a destination for big-name shows in the 1980s and 90s, but was only used occasionally for festivals in recent years.
The Bourbon Street festival has been held in Hunterdon County. For its 10th year, organizers from Point Mountain Entertainment said they wanted something special.
The Rollins Band performs at the Waterloo Village concert field during the first Lollapalooza tour in 1991. (NJ Advance Media file photo) "We want to make the Fields at Waterloo a destination again - a family friendly one, I can't stress that enough," Point Mountain founder John Kennedy said. "It's a beautiful site and has everything we need."
The DEP said a portion of the festival's proceeds will go toward programs and preservation projects at Waterloo Village, a restored 19th-century community along the historic Morris Canal.
Before the festival, Point Mountain plans to dismantle the field's old concert stage. That had been planned for last week but was postponed due to rain. A new date for demolition has not been set.
For events going forward, promoters will bring in their own stages and other equipment as needed, the DEP said.
IF YOU GO
What: Bourbon Street Blues Festival
When: May 20-21
Where: The Fields at Waterloo Village, Waterloo Road and Kinney Road, Stanhope, N.J.
Who's playing: Headlined by the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band and the Robert Cray Band. Other performances by Bernard Allison, Mike Zito, Bonerama, the Bob Lanza Blues Band, the Above Ground Blues Band, Billy Hector, the Fins, Lee Delray, Robert Ross and Mike Esposito.
Tickets: General admission is $45 for a single day; $80 for both days. VIP tickets also available.
More information: www.bourbonstreetbluesfest.com
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.