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Special Events Calendar

Saturday, July 11th: Bluegrass Fest

On Saturday, July 11, Albert Music Hall welcomes Bluegrass lovers for a special evening featuring educational sessions, extended performances, and opportunities to jam.

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The event begins at 4:30pm with a workshop, Building Energy into Your Performance, led by The Coal-Fired Ramblers. At 5:00pm, visitors are invited to the Pickin' Shed for an Introduction to the Pickin' Shed session, designed for anyone curious about joining a jam session or learning more about this special Albert Hall tradition.

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After a brief break, live music begins at 6:00pm. The evening opens with a special one-hour presentation by The Last Whippoorwill, combining live performance with a journey through the history of Bluegrass music. The schedule is as follows:

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​4:30pm - Building Energy into your Performance Workshop by The Coal-Fired Ramblers

5:00pm - Intro to the Pickin' Shed

5:30pm - [30m break]

6:00pm - Music sets

 

Note: some details are subject to change, we encourage you to check back for updates as the event approaches​

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Guests are welcome to attend the entire event or join us for any portion of the evening. Whether you're interested in learning more about Bluegrass, participating in a jam, or simply enjoying great live music, there's something for everyone.  More details about the educational sessions can be found below.

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Admission: $6 adults, $1 children under 12. The venue is cash only throughout.

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The Pickin' Shed will be open throughout the event, and musicians of all skill levels are welcome to bring an instrument and join the jam. If the weather allows it, Bluegrass nights have long been known for lively pickin' sessions that spread from the Shed to the porch, making them one of the most interactive and enjoyable experiences at Albert Hall.

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Free parking and wheelchair-accessible seating are available. A 50/50 drawing will also be held.

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The Food Booth will offer several hot food options - chili with cornbread, cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Vegan Chik'n patties are available upon request. Desserts, chips, and hot and cold beverages will also be available.

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Visitors can also browse the Gift Shop, featuring Albert Hall merchandise, local music and history books, local honey, and handcrafted items from local artisans and vendors.

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Bluegrass nights at Albert Hall are always a treat! Join us for an evening of great music, learning, and community.

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Educational Sessions

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4:30pm - Building Energy in Your Performance Workshop

Led by members of The Coal-Fired Ramblers, this workshop looks at what separates a professional showcase performance band from a jam band. The band will share things that they've have learned as they progressed from a starter band to performing at professional bluegrass festivals and major venues as a "high energy bluegrass band". The band enjoys meeting new friends by learning and sharing ideas with others, and they would love for you to join them and share your ideas and experiences with them.

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5:00pm - Intro to the Pickin' Shed

Held in the Pickin' Shed, adjacent to the Hall, visitors will be invited to learn about the unwritten rules of the jamming sessions held there. It's designed especially for those who have always wanted to join a jam but felt hesitant because they weren't sure how it worked, as well as anyone curious about this special part of the Hall's culture.  This is your opportunity to ask questions and it may end with a brief jam if some feel ready to take the next step and join in! You can also just listen if that's what you're comfortable with.

Note: this may be moved inside the Hall, if needed, due to weather or audience size. 

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6:00pm - History of Bluegrass

This set will double as our first musical set of the night, but with an educational twist. In a special one-hour extended set, The Last Whippoorwill will take us through the history of Bluegrass, illustrating the phases with musical performances.

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Sunday, July 19th, 2026: Back to our Roots: PCS Archive Benefit

On Sunday, July 19th at 2pm, join us at Albert Music Hall for Back to Our Roots, a special fundraising event to support the Pinelands Cultural & Historical Preservation Society (PCS) archive. The unique event will feature live music, special guests, stories from the past, and an update on current archive projects. The afternoon will include performances by Redbird, Billy T Midnight, Billy Penn & The Inside Drivers, and Josh Werner & Friends. Some details are still unfolding, so check back for updates.

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The funds raised will help support ongoing projects including the digitization of the archive's extensive historic audio and video recordings, the preservation of photographs and documents, and the acquisition of equipment and supplies needed to protect and organize the collection. Visitors will also learn about recent milestones, including contributions from the PCS archives to the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, as well as current projects, future goals, and some of the fascinating discoveries and stories that have emerged from the collection.

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Doors open at 1:00pm, then presentations begin at 2:00pm when special guests will share insights into the Hall's history, preservation work, and the people who helped shape Albert Music Hall over the past five decades. As part of the introduction, Redbird will share a selection of traditional songs reflecting the Hall's roots.

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Here is the current schedule: 

  • 1:00pm – Doors open

  • 2:00pm

    • Presentations, special guests, archive highlights, and surprises

    • Redbird performs some traditional songs

  • 2:30pm – Music begins

    • Billy T Midnight & Friends (1-hour set)
    • Billy Penn & The Inside Drivers (1-hour set)

    • Josh Werner & Friends (1-hour set)

    • On-stage Jam Session

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Admission is $10, $1 for children under 12 (cash only). The Hall is wheelchair accessible and parking is free. 

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The Food Booth will offer several hot food options, including cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Vegan Chik'n patties are available upon request. Desserts, chips, and hot and cold beverages will also be available. The Gift Store will be open with a variety of PCS, music and Pinelands themed gifts.​​​


Whether you're a longtime supporter, a music lover, or simply curious about the Hall's history, this event will offer a unique opportunity to look back while helping preserve these stories for the future.

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Saturday August, 29th (daytime): Pinelands Cultural Society at New Jersey Folk Festival

On Saturday, August 29th from 11am–5pm, the Pinelands Cultural Society will take part in the historic New Jersey Folk Festival with an informational table celebrating the music and traditions of the New Jersey Pinelands. Founded in the same year as PCS in 1975, the festival has long shared our mission of preserving and celebrating local folk music, and many of our founders were regular attendees over the years. 

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PCS is excited to be part of this year’s festival, where visitors can stop by to explore photographs from our archives, learn more about Albert Music Hall and the Society’s preservation work, and even try their hand at a few traditional instruments.

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From the festival site: 

The New Jersey Folk Festival (NJFF) is one of the nation’s longest continuously running folk festivals and the largest in New Jersey. This annual celebration of folk music, arts, and traditions brings together performers, artists, communities, organizations, and vendors to highlight the historical, modern, and diverse folklife and folk arts from around the state and beyond.

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Note: that the Hall will still hold it's regular Saturday show on the evening of the 29th, starting at 6:30pm.

NJ Folk Festival 2026 flyer
Special Shows

All Special Shows

We have a year full of great events for 2026, starting with a Hootenanny and ending with a singing Santa. Check out our Events Schedule to see the final lineup of the bands as the event approaches. 

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Note: In 2026 we’ll have live music every Saturday evening except: Jan. 3, Jul. 4, Sept. 19 (due to Heritage Fest), Oct. 10 (due to Jamboree), Oct. 31, Dec. 19, Dec. 26

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Jan. 4      Winter Hootenanny (Sunday)

Feb. 7     Bluegrass Show

Mar. 7    Irish Show

Mar. 29  Songwriters in the Pines (Sunday)

Apr. 12   Township 150th Anniversary Kick-Off (Sunday)

Apr. 25   New Boots, New Roots (new Country music)

May 16   Rock Around the Pines

Jun. 13    Outlaw Country Show

Jul. 11     Bluegrass Festival

Jul. 19     Back to Our Roots: PCS Archive Benefit (Sunday)

Aug. 9     Pineystock 2 (Sunday, PCS Members are free)

Aug. 26   Solo Songwriters (Wednesday)

Sep. 19   Heritage Fest (daytime, no evening show)

Oct. 11   Harvest Hootenanny (Sunday)

Oct. 30   Songwriters in the Pines (Friday)

Nov. 7     Jersey Devil Show

Nov. 14  Veterans Show

Nov. 21  Homeplace Show

Dec. 5    Bluegrass Holiday Show

Dec. 12  Singin' with Santa

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Here is a printable version of the special show dates: download

ABOUT US

Since 1974, the Albert Music Hall is the  best place on the East Coast to Hear Live Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Americana, Old Timey & Pinelands Music  every Saturday night, year 'round.

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Free Parking - Wheelchair Accessible  

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Registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

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GPS Address:

131 Wells Mills Road (Rt. 532)

Waretown, NJ

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Garden State Parkway, Exit 69

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Postal Address:

P.O. Box 657

Waretown, NJ 08758

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info@alberthall.org

609-971-1593

© 2026 by ALBERT MUSIC HALL

Photos by Dan Dugan, Elaine Everett, Chrissy Marrone, Bob Yellen, & Joe Zugcic

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