For seven years now, Asbury Park has held an end-of-summer music festival known as Sea Hear Now. Fans come from all over to listen to artists such as Hozier, Blink-182, Gigi Perez, Spoon, and 4 Non Blondes. Over the course of one weekend, memories are made that will last a lifetime.
Because of the big stars that perform at Sea Hear Now, quite a bit of money has to go into covering all the extensive expenses. Even with that in mind, a significant amount of the money from the tickets purchased by over 37,000 guests goes back to the community. Some organizations they donate to are: The Surfrider Foundation for ocean protection, Garden State Equality for the LGBTQ+ community, and Operation Beachhead for our veterans. Operation Beachhead thanked them for their “remarkable work” even before the festival opened. There are also many accounts that the people who attend the festival really do clean up after themselves. Kudos to us!
The music festival began on September 13th and continued into the next day. Each day had about 35,000 people in attendance, with them all varying in ages and musical tastes. The venue’s layout was altered this year, moving the gallery and food court, but all changes were welcomed with open arms. For New Jersey, Sea Hear Now is a huge event and was a giant success, even considering venue changes.
Day one was ten and a half hours, with Hozier as the headliner. Blink-182 followed the next day. Each musician or group had their own fans running to the front row. One Middletown South student, Katelynn Artale, was most excited for Hozier’s performance, saying, “My friend and I pushed through the crowd and waited an hour just to see him in the front row. “It was so worth it.” Another audience member voted in favor of Gigi Perez being their favorite act.
On Sunday, a surprise guest, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, joined Public Enemy on stage to perform “Walk this Way,” which he collaborated with them on in a later release in 1986 of their album Raising Hell. DMC was considered a pioneer in hip hop culture during the time of the album’s release.
There’s also a major fashion aspect of the festival. Although you will see many in beach-appropriate attire, this year’s trend seemed to be white flowing skirts with a tank top. They also rocked big belts, making their outfits hippie-like. Outfits did vary depending on the person’s intended activities at the festival. For example, some people who were in mosh pits chose to wear sneakers as opposed to sandals or other open-toed shoes.
The next festival will happen in September 2026. Sea Hear Now continues to help small businesses and artisans in our community, which is always needed and appreciated. The festival’s continued dedication towards the environment, community, and the small and big artists of our time is why Sea Hear Now continues to be a staple for New Jersey.