There are a few things in life that are inherently good. In my opinion, those include: live music,…read morecarnival food, thrill rides, good weather, quality time with friends, and animal freak shows. The Union County Music Fest provides all of the above and more, and all at the super low price of ... well, NOTHING! Let's start with the logistics. First of all, it would be nearly impossible to get to Music Fest without a car, so I'm lucky my Jersey-dwelling pals offered to drive. Second, Music Fest is held in association with the county fair, which accounts for the rickety and slightly scary rides, the carnival food (funnel cake, anyone!?), and the Anibal freak show. Freaks on display included a zebra/donkey cross breed, sheep with five legs, and a midget bull. Awesome! Now on to the music. There was a great mix of styles on display, and the three bands I saw each provided a very different experience. First I saw The Zombies, a '60s psychedelic band that was popular with the older crowd, but still were pleasantly enjoyable. For me, the highlight of the evening was getting to see Robert Randolph and the Family Band, who were absolutely spectacular. His mix of rock, funk, rhythm and blues, and gospel is not to be missed and I was totally blown away by his incredible work on the pedal steel. In fact, I was so impressed that I weaseled my way backstage after his set so that I could tell him I was hooked and will definitely be seeing him again soon. See the attached picture for visual proof. Headlining Sunday night was Spoon, another band that I really like. They were better than when I first saw them a couple of years ago in NYC in a venue that I hate, and the crowd was very receptive. The threat of rain kept many people away, which was too bad for the bands but good for me and my friends. We were right up near the front for both Robert Randolph and Spoon. A few of my friends were there for the Saturday lineup as well, and they said it was much more crowded, which isn't a surprise since the weather was so much better. Saturday's performers included headliners Train (not my thing, but ok), OK Go, The Bravery, and several others. The festival also boasts a small stage for local bands, as well as a pop/dance area, which seemed popular with the tweens. I hear there was also a human freak show on Saturday, but unfortunately it was not open Sunday. I'm excited to see who will be back for Music Fest in 2011, but it will be hard to beat the experience I had there yesterday.

For Union County, this was a great festival. However, it was poorly put together also…read more First off, we did the smarter thing and used Uber to get to and from the event because I heard parking was a disaster. Also, there were very few signs. When you did park, you had a bit to walk but there were no signs that told you where to go. I think they need better signage and more lighting in the dark as I almost twisted my ankle walking over. The craft beer garden was $9 a drink, which was a bit high. And you didn't get to sample anything before you bought it (also note get your token beforehand) so careful how you spend it. Though, they had some great beers there. The waits weren't too long surprisingly. However, the lines for some of the food trucks were way more. Many food trucks already sold out of food when I got there Saturday night. Meh. But thankfully there were plenty that were more well prepared. The rides were a little pricey also at $1.50 a ticket and some of the rides at 5 tickets. Eek. I think I'd go again but they do need some improvement. Also, more lighting would be appreciated all around. This review doesn't include the concerts because I didn't bother with that. If you angled yourself properly in the food truck/carnival area, you got a GREAT view of the MainStage for FREE FYI.

What is it about the Sideshow Acts that draws us in? I've enjoyed this form of entertainment from…read moreelementary school. The Circus used to come and park in a vacant lot near my house in Florida. That was my first experience seeing a sideshow. I was in Second or Third Grade. Every time I get the opportunity I have to go see the sideshow acts. Coney Island was my go to place at one time. I'm fond of the Fortune Teller. That was pre-Covid-19. I don't know what you will find if you visit Coney Island now. I'm posting some photos I took a long time ago. I have my memories of fun times until I can get back to Coney Island Park again. I hope the sideshow will still be there. There's one of my photos of what was a beer joint. Coney Island Brewery is there now. The old Coney Island Lager has a connection to the Sideshow atmosphere of Coney Island. I'll let you do the research and look it up! I'm posting my favorite Shmaltz Brewing Company photo. That's what I remember most about Coney Island Lager. There's a long history here. I Love it!

We were so excited to visit the Sideshow while at Coney Island and were extremely disappointed. We…read morewent to the 2pm show & paid $15 each to enter. Half the show time was spent trying to get us to buy more tickets and spend more money. After the first little act, they kept telling us where to buy more tickets. After the second, they wanted us to spend $10 on the show poster. Then after the blade box act, they wanted us to pay to come up and see the trick. There was one more act & then they were asking us to pay more money to see something else. I appreciate the art & understand the sideshow needs to be supported, but I paid for a show & saw maybe 15 minutes of actual acts. I hope they reconsider the format & their approach to donations.

We had a great time! I was super excited for this yield event. We were making totes. I made mine…read moreflowers. All the supplies were staged perfectly. The host was Alot of fun. I would definitely do another event with her. The place was big enough to fit all of us. 4+ tables were full. I enjoyed it alot.

What a fun concept to have a place for singing, dancing, while painting! Canvas & Grapes got it…read moreright and our group had a wonderful time. We booked the Paint & Sing on a Saturday 1:30-5 pm slot for $55/prn. It included music entertainment, painting experience, and karaoke. It's BYOB and you are welcome to bring snacks as well. Door opens at exactly 1:30 pm (it's locked prior to that) and upon entering, there's a check-in counter where you get your apron for painting and coat rack to hang your coats. Then you are directed to your table which it's already set up with paint supplies and a blank canvas. Very lively and hip vibe. Our painting instructor was wonderful and we were entertained the entire time. There's no bad seat in the room as they had a stage with camera where the instructor showed step by step on painting. There were TVs all around the room for each table to follow without issues. We take breaks throughout the session to allow paint to dry and time for dancing and singing. The time flew and we were promptly done by 4:30. Extra time remained for pictures and clean up. I highly recommended it for a girls gathering, birthday celebration, or just a fun thing to do. Everyone walked away happy and with a beautiful painting to show for.

A fantastic, imaginative, artsy, public forum type of space in what is archiecturally concieved as…read moreseries of teraces within a building to afford guests viewers into the indoor plaza. The events here are grand! This is the home of The Spring & f fall New York City Ballet events.

I had tickets to see a family member perform a ballet routine on stage. What a beautiful theater,…read moreclean and you can basically see from any seat. They had drinks and snacks for sale. Very well organized. For this particular show my sister brought a bouquet of flowers from home but she had to leave them outside by the staircase and pick them up after the show. So if you bring flowers just be aware that you cannot bring them inside the theater. The bathrooms were clean and the location is great as you have some restaurants nearby.

I've been struggling to sleep and I've tried all these different products and this for sure gave me…read morethe best sleep

Brought the family to see Stomp over the weekend and it was a blast! We were so excited to watch…read morethe show with our kids that we had seen almost 30 years ago, seeing the awe and wonder on their faces was so worth trekking through the snow covered streets. Before I get to the actual show (and what some may view as a spoiler), lets talk location. It's right there on 2nd Ave bet 7th and 8th near St Marks, so lots of dining within walking distance, pretty much any type of cuisine you can want. You can find street parking, depending on the day/time of show, so if you don't feel like paying for a deck, arrive early to search for a spot and make sure you read the signs to avoid a ticket. The venue is small, but seeing as the show has been around for 30 years, you shouldn't have a hard time getting tickets. What's really nice is, when we got there for our matinee show on Sunday, they had extra seats right up front that they upgraded us for free to! Now on to the show (SPOILER ALERT)! If you didn't know already, Stomp is basically a musical where no regular instruments are used, everyday objects you find all over like brooms, garbage bins, lighters, luggage, and newspapers are used to make noises into song. With that said, it is very loud! There is also quite a bit of laughter as some characters on stage are humorous and there is some audience participation as well, so if you like that, listen for your cue to join in. Definitely a show for all ages if you like music. I'd be happy to see it again!

What a great venue for live entertainment. Was there to see the Van Halen Tribute Band on May 9th …read more The band was amazing and the venue is huge and the band was amazing . My only issue is that even tho it is a historic venue I think it could be a little more well preserved. And there is no parking so that was a bummer .

Stunning historic venue! Always something exciting happening at Brook, either a musical, an…read moreorchestra performance, or a traditional concert, there are events here for everyone of all ages! It is a very well kept, clean, and comfortable theater. They always have a great variety of snacks and drinks during performances which is great. The staff always has the theater decorated for the holidays, special occasions, and just in general. Definitely worth stopping by for an upcoming event!

Truly a one of a kind experience. Never witnessed anything as incredible as Steve Cohen's show…read more Perfect for any event or outing in NYC thank you for such a phenomenal show @ Steve!!! Also, the location? 10/10 stunning perfection.

Last night was the 2nd time I saw Steve and he was just as amazing as the first time I saw him. His…read moremagic, illusions will astound you....no other explanation how he performed what he did except he is truly gifted. Its a 90 minute show, lots of interaction with his audience. Two illusions Steve did was a trick called Think A Drink where the audience wrote their favorite drink on a piece of paper. There were 4 or 5 pitchers with small glasses that were brought out beforehand. Steve collected all the papers and just held them in his hand. Then he called on random people, asked them what they wrote on the paper. He then poured a drink from the pitcher. It was the drink they wrote! Another was he asked the audience to write 3 facts about themselves and again collected a the papers and held the pile in his hand. He actually came to where I was sitting and asked is there a Michelle here and I raised my hand. He said you wrote something about your hair, you haven't changed it in a long time! I swear I almost fell off my chair!! LOL I wrote I have had the same hairstyle since the 1980s! Steve's performance throught the evening was not only memorizing, brilliant, fun...but as a person Steve is a humble, funny and genuine! He loves his audience and brought us a night of pure Magic! I promise you that everything about Steve's performance will leave you wanting to share your unbelievable night with every person you talk to! I'm going to look into another show for the holidays!!

When you choose to book my show, you're not just getting a magic act--you're getting a high-energy,…read moreinteractive performance that's packed with comedy and audience participation.