NORTHFIELD — A newly refurbished bandstand at Birch Grove Park will come alive with music next week as Northfield hosts a free community concert featuring local band Sun Gold.
The Northfield Cultural Committee will present the concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, with proceeds from food and refreshment sales benefiting the Northfield Museum and Casto House.
Joan Brennan, chairperson of the city's Cultural Committee, discussed the event Tuesday on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on WOND.
“Birch Grove Park is just one of the most amazing places, and there is a bandstand there and we are doing a free concert on August 27th starting at 6:30 p.m.,” Brennan said.
Sun Gold is a local band that recently performed at Northfield's National Night Out.
“They actually played at our National Night Out when we did the National Night Out in Northfield,” Brennan said. “So Sun Gold is going to be there.”
The concert itself is free, while hot dogs, ice cream, snacks and beverages will be sold to raise money for the Northfield Museum and Casto House.
Local Band Donating Its Performance
Brennan said Sun Gold has a connection to the area, with one of the band's founders coming from neighboring Linwood.
The musicians are also donating their performance.
“He's offered to do the concert for free, which is absolutely incredible,” Brennan said.
She got a chance to hear the band herself during National Night Out.
“They were really, really good,” Brennan said.
Sun Gold primarily performs classic rock but also plays original material. Brennan said the musicians are even willing to take requests from the audience.
“They said they'll take requests,” she said. “The guys are really just incredible.”
Brennan said attendees can send requests in advance and the committee will pass them along to the band.
Music Returns to Refurbished Bandstand
The setting for the concert has significance of its own.
Brennan said the Birch Grove Park bandstand recently underwent improvements, including the addition of benches.
“They just refurbished the bandstand and they put benches in, so if you don't have a chair, you can come,” Brennan said. “There's plenty of benches to sit on, but it's just going to be an outstanding evening.”
Visitors can also bring their own chairs and blankets.
Brennan said Northfield previously presented music in the park through grants secured by her late mother, Joyce Pullen, who died in 2020.
“When my mom was alive, my mom passed away in 2020, she used to get grants from the state of New Jersey for music for the park,” Brennan said.
The bandstand eventually needed repairs, putting those efforts on hold.
“They finally finished it, so we're going to try to pursue some grants for next year,” Brennan said.
The Aug. 27 performance will be Sun Gold's second free concert for Northfield.
“We're really happy that Sun Gold's going to be able to do it,” Brennan said. “They're just great guys and a lady that are coming out to do it for free.”
A Park With Deep Northfield History
Brennan also used the interview to highlight a piece of local history that many residents may not know.
Birch Grove Park was once the site of a brickyard operated by the Summers family, she said, before the property was donated to Northfield.
“Birch Grove used to be a brickyard from the Summers family,” Brennan said. “They donated it to the city of Northfield.”
The museum preserves artifacts from Northfield's past, including its earlier history when the community was known as Bakersville.
The property also includes the historic Casto House.
Brennan said the museum contains a scale replica depicting the former brickyard operation along with numerous artifacts from Northfield's history.
“We've got lots of artifacts,” Brennan said. “There's an actual replica of what Birch Grove Park used to be, which is the brickyard, and somebody actually made a to-scale replica of what Birch Grove Park used to look like.”
The museum is open from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays year-round, Brennan said. Visitors who can't make those hours can contact the Northfield Museum and Casto House through its Facebook page to arrange another time.
More Improvements Coming to Birch Grove
Birch Grove Park could soon have another attraction.
Brennan said Northfield is preparing to launch a disc golf course at the park.
“They're getting ready to launch a disc golf course that they're doing out there,” Brennan said.
There are restrictions on building within the park stemming from the terms under which the Summers family transferred the property to the city, Brennan said, but the disc golf course does not interfere with those restrictions.
For now, Brennan hopes residents will come out Aug. 27, enjoy a free night of music and perhaps learn a little more about the history contained within one of Northfield's best-known parks.
“It's going to be a really fun concert,” Brennan said.
The Sun Gold concert runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Birch Grove Park bandstand. Admission is free. Proceeds from food, beverages and ice cream will benefit the Northfield Museum and Casto House.
About the Author
Karen Johnson
With over 30 years of news experience in major markets like Los Angeles, Denver, and Columbus, Karen now covers our area for South Jersey NewsBeat. She also brings her articulate and conversational news delivery to WOND radio listeners every weekday. Her background includes work with the NBC Radio Network, and she thrives in fast-paced news environments.
