Welcome to Uptown Sound — Where Music Meets Community

We are Uptown Sound, a Montclair-based nonprofit bringing our community together through music. 
We celebrate local talent, support our small businesses, and create memorable experiences through live music, our Summer Stage series, and the annual Uptown Sound Music Festival.
 Everything we do is rooted in one goal: making our community stronger, more connected, and a little more fun.
JOIN OUR TEAM

Upcoming Events

  • The Brand New Steady's

    09.12 6:30-8:30PM

    St. James Church Lawn

    A South Orange, NJ rock/funk/jam band bringing high-energy covers and original music to the stage.

  • The Bard Band

    09.10 12:00-2:00PM

    Upper Montclair Sidewalk Sale

    A local favorite that kicked off our Summer Stage series and is now coming back to close it out at the Sidewalk Sale!

  • Uptown Music Festival 2026

    09.26 2:00PM-8:00PM

    Upper Montclair’s biggest day of live music, community, food, and fun! Join us at Anderson Park on September 26 for the Uptown Sound Music Festival.

Discover the Uptown Sound 2026 Lineup

Waterbury Road

Closing out Uptown Sound 2026 is our headliner, Waterbury Road! Known for their high-energy performances and crowd-favorite sound, they’re bringing the kind of set that will have Anderson Park singing, dancing, and celebrating with us until the very end.

The Main Event / 2026 Headliner

The Bard Band

A local favorite bringing great music and even better energy to the stage. The Bard Band knows how to get a crowd going with a performance that’s fun, familiar, and perfect for an afternoon in Anderson Park.

Third Act

El Ritmo

Get ready to dance! El Ritmo brings an incredible mix of salsa, cumbia, bachata, merengue, and Afro-Latin rhythms to the Uptown Sound stage. Their energy is contagious, and we promise you won’t be standing still for long.

Second Act

Rocking For Inclusion

More than a band, Rocking for Inclusion is all about the power of music to bring people together. Get ready for an inspiring performance filled with energy, heart, and a whole lot of fun.

Opening Act

Meet Us at Summer Stage

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Discover who's performing next..

In case you didn’t know, we’re hosting Summer Stage every Friday on the front lawn of St. James Church! 🎶
It’s a great opportunity to enjoy free live music, support our local businesses, and stop by to chat with our volunteers about everything we’re planning for the Uptown Sound Music Festival on September 26. We’ll also have our festival merch available for purchase, with every sale helping support the festival.
Come by, bring a lawn chair or blanket, and say hi - we’d love to see you!
Learn More

Our Presenting Sponsor

We are incredibly proud to have Frederic’s Fine Jewelers as the Presenting Sponsor of Uptown Sound.

Their generosity, commitment to our community, and belief in what we’re building help make everything we do possible. We couldn’t be more grateful to have such a wonderful local business standing behind Uptown Sound.

Our Platinum Sponsors

Our Gold Sponsors

Community Sponsors

Official Media Partner

Nonprofit Media Sponsors

Local Nonprofit’s Supporting us

Become a Sponsor

Your support does more than put your brand in front of thousands of people — it helps us create something truly special for Upper Montclair. What started as Dan & Day’s Music Festival has grown into Uptown Sound, a community-driven nonprofit created to celebrate local music, support local businesses, and bring people together.

Sponsorship opportunities for this year’s festival are officially closed, and we are incredibly grateful for the amazing businesses that have chosen to support us. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor for Uptown Sound 2027, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to our team and we’ll make sure you’re among the first to know when next year’s opportunities become available.
A huge thank you to Ken Kuhl, Gail Prusslin, Bob Silver, David Placek, Karen O’Neill, Ritesh Patel and David Genova for their guidance, support, and connections. They have been a huge part of helping us get to where we are today, and we truly couldn't have done it without them.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Mark your calendars for September 26, 2026, with a rain date of October 3, 2026.

  • Yes! Uptown Sound is free and open to everyone.

  • Yes! Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome.

  • Businesses can participate through sponsorships, vendor booths, and advertising opportunities in our official festival program.