HAVE A HEART: The New Brunswick Heart Festival celebrates the art and history of the city and Middlesex County with performances, crafts, family-friendly activities, and more.

State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick Cultural Center, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), and Above Art Studios present the New Brunswick HEART Festival on Saturday, August 14 from 4-7 p.m.; hosted by New Jersey Radio Hall of Famer Bert Baron and Founder of TSO Productions, Sharon Gordon.

This festival celebrates arts and history that New Brunswick and Middlesex County have to offer with live performances, interviews, crafts, and more. The festival will take place in Monument Square, 2 Livingston Avenue, and will be live streamed on YouTube. For more information, visit NewBrunwickArts.org.

This year’s lineup includes the New Brunswick Brass Band; New Brunswick Latin band, Sonido Latino; jazz violinist Bri Blvck; a salsa dance class party with Elvis Ruiz; inspirational opera singer Sonya Headlam; tap dancer Omar Edwards; the Hearts of Oak Youth Pipes and Drumsband; guitarist Dennis McDonough; an English-Spanish musical performance for the kids by The Bilingual Birdies Trio; and New Brunswick Vinyl Society and Silent Knight.

Other events and activities from 4-7 p.m. include a theater tour of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC); a sneak peak of State Theatre New Jersey’s extensive renovations and preparations for their grand 100th anniversary fall reopening with hard hat theater tours of State Theatre; steamroller art with the American Hungarian Foundation; an activity tent with Garden of Healing; ticket giveaway contests by George Street Playhouse and American Repertory Ballet; button-making with the New Brunswick Free Public Library; yoga with Sisterwork; Japanese black ink drawing with the Highland Park Arts Commission; and more.

Following the mainstage festival events, attendees are invited to watch a Live Art Battle at Above Art Studios (55B Morris St) from 7-9 p.m. Featuring seven contestants, three timed rounds, and one prize, the Art Battle will be live-streamed on Above Art Studio’s Instagram account @AboveArtStudios. The night continues after the Art Battle at 9 p.m. with Ignite the Night! At three different restaurants across New Brunswick, DJs take over with their live sets featuring a HEART theme.