On Saturday, September 6, Rent Party will hold its first outdoor music festival, the Rent Party Family Picnic, from noon until 9pm, in Maplecrest Park, 225 Oakland Road, in Maplewood. The lineup of live music includes Dollar Store Riot, Sad About Girls, Gumwall, Rebecca Turner, Miss Ohio, the Marco Ranieri Band, Tri-State, American Ambulance, Deena & The Laughing Boys, and the Karyn Kuhl Band.

Rent Party is a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating hunger in the South Orange–Maplewood area.  Since October 2009, the group has held live concerts each month at the South Orange Elks Lodge and travels to nearby towns, withall proceeds goingto fight hunger in local communities.  Founder Chris Dickson says, “I’ve always been involved in bands and music over the years and was aware of challenges regarding hunger, so I decided to combine two of my passions.”  For a minimum donation of $5, attendees can sit back with a refreshing beer and enjoy live musical performances for a great cause.  Donations are also welcome online at Rentpartylive.com. 

The group will celebrate its fifth anniversary by releasing a CD featuring original music from past events.  Rent Party’s success has also sparked Rent Party Garden, which provides fresh produce for the local food pantry and is located just outside the South Orange Elks Lodge, and Take the Cake, which organizes special birthday parties for underprivileged children.