What makes for an exceptional culinary experience? The food, of course, must be great, the location wonderful, the music just right, and a sense of community.
If you agree with that definition, consider attending the Sourland Music Festival this Saturday [June 23]. Go with as many friends and family as you like, and join many more people from your community having a great time.
The music festival features a powerful lineup of the region’s most vital and exciting artists ranging from pop and reggae to country and classic rock. From young stars of the future to grizzled rockers, they all know how to get a party going. Sample the tunes of Nalani & Sarina, Flux Capacitor, Stolen Rhodes, Verdict, Joshua Branson and the J.B. Kline Band on the Lineup page of the Music Festival website. 
The Festival will take place at the Hillsborough Country Club on the Sourland Mountain. The 90 sq mile Mountain is one of New Jersey’s hidden gems containing wilderness, farms, forests, meadows, boulder fields and vernal pools and is home to a rich variety of wildlife, and a great place to hike and bike.
Hillsborough Country Club itself is a beautiful setting with acres of meadows and a view of Amwell valley that features a stunning sunset.
And then there is the food and drink. The Ryland Inn Executive Chef Chris Albrecht has a passion for food. His work focuses on farm-to-table, local and sustainable ingredients, menus of fresh food and flavors that change with the seasons. The creative cuisine and spectacular dining experience is why the Ryland Inn received four stars from New Jersey Monthly, an award that had not been given out in over a decade.
The Ryland will be providing the VIP service at the Festival but hurry if you want to enjoy this great experience as there are not many tickets left. If you are too late for the VIP area, don’t worry, not only will the Ryland be selling some of their creations to the general public, but you can also taste the delights of other quality vendors. These include: the Brick Farm Market, providing delicious food from their own farms and other local, responsible producers; Basil Bandwagon, a complete natural food store focusing on local, organic products; Tower Dogs, providing a great range of hot dogs, made to the highest quality from largely local producers; Dellano Food Service providing traditional Italian food, and finish off with delicious desserts from Maddalenas or Gelato from Ama Pizza and Cucina of Hillsborough.
To wash all this down, you can drink craft beer from the Flounder Brewing Company, the River Horse Craft Brewery, wine from Unionville Vineyards and cocktails from Sourland Mountain Spirits.
If all that does not tempt you, I do not know what will. Perhaps knowing that your money will be supporting a great cause? The Sourland Mountain is one of the last areas of wilderness in NJ but it is under threat from development, pipelines, invasive species and a soaring deer population. Fortunately, the Sourland Conservancy is fighting too ‘Save the Sourlands’ and the Festival is its biggest annual fund-raiser.
Six hours of music, a beautiful setting, delicious food and drink, lots of activities for kids and all for a good cause. Round up family and friends and enjoy this unique experience – and help Save the Sourlands while you do it.
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