25TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIGHT OF DAY WINTERFEST

For Immediate Release

THE 25^TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIGHT OF DAY WINTERFEST SET FOR JANUARY 2025 IN ASBURY PARK, RED BANK, MONTCLAIR, NJ AND NEW YORK CITY

John Rzeznik, Brian Fallon, Brian Baker and Pete Steinkopf join LOD stalwarts Dramarama, Willie Nile and Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers plus very special guests to be announced for The Main Event, “Bob’s Birthday Bash”, on Saturday, January 18 at the Count Basie Center

Tickets On Sale for Main Event on Friday, November 15

ASBURY PARK, NJ (November 12, 2024) – The Light of Day Foundation has announced WinterFest 2025, the annual music festival taking place throughout January in Asbury Park, Red Bank, Montclair and New York City. “Bob’s Birthday Bash” will take place on Saturday, January 18 at 6:30pm ET at the Count Basie Center’s Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre with a lineup including John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls), Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem), Brian Baker (Bad Religion), Pete Steinkopf (The Bouncing Souls), Dramarama, Willie Nile, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers plus very special guests to be announced soon.

Tusk (the world’s #1 tribute to Fleetwood Mac) will also play the Count Basie Theatre stage as part of WinterFest 2025 on Friday, January 24.

Tickets for “Bob’s Birthday Bash”(along with various ticket combo packages) will go on sale Friday, November 15 at 10:00 am ET. Tickets will be available via theBASIE.org, the Basie Center box office onsite at 99 Monmouth Street in Red Bank and through Ticketmaster.com.  

The onsale for show-specific tickets for The Stone Pony, Wonder Bar and McLoone’s Supper Club will be announced on Monday, November 19 at 10am ET (with dates to follow). For more details on lineups, performances and ticket packages, visit LightofDay.org.

Ticket prices range from $59.50-$479.50 with various multi-tiered packages being offered: “On-Stage FestPass”, “Platinum FestPass”, Gold FestPass”, “Silver FestPass” and “Bronze FestPass”. FestPass guarantees a reserved seat for the main event, “Bob’s Birthday Bash” and complimentary admission to all Asbury Park, Red Bank and all other Monmouth County events for LOD WinterFest 25 (first come, first served and capacity permitted).

Other venues hosting LOD WinterFest 2025 shows include: Asbury Park’s Stone Pony, Wonder Bar, McLoone’s Supper Club, Watermark, Berkeley Ocean Front Hotel; Outpost In The Burbs in Montclair; and City Winery in Manhattan.

Additional shows and locations will be announced.

All performances and events will raise money and awareness for the continuing quest to end Parkinson’s disease and its related illnesses ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) within our lifetime.

“The 25^th anniversary of LOD WinterFest will be a memorable celebration,” said Bob Benjamin, Founder, Light of Day Foundation. “The month of January will be rocking in Asbury Park, Red Bank and New York, all to benefit Parkinson’s, ALS and PSP.”

Over the course of 25 years, Light of Day has raised approximately $6.5 million to combat Parkinson’s disease, ALS and PSP. The first official Light of Day concert was held at Asbury Park’s Stone Pony in November 2000 and primarily featured local, unsigned artists.  The critically acclaimed Pittsburgh-based band Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers (managed by Bob Benjamin) headlined the show, which featured a surprise appearance by Bruce Springsteen, who joined the Houserockers for a raucous, hour-long set.

Light of Day has grown from a one-day event into a multi-day festival in the metropolitan area. More significantly, Light of Day has expanded into an internationally recognized tour, through a true grassroots effort of musicians, music fans and benefactors. Light of Day shows have taken place around the world on two continents, with shows in England, Wales, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. Portions of the proceeds from each show are donated to a local Parkinson’s organization.

"Light of Day WinterFest time is back and this year is different...it's our 25th Anniversary! 25 years ago a very small group of New Jersey music business professionals and musicians committed themselves to making a difference", said Tony Pallagrosi, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Light of Day Foundation. "It was propelled into action by the courage, resilience and determination of our Founder Bob Benjamin who had been diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s a few years earlier. For 25 years, Light of Day has utilized the incredible power of music to raise money and awareness; fund research; uncover new, more effective therapeutics; promote education; and assist families in our collective quest to end Parkinson’s disease, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) in our lifetime. Please join us this January for musical performances and events featuring some very special guests.  We most look forward to the friendships, old and new, as well as the celebration and rededication to the common cause of Light of Day WinterFest 2025, for what we believe will be an unforgettable experience. It’s just around the corner!"

Light of Day WinterFest performers have included Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny Lyon, Darlene Love, Michael J. Fox, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Willie Nile, Gary U.S. Bonds, Max Weinberg, LaBamba’s Big Band, Jesse Malin, John Rzeznik, Jakob Dylan, Ed Kowalczyk, Lucinda Williams, Suzanne Vega, Jake Clemons, David Bryan, John Waite, David Bromberg, James Maddock, Nicole Atkins, The Smithereens, Alejandro Escovedo, Peter Asher, Joey Molland, Garland Jeffries, Joe D’Urso Lisa Lowell, Mike Peters , Dave Hause and Pete Yorn.

ABOUT THE LIGHT OF DAY FOUNDATION

The Light of Day Foundation, Inc., utilizes the awesome power of music to raise money and awareness in our continuing quest to end Parkinson’s disease and related neuro-degenerative diseases, specifically Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), within our lifetime. The Foundation’s mission is to fund research into possible cures, improved treatments and support for patients who suffer from those diseases, their families and their caregivers to help improve their quality of life. Gifts to the Light of Day Foundation, Inc. are tax-deductible to the full extent of the Internal Revenue Code. The Light of Day Foundation, Inc. is designated by the IRS as a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization. The Light of Day Foundation, Inc.'s Federal ID # is 20-1560386. Light of Day - the concerts and the organization - grew from a birthday party and fund-raiser held in 1998 at the Downtown Cafe in Red Bank to celebrate the 40th birthday of artist manager and music industry veteran Bob Benjamin, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1996.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sammy Steinlight, sammy@steinlightmedia.com, (917) 750-8747

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