Toms River Fest

Last updated March 15, 2019

Toms River Fest logo.

Toms River Fest was a major festival event held at the campus of Toms River High School North in Toms River Township, New Jersey, during the summers of 2005, 2006 and 2008. It was selected by the American Bus Association as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for Group Travel 2006.^[1] The festival, originally conceived as an annual event, has not been held since the last one in 2008.

Toms River High School North is a four-year comprehensive public high school, and was the second public high school established in Toms River, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Toms River Regional Schools. The school opened in 1969 when the original high school was found to be too small to accommodate the fast-growing community. However, the first class to graduate wasn't until 1971, since all of the seniors were kept at TRHSS for the class of 1970. Toms River High School North is the largest of all schools in the Toms River Regional School district. The TRHSN mascot is the Mariner, and the school colors are navy blue and gold. The other high schools in the district are Toms River High School East and Toms River High School South.

Toms River is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Its mainland portion is also a census-designated place of the same name, which serves as the county seat of Ocean County. Formerly known as the Township of Dover, in 2006 voters approved a change of the official name to the Township of Toms River, adopting the name of the largest unincorporated community within the township. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 91,239, with the township ranking as the 8th-most-populous municipality in the state in 2010 and the second most-populous municipality in Ocean County. The 2010 population increased by 1,533 (+1.7%) from the 89,706 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 13,335 (+17.5%) from the 76,371 counted in the 1990 Census.

New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States. It is a peninsula, bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, particularly along the extent of the length of New York City on its western edge; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania; and on the southwest by the Delaware Bay and Delaware. New Jersey is the fourth-smallest state by area but the 11th-most populous, with 9 million residents as of 2017, and the most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states; its biggest city is Newark. New Jersey lies completely within the combined statistical areas of New York City and Philadelphia and was the second-wealthiest U.S. state by median household income as of 2017.

Low Attendance in 2006

The festival attracted over 70,000 people in its first year. For 2006, over 100,000 people were expected to attend each day, however, estimates showed that only 45,000 attended over the four days. Officials blamed the low attendance rate on a dangerous heat wave, which struck the area with near-record temperatures during the four days of the festival. The revenue for the event was $60,000, down substantially from $394,000 in its previous year.^[2]

Acts

In 2005, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Jesse McCartney, Keith Urban, Fuel, Phantom Planet, and others performed.

Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, bassist Mickey Madden, lead guitarist James Valentine, drummer Matt Flynn, keyboardist PJ Morton, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Farrar. Original members Levine, Carmichael, Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick first came together as Kara's Flowers in 1994, while they were still in high school. After self-releasing their independent album We Like Digging?, the band signed to Reprise Records and released the album The Fourth World in 1997. The album garnered a tepid response, after which the record label dropped the band and the members focused on college.

Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in 2002 after winning the inaugural season of the reality competition television series American Idol, which earned her a record deal with RCA Records. Clarkson's debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the country's best-selling single of 2002. It was followed by the release of her debut album, Thankful (2003), which debuted atop the US Billboard 200. Trying to reinvent her image, Clarkson decided to part ways with Idol management and shifted to pop rock music for her second album, Breakaway (2004). After numerous top 40 radio number-one singles, such as "Since U Been Gone" and "Because of You", the album sold over 15 million copies worldwide and earned Clarkson two Grammy Awards.

Clayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. He first gained fame when he came in second place on the second season of the reality singing competition American Idol in 2003. His debut album, Measure of a Man, released in October 2003, went multi-platinum. He released four more albums on the RCA label: Merry Christmas with Love (2004), A Thousand Different Ways (2006), the Christmas EP All is Well (2006), and On My Way Here (2008). Since then he has released two more albums, both with Decca Records: Tried and True (2010) and Steadfast (2012). Aiken has also had eleven tours in support of his albums. In all, he has sold over 5 million albums, and is the fourth-highest-selling American Idol alumnus.

In 2006, Rihanna, Hilary Duff, Lonestar, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Meat Loaf, KC and the Sunshine Band, Martina McBride, Rick Springfield, Live, Alexa Ray Joel, and LeAnn Rimes performed. Hilary Duff was the most successful act in 2006, selling over ten thousand seats.

Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, and raised in Bridgetown, she was discovered by American record producer Evan Rogers in her home country in 2003, and throughout 2004, she recorded demo tapes under the direction of Rogers; this led to Rihanna securing a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings after she auditioned for its then-president, rapper and hip hop producer Jay-Z. In 2005, Rihanna rose to fame with the release of her debut studio album Music of the Sun, as well as its follow-up A Girl like Me (2006). Both albums peaked within the top ten of the US Billboard 200 and respectively produced the successful singles "Pon de Replay", "SOS" and "Unfaithful".

Hilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. Duff began her acting career at a young age and quickly became labeled a teen idol as the title character of the hit Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire (2001–2004) and in the theatrical film based on the series, The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003). Thereafter, Duff appeared in numerous films, with leading roles in Agent Cody Banks (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), A Cinderella Story (2004), and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005). After experiencing commercial and critical failure in Material Girls (2006), Duff began appearing in independent films such as War, Inc. (2008), According to Greta (2009), and The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019). She also was an executive producer on the latter two films. Since 2015, she has starred as Kelsey Peters on the TV Land comedy-drama series Younger, for which she has received nominations for People's Choice Awards in 2016 and 2017.

Lonestar is an American country music group consisting of Richie McDonald, Michael Britt, Dean Sams, and Keech Rainwater (drums). Before the group's foundation in 1992, both Rainwater and Britt were members of the group Canyon. John Rich was a member of Lonestar until he departed in 1998, and went on to become one-half of the duo Big & Rich. Since his departure, Lonestar has relied alternatingly on session and touring musicians for bass guitar accompaniment. McDonald exited the band in 2007 to record as a solo artist, and was replaced by former McAlyster vocalist Cody Collins before returning in 2011.

In 2008, Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Avril Lavigne, Lifehouse, Live, Collecive Soul, Gavin DeGraw, Push Play, The Lost Trailers, Marie Digby, Day of Fire and children's musician Mr. Ray performed.

Daughtry is an American rock band formed and fronted by namesake Chris Daughtry, who was a finalist on the fifth season of American Idol. Their self-titled debut album was released in November 2006 and reached number one on the Billboard 200. The album went on to sell more than four million copies in the United States, and has been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. Daughtry was also named the best selling album of 2007 by Billboard, becoming the fastest-selling debut rock album in Nielsen SoundScan history. The album produced four top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including top five hits "It's Not Over" and "Home".

Carrie Marie Fisher is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Her debut single, "Inside Your Heaven", is the only country song to debut at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was released in 2005. Bolstered by the huge crossover success of the singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats", it became the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, the fastest-selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history and the best-selling country album of the last 16 years. Underwood won three Grammy Awards for the album, including Best New Artist.

Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain and by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more than $2 million.

Inside Toms River Fest

The festival offers free carnival rides, a large food court, free BMX stunt shows, free fireworks, the Millennium Radio Marketplace, a flea market and area for attendees to learn more about local businesses and services, and concerts inside the Poland Spring Arena, which is located on campus, the Lester Glenn Day Stage, and the Pine Belt Night Stage.

Since there is no parking allowed near the festival, free shuttle services are provided by Wachovia and Toms River Regional Schools at the Toms River schools. Meridian Health sponsored the 2008 transportation program, paying for the diesel fuel for the district's large fleet of school buses.

Toms River Fest 2008

Toms River Fest returned in the Summer of 2008. The official announcement, made May 1, 2008, revealed the headliners to be Carrie Underwood and Daughtry, and that the festival itself would be held for just two days instead of four, August 2–3, 2008. Other artists featured the in lineup include Lifehouse, Live, Collective Soul, Push Play, Gavin DeGraw, The Lost Trailers, and Avril Lavigne.

Other attractions included a "retro arcade" featuring video games and pinball machines in the Poland Spring Arena along with local bands performing, inflatable rides, a food court, and the Hell on Wheels BMX Bike Tour.

While attendance numbers for the festival have yet to be released, the official website claims over 15,000 people attended Daughtry's concert on Sunday night.

Attendance on opening day, Saturday, was noticeably lower than the second day of the festival due to severe weather that passed through the Toms River area on Saturday. Sunny skies hovered over the festival with beautiful temperatures and low humidity on the second day, bringing in thousands of patrons.

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References

↑ American Bus Association: Top 100 Events in North America for 2006 Archived 2006-05-11 at the Wayback Machine ., accessed June 4, 2006
↑ Toms River Fest took hits from heat, storm: ATTENDANCE, PROFIT DOWN, Asbury Park Press , August 10, 2006

Coordinates: 39°58′57″N74°11′37″W / 39.98260°N 74.19360°W / 39.98260; -74.19360

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[1] American Bus Association: Top 100 Events in North America for 2006 Archived 2006-05-11 at the Wayback Machine ., accessed June 4, 2006

[2] Toms River Fest took hits from heat, storm: ATTENDANCE, PROFIT DOWN, Asbury Park Press , August 10, 2006