(HILLSBOROUGH, NJ) -- The final show of the season for the Sourland Mountain Happy Hour will take place on Thursday, June 3rd at 6:00pm.  New Jersey singer-songwriter James Popik will perform with The Supernova Band..  Danny Coleman, New Jersey Stage columnist and radio host, will be the guest emcee. The concert is available virtually and in-person with limited capacity (30 people) at the event. Proceeds will benefit their musicians and the Sourland Conservancy.

“It’s time for people to get together again to enjoy live music which benefits the Sourland Mountain,” said Happy Hour Coordinator, Suzanne Parsons. “We’re all looking forward to spending time with our friends and celebrating the beauty and culture of our region.” 

The Sourland Conservancy’s popular Sourland Mountain Festival fundraiser has been cancelled for a second year due to COVID. Funds are needed to support the musicians who would normally play the Mountain Fest and other live events that were cancelled due to the pandemic - and also to support the Conservancy’s tremendous forest restoration efforts.

 James Popik & The Supernova Band combine jazz, jam and just enough rock to form what Popik describes as ‘Festival Jazz’  - fun, uptempo, danceable grooves. In addition to Mr. Popik, Tom McMillan, Ben Cahill, and Andy Janowiak will perform.   

At the age of five, James was chosen to be the MC of his kindergarten class' Christmas play. He was first out on stage greeting the crowd and introducing the skits. Since then not much has changed. He has logged over 2,000 gigs in the last few years in over 150 different venues!  Popik just completed the first 3 of 6 songs from “Acoustic Sketches" with bassist, Lawrence Haber. He has also released 3 EPs with jam rockers, Ten Foot Tall, a brand-new three-song EP with Venture To Zen, and he is working on a special all-acoustic instrumental record “The Sourland Symphony”.  Popik also appears on the Grammy-nominated "Fitness Rock & Roll" with Miss Amy & Her Big Kids Band.

This event will be the first in-person fundraiser that the Conservancy has hosted since the 2019 Sourland Mountain Fest. The suggested donation is $25. Sales will be limited to 30 tickets, and COVID safety guidelines will be followed. 

This will be the fifth virtual Happy Hour that the Conservancy has hosted this year. The suggested donation for the virtual event is $10. “We understand that this year has been difficult for our members,” said Marylou Ferrara, Board Vice President. “We don’t want cost or transportation to be a barrier. We hope everyone will be able to join us, so the Conservancy decided to ask for voluntary donations rather than setting a mandatory ticket price.” These funds have provided a much-needed boost for the Conservancy’s education, advocacy, and forest restoration efforts.

“The New Jersey Forest Service estimates that the Sourland Region will lose over one million ash trees within the next few years due to an invasive insect,” said Laurie Cleveland, Sourland Conservancy’s Executive Director. “We’re planting and protecting native trees and shrubs as quickly as we can to help the forest regenerate.”

“The Sourland forest provides important ecosystem services that benefit humans and wildlife. It filters air and water, sequesters carbon, and more. The native trees we’re planting offer critical food and shelter for resident and migratory birds, fish, and other animals - including many threatened and endangered species.”

The Sourland Conservancy is working with state agencies, municipalities and nonprofit partners to restore streambanks and improve habitat and connectivity in public parks and preserves throughout the region. The first of five 2021 public plantings took place at Baldpate Mountain on Earth Day in partnership with the Mercer County Park Commission and One Tree Planted. 

“We all appreciate the tireless efforts of the many volunteers it takes to support this important work.”  said Roger Thorpe, Stewardship Committee Chair. “We hope the public will join us for more plantings this fall in Montgomery, Hillsborough, and Hopewell Township.”

The Sourland Conservancy would like to thank event sponsors: Belle Mead Co-op; Dandelion Wishes; Discover Central NJ; Flounder Brewery; Green Power Energy; Hegedus Law; Kilbourne and Kilbourne; Madsen, Kneppers and Associates; Princeton Records Exchange; Sourland Mountain Spirits; Stellitano HVAC; and Unionville Vineyards. 

In addition to the great music, registered attendees will receive special deals and discounts on their Happy Hour take-out supplies ordered in advance from event sponsors: Sourland Mountain Spirits, Unionville Vineyards, and Flounder Brewery.

Sourland Mountain Happy Hour will be held from 6:00pm-7:00pm on June 3rd.  Online registration is now open with a choice of either in-person or virtual attendance. Proceeds benefit the musicians and the work of the Sourland Conservancy. For more information or to register, please visit www.tiny.cc/SCHappyHour.