Groove On Grove

It really gets rowdy after 6… everyone coming off the escalator be hella ready to party.
And there are beer tents to quench their proverbial thirst.
Of Note:
I miss YoSteph.
No one will ever replace my Unilocal CM homegirl.
She brought Unilocal love to this little island called the Grove Street PATH Stop.

Groove on Grove has got it all. Funky live tunes, delish food vendors, shopping and most importantly, an authentic local feel and a strong sense of community.
This happens every Wednesday night and is right outside of my apartment. If I’m around you can bet that I’ll be there. Every week they feature a different local act and from what I’ve heard so far, talent is always in full force. I like that the bands will take some time to cover old and familiar songs, it’s always fun to sing along and rock out.
I haven’t tried any of the food yet, but the empanadas look killer. The line is always pretty long, but I’m sure it’s worth the wait. Sometimes Orale has a taco stand set up as well.
Everyone has a smile on their face and the mood is always relaxed and upbeat. What’s not to love about a warm summer night filled with food, music and community lovin!

Jersey City is well on its way! I grew up as a suburban kid from Morris County, but my dad worked near Journal Square, so I spent much of my youth going into Jersey City in the 80s. It has changed… for the better. They are really making a huge effort to bring fun, interesting, community events to various parts of the city. I LOVE the diversity and history of JC, and I think this event really helps to showcase the wonderful attributes of the city. I like the local Asian flavors of Legal Beans and The Big Straw Tea. The food trucks are unique and reasonably priced (* for upscale food trucks, not for a dive bar in Ames).
The music is diverse, from String Quartets to Rock to Jazz to HipHop, its all there. There are farmers markets popping up from the Heights to Lincoln Park, and this event is just another step in making the city a beautiful, pleasant, Fun place to live.
I hope these types of events keep coming and the local community supports them. This is what the city needs.
One Tip, if you are going to stay and eat and watch the bands on stage, you might want to bring your own chair… oh, and get some yogurt from Downtown Yogurt and sit by the stage… what a great way to spend a Wednesday evening in the summer.

Groove on Grove is one of the best things about living in the Historic District of Jersey City. It never fails to amaze me how far along JC has gotten in the past 20 years. Grove Street has been a major transit hub with thousands of people a day commuting on the NJ PATH as well as serving bus lines to different parts of town and out of town. Everyone is busy, a lot of people have the mentality that time is money blah blah, but remember to take out some time and give back to support local businesses is often overlooked by people.
With ups and downs of everyday lives, festivals like this are what make communities even stronger. If you grew up in the area it definitely should resonate. If you’re a transplant, open your mind. Grove Street today is not the same 10 – 20 years back. Groove on Grove is the place where I would ponder on about how much has changed and more importantly be so excited on where this city is heading.
There’s so many good things and this is the time to celebrate. When I do get a chance to stop by, I imagine myself freezing time for few moments, take a look around at everything, seeing joy on people’s faces, young and old. Then when I’ve realized this is so special and priceless, I come back and everything is reanimated and I look at it all like déjà vu. Treasure every moment. Pay it forward. Be inspired. Fill your inner self. Support an exceptional cause. Everything from the Farmers’ market, craft vendors, food trucks, live performances. Bring your whole family, friends, colleagues. If you commute through here on a daily basis and you haven’t checked it out, please do.
Get your groove on!

Today was the first installment of this weekly FREE MUSIC event from 6:00 — 9:00 every Wednesday until the end of September. As before, you will be treated to amazing local bands playing a mix of musical styles – tonight was Latin music. You can relax on one of the folding chairs which are provided, or have a seat on the fake grass. You can purchase anything you need to eat or drink from one of the vendors, and use the bathroom at MacDonald’s across the street. Today for the first time there was a woman’s clothing truck selling t-​shirts, etc. Enjoy!

This is one of the collest things about Grove street neigbourhood in Jersey city downtown. This is basically a forum where local vendors from JC come together and make the local community more vibrant.
Started a couple of years back, Groove on Grove has evolved into this great scene where local bands showcase their music in an outdoor venue that allows them great exposure. There are always tons of things to do here apart from enjoying the food. They have vendors who sell crafts and arts, food vendors — I love grabbing those tacos from Taco truck and have also sighted two pitas in a pod and couple of other food vendors.
This is a great initiavte to promote and create awareness about local vendors. Also this is a great way to spend sometime after work with friends and family.

I mean how can you not love Groove on Grove? Great music weekly. Amazing local vendors to choose from and a community spirit that makes you love Jersey City even more. Amazing.
Once a month or so they have Barcade and Hard Grove out there selling some beers and mixed drinks making the event even more awesome since, c’mon now, who doesn’t like an adult beverage outside in the Grove St. area square listening to some home grown Jersey bands or visitors from across the Hudson. The selection of people range from JC hipsters to families with small children to the older community. What a great cross — section of JC life.
This weekly community event is a great part of downtown Jersey City and adds a lot of fun and spirit to the area, I highly suggest checking it out (especially on booze days) and just enjoy being outside with some other great locals!

Free, LIVE music…
Local art…
Local vendors…
Food trucks…
Good, cheap beer…
What more could you ask for?!
The event runs weekly from spring through summer, as far as I know, usually on Wednesday evenings. Sadly, I have yet to make it out to a Wednesday show, but I did make it to last Friday’s show, when Unilocal NJ was there! I don’t know how often they’re out on Fridays, but I’m sure Unilocal Events can keep us all in the loop.
My only complaint… no restrooms. There are plenty of beer and sangria vendors, but no designated restrooms for the crowd. We have to rely on local businesses to let us in for the loo. They’re friendly enough, but I still hate to ask, especially since I’m not a customer. Other than that, this lil’ get-​together is pretty fab!

Can agree with Andre P. enough. This needs to be supported by the community. It’s great little events like this that help build communities, and keep them going. If you live in the area, there is no excuse to not get out here at least of couple of times during the season. OK, maybe there is an excuse, but you know where I’m coming from.
Support local vendors and businesses while taking in some live music and great atmosphere. Not a difficult request by any stretch. The Taco Truck is usually parked here along with some other great food trucks.
Come on out whether just to hang, or to buy a little something. More organizations in Downtown Jersey City should take notice of Groove on Grove, and come up with some more events for the community to enjoy.

Music after work. Children’s events sometimes. All free, too.
Vendors generally have interesting stuff. For a «square» that normally has nothing going on, this is pretty darn good and should be supported.