There’s no better way to celebrate the Halloween season than to dance the night away in a spooky setting, especially when it’s for a good cause. On Friday, October 18th from 6PM to 10PM and Saturday, October 19th from 1PM to 10PM, The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery on 435 Newark Avenue will host the annual The Ghost of Uncle Joe’s, a Halloween masquerade fundraising ball to benefit the preservation of the site. This event will feature performances from local musicians and serve food from food trucks local to Jersey City. Read on to learn more about The Ghost of Uncle Joe’s, including the musical lineup and details about why the cemetery hosts this event.
Background on the Event
The Ghost of Uncle Joe’s is an annual ‘masquerade’ fundraising event to benefit The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery, the oldest established cemetery in New Jersey. During this event, local artists, while wearing costumes, perform crowd favorites from rock, metal, and hip-hop bands. It’s a truly one-of-a-kind celebration for guests of all ages, and a chance for attendees to learn more about the historic cemetery.
Every year, the cemetery’s entertainment director, Anthony “Dancing Tony” Susco, organizes this concert to raise funds for the upkeep and preservation of the property. Although he and his team have volunteers who help, there’s frankly just too much to do and not enough hands, as they’re run entirely on donations and volunteers. “We’ve only gotten so far with the volunteers to maintain everything,” Anthony previously told The Hoboken Girl.
Read More: Hoboken Harvest Festival 2024: New Location, New Beer Garden
This annual concert has played a critical role in funding the preservation of the historic site. In previous years, the cemetery has raised up to three-quarters of its annual budget. If this year’s concert is as successful as those in the past, then one can expect to see major improvements with the money it generates.
Friday, October 18th
The first event of The Ghost of Uncle Joe’s will be on Friday, October 18th from 6PM to 10PM, with tickets priced at $25 for adults on Eventbrite, $30 for adults at the gate, and $15 for senior citizens and veterans. Although the ball is only for those 21 +, accompanied children are welcome for an additional $10.
For all the foodies out there, this ball will feature treats served by the Jersey City-based food trucks El Chilango and Angry Archie’s. El Chilango specializes in Mexican cuisine, so expect to find all the Mexican favorites, including tacos, tortas, burritos, and more. Angry Archie’s serves all kinds of finger food, including lobster rolls, crab cake + chicken sandwiches, and fries (truffle + poutine).
Here’s the lineup for Friday:
- The Cult by We Sell Sanctuary + Christian Dryden of The Ritualists: 6PM
- Coheed and Cambria by Quality Living: 6:50PM
- Wu-Tang Clan by Break-a-Leg Entertainers: 7:40PM
- The Scorpions by Hudson City Leather: 8:30PM
- Korn by Children of the Korn: 9:20PM
Saturday, October 19th
The second event will take place on Saturday, October 19th from 1PM to 10PM. Daytime attendees can purchase tickets for $20 for adults on Eventbrite, $25 for adults at the gate, $10 for teens ages 12-17, $5 for children ages 5-12, and senior citizens and veterans for $15. Children under five years old are given free entry. Note that by 6PM daytime-only ticket holders and children under 12 years old must leave, as the nighttime session is aimed for those 21+.
For nighttime tickets (5PM-10PM), it is $35 on Eventbrite, $40 at the gate, and $15 for senior citizens and veterans. Only accompanied children ages 12+ are welcome for $10.
For both the daytime and nighttime sessions on Saturday, Stack Burgers and Cal’s Hot Dogs will serve attendees all the best finger foods they can think of. Stack Burgers, a Paterson-based burger spot, will serve more than just your plain-jane burger. Attendees can expect to find halal burgers, loaded mac + cheese, and more on the menu. Cal’s Hot Dogs, a Hoboken-based hot-dog joint, will serve burgers, meatball subs, rib-eye cheesesteaks, and, of course, hot dogs.
Here’s the lineup for the day-time session on Saturday:
- Foo Fighters by JC Resistance Choir: 1PM
- Superchunk by Hyper Enough: 2:40PM
- Kate Bush by Kill Me Maidin: 3:30PM
- The Raspberries by The RasGarys: 4:20PM
- CHIC, featuring Diana Ross by The Mutts: 5:10PM
Here’s the lineup for the night-time session on Saturday:
- Coldplay by Life in Technicolor: 6PM
- REM by Bastards of the Old: 6:50PM
- Daft Punk by Sir Synthesis: 7:40PM
- Violent Femmes by The Blue House: 9:20PM
- DJ Kill Nasty: all night
After Parties
The fun continues at several nearby bars once the graveyard festivities have shut down. These particular events will be free for Ghost wristband holders for both the Friday and Saturday shows. For those who are not Ghost wristband holders, the cost will be an additional donation of $5-$10.
Lo-Fi After Party | 328 Palisade Avenue
From 9:30PM to 11PM, various bands and artists will be playing at Low Fidelity, such as Sebastian Ortiz who will be performing covers by The White Stripes and Paid Time Off covering songs by Cage The Elephant, and The Blue House performing covers by Violent Femmes.
Porta After Party | 145 Newark Avenue
From 10PM to 1 AM, expect to see performances at Porta from The Mutts, who will be covering CHIC + Diana Ross, Howlin Bill covering songs by Madonna, CharlieComeHome covering songs by Miley Cyrus, and more.
Pet Shop After Party | 193 Newark Avenue
A Pair of Tickets, who will be covering songs by Eddie Money, These Charming Men covering The Smiths, and more will be performing at the downstairs wine bar of Pet Shop from 9:30PM to 11:10PM.
See More: Montclair + Essex County Halloween Parties and Events Happening for 2024
Sip Studios After Party | 140 Sip Avenue
With just a five-minute walk from the Journal Square Path, bands such as Quality Living, who will perform covers by Coheed and Cambria and Skylar Pocket, covering songs by Sheryl Crow, will perform from 9:30PM to 11:10PM at Sip Studios.
To stay in the know on all of the local happenings, follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram and TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter here.
Cheech’s Bagels Opening in Downtown Jersey City This March
Jersey City residents never seem to get enough of their bagel cravings, and a new bagel shop is coming to fill the void this March. Cheech’s Bagels is a new bagel concept opening at 176 Erie Street in the Swift + Co. building — near Hamilton Park. The visionary owners behind Cheech’s Bagels are Gianluca Fernicola and John Ballan, lifelong friends and Jersey City residents who saw a need for more bagel options in the area. Read on to learn more about Cheech’s Bagels coming soon to Jersey City and the owners behind it.
The Announcement
Cheech’s Bagels announced via Instagram in January 2024 that it will be “coming soon” to 176 Erie Street in Jersey City. The announcement came on a particular day: National Bagel Day, January 15th. That same day, SILVERMAN Real Estate Group also announced on its Instagram that a lease was signed between Cheech’s Bagels and Swift + Co.
View this post on Instagram
The post on SILVERMAN’S Instagram read, “Crazy day in Jersey City. It’s National Bagel Day as you probably already know, and what did we do? We signed a lease with Cheech’s Bagels, for Swift & Co. Get ready to meet longtime friends and business partners Gianluca and John, and enjoy the best bagels and more. Opening in 2024 at 176 Erie Street, Jersey City. @cheechsbagels. Thanks to broker @joachim_horvitz and the SILVERMAN team including @vanessaimme and @stefanlyons.”
View this post on Instagram
Read More: Team Behind Elysian Cafe Opens New Wine Shop in Jersey City
On the next National Bagel Day — January 15th, 2025 — Cheech's Bagels took to Instagram to share the news that the new bagel spot will open this March. See the full post below.
View this post on Instagram
This post will be updated with any further details regarding Cheech's Bagels' arrival in downtown JC.
The Owner’s Bagel Journey
John Ballan and Gianluca Fernicola have been lifelong friends since high school and Jersey City residents for seven years. Though Jersey City has charm and vibrant culture, there was one thing John and Gianluca found lacking in town — an authentic breakfast spot that served bagels. The duo asked themselves, “In a lively city where hangovers are a promise and bread is nearly a right of passage, where the heck do we get breakfast?” Faced with limited bagel options in the area, they decided to make that change together.
John shared the inspiration behind the name. Cheech is named after John's late chihuahua with a “sassy attitude.” John and Cheech would spend countless mornings together exploring the city, browsing coffee shops, and getting breakfast — with bagels being a particular favorite.
Gianluca is a trained chef owning two well-established pizzeria locations throughout New Jersey — Hasbrouck Heights Pizza in Hasbrouck Heights and Parsippany's Best Pizza in Parsippany. His culinary journey, from growing up in the industry, attending culinary school, and gaining hands-on experience in the kitchens of some of New York’s finest restaurants, positions him to deliver his culinary expertise to Cheech’s Bagels.
Together, they dedicated hours to perfecting recipes, experimenting with ingredients, and infusing their love for bagels into their craft. Once perfected, Cheech’s Bagels was born and is coming soon to downtown Jersey City near Hamilton Park.
All About Cheech’s Bagels
Cheech’s Bagels will open at 176 Erie Street in downtown Jersey City. The plan is to combine the feel of a classic American diner with the lively spirit of a deli. The combination creates an atmosphere where customers can savor their bagels without the need to stand in long lines and instead unwind in a cozy booth.
The menu features a wide selection of bagels, coffee, and breakfast with the choice of specialty sandwiches, spreads, add-ons, and vegan options. Some of its special menu items include a Cheech’s Bagel made with sausage, egg, American cheese, and maple syrup on a griddled plain bagel; a carbonara bagel made with bacon, egg, pecorino cheese, and truffle oil on a garlic bagel; and the HashJam Bagel made with bacon, egg, cheese, and hashbrowns with homemade jam on a hand-rolled bagel.
See More: The Best Bagel Spots in the Montclair Area For Your AM Bagel Run
Cheech’s Bagels also welcomes vegan options that include a tofu scramble made with tofu and plant-based cheese on a hand-rolled bagel, and a challah bagel made with carrot lox, onions, tofu cream cheese, and dill on a plain bagel. Many of the ingredients will be sourced from local farms and food groups. Stay tuned on the company’s Instagram for the latest updates.
Follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok to stay in the know with all of the local news, sign up for our weekly newsletter here, and check out our events calendar.
