Radio Free Montclair

08/21/2026

Tonight the lawn belongs to Sierra Joy.

Uptown Sound Summer Stage. Friday, August 21. 6:30–8:30pm. St. James Church lawn, Upper Montclair. Free.
Sierra Joy is an indie-pop artist with a big voice and songs she wrote herself. She trained on stage long before she played a lawn.

The weather is doing its part. Sunny all day, high near 78. By 6:30 it should sit around 72 and cool gently through the set. Almost no chance of rain.

So bring a blanket. Pick up some food from the local restaurants. Bring the kids — they can roll down the grass while you listen.
Bring the neighbor you keep meaning to catch up with.
No tickets. No fuss. Two hours of live music under an open sky.

See you on the lawn.

P.S. Next Friday, August 28: Simon Cifuentes & Maria Escobar, a mother-and-son duo singing Latin favorites. Same lawn, same time.

Dan & Day's Burgers & Shakes | uptownsoundfest.org
Presented with assistance from Frederic's Fine Jewelers, Radio Free Montclair, and The Episcopal Church of St. James.

08/07/2026

A wet blanket, courtesy of Mother Nature.

Tonight's Uptown Sound Stage, RO STAFa, live, is CANCELLED. The storm rolling in gave us no choice. Safety first, always.

We're sorry. You made plans. We made plans. The rain didn't care.

Now for the good news: the stage doesn't stay dark for long. Next Friday, Mykesoul plays the Lawn at St. James Church. Same spot, same spirit — just one week later.

Stay dry. See you next Friday.

— Radio Free Montclair, Uptown Sound Stage and Dan & Day's Burgers & Shakes

07/31/2026

We need your help to keep Montclair's only radio station on the air.

We're a local nonprofit radio station. No network. No corporate backer. Just neighbors who are all volunteers running a station for neighbors.

This summer, we need to raise $5,000 to keep it that way.

Your support has already allowed local content creators and DJs to broadcast their shows on your local community radio station:

- The Montclair Pod - Local news and commentary
- Public Comment with James Cotter - local issues and politics
- DJ Ritters Desi Hour — the best of Bollywood music
- The Skinny Tie Radio Hour - punk, power pop, and new wave
- Marcel Simon - Great Black Music, Ancient to the Future
- Frankie Moloney - Montclair Bugle
- Mountie Radio — Montclair High student radio (new)
- Watchung Booksellers - the weekly podcast
- Lifelong Montclair - Where seniors share their stories
- Far From Home podcast - Scott Gurian - award-winning travel show

None of it is free. Streaming costs money.

Any amount helps — $10, $50, whatever you can spare is gratefully received.

Donate here: https://givebutter.com/radiofree-montclair-summer-fundraiser

Thank you for keeping Montclair's voices on the air.

Montclair Local Upper Montclair Business Association Susan Shin Andersen Renee Baskerville Aminah Toler DJ Prince Hakim Jazz House Kids Friends of Anderson Park Tierney's Tavern Ray Riga Karen Schloss Diaz Keller Williams
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"Join us for the summer fundraiser to support Radio Free Montclair! Help us raise funds to keep Montclair NJ's community radio station operating. Donate today and keep the airwaves alive!"

07/24/2026

Local radio still does what nothing else can: it makes a town feel like a town.

No algorithm decides what Montclair hears. No outside owner decides what Montclair's news covers. That's the job of one small, volunteer-run station: Radio Free Montclair

James Cotter breaks down local politics on Public Comment. The The Montclair Pod covers what's actually happening in town. Frankie Maloney spins on the Montclair Bugle. DJ Ritters brings you the Desi Hour Show. And at the high school, the students run their own show, Mountie Radio — learning to find their voice on a live mic.

Radio Free Montclair is a nonprofit, community-funded, and entirely community-run station. No corporate parent to bail us out. Just neighbors and listeners like you.

Our summer fundraiser is in full swing. Help us keep the station online

Please donate. Any amount keeps the lights on.

Donate here: https://givebutter.com/radiofree-montclair-summer-fundraiser

"Join us for the summer fundraiser to support Radio Free Montclair! Help us raise funds to keep Montclair NJ's community radio station operating. Donate today and keep the airwaves alive!"

07/22/2026

Radio Free Montclair needs your help.

We are the only station in town run entirely by volunteers who love this community. No corporate owners. No ad executives telling us what to play. Just neighbors, on air, for neighbors.

Keeping a radio station alive costs money — equipment, rent, licensing. Small amounts, given by many people, keep us on the air.

Give what you can. $10. $25. $100. Every dollar keeps local voices local.

Donate here: https://buff.ly/vO2FRdQ

Thank you for believing in community radio.

"Join us for the summer fundraiser to support Radio Free Montclair! Help us raise funds to keep Montclair NJ's community radio station operating. Donate today and keep the airwaves alive!"

07/22/2026

Radio Free Montclair's Scott Gurian is a journalist and former public radio producer whose reporting has taken him around the world. Ten years ago this month, he embarked upon one of the greatest journeys he's ever taken. On July 17, 2016, Scott, his brother, and some friends departed southern England on an 11,000 mi., 18 country road trip to Mongolia!

Over the next 52 days, they drove across Turkey six days after an attempted coup, experienced incredible hospitality from Iranians excited to share their culture and practice their English, camped out next to a giant pit of fire in Turkmenistan's Karakum Desert, navigated the rugged Pamir highway -- driving along cliff-hugging roads just across the river from Afghanistan, crashed a Kazakh wedding, and got stranded and ultimately rescued by the Mongolian National Emergency Management Agency! Plus there were more mechanical problems and breakdowns than they could count.

Scott documented the entire journey on the first season on his show Far From Home, and now -- to mark the 10-year anniversary of that trip -- we're re-airing his series in its entirety on Radio Free Montclair. Tune in every evening at 7pm this week and next to hear the first two episodes. You won't want to miss it!

07/21/2026

Have you heard our newest program on RRM? Lifelong Montclair On Air -- produced by Montclair Township’s Department of Senior Services -- is a safe space where seniors can be heard, find resources, and have fun! The first episode is currently airing at 9:30-10am every day.

Were you born around 1950 or earlier? Do you want to be part of future episodes of the radio show and share your life experiences while having fun doing it? If so, please contact Lisy Espindola to find out more: 973-509-4979.

07/14/2026

Congrats to our friends at The Montclair Pod for being featured in the Columbia Journalism Review! You can check out the show every weekday at 4 p.m. on Radio Free Montclair.