MEDIEVAL FEST 2025 Joins Montclair’s List of Great Festivals
This week on Lost in Jersey, Dana Hawkins-Simons joined us to share all the details about Montclair’s MEDIEVAL FEST presented by Montclair Early Music. The festival is the newest addition to the town’s impressive lineup of cultural celebrations. From the Film Festival to Jazz, Pride, and now Medieval, Montclair has become a destination for events that bring the community together in unforgettable ways.
If you’re here for the family fun MEDIEVAL FEST scoop, tune into our video episode to hear Dana walk us through what makes this day so special: costumes, knights, hurdy-gurdies, live music, delicious food, and family fun. It’s more than just an event. It’s a chance to step back in time and experience history, music, and community colliding on the lawn of the Montclair Art Museum.
Mark your calendar for Sunday, August 24th, from 11 am to 5 pm, and get your costumes ready for this one-of-a-kind end-of-summer family fun New Jersey Medieval Fest!
Beyond the Festival: Dana’s Story of Journalism, Health, and Music
Dana’s story doesn’t start there. In our extended audio-only interview, she takes us on a journey that’s anything but ordinary, from her roots in rural Kansas to adventures around the globe. A celebrated journalist, singer, and tireless advocate, Dana’s story is equal parts grit, globe-trotting, and groove.
We talk about her career in international journalism, including the Barcelona Olympics, and her battle with Pernicious Anemia. A serious autoimmune condition that prevents the body from absorbing vitamin B12. Though B12 is essential for red blood cells, the nervous system, and overall health, the condition remains widely misunderstood and often misdiagnosed in the United States. Dana shares how years of searching for answers eventually led to her Wall Street Journal article that turned her into a voice for patients everywhere. And of course, we dive into her passion for music, from belting the blues to her role with Montclair Early Music.
