Willie Nelson moves Fourth of July Picnic to NJ
It seems Willie Nelson will be “One Step Beyond” Austin for the Fourth of July in 2024. The Texas singer’s annual Fourth of July Picnic will not be held in Austin this year, Nelson announced Tuesday on his official Instagram account. Instead, he’ll be joined by Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and others in Camden, New Jersey, for an Independence Day celebration. Nelson hosted his first Fourth of July Picnic in 1973 in Dripping Springs. In 2023, he performed at Q2 Stadium alongside Tyler Childers, Dwight Yoakam, Shaky Graves and other Texas-friendly musicians.
Who’s performing at the 4th of July Picnic?
The lineup for the New Jersey version of Nelson’s Fourth of July concert includes Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Maren Morris, Mavis Staples and Celisse.
Where is Camden, New Jersey?
The post on Nelson’s Instagram account suggests the picnic is being moved to honor the birthplace of America – Philadelphia – but it’s actually being held in a different city (and state) altogether.
Camden, New Jersey, is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, technically, and it’s only about a 12-minute drive across the Delaware River.
Online reactions to Nelson’s news
Immediate reactions to news of the move on Nelson’s Instagram post were mixed, with some excited and others dismayed.
“*Crying in Texan*” one user wrote, while another said, “Not Austin? How rude” with a crying emoji next to it.
“Had no idea Camden, New Jersey, was a birthplace of America,” another quipped.
Other users were quick to praise the move, showing their satisfaction with a slew of fire, heart and thumbs-up emojis. Safe to say those people mostly are not Texans.