Rusty Strings to play at botanical garden

RINGWOOD — The New Jersey Botanical Gardens Summer Concert Series at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden in Ringwood continues on Friday, June 23 with the country-tinged sounds of Rusty Strings. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. If the weather is inclement, the concerts are moved indoors. All concerts begin at 7 p.m. A $2.50 per person donation is requested. The Rusty Strings are a 7-member country music band formed in the 1990’s. Based in Ringwood, New Jersey, they play a range of old and new country — including songs by artists such as Tammy Wynette, Tanya Tucker, Martina McBride, Sugarland, and many more. (They have also been known to throw in an original now and then.) Their love of country flows out of their songs, and their unpredictable mix makes them fun to see. In 1966, the State of New Jersey purchased the 1,117 acres of Skylands, a former country estate and the state’s first acquisition under the “Green Acres” preservation program. Governor Thomas Kean designated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor house as the State’s official Botanical Garden in 1984. Today, the NJ Botanical Garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission to the Garden is always free. There is a $5 per car parking charge on summer holidays and weekends (Saturdays and Sundays); weekday parking is free.