Wallisch Homestead Music Festival is today

The Friends of Wallisch Homestead will host the fifth annual Music Festival on Saturday, Sept. 30 to benefit ongoing preservation efforts at the homestead.

A couple of groups are back by popular demand and some new acts have been added.

“The gates open at 10, and we have changed it up a bit this year,” said John Hefferon, events coordinator for the group. “We will have craft vendors, a classic car exhibition and the Elks Club will be cooking for us again this year.

“We are also looking to test out a special area this year which we hope to become an ongoing staple.”

The festival opens with the Rock Underground, the music school in Greenwood Lake, N.Y., which will have two bands made up of students.

The rest of the schedule:

• 12:30 p.m.: Frementer Trio

• 2 p.m.: The Kootz

• 3:30 p.m.: Zeke Carey Band

• 5 p.m.: 3M Band

The event is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year, and the group is looking for local sponsors.

For information about vendor spots, the car exhibition or sponsorships, contact Hefferon at johnheff01@gmail.com

The Friends of Wallisch Homestead is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It has applied for grants and raised funds from the community for several major preservation projects in the past decade.

All of the main buildings have new roofs and upgraded electrical services. The buildings are more than 100 years old, with some dating to the early 1800s. The windmill also has been brought into working order.

John and Lou Wallisch left the property to West Milford. Their vision was to use the land for open space, recreation and education.