NEWARK, NJ — If you're an Essex County resident seeking to make a list of "must-do" things to experience in the area, one of your first conversations should be with Newark's "Glambassador," Lauren Craig.

Craig, a writer, marketer, former attorney, media personality and event host in Newark, is the author of "100 Things to Do in Newark Before You Die," the latest in the Reedy Press "100 Things to Do Before You Die" series. And she's just dying to "change the narrative" about Newark.

"I am so excited to be able to shine a light on the beauty, culture, and warmth that is Newark," Craig recently told Patch. "This city is the hidden jewel of the East Coast." Here's the cool thing… many of the best events and attractions in Newark are completely free. Craig shared a few of the best free things to do in the city, taken from the pages of 100 Things to Do in Newark Before You Die.

Learn more about the book here, and meet the author at a book launch party sponsored by the City of Newark, Newark Happening, Newark Arts and Reedy Press, on Tuesday, Aug. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street. Don't forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page here.

FREE THINGS TO DO IN NEWARK

Celebrate #FestivalSeason at Lincoln Park Music Festival - Each July, this free three-day festival attracts more than fifty thousand visitors and showcases the hottest hip hop, house, jazz, and gospel music by Grammy award–winning acts and emerging local talent.

- Each July, this free three-day festival attracts more than fifty thousand visitors and showcases the hottest hip hop, house, jazz, and gospel music by Grammy award–winning acts and emerging local talent. Kick off the Summer Season at Sounds of the City - NJPAC's free signature outdoor concert series is the place to mix and mingle with friends on summer Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. while enjoying live music under the stars.

- NJPAC's free signature outdoor concert series is the place to mix and mingle with friends on summer Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. while enjoying live music under the stars. Drive Along the Longest Mural on the East Coast - Go for a drive down McCarter Highway, and revel in the colorful splendor of the second-longest mural in America, Gateways to Newark, which features fifteen distinct works by eighteen acclaimed artists.

- Go for a drive down McCarter Highway, and revel in the colorful splendor of the second-longest mural in America, Gateways to Newark, which features fifteen distinct works by eighteen acclaimed artists. Feel the Breeze at Newark's Riverfront - Catch a sweet river breeze at Riverfront Park, a world-class recreational green space that features more than fifteen acres of free fun, including a walking and biking trail, sports fields and courts, a boardwalk, floating boat dock, and playgrounds.

- Catch a sweet river breeze at Riverfront Park, a world-class recreational green space that features more than fifteen acres of free fun, including a walking and biking trail, sports fields and courts, a boardwalk, floating boat dock, and playgrounds. Go on an Epic Adventure with This Interactive Walking Tour of Newark - Download the free Newark Walks app, a fun and interactive quiz game that guides you on a walking tour while exploring eighty-three points of historical interest in the city.

- Download the free Newark Walks app, a fun and interactive quiz game that guides you on a walking tour while exploring eighty-three points of historical interest in the city. Experience the Best of Newark Arts during Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival - For four days every October, Newark's bustling arts scene explodes with an amazing array of free exhibits, performances, talks and tours at venues and galleries all over the city.