West Orange Annual Street Fair & Edison Day Celebration

West Orange Hosts Annual Street Fair and Downtown Festival Celebrates ‘Edison Day’ and New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary with Family Entertainment, Arts & Crafts, Food Vendors

On June 7th the Township of West Orange will host its annual Downtown Street Fair. It is the first time that the Downtown West Orange Alliance, which runs the festival, is partnering with the Thomas Edison National Historical Park (NHP), the West Orange Public Relations Commission and the West Orange Chamber of Commerce in what will be the largest event in town this year. The street fair will celebrate ‘Edison Day,’ an annual event put on by the National Park Service, and New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary. It will be held in West Orange in front of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, 211 Main Street, from 11 AM-7 PM.

The centerpiece of this community event is the Township’s annual Downtown Street Fair. Drawing thousands of people from all over the state, the street fair features more than 75 artists, crafters and vendors. Food and beverage will be sold and for the first time a Beer Garden has been added to the event.

New Jersey has chosen Thomas Edison NHP to highlight the theme of “Innovation” for the NJ350 Anniversary event. Thomas Edison NHP preserves Edison's laboratory and residence, Glenmont, in Llewellyn Park in West Orange. For more than 40 years, the laboratory has had a major impact on the lives of people worldwide. There will be special Edison memorabilia that is brought out to be on display only once each year during Edison Day. Township Historian Joe Fagan will also display West Orange memorabilia from a special private collection not found anywhere else in the nation.

The historic site has planned a full day of free activities for the event, some of which include:

Hands-On Chemistry Activities
Junior Ranger Tent
Animated Highlights from the Black Maria, where movies were first invented.
Dream Rocket Children’s Art Project
Meet the Ranger
Electric Vehicle Car Show

The day will also include the West Orange Town Picnic, when all of the departments that run the Township will be on-hand to answer questions about the town to residents, visitors and prospective homeowners. There will be giveaways and a raffle contest for free overnight stays at local hotels and free dinner gift certificates to area restaurants.

The picnic will feature entertainment throughout the day. Performances include bands and solo acts, cabaret and Broadway performances, comedians, a dance troupe, jazz musicians and much more.

Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs. There will also be a tented area with tables and chairs where people can eat and enjoy the entertainment.

The New Jersey Hall of Fame Mobile Museum will offer images, artifacts, films and interactive elements for visitors to explore the ways that New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees have changed the state and the world. Admission is free.

Another great feature, ‘Touch a Truck,’ will be on site for kids’ entertainment. Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and large vehicles of every description will be available for children to sit in and climb on. Drivers and operators, will be on hand to explain how these automobiles work and what purpose they serve in the community.

There will be plenty of parking and shuttles to take visitors to the fair.

“This is the biggest event of the year in West Orange and we’ve brought every major Township organization together to provide the most exciting and entertaining day. There will be something for everyone.” said Downtown West Orange Executive Director and fair organizer Megan Brill.

For more information about the street fair, please call Megan Brill at 973-325-4109. To fill out a vendor application please visit www.westorange.org/streetfair

Download vendor application here:
http://westorange.org/DocumentCenter/View/1410