A free day of music, art, history, literature, and more, is coming back to a Warren County park this June, Freeholder Director Jason J. Sarnoski announced at the Feb. 13, 2019 meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The 3rd Annual ParkFest @ Bread Lock Park, presented by several county government organizations and volunteer groups, will be held on June 8, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the park in the county’s Morris Canal Greenway, located along Route 57 in the New Village area of Franklin Township.
“We look forward to once again inviting people to ‘a day in the park’ and helping them discover this historic and recreational gem,” Sarnoski said.
The nonprofit Warren County Parks Foundation and the Warren County Morris Canal Committee, part of the county Planning Department, are teaming up to host the event. Also supporting ParkFest @ Bread Lock Park are the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders and other county government entities including the Department of Land Preservation, the Public Information Department and the Explore Warren County Tourism Partnership.
“It is an exceptional example of a successful partnership between county government and the local nonprofit community for the benefit of local residents,” said Warren County Parks Foundation Chairman David Lacouture.
ParkFest will once again feature an art show by local artists, a classic car show, exhibits by history and heritage groups, and “Authors Alley” where attendees can meet published authors on hand to discuss their work, which includes a variety of fiction, non-fiction and children's books.
Musical entertainment on the ParkFest stage – built into the side of a barn with open air seating – will be a series of acoustic acts, soloists and small combos. The ParkFest planning committee has opened an audition process for musicians who are interested in entertaining during the festival.
The Warren County History Museum at Bread Lock Park will be open during the festival. The museum features artifacts, displays, and working models on aspects of the county's rich history, highlighting the area’s earliest Lenni Lenape inhabitants, the Colonial period and the birth of the iron industry in the colonies, the Morris Canal, Thomas A. Edison's nearby cement industry and the first "concrete mile" of roadway in New Jersey, and much more.
The park is located at the remains of Morris Canal Lock No. 7 West, which gained a reputation as the “Bread Lock” during the canal era when the lock tender's wife baked and sold fresh bread to the passing canal boats. In addition to the museum, the park includes a life-sized model of a canal boat and walking paths, including a 2.5-mile section of the Morris Canal Greenway Trail to Stewartsville that was dedicated during last year’s ParkFest.
ParkFest also will feature participation from the Warren County Library system, activities and entertainment for kids, community organizations as informational exhibitors, the showing of several historical films, and select food vendors.
ParkFest @ Bread Lock Park is free, open to all, and reasonably accessible to persons with disabilities. A $1 per car parking donation is requested to support local organizations.
Located along the eastbound lane of Route 57, Bread Lock Park is adjacent to OK Auto, 4WD & Tire, and the address is 2627 New Jersey 57, Stewartsville, NJ 08886.
Details about ParkFest are found at www.ExploreWarren.org and on the Facebook event page 3rd Annual ParkFest at Bread Lock Park.
For more information about ParkFest, or to become an exhibiting artist, author, participant in the classic car show, or one of the musical entertainers, send an email to morriscanal@co.warren.nj.us or call 908-475-6539.
Download the application for musicians (due by March 15) or the application for all other exhibitors by clicking those links, and email your completed applications to morriscanal@co.warren.nj.us.
