Annual Fall Festival Expected to Draw Hundreds

With Halloween quickly approaching, members of the community can continue to get in the fall spirit at the township's annual Fall Festival happening on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event held at Camp Jefferson is free to the public, with various activities going on throughout the day for all ages to enjoy.

Recreation Director Grace Rhinesmith said every year about 400 attend, both in and around the Jefferson community.

This year, Rhinesmith said, there are two special additions to the festival; a stilt walker who will be dressed in fall clothes, and a new petting zoo.

"I'm trying to add a little bit of different things to it," Rhinesmith said, "because I like to change it up a little."

Some of the activites brought back from previous years are daytime hayrides, pony rides, a fall coloring activity, pumpking decorating, and pumpkin picking.

In recreation hall there will be a magic show put on by Wisch-Craft Productions at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a live mammal show performance by Eyes of the Wild-Wallaby Tales at noon.

The Psycho 78's Roller Derby Team will also be having a demonstration at 2 p.m. in the lower parking lot. In that same area, DJ Earl Heller of Sound Solutions will be playing music throughout the day.

The activities don't stop there. The township police's community services unit will be giving safety demonstrations, and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service will have an informational table.

Rhinesmith said that this event is the busiest out of the five that the department puts on each year because of all of the different activities going on.

"There's a lot to do," she said. "We get a lot of different groups that volunteer."

Rhinesmith said the volunteers working with her—including over a dozen kids from the Jefferson Township Middle School Red Cross Club and Student Council and several adults—make this event possible.

Although the event is free, there will be refreshments available to purchase throughout the day. All of the proceeds will go to "Operation Camp Jefferson," a scholarship fund that goes to families in need to send their kids to summer camp.

Rhinesmith said she is crossing her fingers for nice weather on Saturday for another successful Fall Festival.

"If we get a nice fall day, I'm just looking forward to seeing everyone," she said. "It's just a nice day out for people, it's a lot of fun for kids."

Shuttle services will be provided by the Township’s Dial-A-Ride van and the Camp Jefferson Blue Bus to and from off-site locations.

For more information about the event, visit Jefferson Township's website.