Throwing a net around town...

October 10th and 11th are going to be a very big deal in our small village of Allentown, NJ! This is when our whole town will get together and close down the Main Street to celebrate the historic and unique place we call home. From 9am till 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday, join us for everything from food and crafts to ROBOTS and a petting zoo!

Don’t miss the Antique Car Show which will be located behind the Methodist Church on Church Street- And while you are there, consider taking a Horse & Carriage ride, which runs both days from noon to 3pm, from the carriage stop behind the Methodist Church, and goes through Heritage Park and back for $5 a person.

Another don’t miss, especially if you have kids, is the 4H Petting Zoo and the Pony rides behind the Mill on Main Street. And if you fancy dogs, as I do, be sure to check out the NJ Dept of Corrections SOP or Special Operations Group Tactical & Canine Units. Debbie Personette, owner of Bloomers and Things, told me that these specially trained German Sheppards are used for sniffing bombs, drugs etc. Demos run noon to 1pm both days. Debbie was also very excited about the 8 live bands she booked for your musical pleasure. One of the bands, Corner View, is made up of students from Allentown High School. They will be playing from 3:30-5pm on Saturday, at The Mill. I’ll definitely be there checking them out for an article next month.

Something for everyone, right? Wait, there’s more- Don’t miss the award winning Allentown High School Redbird Robotics Team who will be located on Lakeview Drive by the “Jump Around”. Yes, this is the team who won first place at last years NY Regional and went to the National Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Students will be on hand to answer questions and have even planned a special game for the Harvest Fest. Kids and adults can drive a student engineered and built robot to push around “food boxes” into collection areas and for each successful mission, AHS Redbird Robotics team will donate non-perishable food item to the Food Pantry.

Okay, for you sports fans- Don’t be disappointed that the Yankees are off on Saturday night, Allentown is hosting a Nostalgic Baseball Game on Saturday at 2:15pm. I saw this last year and it was really cool. I enjoyed seeing the old-style uniforms and hearing about the history of the game.

Of course, the Civil War Encampment, at Heritage Park, is always a highlight of the Harvest Fest and members are planning to hold a re-enactment battle at Heritage park on 1:30pm on Sunday, with additional drills performed throughout the weekend.

Come out this weekend and breathe in the fresh, crisp Autumn air and support your local shops and crafters. Plan not to cook this weekend and eat at the Fest! There is so much to see and do, thank goodness the kids are off from school on Monday to do their homework… Do I hear moaning?