Culture&Heritage Volume 2 Number 2 Spring 2016 News Update
& FOOD TRUCK RALLY brian m. hughes, County Executive & The BoaRD of CHosen Freeholders This festival is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts /Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission also receives general operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission/ New Jersey Department of State. -2-
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Calendar of Events1 Art Happenings April 2, The Salon,Gallery 353, 4pm, 353 Nassau St., Princeton, (803)334-8838. Open house to discuss art, literature, music, and more. For more information visit gallery353.com (W) Concerts April 2, Capital Philharmonic Orchestra chamber players and Gabriela Imreh on piano, 8 pm. Patriots Theater, War Memorial, Trenton, (609)558-2292. For more information visit capitalphilharmonic.org April 2, Westminster Schola Cantorum, Westminster Choir College, Rider University, 8pm. Bristol Chapel, Princeton, (609)921-2663. For more information visit rider.edu April 8, Carmen with Boheme Opera NJ, Trenton Children's Chorus, 8pm, Kendall Main Stage Theater, The College of New Jersey. For more information visit trentonchildrenschorus.org April 10, Carmen with Boheme Opera NJ, Trenton Children's Chorus, 3pm, Kendall Main Stage Theater, The College of New Jersey. For more information visit trentonchildrenschorus.org April 14, Julien Labro, Accordion/Bandoneon/Accordina, Princeton University Concerts, 6 & 9pm, Richardson Auditorium, (609)258-9220. Tickets: $25. $10 Students. For more information visit princetonuniversityconcerts.org April 17, Small Ensemble Spring Concert, Youth Orchestra of Central New Jersey, 3pm. Plainsboro Recreation and Cultural Center. This performance features our choirs such as the Flute Choir, Woodwind Choir, Brass Choir, Brass Ensemble, and Saxophone Ensemble. For more information visit yocj.org April 24, It s All Jazz: From Bop to Pop, The Darla Rich Quartet, 3pm. 1867 Sanctuary at Ewing, 101 Scotch Rd, Ewing (609)392-6409. For more information visit 1867 sanctuary. org April 30, The Music of Three Faiths: A Benefit Concert for Refugees, 7pm, Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, 2688 Main St, Lawrenceville. Musical Bands: Wind of Anatolia, the Klezmer Band, and the bluegrass quintet, will perform to bring together people of many cultures and raise funds for The International Rescue Committee (IRC). $20 adults, $10 children, 12 and under free. For more information visit pclawrenceville.org/threefaithsconcert. May 6, Fauré Requiem, Voices Chorale, 8pm. St Paul Roman Catholic Church, 214 Nassau St., Princeton. For more information visit voiceschorale.org May 13, Spring Concert, Trenton Children s Chorus, 7pm, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Trenton. For more information visit trentonchildrenschorus.org May 13, An Air of Spring, The Hopewell Valley Chorus, 7:30pm, St. James Church, 115 East Delaware Ave, Pennington. hopewellvalleychorus.org May 15, 'Passion and Affection', Princeton Symphony Orchestra, 4pm, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, (609)497-0020. For more information visit princetonsymphony.org May 15, Spring Concert - Choral Gems, Capital Singers of Trenton,4pm. Sacred Heart Church, 343 So. Broad Street, Trenton. capitalsingers.org May 15, Spring Concert, The Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra, 7pm. Church of Christ, 33 River Rd, Princeton. For more information vi sit gpyo.org (W) May 22, American Voices, Princeton Pro Musica, 7pm. Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, (609)683-5122. $25 to $60. princetonpromusica.org May 22, Spring Concerts at West Windsor-Plainsboro High North, Youth Orchestra of Central New Jersey, 3pm & 7pm. 90 Grovers Mill Rd, Plainsboro. The 3pm features the String Prep. Orchestra, the Pro Arte Orchestra, and the Wind Symphony. 7pm features the Percussion Ensembles, the Saxophone Choir, the Symphonic Orchestra, and the Senior Concerto winner. For more information visit yocj.org (W) June 4, Senior Spring Concert, The Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra, 7pm. Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University, Princeton. For more information visit gpyo.org June 12, Spring Concert, Hopewell Valley Youth Chorale, 4pm. Pennington Presbyterian Church, 13 S. Main St., Pennington. For more information visit hvychorale.org June 23, Aizuri String Quartet, Princeton Summer Chamber Concerts, Richardson Auditorium, 7:30pm. Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, Princeton University. Free. For more information visit pprincetonsummerchamberconcerts.org June 28, Prima Trio, Princeton Summer Chamber Concerts, Richardson Auditorium, 7:30pm. Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, Princeton University. Free. For more information visit pprincetonsummerchamberconcerts.org Dance Every Wednesday, Newcomer Dance, American Ballroom, 7:30pm, 1523 Parkway Ave, Ewing. $10. (609) 931-0149. For more information visit americanballroomco.com Every Friday, Friday Night Social, American Ballroom, 7:30pm, 1523 Parkway Ave Ewing. $15. For more information visit americanballroomco.com Every Wednesday, Princeton Country Daners, Suzanne Patterson Center, 8pm, 1 Monument Dr., Princeton. For more information visit princetoncountrydancers.org Every Saturday, English Dances, Princeton Country Daners, Suzanne Patterson Center, 8pm, 1 Monument Dr., Princeton. princetoncountrydancers.org Every Thursday, Argentine Tango, Viva Tango, 8pm, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton St, Princeton, $15. vivatango.org Exhibits Now - April 10, The Seasons, Rider University Art Gallery. Bart Luedeke Center. For more information visit rider.edu Now April 10, Deborah Rosenthal - Abstract Painting, Rider University Art Gallery. For more information visit rider. edu Now - April 24, Image Tech: Making Pictures in a Post-Digital Age, The College of New Jersey Art Gallery. For more information visit tcnjartgallery. tcnj.edu (W) Now April 30, Breath of Fire Ceramics Invitational, Trenton City Museum. Ellarslie in Cadwalader Park. Mythic faces, expressive torsos, flasks and urns, a unique chess set, abstract kimono sculptures, and paintings made of clay are a few of the up-to-the minute ceramic sculptures featured in the exhibit. For more information visit ellarslie.org Now May 1, Landscapes, Nassau Club, 6 Mercer St, Princeton, (609) 924-0580. Opening reception April 3 for 'Landscapes ' an exhibit of works by Hopewell artist Ken McIndoe. nassauclub.org Now - May 6, 'Phyllis Plattner: Chronicles of War,' Bernstein Gallery, Robertson Hall, Princeton University, 9am - 6 pm. (609)497-2441. Exhibit features iconic images reconfigured into multiple panel paintings (W) Now - September 24, Silver, Shell, and Glass: A History of Native American Beadwork, New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State Street St 1, Trenton. This exhibition showcases an array of finely worked Native American objects from the late 19th and early 20th century that are part of the NJSM permanent collection. It examines the way beads were made, used, and have changed over 1. Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission cannot be responsible for errors or omissions. Please call ahead to confirm times and prices. Deadline of May 15, 2016 for the July, August and September 2016 Newsletter. - 4 -
time. It also compares the ways Native peoples used symbols, colors and patterns. Admission: Suggested admission $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, children 12 and under free. For more information visit state. nj.us/state/museum April 11 June 30, Beyond the Stampede, Hopewell Valley Arts Council. Stampede Artist Show at Capital Health s Investors Bank Art and Healing Gallery, Capital Health Medical Center Hopewell. For more information visit hvartscouncil.org (W) April 22 September 4, Rooted: The Performance Salon, Tulpehaking Nature Center. 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton, 609-303-0704. Trees and their relation to plant, animal, and human life will be celebrated as the organizing theme for this show. For more information visit mercercountyparks.org. May 1 September 18, Ayami Aoyama: Silence, Grounds for Sculpture. Featuring recent works by this NJ based artist, Ayami Aoyama: Silence, also includes new works that are being exhibited for the first time. groundsforsculpture.org (W) May 1 September 18,, Nikki Rosato: Inbound, Grounds for Sculpture. Rosato will fill this room with her figurative works cut from road maps. Rosato cuts away all the land masses from the maps, leaving linear forms created from the leftover roads and waterways. The lines of the map are a metaphor for personal journey. For more information visit groundsforsculpture.org (W) May 1 September 18, Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture, Grounds for Sculpture. This exhibition will feature more than 100 works by Boaz Vaadia, spanning his early work in the 1970s as a young artist newly arriving in New York to recent work created in the past decade in his Williamsburg Brooklyn studio. groundsforsculpture.org (W) May 7 July 10, Women, Art & Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise, Princeton University Art Museum. For more information visit artmuseum.princeton.edu (W) June 25 September 15, Wall Worthy: A Juried Exhibit of Mixed Media Artwork, Lakefront Gallery, RWJ University Hospital, 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton, (732)422-3676, rwjhamilton.org Fairs & Festivals April 2 3, Punk Rock Flea Market, Roebling Machine Shop, 10am to 5pm. 675 S. Clinton Ave Trenton, (609)394-9436. $5. For more information visit trentonpunkrockfleamarket.com April 17, Communiversity, Arts Council of Princeton, 1pm. Nassau St, downtown Princeton. artscouncilofprinceton.org May 1, Diversity & Culture Day, 12 4pm, Lawrence High School Commons, 2525 Princeton Pike. Join us to celebrate culture, ethnicity and community. Free to the public. Keynote speaker Dr. Jianping Wang, President Mercer County Community College. May 6 8, Morven in May: A Celebration of Art, Craft and Garden, Morven Museum's Great Lawn, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. For more information visit morven.org May 7, Mother Nature Festival, Lawrence Nature Center At the Rink House, 11-4pm, 481 Drexelo Ave, Lawerenceville. Rain or shine Free admission. Wildlife show by the Philadelphia Zoo Life of Sharks Solarman Monarch butterflies and milkweed hands on actives for kids music by amy and more! May 7, Show & Competition, New Jersey State Button Society, 9am. Union Fire Company fire hall, 1396 River Road, Titusville. Diamond Anniversary Celebration. Admission: $2. http://newjerseystatebuttonsociety.org June 18, Mercer County Cultural Festival, Mercer County Park, 11am to 7pm. Rain or Shine. Free admission & parking. us on facebook at Mercer County Cultural & Hereitage Comission or call 609-278-2712. June 18-19, Art All Night,Historic Roebling Machine Shop, 675 South Clinton Ave., Trenton, 609-635-6736. Free. For more information visit artallnighttrenton.org June 25, Mercer County Freedom Fest, Mercer County Park, West Windsor, 3pm. This festival features a wide range of activities for the entire family. You ll find a car show, inflatables for the kids, tethered hot air balloon rides, local food vendors, live entertainment, local crafts, laser tag, a beer and wine garden, hot dog and pie eating contests, weiner dog races and more. Fireworks at 9:30pm. For More info mercercountyparks.org Farmers Markets April 9, Winter Market, Summer Market Starting Every Saturday May 7, West Windsor Farmers' Market, Windsor Athletic Club, 10am, Clarksville Rd, West Windsor. For more information visit westwindsorfarmersmarket.org Film Cinema Thursdays, Trenton Social Bar, 8pm, 449 S. Broad St, Trenton, (609) 989-7777 Every Thursday. For more information visit facebook.com/ cimemathursday April 1, Screening of 'Brooklyn, Princeton Public Library, 6:30pm, 65 Witherspoon St, (609) 924-8822. For more info visit princetonlibrary.org April 1-3. Trenton Film Festival, Trenton Film Society, 8pm, Mill Hill Playhouse, Trenton, (609) 331-9599. For more information visit trentonfilmsociety.org Garden Tour June 11, Garden Tour, Mill Hill Society, Mill Hill District, Trenton, 12pm -5pm. Tours of one of Trenton's oldest neighborhoods. $15. Tour starts at Artworks, 19 Everett Alley, Trenton. trentonmillhill.org Good Causes June 21, ETS Annual Firecracker 5K, Princeton YMCA. Money raised benefits education. ETS Campus Rosedale Rd, Princeton. ywcaprinceton.org Historic Activities Every Third Tuesday of each month, Stamp Collecting, Hamilton Philatelic Society, 7:15pm, Hamilton Library, Justice Samuel Alito Way, Hamilton, (609) 751-4642. For more information hamiltonphilatelic.org (W) April 2-3, For King and Colony: French and Indian War, Old Barracks Museum, Barrack Street, Trenton, (609)396-1776.10 am, Journey back to 1760, just before the American Revolution. Experience life after a long winter as troops are preparing to move back into battle. $8. For more information visit barracks.org April 6, 'Grand Forage 1778: The Revolutionary War's Forgotten Campaign' by Todd Braisted, Old Barracks Museum, 6:30pm. Barrack St, Trenton, (609)396-1776. Register. Free. barracks.org April 12, Lecture Series, 'Wives, Slaves, and Servant Girls' by Don Hagist, Old Barracks Museum, 6:30pm. Barrack St, Trenton, (609)396-1776. Register. Free. For more information visit barracks.org April 12, Fighting And Fulfilling The American Revolution Series, David Library, 7:30pm, 1201 River Rd, Washington Crossing, Pa. For more information visit dlar.org April 16, Lecture Series, 'Proud Heritage: African American History in the Sourlands and Hopewell Valley' presented by Beverly Mills and Elaine Buck, 1719 William Trent House, 1pm, 15 Market St, Trenton.$10.For more information visit williamtrenthouse.org April 23, Lecture Series, After Yorktown: The Final Struggle for American Independence by Don Glickstein, Old Barracks Museum, 4pm. Barrack St, Trenton, (609)396-1776. For more information visit barracks.org May 14, Lecture Series, 'John Hart: Portrait of a Patriot' by David Hart, 1719 William Trent House, 1pm. 15 Market St, Trenton. $10. For more information visit williamtrenthouse.org Howell Farm April 9, Spring Beekeeping, Howell Living History Farm, 11am. 70 Woodens Ln, Lambertville, 609-737-3299. For more visit howellfarm.org April 21, Life in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War, Howell Living History Farm, 7:30pm. Presented by Larry Kidder. For more information visit howellfarm.org May 28, Haying & Hayrides, Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln, 11am. Lambertville, 609-737-3299. For more information visit howellfarm.org June 4, Hog Weighing, Howell Living History Farm, 11am. 70 Woodens Ln, Lambertville, 609-737-3299. For more information visit howellfarm.org - 5 -
June 25, Ice Cream Party/ Wheat Harvest, Howell Living History Farm. Featured activities include music, wagon rides, games and contests, a children s craft program and lots of ice cream. For more information visit howellfarm.org Literature April 18, May 6, & June 20, Delaware Valley Poets, Poets at the Library, Princeton Public Library, room 3, 7:30pm. For more information visit delawarevalleypoets.org Photography April 10, Adobe Lightroom For Photographers, Princeton Photo Workshop, 12:30pm, Princeton Theological Seminary, 20 Library Place, Princeton, 609-921-3519. With instructor Alan Kesselhaut. $169. For more information visit princetondigitalphotoworkshop.com April 16, Getting To Know Your Digital SLR Camera, Princeton Photo Workshop, 1pm, Princeton Theological Seminary, 20 Library Pl, Princeton, (609)921-3519. With instructor Frank Veronsky. $59. For more information visit princetondigitalphotoworkshop.com June 11, Advanced Color for Digital Photographers, 9am, Princeton Theological Seminary, 20 Library Pl, Princeton, (609) 921-3519. With instructor Richard Sherman. $169. For more information visit princetondigitalphotoworkshop.com Tulpehaking Apr 9, Walk at Point Breeze, home of Joseph Bonaparte, 1-3pm. Leader: Dr. Richard Veit, archaeologist, Monmouth University. Contact /information 732-821-8310. Meet at Divine Word Missionaries, 101 Park St, Bordentown. Cosponsors with Friends: Bordentown City Environmental Commission, D&R Greenway Land Trust. Apr 10, Bow Hill Mansion Ukranian American Cultural Center, 2:30-4pm, 477 Jeremiah Ave., Hamilton. Guide: Roman Kuzyk. Built in 1790 Bow Hill Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and home of Annette Savage, Joseph Bonaparte s mistress. Tour at 2:45; Reading at 3:15 pm from an original novella, The Rooms, by writer, playwright, and U.S. 1 arts editor Dan Aubrey. The work is based on the life of Annette Savage, Joseph Bonaparte s mistress, and her time in the rooms of Bow Hill Mansion. For more information call 732-821-8310. April 16, Rain Barrel Workshop, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 1pm. 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton, (609) 303-0704.Build your own barrel. Bring a car large enough to take it home. Register. $5 per person plus $40 material fee for a barrel., For more information visit mercercountyparks.org (W) May 1, Rooted: The Performance Salon. Join us for an afternoon of short stories, poems and song! This winter, we challenged writers and musicians to compose creative works about trees, inspired by questions from you, our visitors. Enjoy the fruits of their labor in this celebration of Arbor Day, community, and the creative spirit! For more information visit mercercountyparks.org (W) Theatre Kelsey Theatre A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fridays, Apr. 1 & 8, at 8pm; Saturdays, Apr. 2 & 9 at 8pm; Sundays, Apr. 3 & 10 at 2pm. Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Rd, West Windsor, Musical. $20. For more information visit kelseyatmccc. org Mary Poppins, Fridays, Apr. 22 & 29, at 8pm; Saturdays, Apr. 16, 23 & 30 at 2pm & 8pm; Sundays, Apr. 17, 24 & May 1 at 2pm; Daytime Show for Groups Fri. Apr. 22 at 10am. Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Rd, West Windsor. $20. kelseyatmccc.org City of Angels, Fridays, May 6 & 13, at 8pm; Saturdays, May 7 & 14 at 8pm; Sundays, May 8 & 15 at 2pm.Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Rd, West Windsor, Musical. $20. For more information visit kelseyatmccc.org Dancer Diaries, Saturday, May 21, at 8pm; Sunday, May 22 at 2pm. Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Rd, West Windsor, Musical. $20. For more information visit kelseyatmccc.org Hamlet, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Fridays, Jun. 3 & 10, at 8pm; Saturdays, Jun. 4 & 11at 8pm; Sundays, Jun. 5 & 12 at 2pm. Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Rd, West Windsor, $20. For more info visit kelseyatmccc.org - 6 - Bonnie & Clyde - The Musical, Fridays, Jun. 17 & 24, at 8pm; Saturdays, Jun. 18 & 25 at 8pm;Sundays, Jun. 19 & 26 at 2pm. Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Rd, West Windsor, Musical. $20. For more information visit kelseyatmccc. org McCarter Theatre April 1, Mnozil Brass, McCarter Theater, 8pm. 91 University Place, Princeton, 609-258-2787. 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' Features a septet from Vienna. $25 to $50. For more information visit mccarter.org April 6, David Sedaris, Mc- Carter Theater, 7:30pm. 91 University Place, Princeton, 609-258-278. Author of 'Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,' 'Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary,' and 'Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls.' For more information visit mccarter.org May 20, Art Garfunkel, McCarter Theater, 8pm. 91 University Place, Princeton, 609-258- 2787. For more information visit mccarter.org Open Aire Theatre Monty Python's Spamalot, May 20, 21 & 22, at 7:30 pm; May 27, 28 & 29, at 7:30 pm; June 3, 4 & 5, at 7:30 pm. Washington Crossing State Park located at 355 Washington, Crossing-Pennington Road in Titusville. For tickets or more information visit dpacatoat.com From Stage to Screen, June 10, 11 & 12, at 7:30 pm. Washington Crossing State Park located at 355 Washington, Crossing-Pennington Road in Titusville. For tickets or more information visit dpacatoat. com Little Women, June 17, 18 & 19, at 7:30 pm;june 24, 25 & 26, at 7:30 pm. Washington Crossing State Park located at 355 Washington, Crossing-Pennington Road in Titusville. For tickets or more information visit dpacatoat.com Passage Theatre May 5 May 22, White Guy on the Bus, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 3pm. 205 East Front Street, Trenton. Tickets $30. For more information visit passagetheatre.org Princeton Univ. Players April 7 9 & April 14 16, Dogfight!, Princeton University Players, 8pm. The Class of 1970 Theater in Whitman College, Princeton. 609-258-3000. Opportunities Call For Artists The Center for Women in the Arts & Humanities, Rutgers University New Brunswick, invites all women artists to submit artwork for possible inclusion in a group exhibition titled, Living in the Shadows: Underground the Immigrant Communities. The entry deadline is April 8, 2016. For more information visit cwah.rutgers.edu/ home/ Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman s Congressional Arts Competition. Deadline: April 15. For more information visit watsoncoleman.house. gov/services/art-competition Open Call For Artists, A Juried Exhibit of Mixed Media Artwork, will take place at the Lakefront Gallery, Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Hamilton from June 25 to September 15. The Princeton Photography Club is accepting submissions until May 23. Please view the complete prospectus at princetonphotoclub.org or princetonphotoclub.org/ LakefrontGallery.html. Juried awards totaling $400 will be presented on July 7 at 6:30pm, at the opening reception. For more information/ tickets visit princeton.edu/~pup/season.shtml May 26 28, Peter Pan, Princeton University Players, 8pm. Outdoor location TBA, 609-258-3000. Musical. For more information visit princeton. edu/~pup/season.shtml Rider University May 1, Spring Awakening, Rider University, Yvonne Theater, Rider University, 2pm, Lawrence, 609-896-7775. Rock musical explores teenage discovery of sexual desire and their journey into adulthood. For mature audiences. $20. For more information visit rider.edu
Don t Miss Morven in May: A Celebration of Art, Craft and Garden! Morven in May is a juried exhibition and sale of contemporary, American-made fine craft and welcomes a select group of professional fine craft artisans from around the country. Art mediums include glass, ceramics, decorative and wearable fiber, mixed media, jewelry, furniture and basketry, and all are displayed in gallery-style booths in a grand tent on the museum s Great Lawn. This year s celebration takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 6 through the 8th. The weekend fun kicks off on Morven's Great Lawn, 55 Stockton St, Princeton, with a Friday afternoon preview plant sale and preview garden party to museum members only, then opens to the public for two days of art and garden treasure hunting, May 7 to 8th, 10am to 5pm. All proceeds from Morven in May help fund the museum s exhibitions, historic gardens, and educational programs. Craft show admissions is $10, $8 for Friends of Morven, and children ages 12 and under are free. Morven in May s 2016 artist jurors are: Mira Nakashima, Creative Director of Nakashima Woodworking; and Judy Pote, Past Chair of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. Along with the beautifully crafted art objects, Morven offers for sale a distinct collection of plants for your garden. These include fragrant heirloom flowers, unique new varieties of annuals and perennials, carefully chosen flowering shrubs, and select plants propagated from Morven s own gardens. There is no admission fee for plant sale. For more information about this event or to plan visits to the museum, go to morven.org / 609.924.8144. A Place In Time: New Jersey State Fairgrounds Did you know that the New Jersey State Fairgrounds were once nestled right here in Mercer County? That s right, the twice-a-year event, which was held in April and October was begun in 1745 by King George II. In 1797, the State Legislature banned all fairs until a revision was sought by the State Agricultural Society in 1858. Fairs were then held sporadically in the mid-1880s by various agricultural organizations at locations in the Trenton area and thoroughbred horse racing was billed as a main attraction. Local prominent businessmen, wanting to establish the fair as an annual event with a permanent location and a racetrack, organized the Inter-State Fair Association in 1888. More than one hundred acres were purchased, which includes the present-day acreage of the Grounds for Sculpture. The Inter-State Fairs were a huge success, drawing crowds to view the various breeds of horses, cattle and other livestock, agricultural products and farming equipment, culinary arts and needlework. Midway attractions, entertainment featuring daredevil stunts, and horse races were always popular with the spectators. Special events held that first year included a shooting match between Annie Oakley and Miles Johnson, and demonstrations of horsemanship and lassoing by cowboys and Indians from Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show. Parachutists jumping from hot-air balloons thrilled audiences in the 1890s. Starting at the turn of the century, death defying shows starring pioneers of aerial navigation, including Harriet Quimby, one of the first women to hold a pilot's license, and automotive racing, were booked to entertain the crowds filling the grandstand. As horses were replaced by automobiles for transportation, cars became the main attraction on the fairground's racetrack. "Lucky" Teter and his Hell Drivers made the headlines in the 1930s; Grounds for Sculpture: Domestic Arts Building, used during the NJ State Fair, built in the 1920s to house arts relating to the home. in the sixties it was midget car races and a 200-mile race for Indianapolis cars and drivers. However by the 1970s attendance was dwindling along with profits, and interest by the owner of the property turned from entertainment to development. In 1980 the land was sold and the New Jersey State Fair was held for the last time. For more information on the history of the State Fairgrounds or for tickets and/or information about the Grounds for Sculpture visit groundsforsculpture.org or call (609) 586-0616. - 7 -
The Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission 640 South Broad Street Trenton, New Jersey 08650 Follow & Like Us on Facebook! mercercountyculturalheritagecommission This newsletter is available in large print. To request a copy, please call (609) 989-6899. W A T S P L B V Please refer to the icons for ADA accommodations. To have your events listed in our newsletter and online calendar, please write or email the following information: type of event, sponsor, location with street address and municipality, fees, phone number for public inquires, a phone number for the staff to contact for questions, a website and/or email address, funding credit and ADA compliance. Please mail to : Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage, Box 8068, 640 South Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08650, or email to: c&hnewsletter@ mercercounty.org. If you feel your event merits a longer story, please write, email or call (609) 989-6899. Brian M. Hughes, County Executive The Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders Ann M. Cannon, Freeholder Chair Pasquale Colavita, Jr., Vice Chair Anthony P. Carabelli John A. Cimino Samuel T. Frisby Andrew Koontz Lucylle R. S. Walter Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission Milagros Medina, Chair Nora Anaños Laura Desai Deborah Ford Richard W. Hunter Mel Leipzig Ted Plunkett Idamis Pérez-Margicin, Division Chief Tricia Fagan Cheryl Reed Lisa Tramo Elizabeth Maher Muoio, Executive Director Office of Economic Development and Sustainability Cheryl Reed, Newsletter Editor This newsletter is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey Historical Commission and New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the Mercer County Executive and Board of Chosen Freeholders.