County of Union, New Jersey

Instrumental groups, vocal groups, pianists, dancers, theater performances and visual artists were selected from the 3,500 students who participated at the 2015 Teen Arts Festival at Union County College in Cranford on March 19th and 20th.  The annual Festival is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and coordinated by the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

 

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is looking for artisans and crafts people to demonstrate Early American work and craft skills and to sell their hand-crafted wares at Union County’s 34^th Annual Harvest Festival.  The event is a celebration of Early American life featuring music, children’s crafts, games, demonstrations and displays, a petting zoo and much more. The Harvest Festival will take place, rain or shine, at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Sunday, September 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“This event gives those in attendance an opportunity to see early American culture and history come to life while walking through the festival grounds in the picturesque Watchung Reservation,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Visitors of all ages will enjoy this fascinating, fun-filled event.”

The Union County Harvest Festival is a popular event that attracts nearly 4,000 visitors each year. By participating, demonstrators and vendors of hand-crafted goods will receive excellent exposure and have the opportunity to educate others about their craft or work skill and the Early American period in general. Examples of the handicrafts and work skills being sought are: blacksmithing, candle making,  broom making, shoe making, hat making, jewelry making, quilting and other colonial or native American crafts or skills.

For details about how to participate, please call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 527-4106.

For more information on Trailside Nature and Science Center please visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.

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Photo credit (photo cropped): Basket weaver Valerie Hinojosa via flickr.com, creative commons license.

 

Union County, NJ – How many different plant and animal species populate Union County’s Watchung Reservation? The answer will be forthcoming next month, when 150 volunteer scientists and naturalists comb through forests, fields, and waterways for Bio-Blitz, an annual survey of wildlife in County parks. Nature fans of all ages are invited to observe the work and enjoy free hands-on activities during the 24-hour, ‘round-the-clock celebration of local flora and fauna, including games, prizes and giveaways.

Bio-Blitz 2015 begins at the Watchung Reservation at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12, and wraps up at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13.

“Watchung Reservation is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, and many of them are hidden away from view, said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “This is a rare chance to explore the secret life of our Union County parks with the experts, so I encourage everyone to stop by and join us at ‘Bio-Blitz Central’ in June.”

Bio-Blitz Central is the staging area for the survey teams, public activities and exhibits. It will be located behind the old museum on the grounds of the Trailside Nature & Science Center in the Watchung Reservation, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside, where convenient free parking is available.

“This year we are offering new ‘trending topics’ activities like geocaching and meditation walks, along with traditional Bio-Blitz favorites such as exhibits of live fish, snakes and turtles, the hands-on tree table, the hawk and owl demonstration, and our Junior Scientist tent for youngsters,” said Freeholder Sergio Granados, the Freeholder Board’s liaison to the Department of Parks and Recreation. “Come and explore our rich natural heritage with your family and friends.”

Exhibits at Bio-Blitz Central are open for public view throughout the event. Scheduled activities for the public kick off at 5:00 p.m. on Friday with a wild edible walk, followed by a visit to a baiting station to identify animal tracks, a “Photo-Blitz” nature photography workshop, and a “sitting circle” listening to nature’s twilight concert. After dark, the fun continues with the “owl prowl,” a late-night star watch, and a midnight insect-trapping session.

On Saturday, visitors can join naturalists on a stream-sampling expedition, an electro-fishing demonstration, a hunt for spore-bearing plants and a nearby “Mini-Blitz” among other activities. The day starts with an early morning bird walk at 7:00 a.m. and activities continue throughout the morning and afternoon, until 5:00 p.m.

New this year, Bio-Blitz 2015 features a geocaching demonstration from the organization Northern New Jersey Cachers and a guided “Yoga labyrinth walk” by SKY Yoga of Fanwood. Friday’s nature photography workshop is also new.

The all-volunteer Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County will be on hand Saturday starting at 11:00 a.m., to provide expert gardening advice along with tours of the Demonstration Garden. They will also offer a free bird feeder craft activity for youngsters.

Along with the immersive nature experience, Bio-Blitz 2015 will provide visitors with a chance to win prizes including an exclusive guided tour of the Pine Barrens by noted ecologist Dr. Emil Devito of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. The tour is donated by the Rahway River Watershed Association, and it will take place on a date to be arranged with the prizewinner.

Other free giveaways are also available from exhibitors, and visitors to the Junior Scientist tent can get a free poster and play “Bio-Blitz Bingo.”

All Bio-Blitz activities are free and open on a walk-in basis. Visitors are asked to sign up for scheduled activities at the Info Tent when they arrive at Bio-Blitz Central, and to be aware of recommended age groups for some of the activities. 

Bio-Blitz is made possible by the Freeholder Board with many generous contributions from volunteer scientists and support staff, and local businesses and organizations including Shoprite of Clark, Starbucks of Westfield, Whole Foods of Union, Jenkinson’s Aquarium of Point Pleasant, the Staten Island Zoo, the Rahway River Watershed Association, Wild Birds Unlimited of Scotch Plains, BR Environmental, XAdmins graphic arts, SKY Yoga of Fanwood, Tony and Natalie Gregorio of Elizabeth, and Toadshade Nursery.

For more information about free public activities at Bio-Blitz 2015, visit ucnj.org/bio-blitz.

Information to register as an exhibitor or an expert survey team member is also available at ucnj.org/bio-blitz (the registration deadline is June 4).

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UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that two free workshops on Thursday evening, May 14, will explain the application process for the 2015 Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant Program and the 2016 Local Arts Grant Program. Both workshops will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Liberty Hall Museum Wagon Shed Building, 1003 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083. The workshops are free of charge, but pre-registration is suggested.

The application process for a 2015 HEART grant for projects related to local history, the arts and humanities will be explained at the workshop for Union County non-profit organizations, individual artists and scholars.

“The response to the HEART Grant Program in past years has been exciting,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The recipients are a wonderful mix of creative individuals – poets and writers, historians, painters, photographers, musicians and dancers – plus arts, history and other cultural organizations and civic groups.”

The other workshop will provide guidelines for completing applications for the Union County 2016 Local Arts Grant Program. Funds for this program are made available through the New Jersey Council on the Arts, Department of State, a partner of the National Endowment for the Arts. Local arts activities taking place between January 1 and December 31, 2016, are eligible for consideration.

“An organization in search of funding needs a well-constructed grant proposal,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “This workshop will discuss the components of a successful application, including a description of the project, the budget and the marketing plan.”

For additional information or to register for the HEART Grant workshop or the Local Arts Grant Program workshop, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone: 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711, or E-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

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Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen (C) and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella (2^nd R) joined Westfield Mayor Andrew Skibitsky (R) in wishing John Viglianti of Westfield a happy 100^th birthday at the Ash Brook Golf Course in Scotch Plains. With John is his wife Mary. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)