Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents and visitors to the 2018 Union County World War I Film Festival at the Linden Public Library from September 7 to November 2. Admission is free of charge.

“Remembering our past is the best way to ensure that we make progress in the future,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Many motion pictures have been produced about what was, until then, the bloodiest conflict in human history. The World War I Film Festival provides an excellent educational opportunity for residents and visitors to be reminded of the historical facts and see them through different perspectives.”

The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs has partnered with the Linden Library to present nine films, with WWI as a central theme, as seen from the French, British, American and German sides of the conflict. Each movie will be shown free of charge on Friday afternoons starting at 1:00 at the Linden Public Library in the Columbia Bank Room.

The film festival is part of the “WWI Centennial Events” series, running since April 2017 through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs. The series commemorates the Centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I through lectures, presentations and events.

November 11 marks the centennial of the armistice signed that ended what came to be known as The Great War.

The World War I Film Festival is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State.

The screening schedule is as follows:

• September 7  The African Queen  (1951; 105 mins)
• September 14  Oh What a Lovely War   (1969; 144 mins)
• September 21 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930; 136 mins)
• September 28 In Love and War  (1996; 113 mins)
• October 5  Joyeux Noel  (2005; 116 mins)
• October 12  Gallipoli  (1981; 110 mins)
• October 19   Sergeant York  (1941; 134 mins)
• October 26   War Horse (2011; 146 mins)
• November 2   Wings  (1927; 144 mins)                                              

For more information on this and other programs from the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs visit www.ucnj.org/cultural or call 908-558-2550

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will present a free workshop, “Harness the Power of Google” on Thursday, September 20^th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Liberty Hall Wagon Shed Building, located at 1003 Morris Avenue in Union Township.

“Non-profit organizations have a constant need for free resources that help them expand their reach,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The ‘Harness the Power of Google’ Workshop will introduce local cultural organizations to the current free Google tools available to them as well as equip them with the blueprint for leveraging these tools to increase their visibility and reach within our communities.”

The workshop is designed for arts, cultural and history organizations. Participants are invited to learn specific ways to use Google’s latest free tools to boost traffic to their organization’s website, increase audience engagement, and post events to increase their audience. Attendees will also learn about strategies to attract and manage online reviews, hear about voice search — a rapidly expanding portion of search queries, and more. Time permitting, the session may cover rudimentary basics of Google Ad Grants.

“This session will provide a terrific opportunity for non-profits to learn about current tools and techniques for promoting their cultural programs at no cost,” said Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board.

Bruce Mishkin, the President of Adventix, will present the workshop. He brings fifteen years of experience in developing Google AdWords advertising campaigns for local and national businesses to his work at Adventix, a marketing and advertising agency specializing in helping arts organizations achieve success in the digital landscape. He is also an expert on local search engine optimization.

The workshop is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. It is presented through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, in the Department of Parks and Recreation.

The workshop is free but pre-registration is required by September 19^th. 

To register, contact the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs by email at culturalinfo@ucnj.org or call 908-558-2550 (NJ Relay users dial 711). The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs is located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. For more information on all programs and activities, visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs.

The Archery Range will be closed on Sunday, September 9^, 2018 from 9:00am – 2:00pm

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invites everyone to come out to the Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on Sunday, September 30 for Rockin the Reservation. Formerly known as Harvest Festival, this is a day of live music and hands on family friendly activities.

“Rockin the Reservation will provide families the opportunity to explore the Watchung Reservation while enjoying the music and many activities planned for the day,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Rockin the Reservation will run from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with live country music featuring Big Hix, an exciting and fun country music tribute band, performing non-stop, high energy country hits. Also performing will be October Rose, a country duo from the New York/New Jersey area who bring passion, drive and determination to their music.

Along with music, the day will include plenty of other activities that residents have come to love at the Harvest Festival, including art demonstrations, interactive art and music, a petting zoo, pony rides, scarecrow building, a pumpkin patch, multi-cultural dancing, music demonstrations, food trucks, instruments and sensory trail tours.

Admission to Rockin the Reservation is $5, with children ages 7 and under admitted free of charge. There will be a fee charged for some activities.

Trailside Nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. For more information, call (908) 789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/fall.

Tickets for the 2018 Hayrides and Campfires event presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks & Recreation will be available for purchase beginning Tuesday, September 4 at 8:30 a.m.

This year, tickets will again be sold online in addition to three locations throughout the county. All tickets must be purchased in advance, there will be no tickets sold on-site.

All ticket sales will be final, with no refunds or exchanges. The event includes the hayride, entertainment and hot chocolate and marshmallows to toast over a campfire.

The first Hayride and Campfire will take place on Friday, October 5 at the Warinanco Sports Center. That evening has also been designated as Military Appreciation Night. Rides will run from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside will host the remaining events. Hayrides and Campfires will be held on Sunday, October 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday, October 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, October 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, October 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

“The Hayrides and Campfires events are always among the most popular events in our parks, so those interested in participating should get their tickets early, either online or in person, and plan for a fun-filled evening to begin the fall,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Tickets are priced at $6.00 for Union County residents and $12.00 for non-residents. Group sales are limited to 15 tickets. To order tickets online, visit ucnj.org/tickets.

Tickets will be on sale at the following locations and times, beginning September 4:

• The Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, Monday through Wednesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Elizabeth Office, Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.

For further information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900, Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670 or visit the Union County website at ucnj.org.