Street fair celebrates Cranbury

By: Nick D’Amore
   Cranbury residents took to the streets to celebrate each other and the historic little town they all call home.
   Homes emptied and Main Street filled quickly with residents and friends from other towns for a day of food, sidewalk sales and Silly String.
   Main Street was blocked off from Park Place West to Scott Lane, allowing the revelry to flow freely throughout a big chunk of the main thoroughfare of Cranbury.
   In the parking lot of the PNC Bank were food stands, musicians and a dunk tank. The dunk tank was manned by a high-school age youngster who was soaked to the bone thanks to the dead-on aim of a young boy.
   Out in the streets were vendors selling food, homemade crafts, clothes and a variety of other folksy items.
   One artist, Judy Barrett, was visiting from Tennessee to take care of her father. She had a stand of her own art and had many people at least interested.
   "I wished I had actually sold some. Hopefully, I will," she said.
   However, Ms. Barrett seemed content to enjoy the carefree atmosphere and down-home spirit of the day.
   "It’s been nice meeting people here. It’s a beautiful town," she said.
   Another worker, Donna White, was a veteran of Cranbury Day festivities, but new to the vendor side of things. Business, she said, was "brisk."
   When not working the tables, Ms. White was finding treasures for herself during the day.
   "I’ve found a lot of bargains in Cranbury. It’s a great day to poke around and see what’s here," she said.
   Indeed, a great day of poking around was what brought many to the annual street fair.
   Debbie Sekelsky has been enjoying Cranbury Day for eight years and, every year, has brought her friends from other towns to see how Cranbury throws a party.
   Cheryl DeLouise and her daughter Ashley Carbo, 13, hail from Hazlet and have come every year with Ms. Sekelsky.
   "We usually have a barbecue at Deb’s afterwards. It’s good to get together," she said. "It’s a quaint little town."
   All around the quaint little town, kids were running around attacking each other with silly string and getting their hair dyed various shades of green and blue.
   The air was filled with the sound of chatter, music and kids throwing poppers on the ground and riding on their bikes and Rollerblades. Everyone walked around on sidewalks and streets that had been decorated in colored chalk throughout the day by resident children.
   Colleen Cahill and Dana O’Brien are at the mercy of their children on this day, sitting on the curb, watching the events from the sidelines.
   "The kids bring us here to meet their friends. As if they don’t see them enough at school," said Ms. Cahill.
   "It’s a good place to see everyone in town," said Ms. O’Brien.
   The day also featured a 15-man group singing in Barbershop Quartet style. They were decked out in black shirts and gold vests that shimmered in the blazing, early September sun.
   The entire group did a rendition of Ricky Nelson’s "Hello Mary Lou," then four of the group stepped onto center stage as a true quartet, called the Deans List, and began singing various songs to a thrilled crowd.
   Toward the end of the blocked-off section were various historic cars.
   Some people were leaning over the bridge overlooking Brainerd Lake, to relax and take a step away from the chaos of the festivities a few blocks up. Though they were away from the excitement, they were still out and about the town, enjoying the day in their own way.
   Ms. Cahill summed up the sentiments of many: "We love it. We wouldn’t miss it."