Pennington Day will be held Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Now in its 34th year, Pennington Day evolved from a community picnic organized in 1980 to raise funds for The Pennington School after a fire destroyed O’Hanlon Hall on Jan. 16, 1980.
The flames could be seen reaching into the night sky from miles away.
The HVN staff — all two of us then — were en route to Pennington Borough to deliver the week’s newspapers to the Post Office, which was located then at the intersection of South Main Street and West Delaware Avenue.
Needless to say, we could not get near the area, because The Pennington School was just a block or so away and roadways were being closed to traffic.
No was injured in that fire, but the loss of O’Hanlon Hall — built in 1901 — cost the school 18 classrooms, a chapel, administrative offices and three faculty apartments.
Twenty fire departments fought the fire, which started shortly before 9 p.m.
Two and a half hours later, the fire was declared under control by former Pennington Fire Chief Michael Pinelli, who also was the town’s Public Works supervisor then.
Fire officials ruled that the fire had been caused by antiquated wiring in the chapel that apparently had not been replaced in the 1960 renovation of O’Hanlon Hall.
On Jan. 18, 1980, officials ordered that O’Hanlon Hall could not be rebuilt — its steel girders had been severely warped by the heat of the fire — and that the portion of the structure left after the catastrophe was to be leveled.
After the fire, students at The Pennington School were given a place to stay by borough residents until the school had a place for them again.
To raise money for the school, the first Pennington Day was held in May 1980.
Pennington Day has evolved over the years into a polished, yet still community-sized event that continues its charter to give back and strengthen its community.
CENTERED on the crossroads of East Curlis Avenue and South Main Street, Pennington Day is a more than a street fair. It also is an event that combines community with art as well as family friendly fun, food and area vendors.
This event will span Pennington’s Main Street from The Kid Pavilion and Food Court at Toll Gate Grammar School, through town to Howe Commons’ "Green Street" experience on the northern end of South Main Street.
There will be three stages of live entertainment from the main Crossroads Stage to the kid-friendly Jamboree Stage to the relaxed atmosphere of the Coffee House Stage.
Pennington Day is committed to weaving the artistic talents in the community into the event. These include: an Art Walk by Hopewell Valley Arts Council, multiple stages of live local music, acting and dance troupes and the Pennington Day Quilt Show.
NEW THIS YEAR will be the arrival of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council with a small "Stampede" of oxen. Residents may have seen Olly, the "naked" ox, that has surfaced at various sites throughout the Valley
On Pennington Day, at Howe Commons on South Main Street, some of the oxen will be decorated, painted and made ready for installation along the streets and throughout the neighborhoods of Hopewell Valley in late summer.
Among them will be the ox that art students at Timberlane Middle School are working on under the direction of their teacher, Donna Cariola. It features designs of jigsaw puzzle pieces depicting classical paintings about which students have been learning in class — works by van Gogh, Monet, Munch, O’Keeffe, and others.
Be sure to see "Mooondrian," the ox painted by CHS students a la Piet Mondrian. (See photo on Page 1A).
Watch Linda Bradshaw paint her ox, "Rooted," an expanded version of her painting of the same scene. This ox will bear on its sides detailed renderings of birch trees, with roots extending down to the ox’s hoofs.
In all, two oxen will be worked on, two others that are close to completion will be on display, and there will be one "naked" Olly available for selfies.
This will be a chance to preview the "Stampede," mingle with oxen and artists and find out more about the new Arts Council. Visit: www.hvartscouncil.org, for more information.
ONCE AGAIN, the Pennington Dance Company will perform from noon-12:45 p.m. at the "Crossroads," the intersection of Main Street and Curlis Avenue.
The company’s 45-minute program includes ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and pre-school dance numbers to Broadway, swing, Motown, classical, and Latin music.
More than 75 dancers, ranging in age from 4 to 18, will perform. Choreographers include Pennington Dance teachers Taylor Miller, Jenny Gladney, Ashley Miller, Sarah O’Keefe and Nancy Warner. A student-choreographed piece will be performed by Arielle Kline.
There is no admission fee for this performance.
— Ruth Luse
