By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
Anticipation was at an all-time high. People could almost hear the ducks quacking.
Lions Club members stood at the ready as the large crowd held its collective breath. Then, they appeared. Two Cranbury firefighters made their way through the masses, climbed into a boat and floated out onto Brainerd Lake near the firehouse. The duo was charged with collecting the first 12 racers that followed the tide to the finish line.
Finally, the dumping began. The four Lions Club members posted in the middle of the bridge hoisted two large plastic pails and a yellow waterfall emerged, splashing into the lake below. They — the rubber ducks — were off!
The fourth annual Rubber Duck Race was just one of the activities that united families, friends, neighbors and visitors on Cranbury Day. Held this year on Sept. 12, the annual street fair was hosted by the Cranbury Business and Professional Association and featured live music, activities for the whole family and over 80 vendors.
“Cranbury Day is one of my favorite days in our town,” Mayor James “Jay” Taylor said. “Cranbury Day along with the Memorial Day Parade and fireworks is what makes our town so special. I’m 41; having grown up in Cranbury I’ve seen all the different views from being a kid enjoying the activities, to working the day when I was employed by Cranbury Hardware to being on the Township Committee. Aside from the fun I have with the family, it’s also one of my more expensive days of the year; whether buying hot dogs from the fire company, burgers from the Lions Club, snow cones from the Barnes family and all the other great items for sale.”
Money spent on Cranbury Day goes to good causes, as the day serves as one of the largest fundraising days for various local groups and nonprofit organizations.
“We are the main service organization in the town,” Lions Club Secretary John Ryan said.
The funds the Lions Club raised from its Rubber Duck Race and hamburger sales on Cranbury Day go toward sponsoring the Memorial Day Parade and the annual pancake breakfast as well as providing scholarships, disaster relief, senior events, school events, etc.
“When a local resident’s house burned down, we gave her a check for $1,000,” Mr. Ryan said. “When a local special needs child needed support to go to a camp, we funded half the costs, and on and on.”
Cranbury Day kicks off with the Helene Cody Foundation’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The Helene Cody Cranbury 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk, held in memory of Helene Cody, a Cranbury resident who passed away on her 16th birthday, raises money for the Helene Cody Foundation, which inspires youth to volunteer to better their communities and themselves.
“It was really wonderful,” Helene’s mother, Linda Morris Cody, said. “We had more than 100 volunteers and 420 participants. This year, the largest group team was from Teddy’s restaurant. The largest youth team was the boy’s cross-country team. The second largest was the girl’s cross-country team and the soccer team followed.”
Alexander Roth, 16, of Princeton, was the overall winner of the 5K with a time of 16:50.7. He was also the top overall male runner, with William Hare, 14, of Princeton, coming in second at 17:20.2 and Jeremy Taylor, 17, of Princeton, coming in third at 17:33.5. The top overall female, coming in at 19:29.2, was Lou Mialhe, 17, of Princeton. The second top overall female was Isabella Deltoro, 12, of Hightstown, at 21:22.7. Third place in that category was Ellie Whiteside, 15, of Princeton, who came in at 21:43.4.
After participants finished the race, many walked downtown to enjoy the many festivities, including helicopter rides, that the street festival had to offer this year.
The mayor said his favorite activities are the same every year — the bounce house, the face-painting and balloons — all of the activities that bring families together.
“Those elements engage the kids and families instilling fond memories,” he said. “Then as the kids grow they bring back their kids to enjoy the day.”
The day also gives Cranbury residents a chance to meet with local business owners as well as members of the township’s various commissions and Township Committee.
Committeeman Glenn Johnson, taking his turn at the Township Committee’s table, talked to constituents. He fielded praise and some complaints. Overall, though, he said he’s for Cranbury Day.
“Maybe there’s a little lighter turnout than last year but there’s still a good group of people,” he said, adding that there was a chance of rain hovering over the day.
Clouds may have loomed over town but there was only light rain for a few minutes around 3 p.m. By then, there was a silver lining for Cranbury Public Library as all of its “culprits” had been bailed out of jail. The library had raised $2,520 to put toward the construction of the new library with “Jail and Bail,” a fundraiser at the street fair. Barbara Adams, a kindergarten teacher; Matthew Curran, a soft-spoken Cranbury dad; and Vincent Iznnaci, owner of the Cranbury Bagel Barn, all took turns in the library’s “jail,” asking visitors to help bail them out by making donations.
Library Director Marilynn Mullen said, “The day was pretty good. Three people were bailed out of jail.”
She said the day brought out a crowd of people but also noted the chance of rain may have kept others away.
The lingering possibility of drizzle didn’t stop the annual event’s newest attraction. Analar Corporation owner Mike Renz gave visitors who paid $45 per person an aerial view of the township and its surroundings in a helicopter. The sound of the helicopter filled the air pretty much nonstop throughout the day, muffled out only by the music emanating from two concert areas where local bands performed. The lineup included the Tone Rangers, The Jazz Burglars, Bill and Bob, Pierre Dujue Jazz Quartet, Ed Goldberg’s One Man Band, Mummers Uptown String Band and Four Flight Rock.
The sounds, sights, smells and tastes made this year’s Cranbury Day Street Fair fun for all and a success for the community.
