By Frank Mustac, Special Writer
HOPEWELL — Come the first of January, plans are for church bells to ring, balladeers to sing and Revolutionary War-era reenactors to appear.
Even if they don’t, New Year’s Day is sure to be a memorable one in Hopewell as the borough begins to celebrate its 125th anniversary.
Events have been scheduled throughout 2016 to commemorate Hopewell’s incorporation as a municipality in 1891 from portions of Hopewell Township.
A kick-off party will take place Jan. 1 at Borough Hall starting at noon. Organized by an all-volunteer 125th anniversary planning committee co-chaired by residents Debra Stuhler and Cydney Perske, the event will feature catering by The Brothers Moon restaurant, plus student Isabella Lundquist singing the National Anthem.
Organizers are asking all churches in town to ring their bells at noontime. Further plans include engaging a fife and drum band, as well as Revolutionary War-era reenactors from the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton.
A commemorative booklet and a walking-tour map of Hopewell Borough are being prepared, as well as special 125th anniversary flags and snow globes.
Mayor Paul Anzano and Borough Council members Debra Lehman and Roxanne Klett will be be sworn into office during the New Year’s Day event. Each won re-election in November.
Students from the photography and television clubs at Hopewell Valley Central High School will be on hand to chronicle the day’s festivities, the mayor said.
“I’m looking forward to January 1st,” Mr. Anzano said. “It’s going to be a nice year to really showcase the borough to residents and visitors.”
“I think it’s going to be very exciting,” he said.
Besides the kick-off party, there will be some two dozen events in total — about two per month — happening in town throughout 2016, Ms. Stuhler said. That includes the biggest event, the community festival, which will take place later in the year at St. Michael’s Farm Preserve.
“We’re going to have an all-day concert with different bands, inflatable rides for kids, and a beer garden,” she said. “It’s like the block party that we do here in town, but on a bigger grander scale for the anniversary.”
Events scheduled for January, February and March are as follows:
Jan. 1: Anniversary kick-off party and Borough Council swearing-in ceremony at Hopewell Borough Hall;
Jan. 6: Frog Wars history talk (early railroad disputes) presented at Hopewell Presbyterian Church by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society;
Feb. 12: Contemporary photos of Hopewell at Gallery 14 on Mercer Street in Hopewell;
Feb. 21: Hopewell Night at Morven Museum in Princeton. (Private showing of Charles Lindbergh exhibition), and
March 4: Opening of year-long historical photo exhibit at Morpeth Gallery on Broad Street.
For event times and more information, visit hopewellboro-nj.us .
