By Ruth Luse, Editor Emeritus
Hopewell Borough won’t hold its traditional block party this year.
It is being replaced by a Community Day Music Festival in honor of the borough’s 125th anniversary of incorporation. The date is Saturday, June 18, from 4-11 p.m. at St Michael’s Preserve, courtesy of the D&R Greenway Land Trust.
The 340-acre St. Michael’s property is an expanse of farm fields and forests on the edge of Hopewell Borough, off Princeton Avenue/Carter Road.
From 1896 until 1973, the property was the home of St. Michael’s Orphanage and Industrial School, which was operated by the Catholic Diocese of Trenton,” according to the Land Trust. “After the orphanage was closed, the building where children lived and went to school was torn down and most of the land was leased to a local farmer. Although there were plans to eventually develop this land, nothing was ever done and in 2010 D&R Greenway and several partners succeeded in purchasing it. It is now preserved as open space forever.”
For more information, visit: http://www.drgreenway.org/
Those planning to attend June 18 events are requested not to bring in any outside food or beverages. Coolers and large backpacks will not be permitted. Food and beverages will be on sale. Attendees are welcome to bring blankets, sun umbrellas and beach chairs.
In case of inclement weather, there will be three tents on the site, according to Deb Stuhler, 125th committee co-chairwoman.
All parking will be at Hopewell Elementary School (across the street). There will be a few handicapped parking spaces in the St. Michael’s parking lot, where first aid services will be available, as well as the event information booth. Police will direct parking and traffic.
Except for the Biergarten event, admission is free.
The beer garden, which is being hosted by the 125th Anniversary Committee, begins at 7 p.m. for adults 21 and older. A variety of handcrafted and specialty beers and wine will be available under special event permit No. 31408.
Tickets are required and cost $20 per person. For tickets, go to www.hopewellblockparty.org
Any proceeds will go to the 125th Anniversary Events Fund and to help repaint the Hopewell Railroad Station on Railroad Place.
For information, contact Deb Stuhler: 609-865-9818 or [email protected].
June 18 events will include:
— Free for the children will be crafts (compliments of twine, sticks and stones and PNC Bank); a free Amazon bounce house; self- guided tours of St Michael’s Preserve and a Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association event with education director Jeff Hoagland.
— Providing food will be Antimo’s Fresh Pizza; Brothers Moon Restaurant; Flanders Hot Dogs; Sweet Grass Restaurant; Second Calvary Baptist Church (hot pretzels); Rita’s Italian Ice, and Maddalena’s Cheesecake on a stick.
— Community groups at the day will be D& R Greenway Land Trust; Hopewell Business Association (selling Hopewell ornaments); Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association; Hopewell Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary (selling historical blankets); Highland Cemetery, Hopewell Harvest Fair and others to be announced.
Here’s the music schedule:
— 4 to 4:10: Hopewell Valley Children’s Chorale;
— 4:15 to 4:45: Vox Central Jazz;
— 5 to 5:45: Gwynne Alden Band;
— 6 to 6:45: Castle Lane Band;
— 7 to 7:45: Thomas Wesley Stern;
— 8 to 8:45: Michael Falzarano Band;
— 9 to 9:45: Danielia Cotton, and
— 10 to 11 p.m., Strange Rovers.
Get to know the musicians:
Danielia Cotton is described as “a fiery blues-rock artist who doesn’t like comparisons,” although, with the release of her debut disc, she was earning them with such titans as Tina Turner, Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones. She grew up in rural Hopewell Valley, as one of only seven black children at the local high school — thus the title of her first full-length album, “Small White Town.” Inspiration for a career in music came from her mother and two aunts. She is the daughter of jazz vocalist Wenonah Brooks and the niece of jazz vocalists Jeannie Brooks and Carol Brooks-Meyners.
She and her electric guitar left Hopewell in early adulthood and went to Manhattan and the rock club circuit, eventually befriending other musicians who led her to Kevin Salem, of the band Chocolate Genius. He produced “Small White Town,” as well as her latest, “Gun in Your Hand” and “The Real Book and Woodstock Session.”
She is working on her next original album and promises some new turns.
Michael Falzarano: A singer, songwriter and guitarist, he has been a working musician for more than 45 years, most notably in Hot Tuna (offspring of the Jefferson Airplane), the New Riders of the Purple Sage; the Memphis Pilgrims (a Memphis-style rock ‘n’ roll band he founded in New York City, and his current project, The Extended Family. He is also a longtime member of The New Riders of the Purple Sage (a spin-off of the Grateful Dead), which features original members David Nelson and Buddy Cage.
Gwynne Alden is a young guitar-playing musician and song writer from the Jersey shore. She has been performing at places like the Stone Pony in Asbury Park.
Castle Lane: The local group of musicians plays blues, rock, funk and soul. It is comprised of Dana Varhley, Walt Varhley, Dale Graham, Mel Johnson, Rob Cortina, and a horn section.
Bob Steeler and The Strange Rovers will return again this year. The group includes: Mr. Steeler, formerly of Hot Tuna and the Offs on drums; Chris Palmero, sideman for Sting; Jeff Beck and Patty Labelle on piano; Sophia Ramos, vocals; Bennie Landa on guitar, and Tony Tito on base. This band has been featured each year at the block party.
Thomas Wesley Stern: Actually, there’s no such person. The group members made up a man named Thomas Wesley Stern, who was born in the Pine Barrens in 1841, and said they were named after him. It sounded like a folk hero name. The music draws its pulse and its mystery from the Pine Barrens forest groves. Members are Gary Mayer, Joseph Makoviecki, Robert Jackson, James Black and James Herdman, who have come up with a “ peculiarly Jersey version of folk music.”
