Families from the surrounding Sourland Mountain region turned out in droves for a day of music, food and fun last Saturday, despite the fact that a forecast for a potentially rainy afternoon loomed over the day.
And while some precipitation did hit the festival grounds in the morning, festival volunteer Christopher Georgette said he was happy to see this year’s festivities go on.
“The ground was dry by the time the gates opened,” Georgette said. “Thankfully, the rain held off all day, a lot of people came, and we all had a really good time!”
Billed over the last 15 years as a fundraiser for the Sourland Conservancy, this year’s Sourland Music Festival kicked off with performances by local bands at Hillbilly Hall. Since its inception, officials said the festival has become an overarching celebration of the area.
The 90-square-mile Sourland region is home to the largest contiguous forest in Central New Jersey. The area includes parts of Somerset, Hunterdon and Mercer counties and features forests, wetlands and grasslands.
Officials said the region has become a habitate to a “rich diversity of animal and plant species, many rare or endangered.” The forests themselves have been found to be a breeding area for many migratory birds. The mountain itself is actually a 17-mile ridge that stretches from the Delaware River at Lambertville to the western end of Hillsborough Township near Neshanic, through Montgomery Township and into Hopewell Township in Mercer County.
For Bob and Judy Czekanski, who organized both the Critter Corner and History Lane, this year’s event was a great way for local organizations to share their knowledge of the region.
According to event organizers, this year’s attending organizations included: The Seeing Eye, Sierra Club, Swallow Hill Farm Alpacas, Conserve Wildlife, Watershed Institute, Raritan Valley Beekeepers, Mercer County Wildlife Center, Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion, New Jersey Audubon-Plainsboro, Somerset County Park Commission, Mercer County Park Commission Outwater’s Militia, Van Harlingen Historical Society, Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, Hopewell Valley Historical Society, East Amwell Historical Society, and Northeast Organic Farmers Association of NJ (NOFA). Each one brought artifacts, offered demonstrations and provided additional information.
“We are very fortunate to live in an area with such a rich history and so many active nonprofit organizations,” Bob said. “We are really happy that they came to share the day with us and spread the word about the work they’re doing.”
Along with the historical aspect of the festival, attendees were able to enjoy the climbing wall, bouncy house and were welcome to ride “automatic bicycles” along a trail created by Sourland Cycles.
When this year’s artists J. B. Kline Band, Joshua Branson, Nalani & Sarina, The Verdict, Stolen Rhodes and Flux Capacitor took the stage, a banner near the stage read “Save the Sourlands.” It’s a saying that Sourland Conservancy Executive Director Caroline Katmann said was the conservancy’s “unofficial motto.”
“Our mission is to protect, promote and preserve the unique character of the Sourland Mountain region,” she said. “The health of the forest is critical, so we do focus a lot of our efforts on the environment – especially stewardship. We also strive to protect and promote the rich history of the region.”
Along with the day’s musical talent, more than twenty local artists, crafters and vendors attended the festival, including Alleyne Studios, Art Sink, Bourgie Glass, Cookin’ with Greens, Devalila Yoga and Trauma Resolution, Kathy Jeanne Millinery, Inside Out, Friends of Historic Flemington, Dar James, Lisa Medoff Designs, Montessori Kids Universe, Myriad Mirage, Princeton Learning Cooperative, State Plate Designs, Stephanie Michelle Creations, Sugar Mag’s Rags, Susan Joy Rosetty.
The Ryland Inn hosted the VIP Experience for the second year, where guests enjoyed beverages and snacks throughout the day with a full buffet meal prepared by renowned Executive Chef Chris Albrecht. In addition, several local vendors served their specialty foods and beverages to festival guests: Sourland Mountain Spirits, Brick Farm Market, Basil Bandwagon, Tower Dogs, Rockhard Pickles, Dellano’s, Maddalena’s Cheesecake & Catering, Ama’s Italian Gelato, River Horse Brewery, Flounder Brewery and Unionville Vineyards.
Following the event, its organizers thanked the following sponsors and partners: The Ryland Inn, Secure Retirement Strategies, Bank of Princeton, Sourland Cycles, Sourland Mountain Spirits, Kilbourne & Kilbourne, The Bent Spoon, The Brothers Moon, Volvo Cars Princeton, Coldwell Banker, Union Line Garage, Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA), New Jersey Sierra Club, the D&R Greenway Land Trust, Mercer County Park Commission, The Watershed Institute, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS), REI, and Princeton Music Exchange.
For more information about the Sourland region or the Sourland Conservancy, visit www.sourland.org.