Estimated 10,000 turn out
By:Eric Schwarz
More than 10,000 people visited the downtown Sunday for the borough’s annual street fair, which returned after a one-year absence.
The fair included dozens of booths selling things from food to crafts to toys, posters, promoting local businesses and groups.
Activities entertained families with music, pony rides, a dunk tank, face painting, giveaways, Tarot card and palm readings.
Merchandise for sale included artwork, dancewear, candles, bumper stickers, T-shirts, Christmas decorations, kitchen items, doormats, jewelry and baby bibs.
It was a sunny and breezy day, with temperatures in the low- to mid-70s, milder than at previous street fairs, according to veteran fairgoers.
The fair was a chance for the Manville Strikers, a new traveling soccer team, to introduce themselves to the public.
Two 10-year-old, redheaded midfielders, Kyle Downey and Bryan Huff, spoke about the team and raised money for its expenses.
The Strikers’ season starts Sept. 17; before then, the squad will compete in tournaments in Edison, Branchburg and Bridgewater.
Bryan’s father, Bruce Huff, was among several parents selling $10 shirts and 50-cent food items – including pasta in soccer-related shapes, "the best buy at the fair," he said.
Kyle also spent some of his parents’ money for a poster of the wrestler The Rock.
"Do you have $6?" he asked his mother.
"Yes," she said.
"May I have it?"
The answer again was yes, and he came back with the framed poster a few minutes later.
The Huffs had lived on Huff Avenue in Lost Valley until the floods, though Bruce said the avenue was not named for his family.
They’re now living in Raritan Township, Hunterdon County, until they find another home in Manville.
"We sold our house because of the floods," said Frieda Huff, adding that the new buyers know about the flooding risk.
Chris and Stacy Demba of Hillsborough were looking at educational toys with their two daughters, Meghan, 4, and Melissa, 9 months.
A marble game held Meghan’s interest for a few minutes though she quickly told her parents she wanted to ride a pony.
The saleswoman for Discovery Toys, a Texan who said she moved to New York City in 1985 with "five suitcases and $200" was impressed by the New Jersey suburbs.
Kim Stengel, her husband, Kenneth Anderson, and their 16-month-old daughter, Kendra Stengel-Anderson, are moving soon to Springfield.
Matt Veglatte of Lincoln Avenue had bought two racing cars with the insignias of racers Dale Jarrett and Ernie Ervan, and watched his twin brother, Joey, participate in a Hula-Hoop contest.
Their parents, Maryann and Joe Veglatte, were at the Elks booth selling clams for $5 a dozen to benefit disabled children.
Lauren Schlenker, 4, of Hillsborough, was enjoying pizza with her grandmother Marysue Schlenker in the Pizzatina restaurant.
Mrs. Schlenker, a Manville resident since 1955, was baby-sitting and "thought for the afternoon it would be nice" to bring her granddaughter to the fair. Lauren’s sister, Morgan, 1½, couldn’t make it.
The giveaways, hosted by radio station WMGQ-FM 98.3, included tickets to Somerset Patriots games, Great Adventure, and the movies.
"I think it was a great success," Pizzatina manager Martin Wierzba said of the six-hour fair, sponsored by the Manville Business and Professional Association. "You couldn’t have asked for a better street fair, especially a comeback street fair."
He said he hopes next year to extend the fair a few blocks south, to Roosevelt Avenue, as it was held in previous years.
This year the fair stretched from the railroad tracks south of Brooks Boulevard, to Camplain Road.
"We did better than anticipated," Mr. Wierzba said. "Every single booth seemed to have people in there."