MARLBORO – The fifth annual Marlboro Music and Food Festival and New Jersey Wounded Warrior Motorcycle Rally will once again assist local veterans.
In previous years, the Music and Food Festival was known as the Blues and BBQ Festival.
This year’s festival will be held at the Marlboro Recreation Community Center, Recreation Way, off Wyncrest Road, from noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 12 (rain date is Sept. 19).
The festival has free admission, but a suggested donation of $5 per person will be requested.
Ira Levin, event organizer and trustee of the Marlboro Sunshine Fund, said the motorcycle rally and the festival were initially separate events. They were merged into one event in the second year both were held.
The New Jersey Wounded Warrior Motorcycle Rally will begin at Marlboro High School, Route 79, with registration at 8:30 a.m.
There is a $25 registration fee for single riders, which includes a T-shirt and admission to the Music and Food Festival. A rider with a passenger will have a $40 registration fee, which includes one T-shirt and admission to the festival.
Riders will leave the high school at 10:30 a.m. and have a police escort.
Levin said last year’s motorcycle rally had about 500 riders.
“It is exciting to see the motorcycles come to the festival,” he said. “The people who ride in the rally can have their families and friends meet them at the festival.”
Proceeds from the two events will assist local veterans, Levin said, adding that over the past two years, proceeds have paid for new furniture, chair lifts, appliances and rent for veterans in need.
According to Marlboro Sunshine Fund treasurer Katie Goon, over the last two years the foundation has assisted 13 veterans whose homes were damaged or destroyed by superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Levin said the festival and the motorcycle rally raised more than $50,000 in donations last year.
“I don’t think we do enough for our veterans,” he said. “Just because they are not in uniform does not mean the oath they took to protect and serve this country (is meaningless). That feeling of duty never diminishes and I think a lot of people forget that. We owe it to (veterans) to help them when they are in need.”
The Music and Food Festival will feature food from area businesses. Local 215, Zinna’s Mobile Bistro, Jimmy’s BBQ, Mac’s Bar-B-Que, Chewy’s, Enzo’s Brick Oven Pizza, Noj Mav food truck, My Hola Paella food truck, Try Vegan, Betty’s Ice Box, House of Cupcakes and Four Boys will be on hand serving a tempting array of food.
The following bands will perform: Little Jimmy and the Starlites, noon; Dead Bank, a Grateful Dead tribute, 1:15 p.m.; Rockit! 3 p.m.; Smoke & Mirrors, 4:45 p.m.; XOL Azul Band, 6 p.m.; Spider Daniels Band, 7:15 p.m.; and Fifty Licks, featuring music of the Rolling Stones, 8:30 p.m.
“The biggest thing about this event is that it is really meant to be a fun family day,” Levin said. “It is another event that helps build community spirit while helping people in need.”
There will be vendors, inflatables, a beer and wine garden, and raffles. A guitar autographed by Jon Bon Jovi will be the featured prize in one raffle.
Sponsors for the Marlboro Sunshine Fund are the Fireside Grill & Bar, Systems Made Simple, Shore Point Distributing Company, Wine Academy Superstores, All- American Ford, Old Bridge, and the Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch.
The event sponsor is Rider Insurance. Small business sponsors include ShopRite, Legend Firearms, Monmouth Arms, Howell Gun Works and Santander.
According to its mission statement, “the Marlboro Sunshine Fund stands firmly committed to helping local veterans in need by reaching out to community leaders and soliciting grant applications from those members in need. Each year we review the grant applications and verify military service and grant awards. We will continue to do this as long as there are American fighting men and women in need within our communities.”
— Peter Elacqua