Admit it: You’ve been waiting for warm weather, the signs that summer is a whisper away. All those months in the classroom, the office, the workspace with no let-up, no mercy. You long for a little you-time, a few spots to take the fam and eat gooey pastries, juicy burgers or maybe fresh seafood.
Come a little closer: We’ve got you, pal. Courtesy of your friends at SNJ Today, is a tightly curated list of fun. Read on and we will let you in on some of the best events not far from your door this month, or perhaps only a short car ride away.
For car lovers: If you own a classic car, we don’t need to tell you about this one. The 32nd annual Cruise Down Memory Lane is a traditional Vineland event. One mile of cars will stretch out along both sides of Landis Avenue. Organizers are expecting up to 1,500 muscle cars, rat rods, stock cars and custom jobs. And this event always hosts the best of the best: Entries must be American marquee cars from 1974 or earlier, unless it is a highly modified late model or a car entering with a legitimate car club. Leave your motorcycles, partly primed or foreign cars in your garage.
Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 8. Rain date: June 9. Gates open at 5 p.m. at West and East avenues. The Avenue will be closed to traffic at 1 p.m., an hour earlier than in previous years. The extra time is needed to get volunteers in place and all the cars parked. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m., which includes the highly anticipated Cruise Down Landis from 8 to 9 p.m.
What to watch for: Cruise coordinator Marvin Askins said all sorts of beauties arrive from many eras and many surrounding states.
“There’s usually something new and unique that people bring in,” Askins said.
Askins said the cruise averages between 850 and 1,200 cars but the event could get up to 1,500. Be on the lookout for Askins’ own cream puff, a red ’67 Shelby, with white stripes. It’s a rare beauty—fewer than 1,200 were made. Askins said he has had it since 1975.
Parking: Frequent visitors to the Cruise know the deal: Arrive early to score the best parking spaces. However, the best spots are on either side of Landis Avenue, along Wood or Elmer streets.
For more information: vinelandcity.org/municipal-calendar/cruise-down-memory-lane-3/
Stroll, sip, nibble, shop: Bridgeton’s Downtown Sidewalk Sale is bigger and better than last year.
Date: Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: In Commerce, Laurel and Pearl street area of Bridgeton.
What’s good: Nibble on baked goods or sample food at local restaurants. Wander around the business district and check out what each store has for sale. Along the way, visitors will be invited to go into some of the downtown’s historic buildings, such as the 100-year-old Bridgeton Public Library, the historic Sheppard House or even the nearby Bridgeton Zoo.
The event is held in partnership with the Bridgeton Chamber of Commerce, City of Bridgeton UEZ, Bridgeton Rotary and Bridgeton Main Street.
“There are a lot of good eateries in Bridgeton. You can literally spend the whole day there, from breakfast to dinner. All the organizations that are part of the downtown get involved. There’s a lot,” said Minerva Alvarado, second vice president of the Bridgeton Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the chamber’s Hispanic Business Committee.
The downtown has a multitude of specialty stores, from wedding-related to leather and even children’s clothes.
Alvarado said a downtown gift shop, the Turtle Trading Post, will have a presentation involving Lenni Lenape native Americans.
“When we say Bridgeton can be a destination for the day, we mean that,” she said.
Fantasy Faire in The Kingdom of Wheaton: Wheaton Arts will host a taste of medieval life at its annual Fantasy Faire. That’s good news if you can’t seem to get enough period costumes, sword demonstrations, drumming, good old-fashioned storytelling as well as a bit of dancing, too.
In between the acts of the play, the rest of the Kingdom of Wheaton comes alive with games, demonstrations, shopping and food. Look for plenty of people in period costumes as well as the Grim Witches, who will skulk around the grounds and speak with visitors.
“It’s throughout the entire day,” said Lori Johns, event coordinator at Wheaton Arts. “They’ll do a portion of the show, then when that ends, there will be storytelling, games and more.”
Other small stages will be set up around the Wheaton Arts grounds, featuring many demonstrations. New this year, Johns said, will be a blacksmith demonstrating his skills outdoors and selling his crafts.
Don’t miss: A tournament is planned for 3 p.m., a the highlight of the day.
Food: Vendors include an ice cream truck, Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine, Chef Steve’s Popcorn and Creek’s Edge Catering and BBQ.
Other events. Look for a scavenger hunt, ax-throwing, and a spring pole raising and dance in which children wrap ribbons around a pole.
Children’s activities: Hands-on creative crafts available around the grounds.
- Highlights: Interacting with costumed characters. Look for archery and pirate games, as well as sword demonstrations.
- Date: June 22 and 23, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Parking: Available on site.
- For more information: wheatonarts.org/calendar-eventon/
Two Saturdays: Two Food festivals
TD Bank Music and Food Truck Festival
The New Jersey Motorsports Park will combine rock music with plenty of food at its 8th annual TD Bank Music and Food Truck Festival on June 8. The park, located at 8000 Dividing Creek Road in Millville, will host everything from barbecue and gourmet cupcakes to Asian noodles and pizza. The classic rock band Arsenal will play for guests; bring a chair since outdoor seating is limited. Admission is free. The park will have a bit of on-track action for guests to enjoy.
Hours: 4 to 10 p.m.
Location: NJMP, 8000 Dividing Creek Road in Millville
Parking: Available onsite
Food trucks scheduled: Mozzarepas, House of Cupcakes, Dolato Espresso, Bella Ciao Pizza, Humpty’s Dumplings, Kona Ice, Noodle Wagon, Rad Kitchen Philly Pretzel, SJ BBQ Boys, Wholly Bowly, Latin Bites and Farina Pasta and Noodle.
Franklinville Food Truck Festival
When: Noon to 7 p.m. June 22
Where: Pinnacle Paintball Park, 750 N. Delsea Drive, Franklinville
Cost: $10 per person; children younger than 7 are free
The event is sponsored by Pinnacle Paintball Park and Big Papa Jai’s BBQ.
What’s good: Eight to 10 food trucks will sell everything from shaved ice and crepes to barbecue and dumplings.
What’s included: Let the kids (around ages 5 to 9) try their hand at Jellyball, fired from a special gun that shoots Orbeez, tiny gel-filled balls that do not hurt when they hit. Jellyball play is included in the cost.
The park has a special section where they can shoot the sting-free jellyballs, with a garage that kids can hide behind.
“They won’t get hurt. They won’t be crying. They’re not going to be covered in paint by the time they get home, either,” said Pinnacle Paintball Park owner Paul Cuccinello.
Regular paintball: $40 per person. That covers all-day play as well as equipment. Paintballs are purchased separately. Cuccinello said the most cost-effective way is for families to buy a case of paintballs and split the cost.
Event organizer Jaime Juliano, owner of Big Papa Jai’s BBQ, envisioned this event as a way of giving back to Frankinville.
“We have a food truck in Franklinville and love doing events. We wanted to bring something to our hometown,” he said. “We are very hometown proud. We just wanted to bring something to the town.”
“We’re kind of set up for this,” Cuccinello said. “Ever since I opened, (Juliano) has been in my ear to do this. It’s been an idea of his for a while to have a food truck festival like this.”
Cuccinello said 23 vendors will be set up at his park. Among the food trucks will be Juliano’s barbecue truck, hot dog vendor Matty G Dogz LLC, Kona shaved ice, Humpty’s Dumplings, Philly Fry, Little Sicilian, Tacos El Carbone, Gita’s Mobile diner as well as a crepe truck. Vendors include Pirate Pete’s soft drink truck and a beef jerky business.
Look for animal rescue organizations at the event, including Don’t Bully Us and Dog Collar rescue groups.
Also featured: An ax-throwing booth will be set up (for a separate fee). A DJ will play music for the event as well.
For Juliano, the origins of his food truck started with his mom’s cooking at his childhood home in Franklinville.
“I always liked to cook,” he said. After watching Food Network’s Diners Drive-ins and Dives,” Juliano found his sweet spot. Eventually, they built an enclosed trailer with a deck on the back, and furnished the interior to accommodate the business.
His mother bought him a smoker, and he worked on honing his craft.
Today, Juliano considers the pork or hot honey sandwich one of his best dishes. But don’t sleep on the pulled chicken sandwich, topped with honey and hot sauce, along with crispy fried onions and pickles. The mac and cheese recipe comes straight from his mom’s Franklinville kitchen.
—L.M. Jarvis
