Alas, the days are getting shorter, the heat waves of summer are, hopefully, over, the kids are back in school, and the leaves are turning their attractive fall colors. We, in Main Street, are setting our sights on our colorful array of autumn events. Here is a preliminary sneak peek. Watch this column and other media for more information soon.
Enjoy the signature dishes from over 20 local restaurants at our A Taste of Vineland & Volunteer Recognition Event, to take place on Wednesday, October 23, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the beautiful Greenview Inn, at Eastlyn Golf Course, 4049 Italia Ave., Vineland. This is our main fundraiser for the year. Century Savings Bank will again be our major sponsor for this event. For $40 per person—or a table of 10 for $400—you can sample food from Vineland’s finest restaurants, all in one evening. There’ll be entertainment and a silent auction. We’ll also be recognizing volunteers who have contributed greatly to the work of Main Street Vineland. Proceeds benefit Vineland Downtown Improvement District/ Main Street Vineland, a 501(c)3 entity. For tickets, contact the Main Street Vineland office or visit TheAve.biz.
With Halloween not too far off, we’ll be bringing back our Scarecrow Challenge and Pumpkin Patch Party. Create your own scarecrow for the Scarecrow Challenge. We’ll have more information on the Scarecrow Challenge shortly, with registration information. That all leads up, however, to the Pumpkin Patch Party, where the winners will be announced, on Saturday, October 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the mini-park at the southwest corner of Landis Avenue and the Boulevard. We’ll have games, prizes, music, and tons of fun.
November starts off with Weddings on The Ave, our bridal show spectacular, to take place on Wednesday, November 6, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at Grant Plaza, 619 E. Landis Avenue. If you’re planning on getting married, this is your chance to meet with local wedding professionals and vendors. Al’s Shoes is the major sponsor for this.
We get into the Yuletide mood with our annual Christmas Parade, to take place this year on Saturday, November 30 (rain date: Sunday, December 1) at 5 p.m. The theme this year will be “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” BB&T is again the major sponsor this year. Vendors, participants, and volunteers are currently being sought to help coordinate on the night of the parade, and parade sponsorship opportunities are available. Applications to be in the parade or to be a vendor can be obtained by going to TheAve.biz—where the rules and regulations can also be reviewed and printed out. To be a participant in the parade, applications must be completed online. Registration for parade participants is free, if received before Friday November 15, with a $20 fee, if received after that date. The deadline for all registrations will be Friday, November 22. Registration is required to participate in the parade and no registrations will be allowed the night of the parade.
Watch for more details about all of these and more events coming up later in the year!
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Remember to stop by the mini-park at the southwest corner of Landis Avenue and the Boulevard and check out the progress on the military mural by artist George Perez and his assistants. They continue their hard work and the mural is taken shape more and more.
We’re continuing our donation drive for the mural, since only part of the expense of this initiative is covered by grants and the various donations of goods and services. To help make this a real community effort, we want to raise $7,500. Just go to our website—TheAve.biz—and, on the home page, click on the link for the military mural. You’ll be taken to a page where you can find out more about the project and how to donate—and since we’re a 501(c)3 entity, your donation is tax-deductible. No amount is too large or too small. Dedication of the mural takes place appropriately, on Veterans Day—Monday, November 11—at 9:30 a.m.
