Tradition has it that the Fourth of July is the mid-point of the summer season and the countdown begins to Labor Day, when the season officially ends. It can be a bit melancholy for some—with half the summer already over. For others, it’s a time to jam in all the summer fun you can. I like to think that I’m of the latter mindset and we, at Main Street Vineland, still have a lot of summer fun in store for you.

We announced in the last column that Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union will be the major sponsor of Food Trucks on The Ave, which returns to downtown Vineland for the fifth year on Sunday, August 21, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Landis Avenue and the Boulevard. We’ve been hard at work tying everything up to make this food truck festival the best one yet. This sizzling mega-event, for which admission is free, is a highlight of the summer season and will feature over 25 food trucks and a packed lineup of continuous entertainment and activities. In addition to non-stop entertainment on the Entertainment Stage, activities in the Kid’s Corner will include games, face painting, and sand art. Stop by and visit the various non-food vendors on site, as well, including over 20 crafters. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. So come hungry and stay late.

You can also take advantage of our downtown walking trails and, while you’re doing so, stop into the various restaurants, stores, and other businesses on The Ave.

Meanwhile, we’re working on our later events—taking us into the fall and even the winter. We have our sixth annual Pumpkin Patch Party on Saturday, October 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the mini-parks, Landis Avenue and the Boulevard. Our Christmas Parade will be on Saturday, November 26 (rain date: Sunday, November 27) on Landis Avenue, starting at 5 p.m. Finally, we’re already hard at work planning our second annual An Olde Fashioned Christmas on The Ave on Friday and Saturday, December 2 and 3.

So, mark your calendars for all of these events and know that the fun is far from over.

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July is the month of our next group of quarterly team meetings. The Organization Team met this past Thursday, but our Design Team meets this Thursday, July 14. That team works to make The Ave look the best it can be by enhancing its physical appearance. Some mural projects are being planned—part of our Urban Canvases on The Ave Mural Project—as well as other beautification projects. The other teams, in the order in which they will meet, are Promotions and then Economic Vitality.

All our teams will be meeting on successive Thursdays this month, at 12 p.m., at the Main Street Vineland office, 603 E. Landis Avenue. You can join in person or virtually on Zoom; just let us know in advance so we can send you the link. ***

Remember that Main Street Vineland is here to help. We pass important business information along to our businesses every Wednesday, in the 9 a.m. hour, and on SNJ Today POP FM 99.9, Channel 22. n

For more on Main Street Vineland, call our office at 856-794-8653, visit TheAve.biz—or check us out on Facebook.