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Category Archives: Local Life
A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.
Focus: Fair Haven Day 2016
It was a sweltering Saturday. The sun was shining and so were Fair Havenites’ spirits for as they celebrated the fifth Fair Haven Day.
Take a look at the above slideshow photos below for a glimpse into the day.
Retro Remembrance of Fair Havenites on First Fair Haven Day
Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Fair Haven Day is Saturday. It was a few years ago that the first Fair Haven Day took place on the borough’s centennial celebration.
Since then, the borough has lost some of its longtime residents who everyone knew in one capacity or another. They were some of the faces of Fair Haven.
So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day honors two of those people who were there on the first Fair Haven Day, proud longtime Fair Havenites and icons: Life member of the Fair Haven Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary, Pat Topfer; and ever-popular RFH science and dance teacher extraordinaire, George Giffin.
The featured photo on the Fair Haven Day event announcement today included a popular longtime resident and friend to the borough, Ben Hamilton.
RIP, Ben, Pat and Gif. You are remembered.
R-FH Area Weekend: Fair Haven Day & Canterbury Fair
The tents are in place. The stage is set. Fair Haven Day is Saturday, and organizers say they’re set for a full Fair Haven Fields.
With the event starting at 3 p.m., there will be food (picnic, seafood and desserts), live music, kids’ games, bouncy rides, fireworks and more.
New this year is a climbing wall, brought to the fields by the Monmouth County Parks System and sponsored by Fair Haven business Canyon Pass Provisions. The wall can e climbed by kids 8 and up.
For the adults, new this year is a bottomless white or red glass of wine for $30.
The Fair Haven Business Association is providing a magician to entertain kids and face painters.
Music, provided by Stone Bullets, River Road Band, RipTide and Juke Box Criminals, will begin at 3 p.m.
Beer, wine and sangria can be purchased starting at 4.
Ground rules: No dogs, outside alcohol, personal tents or grills/open flames. And attendees are asked to please clean up after themselves.
Click here to purchase food and beverage tickets and for more details.
Also on Saturday, in Rumson, the tradition of the annual Canterbury Fair continues, rain or shine.
The fair, set on the grounds of St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church, runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The fair features a petting zoo, clowns, balloons, cotton candy, face painting, games and a children’s chance auction.
In addition to the famous white elephant sale, jewelry, electronics, sporting goods, gently used children’s games and clothing, homemade gourmet treats, plants, flowers and books for all ages will be sold. There will also be a silent auction tent.
Grilled food, lobster salad luncheon, baked goods, coffee and tea will be served.
Focus: Nightfall River Kayaking
The sun set. The water was still. It was a serene nightfall on the river in Fair Haven.
A lone kayaker rowed his way from the shore across the Navesink from the Middletown shores to the River Rats boat launch. The clouds seemed to follow him. The new moon a sliver above.
And, in the distance, in the hushed evening, were only soft echoes of the water lapping gently to each paddle, bringing him home.
Home here. Good night, Fair Haven.
— Elaine Van Develde
Retro Fair Haven Ride
Photo/courtesy of Peter Mauger
There’s nothing quite like taking a ride with your buddies when you’re a little kid, especially if your bike is a tractor, too.
What kid rides a tractor in the Rumson-Fair Haven area? Well, back in the 1960s, Fair Havenite Peter Mauger did. He, the pint-sized driver carted Nancy Wilson down Lake Avenue in what was a combo tractor-bike with a cool little trailer to lug stuff or a pal in — a “dump trac,” to be exact. Susan Wilson, old and cool enough to ride a two-wheeler with a bell, rode along.
No power wheels in the form of high end, luxury cars. No helmets. No special permission needed to drive a dump trac, because, you know, they’re rural kinds of vehicles.
And the streets were barren enough in those days to ride up and down and even around the block on a seemingly endless loop. Hey, neighborhood kids used to also play dodge ball and hopscotch in the street. But, that’s a retro pic for another day.
Today, the Retro Pic of the Day, courtesy of Peter Mauger, honors a kids’ bike ride of a simpler time — not that there’s anything wrong with helmets and designer power wheels.
What kind of bike did you have? Your dream bike or foot-pedaled car? Remember those?
Sea Bright Farmers Market Seeks More Vendors
The Sea Bright Farmers Market is back in season and with it some popular vendors have returned. But, organizers are looking for a few more.
According to a Facebook post, the market is “looking to expand our 2016 list …” That list, so far, includes: Harvest Moon Farm, Holly Jolly Jams, Pickle Licious, Baker’s Bounty, Neshanic Valley Bee Keepers, Hot Sauce Good, Green Duchess Farm, Harvest Moon Organic Farm, and, new this season, Gourmet Nuts and Dried Fruit.
Organizers say that “at present, we are are hoping to add a coffee roaster and organic dog/cat treat vendor. If you are interested in being considered or have suggestions/recommendations feel free to message us here … or call/text our market managers, Sonya Cappillo at 732-614-9590 or Linda Blevins at 732-757-1374. Any vendor interested in participating must carry a general liability insurance policy.”
The market, which runs for the season every Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. in the Sea Bright Municipal Parking Lot, is a produce/food farmers market.
Focus: Rainbow After the Rain
It rained. It poured. Then a near double dose of good luck symbol stretched across the sky — a vibrant (almost) double rainbow.
And Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect wasn’t the only witness. People in the Rumson-Fair Haven area grabbed shots of the site from many different perspectives.
Here’s what we saw in Fair Haven. If you’d like us to add your photos of the rainbow(s), just give us the OK and we will.
Perhaps it’s a good luck sign for the start of the week.
Here’s to natural wonders and luck!
— Elaine Van Develde
Lending a Helping Fair Haven Day Hand
It’s just about that time of the year — time for Fair Haven Day.
And organizers of the now annual event, via The Foundation of Fair Haven, are alerting residents and area business owners that it’s also time to get your tickets and sign up for sponsorships. If you want more perks/business visibility and would like to offer some financial assistance to keep the event going for years to come, this is the best way to help and reap some benefits in the process, they say.
Fair Haven Day started when the borough celebrated its centennial a few years ago. There was an informal barbecue, music and fireworks to cap the day-long event designed to bring the community together at Fair Haven Fields.
People voiced opinion that they wanted to do it again, and again. But, the estimated cost was high. So, The Foundation of Fair Haven, a 501c3 non-profit was formed to defray the cost that wouldn’t be covered in charging a basic food fee.
Now, fundraisers, donations and sponsorships later, tickets for the event are on sale and so are family packages, personal and business sponsorships that include advertising.
According to The Foundation of Fair Haven website, River Road Band, Riptide and Jukebox Criminals will be playing, picnic food will be offered by Brennan’s at $10 per person, seafood from the Lusty Lobster will be sold at $5 a serving and dessert and coffee, at $2 per serving, will be served by Booskerdoo. Unlimited mugs of beer will be offered at $25 and, new this year, is a bottomless wine glass for $30.
In addition to these ticket prices, sponsorships range from $100 on up and include a variety of associated benefits.
Check the site by clicking here and choose your tickets and/or sponsorship offer.
Check out our slideshow here to revisit Fair Haven Day 2015.
Focus: Summery Sunning Down by the River
It may be an unofficial start of summer that’s taken hold, but the sun was scorching like it was pretty official down by the Navesink River on Monday in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
The National Weather Service says “patchy fog” is going to hit tonight until early tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. After that, it’s supposed to be sunny and 70 degrees.
Take a look at the above photos for a glimpse into the sunny day in both Rumson and Fair Haven.
UPDATE: Memorial Day in Rumson, Fair Haven
UPDATE: Due to the forecast of inclement weather, the Fair Haven Memorial Day Parade has been canceled. There will, instead, be a ceremony at Knollwood School at 9 a.m.. So far, the Rumson parade is still on with the ceremony to follow at Victory Park. From the Rumson website: “Due to weather concerns, announcement will be posted 7.30am Monday re: the status of the Memorial Day Parade and location of the ceremony.” Click here to access the Rumson website.
Memorial Day parades and ceremonies start the day on Monday, an hour apart, in Rumson and Fair Haven.
A Fair Haven Sign-On
It’s a sign of the times — Fair Haven’s new LED digital sign at Borough Hall, that is.
After decades of dealing with updating an old fashioned marquee sign outside of official borough headquarters on River Road letter-by-letter, event-by-event coupled with a combination of not being able to keep up and just plain age-induced wear, a new sign was commissioned.
And, “it’s just about ready to go,” Mayor Ben Lucarelli said. “This is a much better option for us. The old sign was just falling apart and this one is just much more cost-effective. We couldn’t see hiring someone, or taking time away from a borough employee to keep up with changing the sign consistently and on a timely basis. This LED digital sign can be updated right from the computer and holds several alternating messages. It just makes so much more sense and it’s going to be very sturdy and nice looking.”
There was an advisory committee charged with choosing a sign that would fit in with the character of the borough and get the job done of efficiently notifying residents of events and important messages as they drive by Borough Hall. After doing some research and mulling design ideas, this is what the committee came up with.
The price for the sign, including installation, was roughly $30,000, which at least one official balked at in a past meeting, but Lucarelli and other officials said was worth the product in the long run and is a one-shot payment.
The sign, officials have said, will not be as flashy as Red Bank Regional’s when lit and will get the messages out.
— Elaine Van Develde
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