When the weather gets cooler in October, the activities and events at Cherry Hill’s Croft Farm heat up.
Between the township’s Fall Into the Arts series and the annual Harvest Festival at Croft Farm, residents of all ages have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities.
Thousands expected for Harvest Festival
Bridget Palmer, director of communications for Cherry Hill, said this year’s Harvest Festival puts an emphasis on the previous years’ most popular activities.
“There’s things like the costume parade, the pumpkin patch, and we have pony rides for kids,” Palmer said. “There’s a petting zoo that’s always popular.”
The township added the pumpkin patch and pony rides in 2012. Other festival activities, such as balloon artists, face painting and a moon bounce, are also returning this year. Residents are also encouraged to bring a canned food item to be donated to the Cherry Hill Food Pantry. The food donations were added to the event last year.
Harvest Festival coincides with the Cherry Hill Fire Department’s Fire and Life Safety Day. The fire department partners with the township for the event.
Palmer said the day is one of the most popular activities for kids at the festival. It includes a booth where kids can get an ID card and an area for kids to take a picture with a firefighter. An antique fire truck and other apparatus will also be on display.
Residents get opportunity to Fall Into the Arts
Harvest Festival takes place during the middle of the township’s Fall Into the Arts event. Fall Into the Arts has been growing in size over the past few years. It now consists of two weeks chock-full of concerts, art exhibits and events.
For the first time this year, the township has partnered with the Garden State Film Festival to host a mini film festival on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 3 p.m.
“We’re partnering with the Garden State Film Festival for a best of the Garden State Film Festival,” Palmer said. “There’s a sample from the U.S., from France, from Ireland and Japan.”
The township has looked for ways to expand Fall Into the Arts beyond juried exhibits. Palmer hopes the film festival will attract additional residents to Croft Farm.
“We try to really vary the cultural arts that we’re bringing in,” she said.
There will be no shortage of Cherry Hill pride throughout Fall Into the Arts. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the juried photography exhibit. For $10 per piece, photographers can sign up to have their work exhibited in the Croft Farm Arts Center for the two weeks of Fall Into the Arts. Intake for the exhibit will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 4 to 7 p.m.
A meet the artist reception will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. The winners of the exhibit will be announced at the event.
Residents who want to check out the exhibit can visit the arts center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays and Thursday during Fall into the Arts.
“Anyone can come in and see the juried photography exhibit throughout the day,” Palmer said.
The final event of Fall Into the Arts will be the first event in the Cherry Hill Ensemble Series for 2014–15. The township will host singers and a pianist from the Academy of Vocal Arts on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. The concert will have a local flavor, as students from Cherry Hill High School East will perform with the academy’s singers.
To purchase tickets, call the township’s recreation department at (856) 488–7868 or email arts@chtownship.com.
