In partnership with its police and fire departments, the township will celebrate the season with the annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 16.
The festival is a long-standing tradition of more than 30 years, according to Mayor Susan Shin Angulo. While it couldn’t be held in 2020 because of COVID, people came out in droves for the 2021 version.
“Last year, it was a perfect storm, because there wasn’t any humidity,” said the mayor. “It was the fall weather, really crisp … Everyone came to the harvest fest. A lot of food trucks that were there ran out of food because of the amount of people.”
This year’s festival will feature six food trucks, including Hen & Hatch, Jeremiah’s Custom Cuisine, Ashley’s Floating Floss and Pete’s Soda Pop Company. There will also be a beer garden from the township’s Forgotten Boardwalk Brewery.
Shin Angulo shared that what residents have appreciated most about the festival is the opportunity to gather with others.
“It’s all about family, (residents) getting together with their grandparents there, or maybe it’s like a family event,” she noted. “Even the kids are so excited to get their face painted and try different food, go in the pumpkin patch.
“It’s so family oriented that people love it.”
The festival will include a number of family-friendly activities like a pumpkin patch, pony rides, a petting zoo, balloon artists and a dance party bubble station. Entertainment will include a strolling magician, a juggling stilt walker, music from Aaron Hehl and John Dutton and a DJ.
Members of the township recreation department and police and fire departments will also participate, giving residents the opportunity to meet and greet local officials. There will also be more than 75 participating artists, crafters, businesses and community groups.
“I think it’s all about bringing the entire Cherry Hill community together,” Shin Angulo said. “Just because all the neighborhoods are so different, we want to make sure there’s a place where every neighborhood can check out the fall festival and see what you would like and what you want to incorporate.”
The festival will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at Croft Farms. To learn more, visit https://chnj.gov/harvestfestival.
This article has been updated on Oct. 12 to clarify that the Harvest Festival will take place on Oct. 16, not Oct. 26.
