On the Ave: The Beat Goes On

By: Russell Swanson, Exec. Dir., VDID, Main Street Vineland 

It’s hard to believe that the summer season—which officially began on the Memorial Day weekend, as opposed to the technical beginning on June 21—is half over. So little time, but so much to enjoy!

It’s far from over on The Ave, however, as we’re hard at work to make the last half of summer as enjoyable for you as we can—even while looking ahead to the remainder of the year.

We’ve wrapped up Cruise Down Memory Lane and the Running the Ave 5K with post-event meetings in which we talked about what happened and how we can plan to keep the event’s momentum next year.

Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and set our sights squarely on the events coming up. Let’s look at what we have:

We still have two weeks of Play Streets left—Friday, July 19 and July 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sixth Street, between Landis Avenue and Elmer Street, which is closed off to traffic during those times. This is the second consecutive year for Play Streets here and we’re repeating last year’s success. The second week of Play Streets this year—the first week at Sixth and Landis—we had 135 youngsters enjoy the fun and fresh air. Play Streets is a collaboration with the Vineland Community Policing, as well as many other civic and non-profit organizations, along with Main Street Vineland. for youngsters to engage in games, projects, health-related activities, and other ways to get them outside and engaged in constructive activities. Among the participating organizations are the Vineland Health Department, Vineland Municipal/City of Vineland, Daniel’s Den, and the Vineland Police Department. 

The Third Annual Food Truck Festival on The Ave will be coming up on Sunday, August 25 and we’re putting the finishing touches on what should be a colossal time on The Ave. This mega-event will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., rain or shine, at Landis Avenue and the Boulevard and will feature approximately 20 food trucks, a beer tent, and continuous entertainment and activities for all ages—including Yoga in the Park with Peace Love Yoga. Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union will be the major sponsor. Newfield National Bank will be the Entertainment Sponsor, and Little Lamb Preschool and Lidl will be the Kids Corner Sponsors. Further sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact the Main Street Vineland office for more information. Watch soon for the full lineup of activities.

We’re also planning some ribbon-
cuttings to celebrate new businesses that have opened up on The Ave recently. We often join with the Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce with these. It’s a great way of putting these businesses in the spotlight and celebrating these successes. Watch for more on that.

Looking further ahead, we’ll start planning soon for our fall and winter events—our A Taste of Vineland & Volunteer Recognition Event on October 23; our Scarecrow Challenge, leading to our Pumpkin Patch Party on October 26; our Weddings on The Ave bridal show on November 6; the annual Christmas Parade on November 30; and the CommUNITY Tree Lighting event on December 9.

We’re also planning a Meet-and-Greet, partnering with the Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce, on September 10, a merchant training course on September 17, and our annual Holiday Mix, Mingle & Meet on December 5. In addition, the military mural at the mini-park at the southwest corner of Landis Avenue and the Boulevard is taking shape and we’re aiming for a dedication ceremony on Veterans Day, November 11. Along with that, we’re going to continue to work on our Urban Canvases on The Ave Mural Project, targeting other buildings for murals.

So, the beat goes on for The Ave. The summer may be half over, but the fun goes on.

***

You’ll want to come hungry on Sunday, August 25 for our third annual Food Truck Festival on The Ave. This mega-event take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., rain or shine, at Landis Avenue and the Boulevard and will feature approximately 20 food trucks, a beer tent, and continuous entertainment and activities for all ages—including Yoga in the Park with Peace Love Yoga. Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union will be the major sponsor. Newfield National Bank will be the Entertainment Sponsor, and Little Lamb Preschool and Lidl will be the Kids Corner Sponsors. Further sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact the Main Street Vineland office for more information.

***

This is all the more reason to make The Ave your destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment needs. Save money on gasoline, avoid the long lines at the big-box stores, malls, and shopping centers, and take in the rich variety of fun things to do—right in your own backyard. n

For more information on Main Street Vineland, call 856-794-8653, visit TheAve.biz or check them out on Facebook. You can also e-mail rswanson@vinelandcity.org.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR