By Ryan Maurer
Correspondent
Community Fest, an annual festival collaboration between Ewing Township and the College, will be hosted on Oct. 18. The festival will feature an antique car show, a bike safety course, plenty of local vendors to shop, an art gallery featuring student artwork and performances from several groups.
Community Fest first began in the 1990s, and was formed by a longstanding partnership between Ewing Township, Ewing public schools and the College. The festival started out as a way to bridge the gap between the College and the campus’s neighbors.
Residents of Ewing Township and students at the College are welcome to attend and build long-lasting relationships, while also exploring the College’s campus.
“We're really excited to host the families, the children, the folks that come onto campus for that day and as well as throughout the year,” said Raj Manimaran, the director of government and community relations at the College.
Every year, the festival features approximately 100 vendors, allowing them an opportunity to promote their businesses and organizations to the surrounding community, according to Ewing Township Director of Communications Julie Willmot. About 4,000 to 5,000 people typically show up to support the local community and partake in its annual traditions.
The College’s mascot, Roscoe, will be in attendance and available for pictures.
Ewing Township also prides itself for the opportunity to showcase its volunteer programs, according to Willmot.
“We have an animal shelter [EASEL Animal Rescue League, Shelter & Pet Adoption]...and they'll have animals there, you know, for adoption or to help out as a volunteer to come here. We have a lot of dog walkers that come to walk the campus.”
EASEL, an animal shelter located in Mercer County, will be present at the event, hosting an animal rescue and adoption. Students and residents will have the opportunity to help out as a volunteer and meet a lot of the dog walkers who walk the dogs on campus.
“I mean, it's a beautiful campus that they can walk in a safe environment,” according to Mayor Bert Steinmann of Ewing Township.
Local residents and students get the opportunity to meet and take pictures with Roscoe at the festival. (Photo courtesy of Julie Willmot)
Community Fest has an annual tradition, where the mayor of Ewing Township and the president of the College come together for opening remarks and present a joint message on unity, according to Steinmann.
“This is just such a great culmination of folks coming together and getting to meet everyone in one place is really special, and so I think the president has always made it a priority to both attend as well as to really get to interact with folks as well,” Manimaran said.
The annual festival is planned out at least six months in advance to guarantee its success, according to Manimaran. Community Fest set up begins as early as 5 a.m. on the day of the event to ensure everything is ready by the time it starts at 10 a.m.
“If you're interested in getting to know about what's happening around campus, as well as what's happening here just locally in Ewing, you're going to get so much information,” Manimaran said
Community Fest will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 18.
