A driver who provided rides on Harrison Township Day takes in fireworks that closed out the event on June 7.
After months of planning and preparation, the Harrison Township Recreation Commission hosted Harrison Township Day on June 7 at Ella Harris Park to celebrate the community.
While the exact number of attendees has yet to be determined, Recreation Coordinator Sharon Chew estimated that they exceeded last year’s numbers, even with brief bad weather.
“It was really, really nice, despite that 15-minute storm,” she said. “Some people left, but most people stayed under tents. When it left, we had a beautiful rainbow to greet us.”
A number of attractions were new to the annual event, including tractor rides provided by the South Jersey Gas Engine Club, a play area for toddlers and babies, a bounce house and pony rides with a local farmer. A makeshift food court with trucks surrounded the celebrants.
The township fire district provided a beer garden for the event, the police department did a K-9 demonstration and local band Faultline provided music. Several local businesses and organizations had tents set up where they could interact with attendees.
Attendees included township committeemen Jeff Jacques and TJ Coakley and Deputy Mayor Lawrence Moore. The day closed with a fireworks display that lit up the night sky.
“It was 30 minutes straight of fireworks,” said Chew. “We got the fireworks from Schaefer Fireworks from Pennsylvania. We’ve used them for, I’ll say, the past 15 years, and they did spectacular.”
The recreation commission funded the celebration with help from local business and group sponsors, the largest of which was Inspira Mullica Hill. Others were Trinity UMC, Ocean First Bank and the attorney Brian J. Duffield.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” Chew acknowledged. “It was another wonderful event in Harrison Township.”
