FROM TODAY'S SUNBEAM (Newhouse Newspapers)
Sunday, October 01, 2006
By ROBERT LINNEHAN
Staff Writer
WOODSTOWN -- The pungent aroma of barbecue, scented candles, and kettle popcorn hung in the cool air, sweetly intermingling with each other in the streets of downtown Woodstown as hundreds of Salem County residents enjoyed the official oncoming of fall at the sixth annual Woodstown Fall Festival.
Large crowds of onlookers walked up and down Woodstown's North and South Main Streets looking at the antique car collections, listening to the music groups belting out rock and roll classics, and just browsing the wares of the many vendors that dotted the streets.
"This event really gives the residents a chance to come together as a community," Mayor Richard Pfeffer said. "It really brings people together and it's a fantastic opportunity for people to meet at the end of the summer."
Always looking to improve the event, this year's fall festival featured a wine tasting tent. For a small cover charge, adults 21 years of age and older could sample small tastes of wine from some of the most revered local wineries in Salem County.
"This is what the fall festival is all about," Brian Pokrzywa said. Pokrzywa is a member of the Woodstown Town Center Task Force and was a driving force to bring the wine tasting event to the festival.
"It's all about supporting the local businesses in town and coming out to the event with your family and friends," he said.
Perhaps the most crowded event of the day was the chili contest. At noon, it opened its doors to the public for a sampling. For a small fee, people could sample one or all of the 14 chills on display.
Jeffrey Knerr, a culinary teacher at the Cumberland County College, and his two students Amanda Cabrera and Arthur Elbertson were handing out free samples of their "Diablo" vegetarian chili, which took first place in the judges competition. Knerr has entered chili in the last three competitions.
"We all decided to do this together and we all cooked the chili together," he said. "One of my students is a complete vegan so we compromised and came up with this, which is quite good."
Tod and Jo Eisenhuth of Pilesgrove both agreed, as they ate their free samples of the "Diablo" chili and basked among the cayenne pepper that was wafting in the air.
"It's outstanding to be here out here. I don't get to do too much of the hometown events so I'm happy I made it out for this one," Tod Eisenhuth said. "Everyone in town usually come to this one, so it's a good way to connect with people you haven't seen in a while. The locals and the local businesses need our support, so its a good way to help out."
The festival is a day for all ages, and children were certainly having a good time. Silly string seemed to be the toy of the day, as kids ran around the streets spraying themselves with the wacky amusement.
"I liked the moon bounce the best today," young Tiara Scull said. Tiara came to the event with Constance Booker of Woodstown, a participant in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America.
"It's a fantastic day and I'm really having a good time and enjoying the food as well," Booker said. "I think they should have even more of these events in the community, especially for the kids as well. I can't wait for next years fall festival."