South Orange River Day, an annual community gathering to clean up the town’s section of the Rahway River, celebrate South Orange, and promote environmental education and awareness, returns on Sunday, May 3.
For more details visit the website; for up-to-the-minute information and schedule additions, visit and like the Facebook page.
Here is more about River Day from a press release:
In the past four years festival participant/volunteers have removed over three tons of garbage from the river while having fun, enjoying music and food, and learning about their watershed. The section of the river that flows through town is already bouncing back, with turtles nesting on the banks, rare birds returning, and schools of larger fish thriving. More residents have stopped the application of toxic herbicides and pesticides in their yards, which run off into the river, killing fish and wildlife. They’re reducing the plastic litter thrown onto the streets, sidewalks, and parking lots because they know it will travel to the river via storm drains and continue into the ocean, killing wildlife, fouling beaches, and ending up concentrated in the fish they eat.
Dan Lipow of Wild Edibles (in red shirt)
The event headquarters will be at the Skate House by the Duck Pond. “In addition to [a] taco truck, we will have River Yoga, Jersey Buzz Honey, a home composting demo, and students participating in a SOMS 7th grade science project on the river,” said South Orange Trustee Walter Clarke.
Have a bicycle to donate? Bring it along and it will be given to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark Bike Exchange.
To participate in clean-up, bring waterproof boots, old sneakers or footware that you don’t mind getting wet and fill out the waiver on the website to speed check in. The organizers will provide gloves and bags.
River Day is sponsored by the South Orange Environmental Commission. The Commission and its volunteers, the Green Team, are dedicated to improving the safety and quality of life in South Orange. Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m.. All residents are welcome.
If you have any questions please contact James McGowan, (862) 220-0019, or jcmcgowan@hotmail.com.
