The following is from The Seton Village Committee:
The Seton Village Committee is pleased to announce sponsors of its third annual Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival, to be held on Friday, September 23 on Irvington Avenue in South Orange. Seton Hall University has been named a Premium-level sponsor, while Natalie Farrell of Weichert Realtors and Blink Fitness have signed on as Supporting-level sponsors. interACT Theater Productions rounds out the sponsor list at the Community level.
“The Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival has become one of the highlights of South Orange’s calendar, and welcoming sponsors to the event enables us to take it to the next level,” explained Doug Zacker, chairman of the Seton Village Committee. ”We’re particularly proud of the fact that all our sponsors are community partners who interact with residents and the Seton Village neighborhood on a regular basis.”
Fahim Abedrabbo, Associate Director of Government Relations at Seton Hall University and SHU’s representative on the Seton Village Committee, noted that the festival is a perfect kick-off for the University’s Seton Hall Weekend. “Our sponsorship of the festival is part of our commitment to fostering the connection between the Seton Village business district and the university,” Abedrabbo said. As a Premiere sponsor, Seton Hall will be featuring appearances by the Seton Hall Pirate as well as the 2016 Big East Tournament championship trophy.
Supporting sponsor Natalie Farrell, a Seton Village resident who is also known as “Natalie knows,” is an expert in South Orange and Maplewood real estate. Awarded yearly since 2007 for sales volume and highly regarded by her clients for her marketing and negotiating skills, she is the number one agent in Maplewood’s Weichert office and a top performer in the state. “I love this community and I live in this neighborhood,” she explained. “The people here know how to come together and have a great time. Any chance I have to give back and sponsor an event like the food truck festival, I am happy to do so.”
Founded in 2011 and coming this fall to South Orange, Supporting sponsor Blink Fitness is a premium quality, value-based fitness brand with more than 60 locations open or in development throughout New York and New Jersey. Each club employs the company’s signature Feel Good Experience™ that highlights enthusiastic staff members, a clean environment, an open, spacious, and colorful design, energizing music and fitness training that is motivating and affordable. “Blink Fitness is thrilled to be opening our doors in South Orange this fall,” said club manager Ambrose Price. “We’re sure that Blink will become a healthy, happy hub of activity and look forward to meeting the community at the festival.”
Community sponsor interACT Theatre Productions is thrilled to be part of the Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival. “The timing couldn’t be any more perfect, since the first production of our eighth season, the musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress, goes up in October,” explained Mark Parker, the troupe’s media director. “Guests at the festival will be able to meet our fairy tale characters from the show and pose for pictures as they taste great food and drinks.” Founded in 2009, interACT presents plays and musicals primarily at the Baird Theatre on Three in South Orange. In addition to Once Upon a Mattress, their current season includes a children’s show slated for December, the classic comedy Pride and Prejudice in March, and Sister Act the Musical in May.
The Seton Village Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival will take place between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Irvington Avenue between Ward Place and Tichenor Avenue/Riggs Place. The event will feature 15 food trucks, a craft beer garden with New Jersey’s largest selection of craft beers available anywhere (hosted by Gaslight Restaurant and Brewery), and two musical stages featuring four local bands. Residents are reminded that Irvington Avenue will be shut down between Ward Place and Tichenor on Friday, September 23 between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., and detours will be set up to redirect traffic. All attendees are encouraged to walk to the event if possible as parking will be limited. Patrons of the craft beer garden should note that as per NJ state law, no one under the age of 21 will be permitted to enter the area; this includes children and babies of all ages.
