Aug. 9-11, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
BRIDGEWATER - The Somerset County 4-H Fair will run Aug. 9 to 11, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, at the Somerset County 4-H Fairgrounds at North Branch Park on Milltown Road.
"The Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud and pleased to once again be a part of this annual celebration of our rich agricultural heritage," said Freeholder Director Peter S. Palmer. "We invite residents to visit the Somerset County government tents, which will feature interactive activities, games and information on important citizen programs and services.
"The 4-H Fair is a fun way to learn about programs and services that you and your loved ones may want to take advantage of now or in the future,” he said. “Somerset County has many programs for our older population and youth, leadership programs and volunteer opportunities.
“Employees from close to 30 divisions and affiliated agencies are looking forward to meeting you to share information about the services they provide.”
The Somerset County Sheriff's Office, Somerset County Library System and Raritan Valley Community College will share space in a tent adjacent to the county's Main Tent.
You can make a memory and share it on social media at #MySCNJ at one of the many selfie backdrops within the county's Main Tent or you can let your imagination guide you in composing your selfie memory in the Main Tent, other government tents and around the fairgrounds.
The Board of Freeholders and the Division of Solid Waste Management, through a solid waste management program grant, will sponsor the Grand Falloons on Friday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the Prep Tent. An educator will blend nature, environment and conservation to teach how humans impact the environment. Visitors will enjoy original songs, juggling routines, magic and classic comedy exploring the themes of litter abatement, recycling and storm water management to understand what we can do to save the earth. For more information, go to http://grandfalloons.com.
The Somerset County Sheriff's Office will have a K-9 Demo Thursday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. in the Clover Theater, next to the Main Government Tent.
Visitors can enjoy intermittent demos each day in the Main Government Tent from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check the sandwich board at the entrance for a daily schedule.
Scheduled demos to date in the Main Government Tent include: Wednesday: Butter Making, Storytime, Fragrant Plants and Their Uses, and Assembling an Emergency Go Bag. Thursday: The Art of Composting with Worms, Weeds! Birds! Butterflies!, Amazing Adaptations-A Touching Experience, Assembling an Emergency Go Bag and Blood Pressure Readings. Friday: Butter Making, The Art of Composting with Worms, and Blood Pressure Readings.
Some demos will be presented by students from the Somerset County Vocational and Technical Schools in Bridgewater. Teens can talk with students after each presentation and get the nitty-gritty on careers relating to courses offered at the school.
Visitors can tour Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and County Animal Response Team (CART) trailers at the Office of Emergency Management table in the Main Government Tent.
Kids can enjoy games, activities and competitions at many of the tables. Attractions will include a train running through a make-believe town, beanbag toss, large puzzles, exercise wheel, fidget -spinner competitions, crossword game, brain-power game, planning game to create an ideal town, an engineering drainage project, a Pick-A-Tick game, a “What in the World is That?” game to identify items from the 1800’s and an Intoxiclock / Fatal Vision Goggles activity, which allows users to experience the visual impairment caused by drugs and alcohol.
At the Roads Division setup, to the right of the footbridge entrance, kids can operate a full-sized Gradall and excavator. The Park Commission will have an electronic scavenger hunt. Stop off at their tent to the left of the footbridge to begin your journey.
The Library System will be asking visitors to shoot for the stars in celebration of this year's total solar eclipse with coloring, crafting, activities, giveaways and more. They will give out canvas tote bags from 10 a.m. to noon daily, or until supplies for that day are gone.
Be sure to stop by the many government tables to enter drawings for prizes that have been generously donated by local businesses and organizations. Prizes include tickets to a show at the Raritan Valley Community College Theatre, gift certificates for a dozen roses, Somerset Patriots' home games, Leisure Pursuit passes to Somerset County Park Commission programs and a Fall Yoga class.
Other prizes include a basket of relaxation items, a food basket, a $75 gift card to ShopRite, a $50 gift card to Stop & Shop, a basket and backpack of school supplies and an 8GB Kindle Fire.
Many tables will have giveaways for visitors.
The Public Information Office is celebrating its 40-year anniversary and Rutgers Cooperative Extension is celebrating its 100-year anniversary.
For your convenience, free shuttle buses will run from Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) on Route 28 in North Branch. Visitors who wish to avoid traffic entering the fairgrounds can park at the college and take a shuttle bus. Signs will direct visitors to the proper parking area at the college.
Buses will run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Buses will drop visitors by the footbridge at the entrance to the fairgrounds.
In case of heavy-rain conditions or a high volume of visitors at a particular time, which impacts parking at the fairgrounds, visitors and workers could be prohibited from parking. If so, proceed to RVCC to take advantage of the free shuttle buses or just use the buses from the start.
Visitors wishing to stay on top of parking conditions at the fairgrounds can sign up for weather and emergency text alerts for evacuations, re-openings and heavy-parking volume. You don't need Internet access on your cellphone nor do you need a Twitter account to receive these alerts. You simply need a cellphone that is able to receive text messages. To sign up, text the words: "Follow 4HAlerts" to "40404." Upon signing up, you will receive confirmation that you are signed up and information on how to stop getting alerts. Before signing up for alerts, make sure your text message does not have an automatic signature. Standard text-message rates may apply.
Visitors are encouraged to stop by the 4-H Information Tent, across from the footbridge, to pick up a schedule of events and a layout of the fairgrounds before beginning their adventure.
For more information about the Fair, call the Ted Blum 4-H Center at 908-526-6644 or visit somerset.njaes.rutgers.edu/4hfair/. Directions for North Branch Park are available at http://bit.ly/DirectionsSC4H
