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July 2 - 9

Pursuit of Happiness!

Lighting up Mountain Lake, Warren County. Photo by Frank Cheh.
Declare your right to a summer fit for royalty! What better place to pursue happiness than Northwest New Jersey? Firecrackers, fairs, picnics and independence! The Fourth of July, as John Adams put it, "ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more." Heed our forefather! There's plenty of action to choose from.

Human Events

Celebrate July 4th with the Morris County Tourism Bureau and Morristown National Historical Park at Revolutionary Times, a patriotic heritage weekend dedicated to raising awareness of the role that Morris County played in the Revolutionary War. On Friday, July 3, a free lawn concert at Washington’s Headquarters will kick off the fireworks. On Saturday, July 4, the traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence will occur at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown at 11:30am, followed by a musket salute performed outside on the historic Morristown Green. Graveyard tours and other family activities begin at 1pm, continuing on Sunday with ongoing events at local historic and cultural sites. For more information, click or call 973/631-5151.

This 1995 painting by artist Jan Swift, looking from Old Academy Drive east down Main Street towards the Presbyterian Church, shows contemporary Blairstown much as it appeared 100 years prior. Prints are available at Gallery 23 on Main Street.
Blairstown hosts its annual Fourth Celebration as the town parties with music, contests, displays, numerous food and crafts booths, and boomers. You can follow John I. Blair's life through Blairstown, Hope, Belvidere and Delaware; then go see where it all happened! On Friday, July 3 (5-7pm) you can view works by twelve area artists who live and work in and around Blairstown at the Gourmet Gallery, 31 Main Street, 908/362-0051. The exhibition will remain on view through August 29th. And further down the street, the cooperative Gallery 23 is a permanent showcase for more than thirty of the area's finest artists and craftsmen.

On Friday, July 3, an outdoor DJ, Uncle Sam Stilt Walker, Mark Clark's "All American Magic Show", various food & craft vendors, and a delicious Hickory Licks barbecue precede fireworks at 9pm at Shawnee Mountain just across the Delaware River in Shawnee, PA.

Find good bargains all weekend at the July 4th Summer Sale at Liberty Village Premium Outlets in Flemington, from Thursday July 2 - Sunday, July 5. Save 25% - 65% at the top names in fashion designers, jewelry, specialty gifts, shoes, and more. For sale event markdowns visit the website. Church Street, Flemington. 908/782-8550.

Queen Bees

Over 2,500 handmade quilts are displayed at America’s largest quilt sale at the Kutztown Festival.
The Kutztown Folk Festival continues through Sunday, July 5, and features the largest exhibition and sale of authentic Pennsylvania Dutch quilts in the country. But, of course, there's much more. One of America's most celebrated festivals, the Kutztown Festival is the oldest continuing folklife event in the nation, featuring folk art and crafts by 200 craftsmen, folklore and folklife programs, five stages of continuous entertainment, music, a wide array of children's activities, and the best Pennsylvania Dutch food found anywhere. Click here for discount admission. The festival is worth the trip. Rt. I-78w. to Exit 49A, 100s. to 222s. to Kutztown, PA.

Hot and Thirsty

Homegrown recipes for refreshment with a difference are there for the asking from local farms and nurserys. The ingredients are at your fingertips and the concoctions a click away.
Blueberry Lemonade from Race Farm in Blairstown.
Lavender Lemonade from Donaldson's Greenhouses and Nursery in Hackettstown.
Elderflower Cordial from Fields Without Fences in Frenchtown.
Rose Hip Tea from backyard grower, Stan Styer, in Belvidere.

Laws of Nature

VanCampen's Glen
More Rain=Good Waterfall Hunting. Summer's soggy start has brought extended life to the many waterfalls scattered throughout the NJ Skylands. Nowhere are they so plentiful as in the Kittatinny Mountains, where streams find their way down steep slopes to the Delaware River. Go find them!

Mark your calendars!

       

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While you wait for the mailman, tap our calendar for the best events for you and your family, or check our current stories. Stay tuned to our Day Trip Map for good ideas for a scenic drive! Or use the Outdoor Map for links to all sorts of hikes and outdoor fun! Northwest New Jersey and destinations just beyond those borders, in Pennsylvania and New York, offer brilliant ways to get out and enjoy the pleasures of the season.

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