Children play at the Family PJ Dance Party held by Downtown West Orange.
Downtown West Orange has stepped up its Thursday night game this year, adding more events to draw more people to different spots along the township’s lengthy Main Street.
“We’ve been doing Downtown Thursdays for five years now,” Councilperson Michelle Casalino said. “Our strategy is to drive people to our downtown with different events to assist our local business owners as well as create community engagement, providing support for residents.”
The most recent event was a Family PJ Dance Party at the Quigley Parking Lot on Mississippi Avenue. Next up, Thursday, July 25, is live music and food under the stars in St. Mark’s Square at 30 Main St. That’s followed on Aug. 1 by a “Dog Days of Summer Bark and Brew” on Alden Street.
Earlier this month, people were literally dancing in the streets for the Tory Corner Salsa Street Party.
The weekly events take place in different locations along the downtown corridor, which stretches from Scotland Road to Eagle Rock Way. The weekly event moves around so each of the township’s four corridors – The Valley, St. Mark’s, Tory Corner, and Eagle Rock – gets a chance to shine.
The events run from 5 to 8 p.m. except for the scheduled Aug 15, event which will include a movie and won’t start until 6:30 p.m. with the movie starting at 8 p.m.
The events have proved popular so the number doubled this year, Casalino said.
“We do have a beer garden for the parents, so they can chill,” Casalino said. “A lot of restaurants have specials in conjunction with the event.”
Downtown West Orange has also seen a rise in the number of people volunteering to help out and attending the events.
“We have folks from all over town as well as the local neighborhood,” Casalino said.
Downtown West Orange has other projects ongoing, including a plan to put some artwork in St. Mark’s Square.
“We are redoing some stuff in the alley next to Supreme Bakery,” Said Amy McCampbell of Downtown West Orange. “We’re kicking off an installation to be determined.
We’re going to put some lights across the alley and we have a sculpture. We are going to create an imagination alley that will be a gateway to St. Mark’s Square.”
At this week’s event, the business group will announce a contest calling for art proposals for the alley.
“We’re going to ask kids to draw what they would like to see,” McCampbell said.
A $25,000 grant from the state will help pay for the beautification project.
Mayor Susan McCartney, who was at the PJ party, said the organization does a good job keeping things fresh.
“They go to conferences and come back with great ideas,” McCartney said.
McCampbell said the idea is for people to think of downtown as somewhere to go.
“It’s all about recognition for the downtown,” Casalino said. “We have some really strong businesses like Schneider Hardware that’s been here 100 years.”
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