HarvestFest was swinging, then the rains came

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The 26th annual Bloomfield HarvestFest was held Saturday afternoon, Oct. 6, on Broad Street from Bloomfield to Belleville avenues. The weather was not favorable, with overcast skies giving out to drizzles later in the afternoon. But Ollyn Lettman, director of the Bloomfield Center Alliance, which produced the event, said there was a good crowd in the early afternoon.

“Despite the weather, people came out and had a nice time,” he said.
There were more than 120 vendors plus activities for children including a petting zoo, a pony ride, balloon inflatables and rides. For the second consecutive year, all rides were set up on the street and not the Green, for fear of damaging it.

There was a new concept for the township unveiled at the HarvestFest. In front of the Bloomfield College dorms on Broad Street was constructed a three-sided, open box with a turf rug. It was called a parklet and, as implied, it was as a very small park. Potted plants surrounded it to provide a floral lineage. The parklet is portable, modular and when assembled about the size of a parking space.

Lettman said five bands performed during the day. There was also a martial-arts demonstration and a children’s’ twirling team, sponsored by the Bloomfield Department of Recreation.

He said various volunteer groups came to the festival.
“This was an event that a lot of nonprofits want to be part of,” he said. “It’s an event that brings out the community and attracts several thousand people.”
Among the nonprofits were the Boy Scouts, Troop 22, the township recycling committee, the Church of the Sacred Heart, Park United Methodist and the Montclair YMCA. The Bloomfield fire and police departments also took part, as well as EMS.

Lettman said there there were no problems and no emergencies.
“Other than less-than-perfect weather, it’s been a very successful event,” he said.
The festival was formerly a weekend long, but it was switched to one day and a rain date was provided. Two days, Lettman said, meant added expenses and vendors not returning for the second day.

He decided not to reschedule HarvestFest this year to Sunday, Oct. 7, the rain date, because the weather forecast did not mention rain.
“It was supposed to be cloudy and then burn off,” Lettman said. “And vendors want it on the day for which it is scheduled.”
The event, according to Lettman, raised about $25,000 which was enough to pay for itself.

According to Maya Lordo, of the Bloomfield Department of Health, the parklet was purchased with a NJ Healthy Communities grant administered through Partners for Health, of Montclair. She said the parklet is constructed from 10 parts and permission must be secured from the BPD before placing it on a street. But the parket can be set up pretty much anywhere, she said.

“It’s a public space,” Lordo said. “A restaurant cannot put tables and chairs in it. It’s can’t be used to generate income.”
Restaurant patrons could, however, take their food out to the parklet and enjoy it there.
Lettman said the BCA will have one more street event this year. It is called “Eats & Beats” and will occur Saturday, Oct. 13, from noon to 7 p.m., on Glenwood Avenue, near Lackawanna Place.

“We have something for Broad Street and we have something for Washington Street,” he said referring to the OctoberFest and springtime block party, respectively. “And now we’ll have something for Glenwood Avenue.”

Lettman was referring to the Washington Street block party which occurs in the spring.
Additional photos on Pages 8 and 9

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