For more than a decade, the sleepy Delaware River town of Milford has been jolted awake – literally – by the Milford Merchants Association’s annual Milford Alive! festival.
Although the beloved celebration is on hiatus this year, a Milford business that celebrates international cultures all year long is packing one day with activities, food and drinks from around the world.
Descendents Brewing Company, which serves beer and food from the owners’ ancestral homes in Germany, Belgium, England and the United States, will host the Hunterdon County World Fair from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, rain date Sunday, Sept. 21. It will co-host the event alongside Love Blooms event planning and floral design service.
The free-admission, family-friendly festival will take over Bridge Street with a dozen live cultural performances; international food, craft and beverage vendors representing 50 countries; and activities inspired by events around the world.
Parking and shuttle service will be from Grace Fellowship Church at 401 Milford Mt. Pleasant Road. Another lot (without shuttle service) will be at Milford Water Department at 119 York Road.
A few of the standout activities include a kids’ “running of the bulls” inspired by the Spanish tradition; a cultural pet parade where pet owners are encouraged to dress their pets in cultural outfits; a rubber duck race; a kids’ scavenger hunt; and a beer stein holding contest. Festivalgoers are encouraged to wear traditional cultural outfits.
Things to do: Comedian and TV host Zane Lamprey performing at Somerset County brewery this week
Food will include German, Swedish and Puerto Rican fare from Descendents Brewing Company; roast pig and baked clams from the Milford Fire Department; fries from Belgium-inspired Bel-Fries; kielbasa and pierogies from Polish Connection; Indian eats from the Milford Market; and vendors offering Argentinian empanadas and Lithuanian desserts.
Music and dance performances will include St. Ann’s of Hampton Pipes and Drums; Eletfa Hungarian Folk Band; Mongolian throat singing with Robert McLaughlin and the Burnt Mills Highballers; Tibetan Gorshey dance by NYNJ Drora Tramo; Kohesion k-pop dance cover band; Dzirkstele folk dance group; Kalmyk Dance NJ folk dance group; Dancing Crane Georgian traditional dance group; Kitarina Scandi belly dance group and Grupo Folclorico Portuguese folk dance group.
“We are hopeful to attract the same volume that Milford Alive! has had in the past,” stated Descendents Brewing Company owner Joseph David and Love Blooms owner Jayne Yovanvich. “We feel like the community will look towards Milford around this time of year and will find this event instead. We are also broadening our reach with all of the cultural vendors and organizations along with their followers, who up until now had no idea about Milford.”
Go: noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20; Bridge Street, Milford; free; hunterdoncountyworldfair.org.
Jenna Intersimone.
Contact: [email protected]
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, although she’s a lifetime Jersey girl who considers herself an expert in everything from the Jersey Shore to the Garden State’s buzzing downtowns. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Hunterdon World Fair Sept. 20 features food, drinks from 50 countries
