By Jon Cronin

Street fairs are a classic in New Jersey come the warm weather, sunny days, and summer vibes. This summer will be no exception in West Orange when the ever popular West Orange Street Fair makes it’s return. The West Orange Street Fair is back to celebrate its 15th year and fifth year partnering with the Thomas Edison Museum.  

“You can expect the same reliable hosts and vendors,” said Megan Brill, the executive director of the West Orange Downtown Alliance, the group that organizes the fair.

The street fair will take place in front of the museum on Main Street between Charles Street all the way up Babcock Place on Saturday, June 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

The event will feature over 125 different crafters, retailers, artists, and food vendors, said Brill.  Some are new and many had such a good experience in previous years that they are returning.

She noted that there will be a second food court area this year, more coffee vendors and a craft wine and beer garden.  

Brill added that there will be even more street performers this year including a man on stilts, giant bubble performers as well as other talented performers and plenty of family fun activities.

As always, there will be free entry to the Thomas Edison Museum.  Brill was excited to share that “the museum will be bringing out rare artifacts that the curators only share on special occasions.”  She noted that the museum will bring out some of Edison’s wax recordings and fairgoers will be able to visit Edison’s chemistry lab that is usually closed off.  The partnership with the museum has brought many people out in recent years, especially due to the free admission and open feel.

The Howling Poets, a native New Jersey Rockin’ Roll/Jazz/Punk/Soul fusion band will be performing live at the fair.    

The fair will once again feature the ever popular car and motorcycle show featuring spectacular historic vehicles, such as classic cars, and various types of motorcycles. The car show will also be held on Main Street between Park Avenue and Charles

Brill said that last year it rained, and the fair got only about 30 cars.  This year, the organizers made more room for the car show and can now fit up to 75 cars.  

There will be three trophies handed out for best car. The West Orange Sheriff will pick one car, the Fire Chief will pick another, and the car show sponsor, Nielsen Dodge of East Hanover, will pick the third.

“They’re all gorgeous trophies,” Brill said.

The West Orange Downtown Alliance starts planning the fair in December when they reach out to the multitude of sponsors and vendors that make the fair possible.  Brill said that at the end of April a team of five continue meet every Thursday to finalize the fair’s logistics.

For more information or to sign up to be a vendor, email downtown@westorange.com.