April Update
No fooling: a statewide indie bookstore crawl, postage stamps featuring our state, finding a piece of home 1,200 miles away, & more!
Introducing the New Jersey Bookstore Crawl!
I teased this last month, but I’m organizing a statewide independent bookstore crawl that will take place on June 7th & 8th! Dozens of stores will be participating (and I hope to add some more to the list), and you can bring a printed guide to any of the stores during the weekend to be marked, and each visit will earn you one entry into a free raffle of great donated prizes. You can stay updated with all of the info on the crawl on Instagram, or on this webpage, which is still a work in progress.
The event is also sponsored by Rutgers University Press and Kristen of Hello Art Design (who made all of our excellent graphics).
Upcoming Events
Burlington County Book Festival
Saturday, April 5 from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Burlington County Library: 5 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton, NJ
My presentation is scheduled for 1:30 PM.
WFMU and DJ Trouble Present After Work Thursdays: Steal This Book
Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 PM
WFMU Radio’s Monty Hall: 43 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, NJ
Come hang with educators, librarians, and book lovers who love WFMU. Fun and games planned, with DJ Trouble as our host. I’ll be there slinging books, our anti book banning sticker, and playing Go Fish!
Geek Flea
Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
663 Kearny Ave, Kearny, NJ
Come shop a bunch of great local artists and vintage vendors!
NJ Day Trip Program
Wednesday, May 7 at 7:00 PM
Middletown Township Public Library: 55 New Monmouth Rd, Middletown, NJ
NJ Day Trip Program
Thursday, May 22 at 7:00 PM
Virtual program for the Millburn Free Public Library. Join from anywhere!
Can’t make it to an event? Shop our online souvenir shop! New Jersey Fan Club is also available wherever books are sold—if your favorite local shop doesn’t have it, ask them to order it!
Radio Garden State has a new Jersey Fest coming to White Eagle Hall in May, featuring local bands, Weird NJ, and local brews and food.
Check out this photographic look at the current state of the Hoboken Ferry Terminal, which is set to be renovated soon.
The New Jersey culinary scene has gotten a lot of love in some national publications recently: read about Jersey City’s White Mana, watch this video featuring Lita, and Alternate Ending made this list of ten coolest breweries from across the United States.
New Jersey Fan Club contributor Brandon Harrison is currently raising funds for a short film based on the same subject as his essay in the book—his experiences working with his dad as a street vendor selling novelties at street fairs.
Some forthcoming USPS postage stamps will feature New Jersey: the Battle of Trenton on this set of Battlefields of the American Revolution, and the Appalachian Trail Boardwalk in Vernon is on this set celebrating the trail.
New Jersey-based author Marcy Dermansky, who you might remember from our Jersey Collective Reads interview two years ago, just released a new book, also set in New Jersey! Hot Air is “a joyfully unhinged story of money, marriage, sex, and revenge [that] unspools when a billionaire crashes his hot-air balloon into the middle of a post-pandemic first date.” I read and really enjoyed an early copy!
It’s springtime in New Jersey (possibly for real this time?)—so keep an eye on Branch Brook Park’s cherry blossom live cams so you don’t miss peak bloom!
Normally I only talk about places within our state, of course, but I just got back from a midwestern adventure to Winnipeg, Canada and the Twin Cities in Minnesota1 and there are some Jersey connections I thought would be fun to share.
We planned this trip around seeing Devils hockey games in Winnipeg and Saint Paul, which were both a lot of fun. We even met a few other fans who were doing a similar trip as us, and some members of the team’s flight crew, who were also staying at our hotel. We also checked out the historic Mickey’s Diner in Saint Paul, and sure enough: it was manufactured in Elizabeth, NJ and brought out to the midwest by train! I thought it really looked a lot like the Summit Diner and turns out that was for a good reason: the same company made them both.
Welcome to the NJ Q+A, where we hear from an interesting New Jerseyan! Interview has been lightly edited for space.
This month, I talked to Dante Intindola, President of Van Riper House, Inc., which is working to restore one of the oldest examples of Dutch colonial architecture along the Passaic River!
Can you give us an elevator pitch-style introduction to the Van Riper House?
The Van Riper House is a large farmhouse built in about 1788 from locally-quarried brownstone located on River Road in Nutley, right by the Clifton border. It's a great original example of Dutch colonial style architecture, which only exists in North Jersey and southern New York. The house is one of very few surviving examples of its style along the Passaic River. It has lived many lives since it was built: first as a farmhouse, then as a private residence, and finally, as a security office for IT&T. In 1995, the house was slated to be demolished so a condominium complex could be built over the whole site, and Van Riper House, Inc. was formed to save it.
How and why did you get involved with the house?
When I was in college, I was appointed to the Nutley Historic Preservation Committee, which is responsible for landmarking historic properties. I knew that the Van Riper House was in some sort of limbo for many years, and started reading into the history and asking questions. At the time, they were unable to keep up with basic maintenance, and the house was threatened by a failing roof and had sustained damage from a fire in 2000.
I care a lot about my hometown and wanted to do something about it. In June 2019, the existing members agreed to convene an official meeting, and elected me president that day. John Demmer, our Town Historian, agreed to serve as Vice President. We've been making progress ever since with the help of a small but dedicated team of volunteers.
Aside from preserving the building, what are some of the organization's goals for the space?
The whole idea is an adaptive reuse to incorporate flexible meeting/event space along with some interpretive exhibits. Nutley doesn't have a need for an additional historic house museum with period furnishings, as it already has one in the nearby Kingsland Manor. Keeping the property active by making the grounds available for events is also a priority.
What would you suggest to someone who wants to get involved with or support local history in their community, if they aren't sure where to start? What are some skills people might not realize are useful and needed?
Local history organizations (historical societies, house museums, etc.) are suffering in many places throughout New Jersey. Members tend to be aging, and interest in volunteerism is a shadow of what it was 20-30 years ago. Find out what organizations exist in your community. Attend a meeting, or send an email expressing interest. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Organizations need help with social media, websites, setting up online payment processing, and tailoring their message to younger generations. Expanding reach online to a place’s diaspora is a great driver of engagement and support.
How can folks support the Van Riper House?
Come out to our 4th Annual Lawn Party on Saturday, April 26! Or, you can make a (tax-deductible) donation or become a member. We are always looking for folks willing to volunteer, especially for our events. You can reach me at vanripernj@gmail.com.
RevolutionNJ, New Jersey's official initiative to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, is seeking up to 5 designs for its History Pinned project: an annual button-collection program featuring five history sites from around New Jersey. Deadline: 4/7.
The Wildflower Sculpture Park at South Mountain Conservancy, in partnership with the Essex County Parks Department, is seeking artist proposals for an outdoor exhibition of “large-scale, nature-inspired sculptures.” Deadline: 4/11.
Zufall Health, a nonprofit community health center headquartered in Dover with a facility in West Orange, welcomes art submissions to an upcoming group exhibition: “In Focus: What the Eye Sees.” They are seeking drawings, paintings, collage, mixed media, photography, and digital art on the theme, with the following examples for ideas: “close-up studies, macro or long exposure photography, optical illusion, surrealism, light and shadow explorations, eye-centric art, distorted reflections, hyperrealism, and experiments with how color affects perception.” This initiative’s mission is that they “believe fine art adds a sense of comfort and beauty to an atmosphere traditionally considered sterile, and helps alleviate the anxiety of being in a medical setting.” Deadline: 4/11.
The FAF Coalition and Lot 323 are accepting submissions of mailed stickers to include on their giant shipping container sticker art installation. Deadline: 5/1.
Journey Through Jersey and Historic Whitesbog Village are hosting a spring photo contest with the theme: History and Bloom. Deadline: 6/20.
As a reminder, I compile these local opportunities from other sources like social media. Unless explicitly stated, I am not involved in organizing these events and cannot answer questions about them! Please click through the links to find answers to your questions or for points of contact.
I’m always looking for opportunities to feature! Feel free to send me anything you’re a part of or that you see, either via email (you can reply to this) or on Instagram! I prioritize in-state opportunities that don’t charge submission fees, or that charge nominal fees that directly support local arts & culture organizations.
If you want to see more photos from my trip, you can follow me on Instagram @ksulphoto!