Cranford NJ’s Centennial Village Music Fest 

Summer is coming to a close, Fall is in the air, and that means it is once again time for the annual Centennial Village Music Fest!  On Saturday, September 14^th, beginning at 3:00 PM, the grounds of Lincoln School on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Centennial Avenue in Cranford will be transformed once again into a joyous, friendly, atmosphere, filled with the sounds of great music and the smells of great foods.  This year, the ever-popular Music Fest will be featuring local talent from CHS, as well as local bands such as Stupid Should Hurt, Clark Street, Joyous Noise and several others, as well.  It’s a great time to kick back and enjoy some free community camaraderie and art.    The music is entirely free, but there are raffles and food stands, from which all proceeds will benefit Centennial Ave and the Cranford community.   This event is sponsored by the Centennial Village Group, a 501(c) not for profit organization.

Centennial Village comprises the southern Cranford area on Centennial Avenue (hence the name) between Lincoln Avenue, (which is pretty much dead center between the passenger train tracks and the freight line), and the Garden State Parkway (near the Winfield Park border).  It is both a residential and business area.  It is home to Hillside Avenue School, which is a K-8 school servicing the southern portion of the town, and Lincoln School, which serves as a county alternative education site, as well as the Cranford Township Board of Education Offices.  In the past few years, The Centennial Village area has been undergoing an enormous renaissance, thanks to the efforts of local business leaders and politicians, and, in great part, to The Centennial Village Group committee.  This committee is made up of Cranford volunteers dedicated to the revitalization and beautification of the Centennial Avenue business district. Their goal is to continue the existing effort of re-making this section of the community, through local volunteerism, local business and political vision, and ongoing community and fundraising activities.

In addition to the blossoming businesses of the area, the surrounding residential streets of Centennial Village is thriving, as well.  You can always find neighbors outside talking to each other, and groups of children playing in the streets.  Resident Angela Batista sums it up perfectly, “The beauty of Centennial Village is that it’s truly a ‘village’. Quiet streets, within a small area, within walking distance of school as well as all the great businesses on Centennial Ave – plus the BEST neighbors anyone could ask for. We’re never leaving!”

This close-knit, hometown feel shines through each year at the MusicFest.  Bring a chair, bring a cooler, or purchase some yummies right there, and enjoy some quality time with family, neighbors, and friends.   Check out the Centennial Village website at GoToCentennialvillage.com .