KEARNY – After a lot of talk and planning, it’s finally happening: Kearny is set to kick off its Sesquicentennial Anniversary this week.
The opening event begins Thursday, April 27, at 6 p.m. on the steps of Town Hall, 402 Kearny Ave., with an historical re-enactment of the signing of the first township charter in 1867, complete with a traditional Town Crier.
Festivities continue in the adjacent Town Hall Park with a concert by the 20-piece Starlight Orchestra, joined by Robert Strauch of the West Hudson Arts & Theater Co. narrating an historical context of Kearny’s past.
Spectators are advised to bring blankets and/or folding chairs to enjoy the concert in the park.
The theme of the anniversary is “150 Years of Community.”
Mayor Alberto Santos, anniversary committee chairman, elaborated: “A strong sense of community has thrived in Kearny since our humble beginnings in 1867. It defines who we are – an inclusive community composed of people of diverse cultural traditions and faiths, of young and old, of immigrants, first-generation Americans, and those whose families have lived in Kearny for many generations. We all share a commitment to our town, a sense of caring for our community and a willingness to work together to make our community a better place.”
The Kearny Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee, headed by the mayor, has planned a series of commemorative events for the coming months to mark the town’s milestone. Here’s what to expect:
- A bus tour of Kearny’s notable historic architecture, including the First Lutheran Church and Exempt Fire House, led by architectural historian John Gomez, is slated for Saturday, May 6. A bus will leave from Town Hall at 10 a.m. The tour ends at 1 p.m. Advance registration is required.
- Gomez will present a lecture on role played by Kearny as a shipbuilding center in World Wars I and II and lead a tour of South Kearny sites that supported that industry on Saturday, May 13. A bus departs at 10 a.m. from Town Hall. Sign up in advance.
- Military historian William Styple will talk about Kearny’s namesake, Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny, on June 1, as a celebration of his birthday, June 1, 1815. The two-hour lecture starts at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School, 121 Beech St.
- Author/poet Barbara Krasner and Kearny Library Director/poet Josh Humphrey will celebrate the poetic legacy of New Jersey-bred poets Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams and Walt Whitman with readings on Saturday, June 3. The event, which runs from 9 to 10:15 a.m., is being hosted by the Passaic County Community College’s Poetry Center in the Prudent Building, 44 Church St. (at Ellison St.), Paterson. Free parking is available at Lot 3 on College Blvd., between Church and Memorial Drive.
- As a way of recalling the old Kearny-based Civil War Soldiers & Sailors Home, the town will host a Civil War Encampment on Belgrove Drive, near Bergen Ave., now home to the American Legion and VFW posts on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16 and 17. Time parameters will be announced. Light food and refreshments will be served.
- N.J. Hall of Fame Mobile Museum, which now includes a tribute to Gen. Kearny, visits Kearny on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The traveling museum will be stationed at Garfield Ave., between Kearny Ave. and Chestnut St.
- An expansive, family-friendly Sesquicentennial “block party,” featuring food and presentations by the town’s civic and cultural organizations, is planned for Sunday, Oct. 1. A parade will march from Town Hall to Veteran’s Field. Time to be announced.
- The final chapter in the commemorative series will be “Kearny: A True American,” a new musical based on the life of Gen. Philip Kearny, presented by West Hudson Arts & Theater, and written by former Kearny resident Joe Ferriero, in the style of the Broadway play “Hamilton,” Thursday, Oct. 19, Friday, Oct. 20, and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m., at a venue to be announced.
Last year, the anniversary committee sponsored two fundraising events – a golf outing and a luncheon – to collect cash to help underwrite the cost of producing the events associated with the celebration. It has also sold commemorative anniversary banners.
To date, according to Santos, the committee has collected more than $70,000 and spent about half of that amount for expenses associated with the kick-off event. “Most of the expenses of subsequent events have not been incurred yet,” he said, “and are not included [in tally sheet; see box]. However, we are working to keep all costs within the amounts raised.
“As of now, I think the raised amount of $72,000 will cover all expenses of all the planned celebration events except for any fireworks for the closing block party event on Oct. 1. We may have to forego the fireworks.”
For more details and updated schedules, visit www.Kearny150.org. call 201-955-7979 or like Kearny 150th on Facebook.
