44th Annual Labor Day Street Fair

By Jennifer Ersalesi

Labor Day Street Fair 1976, Photo Credit: Colette Marino

For 44 years, Rutherford has hosted the Annual Labor Day Street Festival. The Festival marks the end of the summer season with a variety of antique dealers, entertainment, specialty vendors, music and activities for children. This year the festival will take place on Monday, September 2nd from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

This year there will be a WWE RescueMania Wrestling ring outside Mason’s Cellar at 32 Ames Ave. All of the matches will begin at noon. Some of the matches will include a match between the undefeated Darrius Carter and newcomer Vinny Pacifico, Lit Superstar Sebastian Cage and Crowbar (Rutherford’s own Christopher Ford) with Serena, and Gunnar Trash (Rutherford’s own Rich Russo) versus his biggest challenger.

While watching RescueMania, you can relax at Mason's Cellar beer garden! With over two dozen craft beers to try and a slew of other adult beverages that are sure to keep you cool - this beer garden is the biggest in town.

On the Main stage at the Hutzel Memorial Bandshell, “Anything Goes” Radio show host and singer, Lise Avery will perform, as well as Peach Project (Allman Brothers Tribute band), Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel and Rutherford’s own Kimon, will be the DJ at the event.

Lise Avery (2018), Photo from Lise Avery

The Blood Bank Truck will be set up at the Festival this year, giving community members the opportunity to donate blood. Within Lincoln Park, a number of community groups will have tables set up where community members can learn more about the unique opportunities within the Rutherford community.

Dan Meredith’s Allstate Insurance Agency will share a table with the Center for Hope and Safety to share information about CHS and the upcoming Walk for Domestic Violence in October. Dan Meredith told TIR, "The Allstate Dan Meredith Agency will be at the Rutherford Annual Labor Day Fair alongside the Center For Hope and Safety for the fourth year in a row. Come meet members of the Center in person as we raise awareness to understanding the signs of domestic violence. This year we will be recruiting people who would like to be on the "Dan Meredith Agency Team" for the Walk Together Against Domestic Violence. An Annual event help at Van Saun Park in October.  We will be walking towards raising $20,000 in Allstate Foundation Grants for the Center for Hope and Safety, so we need all the help we can get! The Allstate Foundation will be raising a $20,000 grant for the Center For Hope and Safety at the Walk." Click on this link to donate and/or register.

Allison Diaz and Charlotte Ersalesi climbing the Rock Wall (2016)

Tomorrow's Children Fund will also have a table at the Street Fair this year. TCF is an organization that works to assist patients and their families during their treatments for various cancers and blood disorders. "This is such an important cause that helps local families feel at home with luxuries and supplies they otherwise would not have while their children are being treated for cancer," explained Dan Meredith.

Brad Luberto and his sister performing at the Labor Day Street Fair in the 1980's. Photo Credit: Brad Luberto

Every year there are many different food vendors and this year some new vendors will be added, including World’s Famous Cousins’ Lobster Truck. Local restaurants will also have food available along Park Avenue.

Rutherford resident and former Councilman Ray Tetro is a huge fan of the National Women's Soccer League fan and as a Sky Blue FC season ticket holder, he invited the team to the 2019 Rutherford Labor Day Street Fair.

Sky Blue FC is a world-class soccer team with players from all around the world. Currently on Sky Blue FC is United States National Team (USWNT) star Carli Lloyd, who recently received an offer to kick in preseason for an NFL team. Carli Lloyd is also a multi-Olympic Gold Medalist (2008, 2012) and back to back World Cup winner (2015, 2019).

2019 has been a big year for the NWSL with record attendance being set by many of the teams. Sky Blue FC plays its home matches at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, which holds 5000 seats had to move a recent game to Red Bull Arena to accommodate the 9,415 tickets sold to a growing fan base.

Come by Lincoln Park and check out Sky Blue FC at The 2019 Rutherford Labor Day Street Fair for information and free giveaways.

There will be a Craft area set up in the Williams Center Plaza, where local vendors will be selling their unique specialty crafts. There will also be hundreds of specialty, antiques, and collectible vendors set up along Park Avenue.

Advertisement for the 1984 Rutherford Labor Day Street Fair