Celebrate 'Red October' At The Chatsworth Cranberry Festival This Weekend

The tiny village of Chatsworth in Burlington County has long been known as the "Capital of the Pines."

Many of the cannonballs used during the Revolutionary War were made in Chatsworth. Cranberry production began in the late 1800s and continues to this day.

Chatsworth is an unincorporated area in Woodland Township in Burlington County. It has an area of over 73,000 acres and with a population of approximately 2,000. It's the largest township with the smallest population of any in the county. The early settlement of the area can be traced back to the late 1700’s.

Chatsworth's biggest claim to fame comes on the third week of every October for the annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival. This Saturday and Sunday, thousands will flock to the pines and cranberry bog to sample everything cranberry.

Cranberry sauce, cranberry jam, cranberry baked goods, cranberry ice cream and lots of other foods will be available for purchase. More than 160 vendors will be on hand selling crafts, clothing, antiques and other items that reflect the Pine Barrens and local culture.

Breakfast will be served each morning between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Chatsworth Volunteer Fire House.

Wolves from the Howling Woods Farm, recently featured in Disney’s ‘Sorcere’s Apprentice’ will be present both days during the festival.

Admission to the 33rd annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival is free. Parking is recommended at the school. Signs will be posted and traffic will be directed. There is no parking allowed on the shoulders of Route 532. A donation of $5 is accepted for parking.

by Patricia A. Miller

Image: Courtesy of Glendora Buck Club, Inc.