Antiques Show, Balloon Festival, Horse Care Sign-up on Friday

The 60th Annual Pottersville Antique Show and Country Dining, a three-day event in the village of Pottersville, where Bedminster Township meets Hunterdon County, continues through Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Dozens of local Pottersville fire department and ladies auxiliary volunteers again extend a warm country welcome this year, as usual offering nice things to buy and good food to eat.

Dealers from throughout the tri-state area again will display their wares in the red firehouse and the adjacent yellow school house. Items, to mention a few, will include pottery, textiles, prints, postcards, posters, jewelry of all kinds, porcelain, collectibles, furniture, clocks and vintage home furnishings.

In addition, appraisers will be available at the small tent from 1 to 5 p.m. daily to evaluate valuables brought in by show patrons at a charge of $5 per item. Admission to the show is $6.

Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily and includes a variety of sandwiches ranging from grilled chicken and BLTs to Fireman Burger specialties.  A buffet style dinner is served daily from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday's dinner is rounds of roast beef au jus; and, on Saturday, breast of turkey with sausage firehouse stuffing.
 
Combination desserts include your selection from freshly sliced peaches, ice creams and homemade cakes. The meals are served under the big tent in in the firehouse engine barn. Prices are $17 for adults, $16 for seniors and $8.50 for children under 10.

Sign up for summer horse care workshops

This Saturday is the first date, with signups to continue on Friday and until the workshops begin, for Somerset County Park Commission's Lord Horse Care Workshops 102 and 103 to be held at Lord Stirling Stable, 256 South Maple Avenue in Basking Ridge.

The workshops are designed for individuals who are seeking to gain knowledge and confidence around horses through a combination of non-riding activities and hands-on experience.

Classes will meet for 5 consecutive Saturdays. Workshop 102 will meet from 10 a.m. to noon and Workshop 103 will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. 

Students in Workshop 102 will build upon their experiences in Workshop 101, which is a pre-requisite for this class. Advanced topics including nutrition, clipping, bandaging, and basic conformation will be explored, and the important roles the farrier and veterinarian play in a horse's life will be discussed.  Workshop 103 will further develop care and management skills while increasing knowledge of equine behavior. Workshop 102 is a prerequisite for 103. The classes may be taken concurrently. There is no riding involved in either program.

Registration is now open and will be available up to the opening day of the workshops as space permits. Fee is $55 for Somerset County residents and $82.50 for non-residents for either Workshop. For additional information, please call Lord Stirling Stable at 908- 766-5955. Individuals with a hearing or speech impairment can call NJ Relay Service at 711.

Annual QuickChek Balloon Festival

The three-day QuickChek Festival of Ballooning which begins Friday at Solberg Airport in Readington, is the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America. More than 150,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which also features activities for families and a concert series.

Along with music, food, and demonstrations it’s still the balloons which people come to see, with two ascensions a day at dawn and dusk when the wind is lightest. Balloons in the air have always been an unforgettable sight in the morning rush hour in Somerset County as the prevailing westerly wind takes them along routes 22 and 202.

On-site parking at Solberg Airport is $10, but parking will be free at Raritan Valley Community College on Route 28 in Branchburg with shuttle buses to the festival.

General admission tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for children. Included is admission to lawn seating for the concerts. For more information, visit http://www.balloonfestival.com/