Manalapan Day Is Saturday; Marks 175th Anniversary Of Township

MANALAPAN, NJ — As the township marks its 175th anniversary, organizers say this Manalapan Day will be "bigger and better than ever" - and with lots of music.

The Trammps will headline Manalapan Day this year, set for Saturday, June 17, the Manalapan Arts Council and Manalapan Township said.

The Trammps were an integral part of the Sound of Philadelphia in the 1970s, known for many classic hits, including their No. 1 "Disco Inferno," in “Saturday Night Fever,” organizers say.

Manalapan Arts Council Chairman Marty Gelfond said great music is a hallmark of Manalapan Day: “Our goal to bring to Manalapan living legends of music from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties continues now with The Trammps, following previous amazing outdoor shows."

The daylong celebration will also feature music from local bands, performances by local dance groups, and others on two stages. Look for the steel-pan ensemble The ManalaPANS, for example, organizers say.

There are games, food and exhibits from a midway full of vendors. Plus there are carnival rides and a petting zoo kids can enjoy.

And stay long enough for the fireworks, the town reminds visitors.

“Thanks to our truly dedicated and phenomenal MAC volunteers and sponsors, Manalapan Day allows our town to give back to our residents, and this is why Manalapan is such a great place to live,” Manalapan Mayor Susan Cohen has said, adding that no taxpayer money is used for the event.

Manalapan Day will be held Saturday at the Manalapan Recreation Center, Route 522 and Taylors Mill Road from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., with rides for younger children opening at 2 p.m.

The Manalapan Day tradition of free parking and free admission continues.

The master of ceremonies for Manalapan Day since 2008 is New York and New Jersey radio personality Tommy G, who will also host “Trivia with Tommy G” with radio news reporter Jeff McKay at the Main Stage, giving visitors chances to win prizes.

Manalapan history

And the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the township is a chance to look into the history of what became Manalapan in 1848.

The township website has a slideshow of historic photos of town buildings and people, such as young pupils at the Tennent School, now a private residence.

There is, of course, the famous Battle of Monmouth of the Revolutionary War that was fought here on June 28, 1778, involving 30,000 British and Continental troops, according to the township history.

On the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle, in 1978, the State opened the 1,520 acre Monmouth Battlefield State Park. Eighty percent of the Park is in Manalapan Township. A re-enactment of the Battle of Monmouth is held annually on the nearest date to June 28.

The town online history by Lydia Wikoff says Manalapan was originally a farming community, and the population grew slowly as farms were handed down in families. From 1960, the population grew as developers bought farms and built houses.

The township history recommends two books for more history of Manalapan. “Manalapan in Three Centuries” was written by James S. Brown in 1991, and the "Images of America” series features “Manalapan and Englishtown,” written by Richard J. Dalik and published in 1998.