Festival On The Green Gets Crowds Back In Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Crowds came back to Morristown for the return of the Festival on the Green.

North Jersey's premier fall festival since 1994 has been in Morristown. The event had a bounce-back in attendance — after missing 2020 — with many of the 150 vendors and exhibitors already telling the Morristown Partnership Special Improvement District that they were "very pleased with the turnout," Karen Roettger, director of development for the partnership, told Patch.

For this year's Festival, Cassidy Champi stepped up and served as Morristown Partnership's Program Coordinator, with Executive Director Jennifer Wehring, Roettger and seasonal staff and interns helping to get the festival running.

Entertainment ran non-stop for all ages on four different stages featuring different styles of music: Flight Lights Band (a North Jersey soul funk band); Joe Bilotti’s Heart of Gold Band (featuring classical 1970's pop rock); TropyBand Orquesta (a Salsa band also playing other tropical rhythms); Due South Band (one of New Jersey’s top country bands performing for over 20 years); The Counterfeiters (an 80s/90s/etc party band); Stone Soup Symphony (Warren County NJ’s Community Orchestra, conducted by Ed Meisner); the Morris Plains Community Band, Wallaby Tales (Huntington County's Eyes of the Wild); Miss Jolie Music (a New Jersey-based children’s book author, recording artist, and performer); Polka Dot! (starring Ron, who has has been performing since 1999); and the TropyBand Orquesta (a Salsa and tropical rhythms band).

"The annual fair and festival is great," said Gov. Phil Murphy, who attended. "It is magical and hosted by one of the great, quintessential NJ communities. It doesn't get any better than this."

Assemblymember Aura Dunn agreed.

"This is just a proud day for all of us here in Morris County," Dunn told Patch. "It is just wonderful to see so many vendors people enjoying the outdoors. Go Morristown!"

"This is all great. Morris County runs like a top," Morris County Commissioner Deborah Smith told Patch.

Attendees gave Patch equally glowing reports.

"This is a great day to get together with friends," said Stephen Greenberg.

The Morristown Partnership thanked the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, Morristown Police Department, Morristown Fire Department and EMTs and the local organizations for helping make the event possible.

"We are very grateful for the 150-plus vendors who participated this year, to our many (returning and new) sponsors, and hope that everyone that came out had a wonderful time," the partnership told Patch.

The Morris County Board of County Commissioners contributed $100,000 via the American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. This ARP subsidy enabled the Morristown Partnership to keep exhibitor fees flat with 2019 pricing, and furthered the mission to support local businesses and enhance tourism to the county seat. Major sponsors included Morristown Medical Center, 40NORTH Restaurants, Bayer, Beyer Ford/Chrysler, Compass, and County College of Morris.