08037 Hammonton | Fall 2022

Cool weather and changing leaves signals the coming of the Fall season. Hammonton has so many things to offer to residents and visitors this Autumn from delicious dinners to events galore.

A long time 08073 staple, Rocco’s Townhouse (page 6), has much to offer to returning customers as well as new ones. From a range of local beers and wines to their newly open Rock Bottom Whiskey Bar as well as a wide array of Italian cuisine, each experience at Rocco’s will be wonderful and unique.

Speaking of local wines, Sharrott Winery (page 14) offers award winning selections from whites and reds to rose and fruit wines. If you are interested in trying one of each, the winery also offers flights to give you a chance to reach all parts of the palate.

For those who are more interested in getting to know the town better, 08037 offers an inside look into history, non-

profit organizations and the hit festival of the season.

The local organization Allies in Caring was started in 2012 and is the voice for those who are less likely to be heard. Hear more about everything they do for Hammonton locals and visitors on page 8.

Those who are more interested in the spooky side of the season, 08037 offers a look at the historic Pinelands, home of the infamous Jersey Devil (page 16).

The town also offers their Annual Witchcraft Festival (page 12) for those interested in celebrating the spooky season. Between the booze and the costumes, the event will be one that cannot be missed.

There is plenty to do this season in 08037 and the magazine is excited to offer you a special inside look at it all. Be sure to check out our calendar (Page 20) for more adventures and remember to follow us on Instagram at 08037_hammonton.

Mackenzie Fitchett Editor

VP OF ADVERTISING SALES ARLENE REYES

PUBLISHER BRITTANY ROUGHT

EDITOR MACKENZIE FITCHETT

ACCOUNT MANAGERS KAREN RODIER TATIANA TABILE KELLY TAYLOR

MARKETING CONSULTANTS CASEY MEGLINO LOUIS WASHINGTON

LAYOUT & DESIGN

KIMBERLY KRAUSS

08037 is a publication of Newspaper Media Group, 130 Twinbridge Drive Pennsauken, NJ 08110 (856)779-3800 x6920

areyes@newspapermediagroup.com

COVER PHOTO BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

at home, offers good food, a wide variety of drinks and encourages relaxing with friends or meeting new ones.”

The business has grown and evolved with the times. In addi-

Brewing Company, Tomfoolery Brewery and Vinyl Brewing. Local wines are also available from DiMatteo Winery, Plagido’s Winery, Sharrott Winery, Tomasello Winery, White Horse Winery and Valenzano Winery.

In the fall of 2017, the brothers opened the Rock Bottom Whiskey Bar in the lower level of the restaurant, providing a relaxed atmosphere with comfy couches, a shuffleboard table, board games and live music on the weekends. The bar offers an extensive selection of whiskeys and bourbon, along with a variety of handcrafted specialty cocktails.

“We’ve created a speakeasy environment where the craft beer flows and the whiskey is plentiful,” says Steve. “We’re always offering drink specials and unique concoctions that separate us from the norm.”

selections featuring locally grown ingredients, the brothers work closely with local breweries and wineries to help support the Hammonton community. Rocco’s Town House offers a leading selection of craft beers, with at least 15 New Jersey drafts on tap from local breweries, including Three 3’s

In addition, Rocco’s offers a variety of best-selling specialties that keep people coming back for more. From Chicken Parmigiana featuring seasonal ingredients like fresh Jersey tomatoes, asparagus and spinach to Carmen’s Mussels with crabmeat, garlic and white wine with red pepper flakes, please see BITES, page 10

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

Previous: Jewel Demsak serves food at Rocco’s Townhouse.

Caring in Allies

Celebrates its 10 Year Anniversary of Healing the Community

BY CHRIS ISAAC

Created in 2012, Allies in Caring is an organization with its headquarters based in Hammonton, New Jersey. They provide counseling (much of which is given free of charge) for all manner of mental health service needs. They are especially focused on assisting New Jersey’s most vulnerable groups, such as low income families, refugees and people who are LGBTQ+.

The group was founded by Ivette Guillermo-McGahee, who has personal experience going through some struggles of her own. Guillermo-McGahee is an immigrant from Mexico who was born with deaf parents. In order to communicate with her family, she became bilingual in Spanish and English, as well as sign language. She learned that communication is the key to helping others, which led to her becoming a mental health professional who assists others in communicating their struggles.

“I’m an immigrant myself,” said Guillermo-McGahee. “Many of us lose our extended family support. We don’t have parents, uncles, grandparents, or cousins. So that also exacerbates mental health issues. And we need to develop a kind of new family here.”

Though she enjoyed the work, she eventually found that money was another impediment to those who need-

ed help the most. She hated the feeling of having to turn her back on those who could clearly benefit from assistance with emotional or behavioral issues, but were also struggling financially.

“I had a big demand for services,” said Guillermo-McGahee. “Most of the people that needed my services did not have proper insurance that could cover my services. Or they needed to just be at high risk, like almost suicidal, to get approved by the insurance company to pay for my services. And so I decided I needed to expand the capacity to provide services to them.”

This ultimately became the catalyst for her founding Allies in Caring, which provides services in Spanish, English and sign language. And as a nonprofit, they are able to receive funding to provide much of their services for free. The group is now about to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. In that time, they have grown to a staff of 43 providers and, on a weekly basis, provide services to around 600 people.

These services include home-based counseling, where providers will go to the individual’s school or the home of their family to meet with them. For children, that can include providing crisis intervention in a situation where the child is on the brink of being taken away from their family and being sent to foster care or even jail.

see ALLIES, page 9

Allies in Caring tries to circumvent such traumatic outcomes by providing programs to help them transition into a healthy, successful adult life. Programs include focusing on social skill development, stress management and finding a meaningful career. The family counseling is a first step to enable healthier interaction with the community in general.

“We really want to connect the people who are struggling with mental health to resources in their local community,” Guillermo-McGahee explains. “A big factor that contributes to depression and anxiety is isolation. When we address the problem of isolation, we are already helping with 50 percent of the problem. When they are connected and engaged in meaningful opportunities to socialize or work or volunteer, that helps a lot with their recovery.”

To that end, Allies in Caring collaborates with a lot of other organizations to create opportunities to interact with others. These opportunities include inviting local businesses to speak to the youth about job opportunities and how to get into a specific line of work. But it also means opportunities for fun, such as Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons groups for kids. The organization also offers physical recreation through kayaking or hiking trips for families that can’t afford summer camps or going to the beach. They also collaborate with the Hammonton Arts Center to teach kids the importance of expression beyond their words.

“Some of the children have difficulty identifying and articulating their experiences and feelings,” Guillermo-McGahee said in regards to the importance of the art therapy group. “Art is one way to help them make sense of it and express it.”

Allies in Caring also provides tools for parents to be able to better interact with their children. This includes bringing the family together for therapy, focusing specifically on parenting skills and programs that teach relatives sign language. Another aspect that was especially important during COVID, was the organization working to create digital equity by providing computer access and affordable hardware for low-income individuals to use the internet. This includes applying for grants from companies like Comcast that can provide reduced cost or even free wi-fi.

Serving a very prominent number of Hispanic individuals, Allies in Caring also seeks to connect people culturally. That is why for Hispanic Heritage Month, they will be having an event on Sept. 15, starting at 4 p.m, to bring people closer to their roots. The event will include exhibits of traditional dresses, Latino painters, pinatas and feature folkloric dance, traditional board games, poetry and a DJ playing Latino music. An event like this promotes a stronger sense of understanding and unity, and provides people from this heritage an enduring bond with their culture.

This also ties back to how important Guillermo-McGahee believes bonds with others are in the

based on respect, on valuing, on accepting, those relationships really helped with the healing process.”

If you believe you or someone you know could benefit from these services, you can find more information online at the Allies in

Caring site, or by contacting them through the number 609-561-8400 or the email

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

Previous: (L-R) Maria Isabel Figueroa Corona, Isabel A Pacheco, Cassandra Pichardo and Tania Rivera prepare dolls for display at the upcoming Hispanic heritage month event.

Top: (L-R) Octavio Cuenca Maldonado, Luisa Chastel Messner and Founder and CEO Ivette Guillermo-McGahee chat through sign language at Allies in Caring.

Warren R. Heymann, MD

Steven M. Manders, MD

Justin J. Green, MD

Lacy L. Sommer, MD

Camille E. Introcaso, MD

Donald J. Baker, MD

Patrick J. McMahon, MD

Julianna Jarvis, PA-C

Christina Urday, PA-C

Christina Ponzio, PA-C

Filet Rocco, a 10-ounce grilled

mignon topped with lump crabmeat and provolone, and a variety of local fresh fish entrees. For those with smaller appetites, the restaurant offers a variety of fresh salads, burgers, sandwiches and sides.

The success of the business stems from the brothers’ long-term background in the food service industry.

“We’ve been working in the restaurant industry all of our lives,” says Steve. “We started out working in delicatessens at age 16, helped our father out with his catering business and worked in various restaurants throughout the years.”

That hard work and dedication seems to have paid off with the success of Rocco’s Town House.

“We have a lot of local clientele, but we’re also beginning to see an increasing number of new patrons coming from Vineland, Washington Township, Williamstown, Medford and other surrounding areas,” says Steve. “Over the last 15 years or so Hammonton has come into its own, with local events like craft shows, parades, two local theaters, car shows and soccer tournaments bringing in more foot traffic. Hammonton is uniquely situated; it’s local, rural, easy to get to, and provides a nice alternative to going into the city or down to Atlantic City.

“Our business has always been built on providing a meeting place for people to come out, eat, drink, and relax. We offer a welcoming environment where everybody talks to each other, and we’re always glad you stopped by.”

Rocco’s Town House is located at 21 N. Third St., open Tues.-Sat. beginning at 3 p.m.; Rock Bottom Whiskey Bar is open Thursday through Saturday beginning at 6 p.m.

HAMMONTON

WITCHCRAFT FESTIVAL

BY DANTE LONG

It’s almost that time of year again. A time to bundle up, quench your thirst with a pumpkin spice latte and enjoy the festivities we all expect during the fall. When it comes to embracing the essence of the season, it’s hard to escape the anticipation for one of its most popular holidays—Halloween. If the idea of monsters and late-night frights excite you, there is one event simply known as the Hammonton Witchcraft Festival prepared to send shivers down the spines of Hammonton residents.

Since the days of the Salem Witch tri als, the popularity of witches in American culture has given life to the mysterious, magical creatures that have become syn onymous with Halloween. The Hammonton Witchcraft Festival is “a chance for grownups to take back their Halloween,” says event producer, Jon Henderson. The founder of Good Time Tricycle Productions was inspired by his success with his first hor ror convention, Bizarre AC, and wanted an “interactive and immersive” event that created the same chills and thrills. This idea

led to the inaugural Hammonton Witchcraft Festival, starting in 2019. The name is as cre ative as the activities planned. “It’s a play on words,” says Jon Henderson, referring to the double entendre of “Witch-craft” meaning “which craft?” as in pick your poison...get it? The very first, 4-hour, 1-night Witchcraft festival, held on roughly 200 acres of land known as Paradise Lakes Campgrounds on the outskirts of Hammonton, impressively generated a crowd of 2,500 people. Due to its success, Jon Henderson decided to make the event larger by adding an extra day for more fun and more space instead of “cramming everyone together,”. The festivities are sched uled for Friday, October 14th and Saturday, October 15th of this year.

Attendees are expected to be 21 years of age or older. If you plan on attending, you will also need a valid, state-issued ID. The rules are strict for the safety of the crowd and require even designated drivers to be 21 years old or older. This event may have activities kids enjoy, but the adult-oriented environment sees to it that the 2-night fes tival is for adults only. These rules are set in gravestone. Perhaps one of the best things

There are a variety of activities attendees can choose from for an admission fee of $75 paid by September 1, 2022. Payment at the gate would be a total of $80, if tickets are left. All beer and spirits are included, so attend ees do not have to worry about paying for alcohol, but cash is recommended if you’d like to try the restaurants and vendors onsite that may not all accept credit cards. On-site limited parking is offered for $20, however, there’s free off-site parking and shuttles at Mt Carmel 298 Tilton Street, which operate from 6:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.. Once you step foot on the campgrounds, expect to be “sip ping broos and spirits” in the same woods the New Jersey Devil traveled, according to festival hosts. Although witches are the main attraction, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a dance off with Frankenstein or experience Dance till You Die-Silent Disco, which is unlike anything you’ve heard about in the 70s. There are horror makeup seminars to make you the creepiest ghoul present or the wickedest witch of the East or West if you’d like. Live group medium readings, a sky scraping bonfire, pumpkin eating contests and fortune telling join the ranks of cool activities you can enjoy with friends and family.

continued from page 12

to know about the festival is that there is no requirement of vaccination needed, according to the event’s website. The Hammonton Witchcraft Festival has big things planned for the ghosts, witches and monsters looking for a break from their day jobs as humans to embrace the dark arts of witchcraft among their frightening friends on the spooky land known as Paradise Lakes Campgrounds. 

BY JASMINE FARRELL

Witha list of awards longer than a CVS receipt, Sharrott Winery is an unforgettable experience located at 370 Egg Harbor Road. The father and son duo somewhat stumbled into the fusion of food and science on a wonderful hilltop.

Timing played a major role for both parties as Larry Sharrott Sr. was ready to retire and Sharrott III was heavily receptive to a career change. Although the pair came from computing careers, Larry Sharrott III

was already making beer and wine at home. It’s safe to say, he favored making wine. The duo graduated from the University of California Davis from Davis’ professional wine program. By 2003, they bought a small farm that was previously active for over 100 years. The Sharrotts planted their first grapes in 2005 and they have been reaping success ever since.

“It’s an interesting business but it is also a food science-oriented business,” said Larry Sr. “And if you’re going to make good quality wine, you have to have a good grounding in the science to do it. Both of us [him and his son] studied in Bordeaux, France and when

we spoke with the vineyard manager at Cheval-Blanc, which is one of the top wineries in Bordeaux, the vineyard manager was a Ph.D. soil scientist...If you understand the biochemistry of what’s happening during fermentation and all of that- that’s what allows you to play with it a little, guide it one way or another to make really good wines. That’s what I want to see here [at Sharrott Winery]. I want to see us have a lot of really good solid science and expertise in all facets of what we do. Our vineyard manager here has a degree in pre-veterinary science. Our winemakers are also college educated.”

The top 3 fine wines Sharrott Winery makes are barrel reserve chardonnay, merlot and Chambourcin.

The winery is also known for its ‘Wicked’ port wine. In 2020 they were awarded best merlot, tasted all year by the Beverage Testing Institute and published online by Tastings.com. Sharrott’s merlot was rated best in the United States again in 2021 by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago. Their ‘Wicked’ port-style wine won the Governor’s Cup for Best Dessert Wine made in NJ. The awards continue to roll in this year with Rosé winning gold from Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

You can try all of the award winning

wines yourself by voyaging over to the wine bar section of Sharrott. Open to the public, the wine bar has some wonderful wines and drinks for patrons to enjoy. With autumn here, Sharrott has a wonderful variety of red wines to cozy up to such as cabernet sauvignon and the awardwinning merlot to choose from.

As the weather gets colder, the wine bar is a great date night idea. Enjoy a glass of cabernet sauvignon and watch the sunset with that special someone. Since the winery is sitting on a hill, looking out over the tree line towards the west, take the opportunity to engulf nature and the orange-esque palette from the inside.

The interior of the winery looks like a modern barn. You can also enjoy live music by local musicians from South Jersey and Philadelphia every Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

Another popular and unique choice at the winery is the wine flights. The usual breakdown of the wines and tasting are available. However, Larry explained their flights aren’t fixed. You get to choose 3 of your own glasses from their entire list of wines. Ie: A white, red and a rose flight. From there, you can officially order a glass or bottle of your

choice. Being that Sharrott’s winery has a line of sparkling wines on Sundays, you also have an option to check out the mimosa flights. There is the traditional orange juice, but peach and cranberry juice are also available.

Sharrott Winery is in a lane of its owndespite the accolades. The atmosphere, the views and the wide variety of wine is an enticing place to enjoy in south Jersey. 

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

Previous: Robin Umbehauer pours a glass of wine at Sharrot Winery. Top: (L-R) Anthony Gatto, Joe Giannone and Megan Briggs enjoy a glass of wine at Sharrot Winery.

A LOOK AT LOCAL HISTORY

TheBY CHLOE YANUSH

JaneLeeds and her husband Daniel lived in a cabin along the Mullica river, deeply embedded in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. Many described the Leeds as a strange family, and when she became pregnant with what would be her 13th child she was distraught, crying out, “let it be the devil”. On a cold February night in 1735, she gave birth to a healthylooking baby, but it quickly began to change. Growing a tail and wings, it flew out of the chimney and has haunted the area ever since.

This is the general version of the Jersey Devil’s origin story, however, in the last 250 years, the details vary depending on who you ask. Since colonial times, the Jersey Devil is said to have haunted the Pine Barrens, and surrounding areas in New Jersey. In just the last 20 years, there have been over 200 reported sightings of the monster.

Joel Mott, who works in the education department of the Pinelands Commission says they often get calls from historical documentaries and other media about the Jersey Devil.

“I grew up in the area and have heard about it my whole life,” said Mott. “And now I work to educate people about what makes the pine barrens so special.” For him and many New Jersey residents, it is hard to escape the legend of the Jersey Devil.

The Pine Barrens are 1 million acres of forest in southern New Jersey, which is 22

percent of the state’s land area. Many enjoy its wildlife, flowing river and natural beauty, but for some residents, fear of a lurking monster is often on their minds, especially at night.

Descriptions of the Jersey Devil vary, most commonly it is described as having the body of a horse, a long reptilian tail, the feet of a pig, the wings of a bat, a snout and, of course, devil horns. Many say the devil is grotesque, ugly and terrifying. Some are intrigued by the creature, but many are terrified of seeing it in the dark woods at night.cvMott says the Jersey Devil is a large part of what attracts people to the Pine Barrens.

“It is part of the mystery of the area, there are lots of remote areas of the Pine Barrens, and the Jersey Devil goes hand and hand with this element of the unknown,” said Mott.

Sightings of the creature have come from all kinds of people within the community including priests, police officers, sheriffs, government officials, men, women and children. These sightings often came from multiple people who all had the same experience, corroborating each other’s stories and adding to their validity.

One of the earliest sightings was made by Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, who was hunting in the Pine Barrens in the early 1800s. Following his sighting, a large please see DEVIL, page 17

number of livestock was killed with no explanation, so a large posse was formed to hunt for the Jersey Devil. After days of searching, they came up empty-handed.

Over the years groups were constantly brought together to hunt the mysterious creature. At times large sums of money, up to $100,000 dollars were promised from the Government and even the Philadelphia Zoo as a reward for capturing the infamous creature. Many believed the Jersey Devil was terrorizing their communities, and putting their children in serious danger.

For some individuals, the Jersey Devil seems like nothing but folklore, a boogie man that those living in the Pine Barrens blamed unexplainable mishaps on during the 19th and early 20th centuries. However for these people, and some today, the Jersey Devil’s existence is backed up by thousands of sightings for over 200 years. Even today, people claim to have seen the Jersey Devil while they were out at night and woke up the next morning to mysteriously large and unidentifiable tracks on their roof.

Joel Mott says he believes the Leeds were a real family, and that he has heard different names for the Jersey Devil based on various members of the community.

“It seems like sometimes whoever was on the outs with a town or community, they would have the devil named after them, such as the ‘Leeds Devil’,” said Mott. Although he is not sure about the existence of the Jersey Devil itself, he will use the legend during education programs to deter kids from not picking up trash,

“I’ll say something like ‘you never know who’s watching’,” said Mott.

Whether you believe in the Jersey Devil’s existence or not, it has become something of an icon in the Pine Barrens and New Jersey as a whole. Today there is a professional ice hockey team named The Jersey Devils, as well as a terrifying roller coaster at Six Flags Amusement Park. Local wines, salsas and hot sauces have advertised their products with caricatures of what we believe the Jersey Devil looks like.

“There are so many animals like frogs, owls, and birds in the Pine Barrens, and when you hear sounds out in the middle of nowhere you have never heard before it can seem unexplainable,” said Mott, who believes some of the Jersey Devil evidence could be chalked up to spooky animal sounds.

Whether you believe in the existence of the Jersey Devil or not, it is one of the United States’ oldest monster stories, and a large part of the history of New Jersey. 

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

Top:

Pumpkin Spice or Apple Cider?

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

PHOTO 1: Jon Bradley prefers apple cider because he doesn’t like pumpkin.

PHOTO 2: Sara Farias Santos, left, perfers pumpkin spice because it is in everything and it has that warm spice feel. Blair Schuler, right, also perfers pumpkin spice because apple cider is too sweet and the pumpkin is more fall like and she likes the spice.

PHOTO 3: Lisa Langlois, right, perfers pumpkin spice because apple cider is too sweet. Ann Derr, left, perfers apple cider because she favors apples.

PHOTO 4: Adriane Djuna Swenson perfers apple cider because more people like it and it has cinnamon in it and cinnamon is good for you.

PHOTO 5: Mary Eighmey with one year old daughter Summer Eighmey perfers pumkin spice because it has more of the full warm feelings. It feels like fall.

Happenings

RED BARN’S FALL FEST & GIANT CORN MAZE: Now through Fall at The Red Barn Café & Penza’s Pie Shop. A fun for all ages corn maze with a short course and long course, spanning over 7 acres. Homemade pies, pumpkin painting, cornstalks, mums, pumpkins and more will be available. (Maze dates and times vary.) 609-567-3412. www. penzapies.com

ALL-A-BOO DIDONATO’S TRICK-ORTREAT TRAIN: September 24 to October 23 at DiDonato Family Fun Center. This little goblin-friendly Halloween outdoor train ride will leave the whole family laughing and gasping for more. Tricks, treats, and surprises are included for kids and grown-ups. Admission includes train ride, hay maze, face painting, pumpkin patch and so much more. (Dates and times vary.) 609-561-3040. www.didonatofuncenter.com

ST. MARY OF MT. CARMEL PARISH FALL FESTIVAL & CARNIVAL: October 9 from 12 PM to 6 PM at St. Anthony’s

Church Picnic Grounds. A corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin painting/bowling, caramel apples, crafts, games, delicious food, beer/ wine garden, and desserts, along with onsite Carnival games and rides. Hosted by St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Parish. 609-704-5945. www.smmcp.net/events

HALLOWEEN LOLLIPOP GHOSTS, SPIDERS AND PUMPKINS CRAFT: October 12 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Hammonton Library. Open to ages 3 and older. Get into the season’s spirit and create a spooky ghost, spider, or pumpkin out of a lollipop. All materials are provided, registration required. 609-561-2264. www. atlanticlibrary.org

“HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS” DINNER: October 15 – 6 PM at Winslow Manor. This annual event raises funds for those struggling with cancer and their families. www.hammontoncancerfoundation.org

CONTRIBUTORS:

Fall 2022

Jasmine Ferrell

Chris Isaac

Jamie Giambrone

Mindy Toran Chloe Yanush

Dante

COUNTRY LIVING FAIR: October 16 from 9 AM to 4 PM at Batsto Village. This annual tradition is one of the region’s favorite Autumn events. Enjoy a stroll through a centuries-old historic village while you browse the country crafts, exhibits, music, old-time engines & cars, food, antiques, pony rides, farm equipment, chain-saw art, quilting, and more. 609-561-0024. www.batstovillage. org

THE HARVEST OPERA GALA: October 16 - 2 PM at Tomasello Winery in Hammonton. Experience an elegant afternoon of Autumn-inspired fine dining, wine and music. Thoughtfully selected arias by world class artists in an intimate setting. 800-MMM-WINE. www.tomasellowinery. com

TAROT TEA PARTY: October 19 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Hammonton Library. Suggested for ages 12 and older. Learn about tarot cards and their meanings, attendees encouraged to dress in costume or special fashion and are welcome to bring their own decks of cards too. Tea and other refreshments will be served. Registration required. 609-561-2264. www.atlanticlibrary.org

WINE & BEER EXPO: October 19 from 6:30 PM to 10 PM at Kathedral. Enjoy wine, beer, food and taste the difference with outstanding variety and great selection. Hosted by the Greater Hammonton Chamber of Commerce. 609-561-9080. www.hammontonnj.us

THIRD THURSDAY – “GHOSTS”: October 20 from 5 PM to 8 PM in the Downtown Hammonton Art District. All treats, no tricks at this festively fun evening Downtown. Get into the spooky spirit with fall flavors and scary-good activities! 609567-9014. www.downtownhammonton.com

CIGAR & WINE DINNER: October 20 – 6 PM at DiMatteo Vineyards. Includes dinner, a glass of wine and a cigar. Hosted by Hammonton Fire Company #1. 609-7041414.

DOWNTOWN TRICK-OR-TREAT: October 22 from 2 PM to 4 PM in Downtown Hammonton. Participating businesses and organizations hand out candy and treats two weeks before Halloween at this fun, daytime event. Also enjoy spooky music, free entertainment, photo booth and games. There is a costume contest for you and even your pet! (Rain Date October 29) 609-567-9014. www. downtownhammonton.com

ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY FALL

FESTIVAL & ANNUAL 5K RUN: October 23 from 11 AM to 4 PM at St. Joseph Academy. Featuring music, food truck, games, inflatables, beer garden, face painting, vendors and more. 609-561-8700. www.stjosephacademy.com

KIWANIS HALLOWEEEN PARADE: October 26 – 7 PM in Downtown Hammonton. A spooktacular evening of floats, bands, costumes and fun! The parade begins at Egg Harbor Road and Bellevue Avenue, then travels up Bellevue Avenue to Third Street. (Rain Date October 27) 609561-7124.

HALLOWEEN BINGO: October 28 – 6 PM at Frog Rock Country Club. Come out for a night of fun and at the same time you will help our child-in-need’s wish come true. Dinner, bingo, dessert, prizes, costume contest and basket raffles. Sponsored by the Hammonton Wishing Well Chapter of the Sunshine Foundation. 609-839-2018

HAUNTING IN THE PINES: COUNTRY LIVING FAIR: October 30 from 12 PM to 3 PM at Batsto Village. This free event is for children 12 years old and younger with parents or guardians, please wear costumes as you stroll through the village. Enjoy tricks, treats, prizes, pony rides, face painting, entertainment and snacks. 609-561-0024. www.batstovillage.org

TRICK-OR-TREAT: October 31 from 5:30 PM to 8 PM throughout Hammonton. Traditional Trick-or-Treat is always held on Halloween night in Hammonton. Bring your kids in costume to visit participating homes around town. Some neighborhoods go all out and decorate and have parties too.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HAMMONTON SPEAKER SERIES: November 3 at 7 PM at the Canoe Club in Hammonton Lake Park. John Mazzeo will present a program about family and photography in Hammonton. www.historicalsocietyofhammonton.org

HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR: November 5 from 9 AM to 3 PM at Hammonton Independent Volunteer Fire Company #2. Featuring over 30 vendors, raffle baskets and face painting. craftinggrammy@yahoo.com

ALL ABOARD DIDONATO’S MAGIGAL HOLIDAY EXPRESS: November 5 to December 30 at DiDonato Family Fun Center. Train ride through millions of Christmas lights, meet and greet and photo ops with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves, present from

please see CALENDAR, page 21

Santa, holiday movie tent, cookie treat, walk-through village and so much more. (Days and times vary.) 609-561-3040. www.didonatofuncenter.com

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN WALKING TOURS: November 5 - 1 PM at Eagle Theatre. A guided walking tour of the Historic Downtown is held on the first Saturday of every month, weather permitting. 609-561-1955. www. stockton.edu/walkinghammonton

NEIGHBORHOOD TOY STORE DAY: November 12 from 10 AM to 6 PM at Toy Market in Downtown Hammonton. Play the newest games and learn about the best new toys as South Jersey’s largest independent toy

store participates in this nationwide celebration. Free snacks, drinks, music, a free toy for every child and huge savings. 609-561-2121. www.mytoymarket.com

EDP FALL CLASSIC: November 12 & 13 at Tuckahoe Turf Farm. The perfect soccer tournament to end the fall season. An event for teams of all ages, the perfect opportunity for entire clubs to start their season and play different teams from around the region. www.edpsoccer.com

THIRD THURSDAY – “GRATEFUL”: November 17 from 5 PM to 8 PM in the Downtown Hammonton Art District. Enjoy an enchanted medieval evening downtown as you partake in the food, art, shopping and music of the season. 609-567-9014. www. downtownhammonton.com

THANKSFORGIVING GALA: November 19 from 6 PM to 10 PM in the Cart Barn at Pinelands Golf Club. Hosted by the Hammonton Education Foundation. thanksforgivinggala@gmail.com

This is partial listing of events and activities in the Hammonton area compiled by Destination Hammonton, as of this magazine’s print publication deadline. Events are subject to change or cancellation. Check with event organizers to confirm details. For the most updated list, please visit www. hammonton.com. Want to be listed in the next issue? Email your listing to brought@newspapermediagroup.com.