Haddonfield is well known for its many yearly seasonal traditions.
Among them is the annual fall festival hosted by the Haddonfield Lions Club. This year’s version took place on a breezy and sunny Oct. 4.
The six-hours-long event largely took place on the sidewalks along Kings Highway, while also closing down Tanner Street to allow for a juried craft show that featured more than 50 vendors.
Hundreds populated the main sidewalks, met up with friends, and ate and shopped in the business district. Several performers outside First Baptist Church provided live music, including Sweet Spot and its trademark acoustic guitars.
“…The people on the street were so enthusiastic,” said the group’s Gail Deber.
The Mabel Kay Senior Center’s Golden Kazoo Band for the first time played its kazoos for a broader audience outside of those who regularly attend the group’s performances or work with the center.
Susi Coley is the band’s leader.
“I think that the crowd enthusiasm was incredibly gratifying,” she acknowledged. “It lets us know that this (the festival) is going to be a great venture going forward.”
The Markheim Arts Center had a tent set up along Tanner Street where children could create a craft using clay and natural materials of leaves, sticks and acorns. Other vendors offered a range of products from honey to hand-made clothing to pottery to crocheted plush animals and toys.
“Everything’s happening,” observed Charene Scheeper, who was walking her dog at the festival. “… I think it’s a great day.”
On the sidewalks lining Kings Highway, dozens of community nonprofits and civic associations set up booths and tables to offer activities for guests and raise awareness about what their organizations do.
The Haddonfield Japan Exchange was among them. It enables borough students to travel to Japan every odd year and hosts students from that country every even year.
Margaret Gammie is the director of the program and a teacher at Haddonfield Memorial High School.
“We’re going to have students from Sendai International School coming this coming year, in 2026,” she explained, “so what we’re doing today is just trying to let the town know about us.”
At the Japan Exchange table, guests decorated paper lanterns and learned origami, and stickers illustrated traditional Japanese culture.
While children and adults painted pumpkins together, Dan “The Balloon Man” Peterse was on one of the sidewalk corners creating animals, flowers and swords.
The Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust was in attendance near the Low-Poly Open Heart sculpture in Kings Court, giving out plastic wild animals for children and taking votes from guests on what animal should be added to the Sculpture Zoo.
“We’re getting a whole bunch of different votes everywhere,” noted trust founder and chair Stuart Harting, “from cheetahs to snow leopards to snakes, crocodiles – so many different animals are being suggested that it’s going to make it (the decision on a new sculpture) very interesting.”
Another major borough fixture, Dance Haddonfield, was also on hand to provide a taste of what it offers, including 18 different types of dances.
“It’s a community outreach thing to try to bring the joy of dancing to anyone who’s interested,” noted member Bonnie Harvey. “We’re a very friendly group, very welcoming to newcomers, to partner dancing.”
Haddonfield softball raised awareness of its Oct. 19 Breast Fest event and the creation of care bags for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The Christian Science Reading Room – one of Haddonfield’s oldest operating businesses – had Barbara Corbett at the festival to give out free magazines and pamphlets and sell books.
Among those enjoying the day were Alex Dascenzo and Miranda Chrone.
“We love coming to the festival, as we live right down the block,” Chrone enthused. “We always come and it’s beautiful weather. So they got lucky, for sure. It’s super fun.”
