Hello 08018! After a sweltering summer, I’m ready for the feel of crisp air, flannels, the beauty of leaves changing color, and of course apple and pumpkin picking. And I am excited for you to check out our Fall edition magazine dedicated to the lifestyle and community of Collingswood.
We start our issue with a look at Collingswood Book Festival, the second longest running festival in the area, second to May Fair. Held the first Saturday of October every year, the festival showcases over 60 presenting authors and an additional 275 authors and exhibitors, plus music, food, and literary games and activities along six blocks from Collings to Homestead avenues and draws upwards of 5,000 people throughout the day. The festival is all volunteer run. We take a look at how the festival began and why. Check it all out starting on Page 9.
Fall is a busy time for craft breweries. Just ask Marvin Bowe III, who officially opened the Swedesboro Brewing Company in 2021. Two years later on June 1, he launched his second location – Raccoon Taproom at 1 Powell Lane in Collingswood – where his son Marvin Bowe IV is leading the charge. The taproom is experiencing its first fall season. Come try the Fall Harvest Ale, the brewery’s take on pumpkin beer. “It’s like pumpkin pie in a can,” Bowe III explained. Another fall favorite is the mӓrzen, which they have dubbed Marvin the Marzen – a homage to the time-honored German-Style Marzen, also known as Oktoberfest. Their later fall beer is Cranbasket, which is a variation of their classic wheat beer called Breadbasket. Each beer on tap has a name attached to a little bit of history as well as food pairings. Learn about what’s on tap starting on page 12.
We round our issue with National Coming Out Day, which is celebrated each year on October 11th. Members of the Collingswood community – April Schetler and her wife Amy, Brent Satterly, Mindy Leher and Abby Ruttman, and Philip “Pip” Haxby-Thompson – shared their coming out journey and what National Coming Out Day means to them. “For me, coming out isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process,” Haxby-Thompson said. A must read on page 16.
Also check out our Keeping up with Collingswood on page 22 for future community events and “Is the interest rate the only thing you still love about your home? Find out on page 6. All of this and more awaits on the pages ahead!
Enjoy!
