More than 1,000 people gathered on May 2 for the Hammonton Arts & Music Festival. Don Swenson, the leader of Art Club Hammonton, was surprised by the number of costumed attendees who weren’t directly connected with the event. This year’s “cottagecore” theme inspired attendees to arrive dressed as fairies and sprites, in earthy, 1970s-inspired fashions, or Renaissance-tinged attire.
With its emphasis on nature, upcycled crafts, and a slower pace of life, cottagecore was a fitting theme for a spring arts and music celebration.
Organized by Art Club Hammonton in partnership with MainStreet Hammonton, the sixth annual festival highlighted creativity, culture, and community.
“We’re seeing a lot more people interested in wanting to participate in the arts in one way or the other,” Swenson told writer Emily Melvin for this issue’s feature on the club’s life drawing sessions. “When your community embraces the arts more, it creates a common language for everybody, and it fosters an environment that allows businesses to grow.”
Also in this issue, we learn about Maple Sugaring Day at Batsto Village and the Stockton Maple Project, an initiative devoted to maple syrup production in South Jersey. Kathy Chang talks to Judith Vogel, director of the project, about how the math professor’s passion for maple syrup has led to a program, now in its third full grant cycle, to research, promote, and market maple syrup production in the area.
And on the athletic field, Jennifer Amato takes readers behind the scenes of Hammonton High School girls’ lacrosse. Head varsity coach Tracy Angelozzi describes the sport as “an incredibly complex and intricate” game, and this young team is rapidly developing the lacrosse IQ needed to compete at a high level.
Enjoy!
