After a year’s hiatus, Milford Alive! is returning to Bridge Street for its 43rd annual celebration. The event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, starting at noon. Bed races begin at 2 p.m, and fireworks kick off after dark.
Milford Alive! is put on annually by the Milford Merchants Association, a group of local businesses that support one another and the community. Melissa Harrison, president of the Milford Merchants Association, is looking forward to all of this year’s novelties.
“This year we have several new vendors, offering anything from wooden cutting boards to jewelry, candles and pottery,” Harrison said. “We have a new ‘Kids Korner’ with several different art activities, such as friendship bracelets, ‘Milford Rocks,’ which is painting rocks to put in a community rock garden. Kids can help paint a mural, do leaf painting and other art projects. Adults and kids can enter an art show, where prizes will be awarded.”
In addition to these new attractions, other fan favorites will be returning.
“The Aqua String Band will be here again,” Harrison said. “We also have puppet shows and a bike parade planned, which we haven’t done for years. We have a line dancing instructor that will teach the steps and everyone will be able to put it all together and learn to line dance.”
Harrison is especially looking forward to continuing the bed racing tradition.
“I think what makes Milford Alive! special for the community is the fact that the bed races are a long-standing tradition,” Harrison said. “It is nice to see families out with their kids doing something and creating memories they will cherish for years to come.”
This community enjoyment is a key motivator for event organizers.
“The Milford Merchants Association has done this event for years as a ‘give back’ to the community,” Harrison said. “The people who live, work and shop here support our businesses all year long….[Milford Alive!] is a tremendous amount of work, but it is also very rewarding to see the community enjoy it so much.”
The Milford Merchants Association relies on donations to keep the event afloat. Last fall, Milford Alive! took a year off, and the Hunterdon County World Fair was held in its place.
Now, the small river town of Milford hosts two festivals annually: the World Fair in the spring and Milford Alive! in the fall.
“One of the biggest misconceptions people may not realize is that we don’t make money off of the event [Milford Alive!],” Harrison said. “We get sponsorships from the local businesses. Their donations help to pay for all of the activities. Without our sponsors, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
To learn more about Milford Alive!, visit visitmilfordnj.org/milford-alive.
