The 29th annual News Jersey Peach Festival starts on Thursday July 28, 2011 at the Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds on Rte 47 in Mullica Hill. The festival began as the Camden County Regional Peach Festival at the Camden County 4-H Fairgrounds in Lakeland in 1982. It was moved to various sites in Camden County before joining the Gloucester County 4- H Fair 16 years ago. According to Santo John Maccherone, chair of the NJ Peach Promotion Council, very few peach orchards are left in Camden County. Gloucester County is still a major peach growing county in New Jersey but a higher percentage of the acreage has shifted to Cumberland and Salem Counties.
“The “Festival used to mark the official kickoff of the New Jersey peach season, but with the recent hot weather peach season is again early and many thousands of bushels have been harvested and sold since the first of July,” said Maccherone. “This year's peach festival will be during the heart of peach season because of this early harvest in 2011.”
The festival will begin with the placement of the commercial peach pack competition from the state’s top peach growers. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Quality Grading Inspectors annually judge the best firm and ripe peaches from samples taken at random from peach packing and shipping facilities. The best box will be awarded the Governor’s Cup presented on Friday evening July 29th by the New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture at 7:00 p.m.
This will coincide with the crowning of the NJ Peach Queen and her court. Current New Jersey Peach Queen, Leevon Lacy of Woodstown will be on hand to help crown the new queen. Leevon and her court have been representing the New Jersey peach industry at promotional events throughout the year.
All types of peach information will be on display. You will learn everything you want to know about peaches. The annual peach bake off competition will be held on Saturday, July 30 and the Little Mister and Miss Peach Blossom Parade for kids will be held on Sunday, July 31. Many peach products and peach cider drinks will again be sold, along with that special New Jersey peach ice cream that has long been a favorite of attendees. Jersey Fresh peaches and other peach products will be sold throughout the 4-day festival. These include the best fresh New Jersey peaches, peach breads, peach pastries, peach jams, and Salsa and “Jersey Grown” plants and “Jersey Fresh” fruits and vegetables.
The New Jersey Peach Festival is held concurrently with the Gloucester County 4-H Fair and will be held at the 4-H Fairgrounds south of Mullica Hill, Gloucester County on route 77 (275 Bridgeton Pike). For a complete listing of events and directions to the festival and fair go to http://gloucester.rce.rutgers.edu/fairfest or the New Jersey Peach Festival Facebook page. For information on New Jersey peaches go to www.jerseypeaches.com
Source: New Jersey Peach Promotion Council
