Somerset County Park Commission Wins Two NJRPA Awards for Excellence in Programming

BRIDGEWATER, NJ – The Somerset County Park Commission won two statewide awards for programming at the NJ Recreation and Parks Association Annual Awards Dinner in Atlantic City, NJ. The awards were for the “Thankful Lights” program held at Leonard J. Buck Garden in Far Hills and the “1770s Festival” held at Lord Stirling Park in Basking Ridge. “These awards recognize the quality and the breadth of the programming we offer at Somerset County’s Parks throughout the year,” said Dan Hayes, Somerset County Park Commission Director.

“There is something for everyone. Whether it’s concerts or festivals, horticulture, ecology, sports or a simple hike or picnic, everyone is invited to come out and enjoy our Parks and programs.”The extremely popular “Thankful Lights” program is offered by the Horticultural Department and held annually in the first week of November to kick off the holiday season. Celebrants craft their own floating luminaries at Leonard J. Buck Garden with personalized messages of joyful memories, wishes for the future, and thanks. 

As the evening progresses, luminaries are released one by one onto the pond as a gong sounds, and the participants collectively breathe, relax, and share the moment together. After enjoying the lights, they walk back to the garden courtyard around a roaring fire and enjoy cider, cookies, and each other.“This program creates a rare and magical experience for participants,” said NJRPA Awards Committee Member Bruce Kaufmann during the ceremony.

“By combining art, reflection, and community gathering in a truly unique setting, Thankful Lights offers an unforgettable cultural experience.”The 1770s Festival at Lord Stirling Park is a journey back to the founding of our nation at the home of one of the American Revolution’s military leaders, Major General William Alexander, who was known as Lord Stirling. 

The 1770s Festival educates visitors on the period that birthed our nation through archeological digs, hands on crafts and apple cider making, live musicians playing colonial songs, and enactors portraying Colonial craftspeople plying their trades, a Town Crier announcing the local news, and militias conducting movements in preparation for battle against the British.“The goal of the festival is to engage each visitor’s five senses and bring history to life,” said Kaufmann when presenting the award. “From the sounds of the blacksmith’s anvil to the sights of colonial militia drills, this event creates an educational experience that is immersive, engaging, and uniquely tied to the community.”

“Somerset County’s parks are not just the most beautiful in Central Jersey, but also have the most incredible programs and activities that engage our minds and strengthen our bodies,” said Somerset County Commissioner Deputy Director Paul M. Drake. “The NJ Recreation and Park Association awards are a recognition of the incredible quality of the Park Commission’s programming and the talent and commitment of its staff and volunteers.”

In addition to these award-winning programs, Somerset County holds programs and activities throughout the year including the recently restored youth horseback riding lessons, summer camps at the Environmental Education Center and The Stable at Lord Stirling Park, gardening and horticulture programming at Colonial Park and Buck garden, summer concerts at Duke Island Park, Therapeutic Recreation programs, and more. For more about the Park Commission programming, visit http://somersetcountyparks.org.

About the NJRPA Awards: The purpose of the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association’s Awards Program is to honor and identify dedicated leaders, employees, and volunteers in the field of Parks and Recreation, and to recognize the State’s outstanding Recreation and Park agencies for excellence in programming, publicity and facility design. Somerset County Park Commission
The Park Commission has 15,000 acres of county-owned open space, which is visited by two million park users each year. Five golf courses have three driving ranges, a pitch and putt course, and a recreational putting course. Other attractions include a riding stable, an environmental education center, two tennis facilities, an outdoor pool, paddle boating, a rock and rare plant garden, an award-winning rose garden, an arboretum, and a sensory and fragrance garden. Six county parks also offer amenities such as athletic fields, picnic facilities, bike paths, fishing, birdwatching, cross-country skiing, and hiking.

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