This Week in the New Jersey Skylands

July 1 - 7

Big Bang Theory

Fourth of July!

The holiday signifies summer, fun, picnics, family -- but most of all Independence, something we strive to maintain in our own lives as we celebrate freedom in America. And it looks like the weather is going to allow us 24 rain-free hours to observe our special day in the best ways we know how.

A traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence begins with a warm-up at noon at Morristown National Historical Park (what better place?). At 1 pm the "Public Reading" will
commence. Attendees will be given a copy of the famous document, and encouraged to cheer along with park rangers and re-enactors as they
denounce tyranny and praise liberty, concluding with a feu de joie (musket salute) by the 2nd New Jersey Regiment, Helms' Company, a volunteer re-enactment group. Free. Washington's Headquarters, 30 Washington Pl., 973/539-2016

Fireworks at Shawnee Mountain include an outdoor DJ, Uncle Sam Stilt Walker, an All American Magic Show, various food & craft vendors, and a delicious Hickory Licks barbecue before the main event at 9pm. $10 per car load. I 80, PA Exit 309, 570/421-7231

Stop by the Westfall Winery at 141 Clove Road in Montague for an Independence Day BBQ with hamburgers & hotdogs, discounted wines by the glass and live music. 12 - 4pm. $5 per person. 973/293-3428.

Shorty Long & The Jersey Horns kick off the Fourth of July Family Festival at North Branch Park in Bridgewater. Other highlights include children's entertainment and activities, historical reenactments, and fireworks at 9:30pm. Free, 5 - 11pm, 908/722-1200.

Sales!

Do your patriotic chore and take advantage of the tradition of good bargains at the region's two major outlet centers.

Liberty Village Premium Outlets

The July 4th Summer Sale at Liberty Village Premium Outlets in Flemington runs from Thursday - Monday, July 2-6. Stores will have specially marked merchandise and clearance items. Find additional savings off everyday low outlet prices. Sixty outlet stores are now situated in a colonial-styled village where the brands are anything but old-fashioned. For sale event markdowns visit the website. Church Street, Flemington. 908/782-8550.

Olde Lafayette Village

For those in search of contemporary shopping, country style, there will be red, white and blue sidewalk sale days all weekend long at Olde Lafayette Village in Sussex County. And on the Fourth there will be a free concert and reading of the Declaration of Independence. 75 State Route 15 (at Route 15 & 94), Lafayette; 973/383-8323.

Kutztown Pennsylvania German Festival

One of America’s most celebrated festivals, the Kutztown Festival is the oldest continuing folklife event in the nation, featuring folk art and crafts by 200 craftsmen, the largest exhibition and sale of authentic Pennsylvania Dutch quilts in the country, folklore and folklife programs, six stages of continuous entertainment, music, a wide array of children’s activities, and the best Pennsylvania Dutch food found anywhere. The festival runs through Sunday, July 5. Click here for discount admission.

The Milford Bluffs rise two hundred feet above the river and host prickly pear cactus on their southern face.

Both Sides Now

Follow the narrow, twisting back roads along both shores of the Delaware River -- from Phillipsburg south to Milford in New Jersey, and Upper Black Eddy back north to Easton in Pennsylvania -- through countryside rich in local history and lore, old hamlets of which little trace remains, past quaint homes and natural wonders along the way. Read more....

Thomas the Tank engine

Another way to see the sites on the Jersey side is on the Delaware River Train Excursion, which will feature special days out with Thomas the Tank this weekend. Catch the train on Market Street in Phillipsburg. 908/454-5500 x338

Cows Outside

At Bobolink Farm in Vernon, you can see how cows, grass, rain, sun, chickens, pigs and people can collaborate to make great cheese, bread, pork & beef while doing all that good green stuff. A pasture walk will bring you up close to the Bobolink herd, including their home-grown breed of tough little milk cows who thrive on pasture. The tour continues at the bakery, where bread emerges from a wood-fired brick oven, and concludes with a tasting of breads and cheeses in the farm store. Your guide will also provide explanations of the farm's philosophy and processes, and, time permitting, can allow visitors to view the (empty) barn, ripening room, and creamery. Tours are limited to twenty, and well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome to join the tour. Reservations are required, and a $5 fee is charged for all humans over 3 years. If there is space, last-minute attendance may be possible. You can book your trip here, or email for more information.

Tomahawk Lake is a classic family daytrip destination

School's Out For Summer

These words bring joy to millions of hearts beating with the anticipation of 2 months of freedom. And dread to millions of other hearts wondering how to fill the hours of free time with activity for their kids. Yikes! If a vacation house or summer camp is not an option then a little planning is in order. You can give your kids a wonderful series of adventures by exploring the family attractions of the New Jersey Skylands.

When you get right down to it, your kids like the same stuff you did... six guns, pirate ships, wild animals and sandy beaches still work well. And, with a little modern day tweaking, the age-old themes come right up to speed.

These pages offer quick profiles and lead you to maps and websites for each family attraction:

Attractions map: click and pick!

Click for Delaware River Trip Discounts!

Subscribe!

Spread your wings and reach for the Skylands this and every week this summer. Don't wait; the days are already getting shorter! Northwest New Jersey and destinations just beyond those borders, in Pennsylvania and New York, are equally intriguing and convenient offer colorful ways to get out and enjoy the pleasures of the season. Keep an eye on our calendar for great things to do all the time! And we've got a crop of new stories to help you on your way.

If you like what you read and don't subscribe, you can get a copy of our summer publication here. If you've received free copies for a while, and you'd like to continue, please consider a paid subscription. It has become impossible to fulfill our entire list for free. Or you can pick up a copy at any one of our distribution points.

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