This Week in the New Jersey Skylands

July 29 - August 5

Spread your wings and reach for the Skylands this and every week this summer. Take advantage of a calendar sizzling with intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. And stay tuned to our outdoor map for links to all sorts of midsummer hikes and outdoor fun! Don't wait; the days are melting away!

A monster balloon will fly among at least 35 hot-air balloons at the Warren County Farmer's Fair.

Ultimate Twofer

By some accounts, the Warren County Farmers' Fair roots go back as far as 1859, but officially this year's is the seventy-third occurrence of one of the few remaining agricultural fairs in New Jersey. The olde time fair includes a Hot Air Balloon Festival, so you get two events for the price of one! The fair also features Ryan Pelton, Elvis Impersonator, livestock and small animal shows, agricultural exhibits, antique and stock tractor pulls, demolition derbies, mud bogging, crafters, carnival rides, a Traditional Arts Expo, and plenty of food.

The Warren County Farmers' Fair runs Sunday, August 1 through Saturday, August 7 and requires a very modest admission fee: $5/ $3 ages 5-12. The fairgrounds are located at the intersection of Rt. 519 and Strykers Road in Harmony Township. (GPS: 1350 Strykers Road, Phillipsburg, NJ 0886 click for map) For information, please call 908/859-6563 or visit their website.

The Yellow Bus Lurks!

Beginning Thursday and running through the weekend, a Back-to-School & Fall Preview will be on the agenda at Liberty Village Premium Outlets in Flemington. While you make sure your kids are the best dressed on the bus, you'll partake of serious savings as stores will have specially marked merchandise and clearance items. Saturday & Sunday afternoon will offer live music, and family friendly entertainment. 1 Church Street in Flemington, 908/782-8550

Shawn Jennings hot rods up a 1940 Mercury.

Hot Rod Arts

More than ever, people appreciate the way cars used to be built for performance, appearance and luxury, and they're investing in them for fun and profit. Refurbishing a classic car the right way requires an artist's touch. Read about some of the real craftsmen in the local hot rod business and make note of some of the local Cruise Nights this summer!

On Sunday, August 1, bring your classic vehicle to Olde Lafayette Village and relax during an afternoon of fun, trivia, music, prizes and trophies. Registration begins at 11am, $10 donation. All proceeds benefit DASI (Domestic Abuse Services of Sussex County). Route 15 & 94, Lafayette, 973-383-8323

Tomahawk Lake is a classic family daytrip destination. New for 2010... A 610 ft. long 4-person Raft Ride dropping over 60 ft. into the lake!

On the Beach

in 1956, the Wallace family became the owners of Tomahawk Lake, a resort for daytrippers, four years after two guys named Laucks and Yonkers built a dam, a small beach and refreshment stand on a small farm lake at the base of Sparta Mountain. Two brooks, one from the top of the mountain and one from Seneca Lake, provide constant flow through Tomahawk during the summer. The result is weed-free, crystal clear water with an immaculate sand bottom (no concrete, no chlorine) that slopes gently out to floating rafts. Outside the swimming areas, you can enjoy rowboats, paddle boats, and kiddie & adult bumper boats. Back ashore you can visit a large refreshment stand, outdoor beer garden (with live weekend entertainment), an ice cream trailer, an arcade, a miniature golf course, a putting green and ball field. Eight hundred picnic tables inhabit lawns and groves throughout the park.

Every year, the Wallaces make improvements -- this year a 610 foot-long 4-person raft ride makes a total of six slides into the lake. Tomahawk Lake is a survivor; a classic summer place where you can bring your grill and do your own cooking. Or leave it all to a capable staff, knowing you have all the advantages of a family-run facility. For information call the lake office at 973/398-7777 or visit their website.

Pine Creek or Pine Valley? Pine Creek is the ultimate miniature golf course.

Pine Creek or Pine Valley?

Two 18-hole courses roll over acres of natural countryside in a country club setting at Pine Creek Miniature Golf, one of America's most beautiful miniature golf facilities. Spacious, romantic, and charming, Pine Creek has become the outing of choice for groups from the likes of J&J, Ortho/McNeill, Merck, Princeton University, and, yes, for lots of kids. Is this Pine Creek or Pine Valley? Pine Creek is ten minutes north of Lambertville and ten minutes south of Flemington at 394 Route 31, West Amwell. (609) 466-3803.

Tony Trischka

Summer Song

On Sunday, August 1, Tony Trischka, inspiration for an entire generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians, will grace the stage at Bridgewater's Duke Island Park on Old York Road. The free concert, part of the Somerset Concert Series in the Park, begins at 7pm. 908/722-1200

Rich and varied, music in Northwest New Jersey is just the ticket for evenings that end on high notes. Your musical destination is never very far away and often the price can't be beat. Keep an eye on the list!

Click for Delaware River Trip Discounts!

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