Middletown 350 Anniversary Gala, Parade & Time Capsule Celebration June 20-21

From Middletown Alerts:


Middletown Township is dedicating the third weekend in June to celebrating the township’s official founding 350 years in 1664. This jam-packed weekend features a formal gala, parade and burial of the Middletown 350 time capsule.

The festivities begin on Friday, June 20th at the Middletown 350 Anniversary Gala. This formal evening will be held from 7-11 pm at the Middletown Arts Center. Tickets are $85 and include two glasses of wine or beer, dinner, dancing, a preview of the Middletown 350 Time Capsule, casino tables, and more than more 30 prizes donated by local businesses. Tickets can be purchased at www.midletownarts.org or in person at the Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church Street. Call 732-706-4100 for details.

The Middletown 350 Parade and Time Capsule Celebration begins with a parade on Saturday, June 21 at 11 am at Middletown High School North, 63 Tindall Road. Hundreds of friends and neighbors will show their hometown pride by marching 1.6 miles along Tindall Road and across Route 35 into the oldest section of township, Middletown Village. The parade then continues along historic Kings Highway and down Church Street to Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church Street. On-line parade registration is closed. Call 732-615-2260 for information.

After the parade, a brief ceremony will be held on the lawn adjacent to the Middletown Arts Center to mark the burial of Middletown 350 Time Capsule. The ceremony is part of the Time Capsule Celebration. This family-friendly celebration begins at 11 am on the Arts Center lawn and includes live entertainment and children’s activities. Food, drinks and snacks will be available for sale.

Free parking for the Time Capsule celebration will be available in the main parking lot at the Middletown Train Station. Please remember that the parade route will be closed to traffic as it travels along Tindall Road, across Route 35, to Kings Highway and Church Street. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes late morning and early afternoon.

The 50-year time capsule will be surrounded by an “Anniversary Plaza” designed with personalized bricks. Donors who purchase a brick will have their special message be part of this beautiful plaza for years to come and also will help the Middletown Arts Council continue its mission of bringing enriching arts programming to the community. Those interested in purchasing a brick can download an order form at www.middletownarts.org or visit the Arts Center.

Whirl Construction is donating labor and equipment needed to install the plaza and assist with digging the hole for the time capsule. Marturano Recreation Company (MRC) is donating two benches that will be installed at Anniversary Plaza.

The Middletown 350 Committee reserves the right to cancel the Middletown 350 Parade and Time Capsule Celebration in the event of inclement weather conditions. In the event of inclement weather conditions, the Parade and Time Capsule Celebration will be moved to Sunday, June 22nd if weather conditions permit.

Visit www.middletownnj.org for a full list of Middletown 350 activities, memorabilia available for sale, and to learn more about the township’s rich history.

Middletown 350 Brick Fundraiser: Volunteers Pave the Way for Arts Programming

For Immediate Release:


50th ANNIVERSARY BRICK FUNDRAISER LAUNCHES WITH PERSONAL MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FROM MIDDLETOWN ARTS CENTER VOLUNTEERS

CJ Marsini Performing (Credit: Tammy Marsini)

Middletown, N.J. (May 19, 2014) – The Middletown Arts Council is excited to launch a brick campaign to celebrate Middletown’s 350th Anniversary and raise funds for arts programming. A 50-year Time Capsule will be buried on the lawn at the Middletown Arts Center, surrounded by an “Anniversary Plaza” designed with personalized bricks. Donors who purchase a brick will have their special message be part of this beautiful plaza for years to come and also will help the Middletown Arts Council continue its mission of bringing enriching arts programming to the community.

The Arts Center’s Executive Director Maggie O’Brien has been thrilled to receive donations of bricks from several of her volunteers. “These are individuals who have donated their time and now their dollars to express their appreciation for the organization,” said O’Brien. “It’s touching to read their messages and realize just how much the Arts Center means to them. It’s also wonderful to see members of the community express themselves in these bricks.”

Nineteen-year-old CJ Marsini of Middletown stepped up with a brick donation. Marsini performed in the Arts Council’s first Talent Show at the age of seven. He has grown up on the Middletown Arts Center’s stage and has volunteered at the MAC in numerous capacities from performer to summer camp counselor. His mother, photographer Tammy Marsini, serves on the Board of the non-profit Middletown Township Cultural and Arts Council, which operates the Arts Center.

"I am so proud of CJ for everything he has accomplished and all that’s in store for him in the future," says Tammy. "The first time he performed in the Art Center's Talent Show he was very shy. Through the years, he continued to perform at the MAC and each time his confidence grew. I am grateful to Maggie and her team for always providing a fun, welcoming environment and for providing CJ with many performance opportunities to hone his craft. He considers the MAC his home away from home.” CJ will be leaving this fall to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. “It’s been an honor to see CJ grow into such a talented musician and wonderful young man,” says O’Brien. “Like so many children in our community, the arts played an important role in his life. When we nurture our children with arts experiences, they are equipped to succeed.”

To Kathy Rauffer and her late husband, Walt Rauffer, a pioneer in television broadcasting and engineering, the Middletown Arts Center meant more to them than just bricks and mortar. Walt donated his expertise and time to create the Art Center’s state-of-the-art theater sound and lighting system and worked the equipment for performances. The Rauffer Family purchased a brick in his honor.

“Walt started volunteering in 2007. He felt the organization was truly community focused and he loved the diversity there,” says Kathy. “With so many threats to the arts, Walt wanted others to see the value the Arts Center offered, and he praised its value every chance he had. He wanted people to embrace it, and get behind everything it offered.”

Walt was Technical Director for the Children’s Television Network’s Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and many other commercial sets. He worked with stars like Big Bird, Jim Henson and the Muppets, Mr. Rodgers and Bill Cosby. Highlights from Walt’s career include the creation of the first mobile news truck, the creation of Sesame Street’s first tape room at its 81st Street Theater set, and a 1978 Emmy Win for “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street.” According to Kathy, “Walt told me that when he graduated from RCA Institute and told his father he was getting a job in television, his father said “Why don’t you get a job in something that will last?” Walt just knew when something felt right and had the potential to grow and take off. That’s the way he felt about the Middletown Arts Center –he knew it would succeed. ”

The Arts Center relies on donor contributions to maintain its affordable, year-round arts and cultural programs. In 2013, the MAC boasted over 60,000 visits from area residents of all ages and abilities. Those interested in purchasing a brick can download an order form at www.middletownarts.org or visit the Arts Center.

The public is invited to the Time Capsule Celebration on June 21. This free, family friendly event will feature a parade, the burying of the Time Capsule, entertainment and more! Brick donors will be recognized at this event and the “Anniversary Plaza” will be dedicated later in the year.

March in the Middletown 350 Parade June 21st!

From Middletown Alerts:

Get your walking shoes ready for the Middletown 350 Parade and Time Capsule Celebration on Saturday June 21st. Community and school groups, families and located businesses are invited to participate in this very special parade designed to celebrate the township’s founding 350 years ago in 1664.

The parade begins at 11 am at High School North on Tindall Road and ends at the Middletown Arts Center where the Time Capsule Celebration will be held. The free celebration include entertainment, food vendors, family activities and of course burial, of course burial of Middletown time capsule on the Arts Center's grounds. The 50-year time capsule will be surrounded by an "Anniversary Plaza" designed with personalized bricks that are being sold by the Middletown Arts Center and will be installed later this year.

Pre-registration is required to participate in the parade. Participation for community groups, schools, families is free. There is a $50 participation fee for businesses. Online registration begins tomorrow, via our Community Pass website: https://register.communitypass.net/Middletown. For more information or questions, please call 732-615-2260.