James J. Braddock Park in North Bergen will host the Hudson County Fair, the first of its kind in 35 years, during the Columbus Day weekend.
“I just want to remind you that 35 years ago, there was a carnival and I think the elephant got loose, and after that, there were not more carnivals,” North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco joked at a press conference kicking off the fair around 4:30 p.m. today during heavy rainfall.
“I don’t see any elephants, any large animals, I think we’re in good shape. This is gonna be a great weekend in North Hudson. A great weekend.”
Sacco was joined on stage with Joan Quigley, the president and CEO of the North Hudson Community Action Corporation, NHCAC Board Chairman Joey Muniz, Guttenberg Mayor Gerald Drasheff, Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, Union City Freeholder Tilo Rivas (D-6), Freeholder Chairman E. Junior Maldonado, West New York/Weehawken Housing Authority Executive Director Bob DiVincent and North Bergen Freeholder Anthony Vainieri (D-8) – who all played a role in making the event happen.
“These are the things I plan on bringing back to the community. I campaigned on the theme of bringing things back to the community: utilizing the park with art fairs, farmer’s markets, carnivals, art shows – it’s such a beautiful park and it’s underutilized. I want to bring thing back to the community,” Vainieri told Hudson County View.
According to Vainieri, the event was made possible after a variety of resolutions were approved by the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the NHCAC pertaining to permits, health inspections and a variety of other safety and maintenance procedures.
The event planning company Jaloudi Enterprises is also contributing to the three-and-a-half day affair.
The fair opened at 5 p.m. tonight and will run until 10 p.m., running from 11 a.m. through 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and from 12 noon until 9 p.m. on Monday – which is Columbus Day.
The carnival is set up in the southeast corner of James J. Braddock Park, by the intersection of John F. Kennedy Boulevard and 79th Street near the tennis courts.