Message from Mayor Josh Losardo | September 1, 2022
Dear Neighbor:
It’s never easy saying goodbye to summer, but there’s a lot to look forward to this fall. All of us at Town Hall hope you will participate in as many of these community activities as you can!
- 48th Annual St. Bart's/UNICO Italian Festival: The traditional end-of-the-summer fair is back this weekend, from Friday-Monday. Hosted by The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Chapter of UNICO, St. Bartholomew's Church and St. Bartholomew's Academy, the festival is an annual tradition honoring San Nicola di Bari, the patron saint of the town of Montazzoli, Italy, since 1974. Come for great music, zeppolis, prizes, rides and reconnecting with friends after the summer.
- 9/11 Memorial: Scotch Plains will hold its September 11th Memorial on Sunday, September 11 at 6pm at the Alan Augustine Village Green adjacent to Town Hall. Our town remembers James Walsh, Mark David Rothenberg and Matthew Horning, all fellow town residents, and the thousands of other innocent victims murdered that terrible day. It is always a meaningful ceremony. Please join us.
- High School Soccer at Red Bulls Arena: On September 22, SPF High School’s Varsity Soccer Team plays Westfield at Red Bulls Arena. For more information and tickets, see the flier in this week’s E-Messenger or click here.
- Comedy, Movie and Decorate Pumpkin Night and 5K: Scotch Plains has a great weekend planned for the last weekend of September!
- Thursday 9/29 at 8pm: Comedy on the Green!
- Friday 9/30 at 7:30pm: Family Movie and Decorate Pumpkins Night
- Saturday 10/1 at 8am: Play for P.I.N.K. Rose Checchio Walk to Wipe Out Breast Cancer.
Visit our town website or call our Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-322-6700 x223 for more information.
- Scotch Plains Day: On October 2, we will hold our annual Scotch Plains Day celebration. Park Avenue will be closed for live music and theatrical entertainment; the streets will be lined with tables with representatives from the many community organizations that do so much for all of us. Our Recreation Department will also include interactive and inflatable games for children and has arranged for hot and delicious food to be available from many of our local restaurants. Food trucks are expected as well. Weather permitting, this is always a wonderful day in our town.
- Four Centuries in a Weekend: Scotch Plains joins all of Union County in celebrating our rich and patriotic history.
On Oct. 15-16, the Osborn Cannonball House Museum, located at 1840 Front Street, will be open both days from noon to 5 p.m. for visitors of all ages to walk through history. Tour guides will be dressed in colonial gear and will share the story of the family who lived in the home during the American Revolution. Children will learn what it would have been like to be one of the 13 Osborn offspring, two of whom fought in the American Revolutionary War. Come explore Cannonball’s “hands-on” collection of 18th century toys and more.
And make sure to stop by Shady Rest Country Club on Jerusalem Road, now proud to be listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. There will be tours of the historic building every half hour, arts and crafts, videos, horseback riding (on Saturday only from noon-5 p.m.) mini-golf, a putting contest and live jazz music (on Sunday) and much more!
There will be more celebrating of our great history at Frazee House, located at 1451 Raritan Road, from 12 noon – 4pm for their Annual Harvest Festival each day that weekend. Frazee House is our famous Revolutionary War period farmstead that is more than 231 years old. During the American Revolution, British soldiers smelled bread baking from the house and demanded loaves for their soldiers. Aunt Betty Frazee refused, stating she would only give the bread in fear, not love. The British troops marched on, leaving the bread behind. Visit the historic building and grounds during Four Centuries Weekend.
Improving Services and Events for Senior Residents: Behind the scenes this summer, we have worked to expand services available to senior residents (those 55 years of age or older). Beginning with September, a monthly calendar of new events, classes and programs will be made available, including Floral Design, Mini Golf Mondays, Chess in the Park, Pickle Ball and more! These new programs are in addition to trips, fitness classes and the annual Senior Appreciation Day on September 22. Information is available at scotchplainsnj.org or by contacting the Recreation Department.
Downtown Redevelopment Update: We here at Town Hall are pleased that 11 redevelopers filed Request for Qualification proposals in June. We are carefully reviewing the proposals to revitalize our core downtown. The proposals are substantial, most are more than 100 pages long and we are focused on a detailed review. For more information, please contact Redevelopment Director Tom Strowe at
Drive Safely: As schools reopen, please remember to drive safely. Police Chief Ted Conley tells me that drivers are driving faster on our streets than ever before. Many residents have asked me to get them a speed bump on their street; is it one of the most common requests I hear. Please drive carefully and responsibly.
Safer Streets: We want our streets to be cleared of branches and leaves, especially near our schools, but we need your help. Please be mindful of dates our Department of Public Works announces for cleanups before pushing debris to the public streets. Also, please report any unsafe conditions here: https://www.scotchplainsnj.gov/index.php/government/township-manager so that we may take any necessary action.
Please reach out to me at
I look forward to seeing you around town soon!
