May 22, 2024| Community, Events, People
By: Caitlin Doran
Just before 6 am on Saturday, May 18, as the first Block Party volunteers rolled into Hopatcong State Park ready to set up tents, tables, and chairs, the sun kissed the sky just above the horizon of the lake, and we all kind of knew…this was going to be a great day.
Weather being the one thing outside of our control, having the sun come out briefly in the morning as if to greet us and cheer us on, was all the proof we needed that everything would run smoothly from there.
And so, it did! The rest of the day was overcast and blessedly comfortable. The volunteers knew just what to do, and between 7:30 am and 8:30 am, more than 200 vendors – some in large trucks, some hauling grills, some with boats in tow – came from near and far and filed into their assigned spots.
By 9:45 am, everyone and everything was in place, ready to welcome the public, and we heard the unmistakable voice of Gary Pate singing the national anthem, as the first shuttles arrived with guests.
Each lake municipality was present, as well as representatives from The State of New Jersey and Sussex and Morris Counties. Many local and statewide clubs and organizations turned out, vendors of every stripe were there, fifteen different food trucks made up the food court, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Mobile Unit served New Jersey residents onsite, and we had a “marina way” chock full of boats.
There were free boat rides courtesy of Lake Hopatcong Cruises and Bridge Marina, an on-water demonstration by the Jefferson Fire Department Co. 2’s “Defender,” an educational animal show thanks to Eyes of the Wild, impressive step dancing from An Clar School of Irish Dance, a fishing demonstration with experienced Knee-Deep Club anglers, an amazing raptor show with PJ Simonis of Resource Raptors. And the crowds were wowed by a demonstration from Roxbury High School’s Robotics Club and drone coverage courtesy of Roxbury High School’s Aviation Club.
New this year, we welcomed a group of memorable mascots, including the famous Smokey Bear of the U.S. Forest Service, the Centenary University Cyclone, Roxbury’s own Gael, and everyone’s favorite Leap In the Lake mascot, the penguin from Lake Hopatcong Elks Lodge #782. We also hosted the Puppy-Wuppy Drill Team for the first time, and welcomed back everyone’s favorite, Bubbles The Elephant from The Learning Center – and don’t forget the furry ambassadors from Creature Comforts!
We had a children’s scavenger hunt with eight educational stops, and a Passport Adventure program with 32 opportunities to get your passport stamped and win one of 17 prizes, totaling over $3,200 in value. And the “in it to win it” opportunities didn’t stop there! Our big 50/50 winner, Michael Conroy, took home $2,310! And Kathy Maier, winner of our “Tell us Where You’re From” raffle won two seats aboard an eco-cruise on the Floating Classroom. Thank you to everyone who participated in these fun opportunities!
All told, we brought over 3,000 people to Hopatcong State Park for another wonderful day to celebrate Lake Hopatcong as a vital ecological, recreational, and economic resource. All this is thanks to the support of more than 150 volunteers, 200 vendors, and the generosity of 48 dedicated sponsors.
The success of the Block Party can be broken down into many requisite parts and numbers, but it is the combination of all these elements that makes it a truly special day, one we look forward to every year. A big thank you to EVERYONE who came out, supported, volunteered, organized, and made our 2024 Lake Hopatcong Block Party one we won’t soon forget!
Relive the fun with this photo album compiled by LHF Staff and super volunteer Bob Kays. We’d also like to thank David Cukar and Bridge Marina for partnering with us on video interviews of Block Party participants and give another round of applause to Mike Gottfried and students from Roxbury High School’s Aviation Club for their amazing drone footage of the event!
