New Jersey's culture celebrated with festival
Free event to showcase state's art, music, dance, crafts and food
Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells will host New Jersey's Cultural Festival Sept. 29 at South Riverwalk Park in Trenton.

The free event will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will showcase art, music, dance, crafts, food and children's activities. The rain date is Sept. 30, according to a press release from the state of New Jersey.

"New Jersey takes great pride in our rich cultural heritage, with over 145 distinct ethnic populations that play an important role in our social fabric," Corzine said in the press release. "The New Jersey Cultural Festival is a great way for families and individuals to celebrate the Garden State's vast multicultural community."

In the press release, Wells said that the aim of the outdoor celebration is to foster a mutual understanding and respect for the state's cultures and traditions through the exchange of performance and cultural art.

"We are so pleased to be able to offer such a unique cross-cultural and intergenerational experience for our families and children to showcase the breadth and depth of our state's cultural richness," Wells said in the release.

The festival kicks off at 11 a.m., with continuous cultural performances throughout the day. A highlight of the event will be a naturalization ceremony at 1 p.m. for new American citizens. There will also be performances by Native American, South and East Asian, Latino, Greek, Ukrainian, Chinese, klezmer, jazz and hiphop artists, among many others. In addition, the festival will feature African-American storytelling and spokenword poetry.

Children's activities will include Henna and face painting, a ceramics tent, a moon bounce, tours of South River walk Park with a park naturalist, ecological and environmental activities, poetry activities and doll making.

South Riverwalk Park was built in 2004 on the banks of the Delaware River in Trenton. The 6.5-acre venue will provide a backdrop for festival-goers and has recreational and picnic areas for families to enjoy.

For more information, call (609) 777- 0881, e-mail feedback@sos.state.nj.us or visit www.nj.gov/state.