Pine Barrens Jamboree

Waretown is located in Ocean County, New Jersey.  According to the 2010 census the population was 1569.  It is the home to the Albert Music Hall and it is an active community offering events including October Haunted Hay Rides, winter events and older adult programs.  This year hurricane Sandy slammed Waretown's water side leaving more than 100 houses in need of major repair.  Like all other shore communities devastated by the hurricane,  Waretown's goal is to recover from the chaotic storm.  This year Wells Mills County Park in Waretown celebrated its 18th annual Pine Barrens Jamboree.  It is a yearly event featuring scheduled activities and exhibits.  "Piney" music fills the air, crafters share their creations, and exhibits feature the culture, industry and ecology of the Pine Barrens.

The park is a well maintained area and the Nature Center welcomes visitors with displays and lectures featuring the environment as the ultimate theme.

We were greeted by a family of bears and owls crafted by a gentleman using a chainsaw as his only carving tool.  He periodically gave demonstrations and the wood chips went flying.

The fuzzy wool ornaments were soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye.

Chocolate dipped cranberries on a stick, pies and fresh cranberries were plentiful when we arrived, but scarce when we left.  The chocolate cranberries melted in your mouth. Oh, so good!

 

The chickens were doing what chickens do.  These two in particular were active but quite  interesting to look at.

It appears every festival in the Pine Barrens has a display of tractors.  Red, green or "rusty" they always seem to attract a population of mostly men.

This was not officially a bubble maker.  It was a means to show how the machine works.

This Moonshine Still produced a potent beverage that would leave a few imbibers singing a happy "Piney" melody.

Never fool around with a Jersey Mosquito!

The NJ Forest Fire Service made a very impressive presence.  Since Fire Prevention Week comes in October the children at the festival welcomed  free hats, coloring books and other free- bees. Smokey the Bear (in costume) was seen walking around the park and he provided a photo opportunity for adults and children.  I'm not a costume person so my Smokey is strictly a stand on shelf bear.

 

 





Members of the Albert Music Hall provided foot tapping music.  There is a great history as to how this Piney music originated.  Today hundreds of musicians have been a part of "Sounds of the Jersey Pines,"  Fiddles, guitars, mandolins, dobros, upright basses, dulcimers, spoons and wash tubs convey the history of this special type of music.