Recent SharkFest huge success in Matawan

The dynamic Matawan Alliance undertook an enormous project in producing SharkFest July 21, and it was a huge success.

There can be no charges of inflating attendance figures in this second annual installment, as scores of people continued to arrive up until near closing time! And at 7:30 p.m. an additional bus tour of the relevant shark attack spots had to be added to the all-day revolving schedule. Inside the Matawan Community Center a documentary film about the event produced for the Discovery Channel was shown.

I saw many people carrying the book "Twelve Days of Terror" by Dr. Richard Fernicola they had purchased on site, and plenty of great-looking SharkFest T-shirts on adults and children.

As I sat manning the Matawan-Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce table, my personal poll found people had come from many towns other than Matawan and surrounding towns. I met people from Fort Lee to Toms River!

It was particularly good to see families making SharkFest an all-day outing. There was great food of all kinds, including sharkburgers, DJ Patrick MacLane, the band C.O.D.; there were fun science projects, art projects for kids, and masterful face painting of shark and ocean scenes by the Jenkinson's crew. Professional divers were on hand and there was a repeat appearance by SharkArt - whimsical pieces of art by local professionals created on a raw white shark frame. Families were drawn to the Matawan Historical Society tent to see this art like sharks drawn to the smell of fresh blood! (My favorites were the loan shark and the card shark.)

A huge area by the community center became an amusement park for the children, and across the street Terhune Park was filled with activity and a wonderful feeling of community. The Matawan Alliance is already talking about making the event even bigger and better next year, so watch for it next July.

Thank you, Matawan Alliance, for a great event.

Rosemary Conte

board member

Matawan-Aberdeen

Chamber of Commerce