Canal Day in Wharton offers history, festival

Each year, Joe and Debbie Scala of Mt. Tabor make it a point to attend the Canal Day Music & Craft Festival in Wharton.

“This is probably the longest that we’ve stayed at Canal Day. It’s a beautiful day. Great music. There was a James Taylor soundalike singing. He was really good. Lots of good food. The crab cakes were great,” Joe Scala said.

“And Canal Day isn’t good unless you have a ‘Morris’ here, my wife’s maiden name. So we always come.”

“But my name is spelled ‘M-O-R-S-E,’” Debbie Scala said.

“Oh. It’s the same thing to me,” Joe Scala, laughed.

“This is really well worth it. It’s a nice event,” Debbie Scala said. “I love coming back for this.”

Held Saturday, the Canal Day Festival is an old-time country fair that celebrates the Morris Canal and all its contributions to the development of communities along its banks. The free event drew hundreds to Hugh Force Park in Wharton on a warm sunny day.

“The Morris Canal opened up New Jersey moving iron ore and coal and other goods. Everywhere in Northern Jersey there’s so much history,” said Steven Lauf, a volunteer with The Canal Society of New Jersey and the miller at Waterloo Village.

“Each year at Waterloo, we try to add something and different for visitors. It’s great. Waterloo is such a gem and so valuable to the community. Part of our Canal Society is to present the true history of Waterloo. We’re trying to actually give the history. The history is so full because it’s been 100 years.”

The Canal Society of New Jersey housed their exhibit in a large tent featuring photos from the Morris Canal’s glory days. As visitors walked through the enclosure looking at the large pictures, members of the society happily offered comments or answered questions.

Boats and kayaks were available for riders to enjoy the beautiful summer weather out on the water. Horse drawn carriage rides took visitors on a tour of the canal route, following a path that ran directly next to the canal.

Everywhere, there was food, food and more food. Guests feasted on a Maryland Crab Cakes, local baked goods, Little Jimmy’s Italian Ice, Clyde’s Ice and Ice Cream, and local favorites Rocky’s Pasties and Hot Rod’s Real Pit BBQ. With so many different varieties of food available, the lines at the food trucks which featured tacos, Mexican and Italian favorites and sandwiches, moved fast.

Staying at a home just outside Hugh Force Park, Pat LeBlanc and Linda Wallace were in town to celebrate a relative’s birthday.

“They have a lot going on,” said LeBlanc, who lives in Clark. “The kids love it. It’s a great event.”

“It’s perfect,” said Wallace, who lives in New Hampshire. “It’s right in our backyard. We’re looking forward to the fireworks tonight.”

Vendor tents selling crafts, antiques, jewelry, clothing and art dotted the park. Children were invited to have their faces painted, make a sand art sculpture or visit a bouncy house. Howling Woods Farm from Jackson brought a young wolf for visitors to pet and learn more about the animals. Civil War Company F 27th New Jersey, Bailey’s Boys, held demonstrations throughout the day, including loud shooting drills with plenty of smoke.

Music stages were set up in two separate areas of the park spotlighting a varied lineup of talent. The stages also featured demonstrations from Wild West City’s Cowboy Mike Stabile, who invited members of the audience to come up on stage and help him demonstrate rope tricks.

Members from Waterloo Village, the Historical Society of Rockaway Township, the Wharton Historical Society and the Morris County Park Commission, many dressed in garb from hundreds of years ago, provided visitors with information about their organizations and their upcoming programs.

Visitors carried their own chairs, plopping down to watch a demonstration, listen to music or were just tired from all the walking.

At the far end of Hugh Force Park, a group of 30 protestors held up signs asking visitors not to ride Nosey the Elephant, part of the Liebel Family Circus of Davenport, Florida. Wharton police officers stood nearby as the peaceful protestors answered questions about Nosey and why they felt the elephant received unfair treatment. One sign asked the USDA to send Nosey to a sanctuary.

The protestors were there after reading a post by Lynn Garza on Canal Day’s Facebook page, asking the festival’s organizers not to allow the circus group to bring the elephant there, stating “This poor girl has been abused and neglected for two decades by an uncaring owner. Her hind legs are arthritic, she can barely walk and yet is forced to ‘entertain.’ Please, cancel this act, don't enable him to continue to abuse her.”

“I feel strongly about this. They shouldn’t be doing this,” said Nicolette Minto of Livingston, who held a sign that said, ‘Stop the Abuse.’ “It bothers me that people walk over here with their dogs and ride a pony. It’s just about awareness. It’s about changing the traditions of what we know. But it’s a long road.”

The group handed out pamphlets from SaveNoseyNow.org which told how the 33-year-old elephant lives alone and obeys commands because of her fear of bullhooks and electric shock.

While the protestors stood calmly outside the circus’ open tent, Nosey was mainly hidden behind a platform which would be used by riders to board her.

“We’re doing this for the animals. We have to be their voice,” said Valerie DeVine of Parsippany, who held a sign saying, ‘Ban Cruel Elephant Rides.’ “If we could get just one person each year to realize how sad this is and be aware, it’s worth it.”

Staff Writer Leslie Ruse: 973-428-6671; lruse@GannettNJ.com.