Downtown Denville

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Enjoy the Denville Farmer’s Market All Winter Long

The Denville Farmer’s Market is one of the few farmer’s markets that operates all Winter long. In the past, it has operated on a bi-weekly schedule during the winter months but it has switched to a weekly schedule this year so you can continue to enjoy fresh and local food every Sunday.

Set up in the Bloomfield Avenue commuter lot, next to Hunan Taste, a variety of local purveyors set up their tables every Sunday morning offering everything from local honey, fresh cider and seasonal produce to foraged mushrooms, and jams and jellies.

Celebrating over ten years downtown, patronizing our local farmer’s market is a wonderful way to support local businesses, easily find food items that are at their peak, and even get cooking and recipe suggestions from the vendors.

During the pandemic, the market and the vendors have pivoted to make sure to keep everyone safe but to be able to continue to offer their wares. The vendors are spaced well apart, as are customers waiting in line, and you can also pre-order many items for a grab-and-go pick-up experience.

Visit the farmer’s market’s web site and facebook page for detailed information on the different vendors, ordering in advance, and more.

Celebrating Small Business Saturday

We can think of no better way to celebrate Small Business Saturday than to share this two minute video highlighting our wonderful downtown community. You’re sure to recognize many of your favorite stores, restaurants, and sights (and maybe even a Denville resident!), and perhaps discover a new place you’ve never noticed before.

Although Small Business Saturday is a great way to celebrate small business owners everywhere, we’d like to think it’s not just relegated to one day a year. They need your continued support each and every day.

Enjoy the video, and please share it. Although this holiday season looks very different than seasons past, the festive lit wreaths are up, the clock tower is decorated, there are reindeer at the point, a snowman statue at the fountain and even little decorated trees throughout the downtown district. We hope you enjoy visiting downtown as much as we love having you.

Halloween Trick-or-Treating Downtown

Nothing in 2020 has been the same — and Halloween won’t be an exception. Halloween has never been a Downtown Denville/BID formalized event, and was always at the discretion of the stores. Because of the uncertainty of the pandemic, and the slowly rising numbers, we are strongly recommending business owners not participate in encouraging trick-or-treaters this year.  While we greatly value shoppers supporting our stores, we ask that residents respect necessary safety measures and also refrain from having children trick-or-treat at downtown Denville stores and shops this year. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released holiday guidelines, including for Halloween, and have advised people to avoid high-risk activities including hayrides, traditional trick-or-treating, and indoor costume parties. 

We understand this may be disappointing, but we encourage everyone to partake in more low-key events like having an online pumpkin decorating contest and decorating your store windows. Hopefully residents have also been able to enjoy the various outdoor activities recently from the Township Library, Rotary, and other organizations, like the trunk or treats and small parades. 

Two New Business Open in downtown Denville

Last week we celebrated two more new businesses opening up in downtown Denville. Both Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery and El Lechon de Negron are officially open for business, upping the flavor profile of our town’s already delicious offerings.

Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery, owned by Jillian VanStrand and Jesus Gomez, took over the former Viking Bakery space on First Avenue, and after a year-long journey, they kicked celebrated their grand opening on Friday and a ribbon cutting with the Mayor on Saturday. While their name pays homage to the former bakery, the ownership, recipes, and enthusiasm are all brand new.

El Lechon de Negron is a Puerto Rican restaurant that officially opened last Tuesday and has enjoyed long lines ever since. An extension of their Union location, this one shares space with Mara’s Bakery and is undoubtedly bringing Denville something it was missing. With changing menu specials every day, and popular staples available regularly, they are filling an ethnic niche for our community.

Opening up a new business is a challenge in the base case, but opening up a new business during a pandemic is an even bolder move. These new businesses, and the rest of our small business community, continue to need the ongoing support of their customers. As we head into the holiday season, we urge you to make shopping and eating local a priority so we can continue to keep your favorite businesses here.

Mark Your Calendars: Pink Witches Night Out on 10/22

This year, Pink Witches Night Out, like many events during a pandemic, has been a bit reimagined. This is the eighth year of the popular event that brings visitors downtown to celebrate breast cancer survivors, and raise money for the Cancer Hope Network. For the first time ever, the downtown district will have a few streets closed for the evening event. Broadway, Center Street, and First Avenue will be closed to allow for ample space for the many attendees to shop, eat, and mingle safely.

Also new this year will be a live band on Broadway, a wine garden from Thatchers on Center Street, and s’mores fire pits. Returning will be the photo booth, vendors, and, of course, the very popular swag bag.

You can pre-register at Pink Witches Night to guarantee you’ll get a swag bag, and find additional details there as well. Make plans to attend this very fun, very worthy evening next month with us!

This event is sponsored by Saint Clare’s Health, and one of many events we hold during the year to bring the community together. If you would like to donate to future events and help us continue to help our downtown businesses, you can find details on our Relief Fund right here.