SHREWSBURY – To help commemorate Monmouth County’s 325th Anniversary and the dedication of the expanded Eastern Branch Library, an all-day Gala Celebration has been scheduled for this coming Sunday, July 20. The public is invited to the free event at 1001 Route 35 South.

 

The day’s festivities include concerts, performances, historical interpretations, children’s activities and prizes.

 

The county’s actual birthday was March 7, 1683 when an Act of the Provincial General Assembly divided the Province of East Jersey into four counties: Bergen, Essex, Middlesex and Monmouth. In the library’s celebration, American history comes alive with historical interpreters for Gen. George Washington, his wife, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Betsy Ross, starting at noon.

 

The pomp and circumstance continues with a performance by the Pipes and Drums of the Atlantic Watch at 12:30 p.m., followed by a dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. The dedication will be led by Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry and Library Commission Chairwoman Renee B. Swartz. Library Director Ken Sheinbaum and State Librarian Norma Blake will also address the audience.

 

The Library Commission will recognize the gift of two sculptures that were donated to adorn the exterior of the majestically renovated library. The Friends of the Monmouth County Library Association donated the bronze sculpture called “Wild Imaginings,” created by artist Bart Walter. Friends of Monmouth County Library Association President Shirley Norby will present the sculpture. Local artist Nicholas Caivano created and donated a second sculpture to be installed later this year.

 

Randall Gabriellan, executive director of the county’s Historical Commission, will continue the celebration with a talk entitled “Monmouth: From County to Communities” at 1:30 p.m.

 

Two concerts are scheduled in the afternoon. The John Colianni Quintet performs a jazz concert at 2 p.m. Colianni, an acclaimed jazz pianist, regularly performs with guitarist Les Paul in New York. A concert featuring The Strictly 60’s Band at 3:30 p.m. will celebrate the fabulous decade in which the Eastern Branch Library was established. 

 

Children’s programs start at 11:30 a.m. and include Beth & Scott’s Party Concert with a mix of humorous and patriotic songs; Circus, performed by storyteller Julie Pasqual, at 1:30 p.m., and Just So Stories, featuring the captivating puppetry of Robert Rogers at 2:30 p.m.

 

The Eastern Branch Library’s 10,000-square-foot addition began in 2004 and the library remained open throughout most of the project. The $10 million expansion and renovation has transformed the library into a magnificent state-of-the-art information center and facilitated its growth. It was funded though the support of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and a $1.3 million Public Library Construction grant from the State of New Jersey.

 

The Eastern Branch Library will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the festivities. The library is located at 1001 Route 35 in Shrewsbury. For more information, please call 732-431-7242 or visit the library’s web site at www.monmouthcountylib.org.

 

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