The Free Cultural Connections Festival Returns!

Another day of family fun is heading Morris County’s way as Connecting Dover’s annual Cultural Connections Festival returns to Bassett Highway in Dover on Saturday, June 10th from 11 AM to 3 PM! (With a rain date of June 11th.) This is the event’s third year and celebrates Connecting Dover’s 10th anniversary. More than 55 nonprofits and community groups will be in attendance to share information, resources, and more, covering needs ranging from housing and healthcare to education and family services. In addition to the live music, art exhibits, and resources available in previous years, this year guests can explore the new Dover Sportsplex indoor sports center and play on their fields as they open their doors to the community as part of the festival. The Good Bean coffee shop will join local food and ice cream trucks in keeping the festival-goers energized and fed with food and drink for sale. The Dover Historical Society will once again open their museum’s doors to educate visitors on Dover history and the Dover High School Jazz Band will join other local groups and performers in keeping toes tapping and people dancing throughout the event. All of that is just a taste of what the Connecting Dover festival committee has coming your way this year.

Connecting Dover is an independent network comprised of New Jersey nonprofits and service providers who meet monthly and regularly collaborate to best serve the community. The network was originally formed to help the community cope with the damage and need left behind by Hurricane Sandy but it has been instrumental in providing aid and relief to the community ever since. Connecting Dover members have helped in the creation of the monthly Dover Farmer’s Market, the Women’s Financial Summit hosted at East Dover Elementary School last year, and more. The network pools its resources to help people and families in need holistically, seeking to provide for all their needs instead of sending them in many different directions to find help piecemeal.

Connecting Dover’s Executive Committee conceived the Cultural Connections Festival as a way to celebrate the wonderful work its member organizations are doing and to share the rich history and culture of Dover with their fellow New Jerseyans in a fun, family-friendly way. It’s also an important venue for the area’s nonprofits and service providers to engage with the community and let them know how they can be of help. Connecting Dover’s Executive Committee consists of Carlos Caprioli, Carmen Cintron, Charlene O’Brien, Dorian Restrepo, Erika Correa, Jamie Rodgerson, Jennifer Salt, Jessica Padilla, Maria Lopez, Robin Hughes, Sharon Richards Melahn, Solangel Patarroyo, and Walter F. Rodriguez. Each year, the Executive Committee is joined by other Connecting Dover members and representatives from local service organizations in planning and preparing for the festival. This year, the Executive Committee would like to thank Denise Lanza, Holly Dinneny, Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney, Kadie Dempsey, Liliana Herrera, Laura de la Cabada, Linda Mullin, Madelyn Aragon, Marcela Lennox, and Olivia Duho for their tireless work and long hours serving on the Festival Planning Committee.

Connecting Dover’s 2023 Cultural Connections Festival will run from 11 AM until 3 PM on Saturday, June 10th along Basset Highway in Dover, New Jersey and is absolutely free for anyone to attend. This year's Festival sponsors are Garden Savings Federal Credit Union, Home Depot, the Mayo Performing Arts Center, and Zufall Health. For more information about the Festival or about Connecting Dover, please contact Carlos Caprioli, M.D. at (862) 432-5014 or ccaprioli@partnershipmch.org