Back for its fourth play-filled year, PlayDay South Orange is the Village’s largest public event and features more than 10 Play Areas, many sponsored by generous local organizations and companies. From board games to basketball, zip lines to rope jumping, it’s the most fun you’ve ever had between two curbs!
PlayDay South Orange is produced by the South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA) in conjunction with the Village of South Orange and many other partners and sponsors.
The event takes place Sunday, September 17, from 1-6 p.m. in the streets of South Orange Village.
PlayDay mainly takes place on South Orange Avenue on Sunday from 1-6 PM. South Orange Avenue is closed to cars from 6 AM to 7 PM that night between Scotland Road/Valley Street and Ridgewood Road. PlayDay also takes place on Sloan Street, Village Plaza, Vose Avenue (between SO Ave. and the Avenue’s garage) and 1st Street between Sloan Street and the Sloan Street parking lot, all of which are also closed to traffic for the day.
PlayDay is a free event and open to the public, with some attractions requiring a wristband or tickets (see below).
Here’s what’s in store:
- Art Experience area, with puppet making, drawing, chalk art, games and a puppet parade at 3 PM. The art area is produced by Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs and the South Orange Library and is sponsored by the South Orange Country Day School.
- Sport Court, featuring basketball, tennis, soccer and wrestling and fencing demos, sponsored by Overlook Hospital, part of Atlantic Health.
- The Y Zone, sponsored by the South Mountain Y, with a gaga pit, gymnastics and this year, skateboard demos and lessons over at our temporary skate park.
- Street Games, sponsored by this year’s media sponsor, Village Green, which features four square, hula hoop, jump rope and corn hole.
- Table games, including Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots, Sorry!, Chutes and Ladders and more.
- Jeff Lake Camp Ninja Warrior Challenge on Sloan Street.
- Community area underneath the train viaduct with tons of nonprofits and community groups.
- Great music and performances under the Sloan Street gazebo and at the main stage on South Orange Avenue, including Mark Murphy’s Music, Spa Lady Zumba, Studio 509and Maria Priadka School of Dance, concluding in our annual Town Hall Delisloppy joe eating contest at the main stage at 5:30 PM.
You’ll need wristbands, which can be purchased for $10 each on Sloan Street and in Spiotta Park (cash or credit), for unlimited access to the following:
- Inflatables – all new this year, sponsored by Investors Bank and Robert Northfield of KW Midtown Direct.
- Carnival games – new this year, with chances to win prizes at Sparkhouse Toys.
- Rock Wall.
- Miniature golf.
You’ll need to purchase individual Extreme Tickets, which will be sold for $5 each on West South Orange Avenue ($10 credit card minimum), for the following Extreme Play Areas:
- Zip Line, sponsored once again by Stop & Shop.
- Euro Bungee.
Note: Unlike last year, you will NOT need a wristband for these two activities – just an extreme ticket, with one ticket per turn on each ride.
This year, PlayDay will feature food from BGR, Bunny’s, Giorgio’s Ristorante and BelleJohn’s Soul Food (from our Farmer’s Market) selling food, Stony’s selling their fresh squeezed lemonade, Lickt Gelato, and the Boy Scouts Troop 60 selling baked goods. Plus, all of the Village Center restaurants that are normally open on Sunday will be open as usual.
We’ve also got a team of supporting sponsors who will be exhibiting, such as St. Barnabas Medical Center, the Kate Elliott Team, the Gateway, The Avenue, Farmer’s Insurance, South Orange Chiropractic, BCB Community Bank, Goldfish Swim School, Lightbridge Academy, Garden Savings Federal Credit Union, Metro PCS, Mobile Now!, and the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership. Plus our other wonderful supporting sponsors that we haven’t yet mentioned which include The Local Yarn Store, Vanessa Pollock Realty Team, Natalie Farrell of Weichert, South Orange Exxon, the UPS Store and Eventage. A very special thank you to Bunny’s for feeding the volunteers.
See the Event Map here.
See the Event and Performance Schedule here.
Learn where to park here.
