Smithville Park to Host Arts After Dark Event

Arts After Dark, an annual festival celebrating creativity and self-expression, is returning to historic Smithville Park on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees can enjoy a vibrant mix of art, music, and performances during the festival.

Various attractions include a pop-up art gallery, black light graffiti, typewriter poetry, mural painting, live music, food trucks, and a wine and cheese tasting.

This year's event will also feature the Crankie Festival. Five storytelling scroll shows will be accompanied by music and stories, along with a spectacular light and cinema projection show illuminating Smithville Mansion and its grounds.

Additional highlights include a “yarn storm” exhibition with yarn-decorated trees around Smithville's grounds, the 49th Annual Juried Art Show at the Smithville Mansion Annex, and paintings by award-winning artists Angelina and Plamen Penev in the Workers House Gallery.

The Burlington County Parks System organizes Arts After Dark. The system hosts other events such as the Autumn Lands Festival and the May Faire each spring. More details are available through their fall program guide and mobile app.

“Burlington County has one of the best park systems in the region, and the Arts After Dark festival helps us showcase traditional and cutting-edge art forms in one of the county's most scenic destinations,” said Burlington County Board of Commissioners Deputy Director Allison Eckel. “Come enjoy this unique celebration and help support the arts in Burlington County.”