Middlesex Twp. administrator hopes July 25 event sets tone for community
When Brandi Barkey moved to Middlesex Township 10 years ago, there was no community park within the township.
Now, almost two years into her role as the township’s administrative assistant, the park is playing host to a community day event on Saturday, July 25, for the second time in three years.
Barkey took the lead in planning the event this year.
Barkey said she has seen the community develop and hopes the event can set a tone for the township’s future.
“I want to start bringing more people back into the community and into the township park,” Barkey said.
From 3:30 to 9 p.m., Middlesex Township Community Day is projected to bring 600 to 700 attendees to the park, though Barkey said she is hoping for an even bigger turnout.
Earlier in the day, from noon to 3 p.m. across the street, the township’s volunteer fire department will host bingo.
In addition to more than 30 local food trucks, vendors and artisans, the event will feature a raffle, face painting, balloon twister, foam party, bounce houses and petting zoo.
Live music is planned on site from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Acoustic music from a local band will be featured early in the day, and later, a performance from Washboard Tony is planned. Fireworks will finish off the night.
The event is free to attend.
The first community day event in 2024 brought in close to 600 attendees, Barkey said.
The township skipped 2025 due to renovations at the park, which included upgrades to the bathrooms and the pavilion.
The 2024 event was longer, Barkey said, starting at noon, with many of the same features.
Barkey said the idea behind a shorter event is to encourage more attendees to stay through the fireworks. With an earlier start time, attendees often come and go.
This event is Barkey’s first time supervising an event of this scale, and she said the experience has been stressful, but good.
Community members have helped lessen the burden, she added.
“I have had a lot of really great feedback from the community, from people who have lived here longer than me,” Barkey said. “A lot of people have put in their helpful input and everybody’s been willing to help, so it’s been great.”
Barkey said while a concrete vision is still a work in progress, she has bigger ambitions for the future of the event. After this year’s community day, she said she wants to reach out to community members for feedback and ideas.
She said she would like to keep the duration the same, but add attractions, like a pet parade or bring back the car show held in 2024.
“We’re limited on space here as far as parking goes, so we would really have to sit down and work that out,” Barkey said.
She added the event is not exclusive to Middlesex Township residents and she has reached out to surrounding communities.
