Call for Vendors
Mercer County Executive Dan Benson announced that the 13th Annual Mercer County Cultural Festival & Food Truck Rally will be held on Saturday, June 7, at Mercer County Park in West Windsor.
“Whether our families came to New Jersey in 1820 or in 2020, Mercer residents can trace their ancestry to every part of the globe,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “We’re proud to bring people together once again to celebrate that incredible diversity which enriches our community every day of the year.”
The Mercer County Cultural Festival celebrates diverse cultures through live music, traditional dance performances, authentic food trucks, a beer garden, art demonstrations, heritage crafters, activities for children, and more. The Cultural Festival has grown to become one of the most popular events of the year, attracting more than 15,000 attendees in 2024.
The Cultural Festival also provides an opportunity for vendors and organizations to reach a large audience of local residents. Applications are now open for businesses to apply to participate in this year’s Cultural Festival as a craft vendor (selling culture/heritage-related goods) or a food truck/food vendor. Businesses and non-profits may also apply for space to share information about their organization.
The application can be accessed at forms.office.com/g/NFF5DhkA9h.
The application deadline is March 27, 2025.
Given the growing success of the annual Cultural Festival, the Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage has placed a cap on the number of vendors able to participate. To ensure this year’s Festival represents a broad spectrum of cultures, all submitted applications will be reviewed to determine this year’s vendor line-up. Those who are selected to participate will be notified by April 7, 2025. Payment will be accepted and processed after the line-up is determined.
For more information, call the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage at 609-278-2712 or email culturalfestival@mercercounty.org.
Call for Scholars
The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, has announced the 2025 call for applications for the Ruth B. Mandel Dissertation Research Awards.
These awards — established in honor of CAWP co-founder and director Ruth B. Mandel and made possible thanks to the generosity of Ruth’s family — support dissertation research on women, gender, and U.S. politics.
Eligible recipients include advanced doctoral students from any relevant discipline at U.S.-based institutions who have successfully defended their dissertation proposal. We encourage applications from scholars who are traditionally underrepresented in the academy, and we welcome applications for research that analyzes gender in addition to or in conjunction with other categories such as race/ethnicity, class, immigration status, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Up to four Ruth B. Mandel Dissertation Research Awards are awarded annually, with the expectation that at least one award will be designated for a Rutgers University student. The application deadline for 2025 awardees will be May 15, 2025. Learn more about eligibility, requirements, and award details and submit an application at cawp.rutgers.edu/research/cawp-grants-and-awards/rbm-awards/call-for-applications.
Join Arm In Arm’s 21st Annual Valentines for Food Campaign
For more than two decades, the Mercer County community has come together to help Arm In Arm, spreading love and generosity through the Valentines for Food campaign. This year marks the 21st year of this initiative, which, since its inception in 2005, has raised enough food and resources to feed more than 30,000 families in need. When the community comes together, we can ensure that our neighbors have the food they need to feed their families, especially during the cold, winter months.
This year, Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton Public Schools, Trinity Church Princeton, and NJM Insurance Group are, once again, partnering to collect food and provide resources to help fill mobile trucks and pantry shelves with nutritious food for local families.
The needs in our community are greater than ever and Arm In Arm is serving families through close to 4,000 pantry visits and deliveries each month, and assisting approximately 200 new clients each month. We serve community members almost every day of the week: our food pantry at 61 Nassau Street in Princeton serves about 300-350 families twice per month; our food pantry at 48 Hudson Street in Trenton serves about 200-250 families each week; and our Mobile Pantry truck serves families at different locations through Trenton and Mercer County 3-5 times per week. We are asking individuals, groups, corporations, and faith communities to consider joining us in “sharing the love” this Valentine’s Day and throughout February by helping us fill our mobile pantry truck and food pantry shelves. Your support will help us fight food insecurity and provide vital nourishment to families in need.
There are four easy ways you can help support the 21st Annual Valentines for Food Campaign:
1. Donate Food through Arm In Arm’s Virtual Food Drive: Support Arm In Arm by shopping online to purchase food items directly for the campaign. Your purchases will be delivered at the end of the drive.
2. Donate Resources: Contribute directly to Arm In Arm’s food pantry budget to help ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of our neighbors.
3. Volunteer: Offer your time by volunteering at one of our pantries to help bag and distribute food to those in need.
4. Host a Food Drive or Donate Food: Organize a food drive in your community or donate food directly to one of our pantries.
Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact on those in need. Visit arminarm.org/valentines for more information.
