Library News & Events
 
 April 2026
   Library Hours
M - Th: 10 - 9 | Fri - 10 - 5 | Sat: 10 - 5 | Sun: 1-
 
  Visit www.dillonlibrary.org for inclement weather, closings or delay announcements.
Clarence Dillon Public Library Celebrates 250 years of American Independence
Community Tradition Lives on in Local Park
                                          By Caitlyn Parker
Far Hills Fairgrounds in 1925.  The photo is from the Somerset Hills Historical Collection of the Clarence Dillon Public Library.
 
The Bedminster-Far Hills Easter Egg Hunt celebrates its 75th anniversary this year at the historic J. Malcolm Belcher Fairgrounds at the corner Route 202 and Peapack Road in Far Hills.

This joint community-building event comes together through the work of multiple teams. Bedminster recreation department coordinates, multiple volunteer organizations have historically assisted, such as the Scouts, the Lions Club, and the Bedminster-Far Hills Fire Departments, with generous contributions from local businesses. The free event is held the Saturday before Easter Sunday for children Pre-K through grade 5. Prizes are awarded to children based on numbered eggs with one lucky winner who finds the golden egg. 

The annual Egg Hunt has been traditionally hosted at the J. Malcom Belcher Fairgrounds, a 12 acre park was acquired by Far Hills in 1948 for $7,500. The fairgrounds was dedicated in 1982 to honor J. Malcolm Belcher who was mayor of Far Hills for 29 years, from 1938 - 1965, a World War I veteran, and a local farmer who notoriously brought over 100 dairy cows from the Isle of Jersey, as well as brokered the purchase of the grounds. In 1910 the fairgrounds began hosting an annual agricultural fair and in 1915 hosted the first  NJ Hunt Cup steeplechase race as part of the Farmers Day Race, and later the Far Hills Steeplechase Race Meeting before it moved across the road. A few years later in Sept 1937, according to the Courier News, the Far Hills Horse Show on the fairgrounds hosted the first ever Milking Derby in NJ run by the Jersey Cattle Club of New Jersey led by Malcolm Belcher.
The fairgrounds have been host to numerous other important local events such as the Somerset County 4-H fair, the circus, track meets, and the well known annual (now semi-annual) Visiting Nurse Association’s Rummage Sale, celebrating its 103rd year at the fairgrounds this year. This event began as part of the 1923 Far Hills Fair. According to the Bernardsville News, in addition to the rummage sale, “the fair’s attractions that year included a cattle show, a horse show, a dog show, a bird exhibit, dancing and various carnival activities, and “Dare Devil Oliver” and his diving dog who dove down 104 feet into 54 inches of water.” 

This year, the Bedminster-Far Hills Easter Egg Hunt at the fairgrounds kicks off rain or shine Saturday, April 4 at 1pm.
NEW MUESUM PASS
 
We now have a free pass to the Washington Crossing Park. 
Click here to see all of our free museum passes
 
Washington Crossing Historic Park offers more than 500 acres of American history, natural beauty and family fun. The park preserves the site where George Washington crossed the Delaware River and turned the tide of the Revolutionary 
 
Please click this link to see all of our adult 250th celebration programs
 Short Story Time
May advance notice Tuesday, May 5 at 12pm "The Door of Opportunity" by W. Somerset Maugham
No Registration required
**Printed copies are available at the front desk**
Special Programs

 
National Library Week is celebrated from April 19 - April 25
Stop in the library and write down your favorite book and we can share it with others. Also on Thursday, April 23 come and have coffee and donuts with the Director at 10:30am in the Cafe.  Marie will share with you all of the FREE services of the library and can answer your questions.  Let's share our Library Joy!
 
***Advance Notice***
Trip to The Whitney Museum
The bus trip on May 4 has changed its drop-off location. It is now going to the Whitney Museum as the Met is closed on Monday, May 4 for its annual gala
$40 per person
Bus leaves the library at 9am, departs NYC at 3:30pm 
Drop-off at the Met Museum
Register Here

Women's Forum
Schuyler Sisters Luncheon
Thursday April 23 at noon
Admission $20

On to Broadway!  Alexander's life journey leads him to romantic love, a marriage to Eliza Schuyler and social prominence.  The Schuyler family especially the Sisters were to be a powerful force in his life.  Lecturer Rick Feingold takes the stage and brings the story to life through the words and music of the hugely successful play.
Join Wait List

Upcoming Events
Friends Of The Clarence Dillon Public Library
Cordially invite you to an Evening with
Barbara Israel
on
Uprooted Elegance: The Surprising Journey of Garden Ornament
Friday, May 8th, 2026
As the Essex Fox Hounds Stable
5:00pm-Reception
Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres
6:00pm-Presentation
$75 per person
Books will be sold
Proceeds to benefit the library
Invitations are available in the Library
Purchase Tickets Here
Live Virtual Talk With The Author
This is a virtual live event on the computer and you are able to submit your questions to the authors! Can't make the virtual live event? All author talks are recorded and can be viewed at a later date of your choosing.
Virtual Author Talk with Miranda Cowley Heller
Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2:00 PM

Award-winning and bestselling author Miranda Cowley Heller takes us on an intimate journey through the life stages of a woman in her new poetry collection, What the Deep Water Knows. Delicate, yet exceedingly raw, these poems will transport you as vividly as any work of fiction. 
Register Here
Virtual Author Talk with Jason Reynolds
Online
Thursday, Apr. 30, 7:00 pm

Join us in an online conversation with bestselling author Jason Reynolds as we discuss his latest work, Coach, the fifth–and last–entry in the highly popular Track series. Following the immersive stories of Ghost, Lu, Patina, and Sunny, it’s finally time for Coach to shine in his own book as we discover: Who was Coach before he became an inspiring leader?
Register Here
Weekly Programs
Yoga
 
Register for Monday @ 9am (Virtual)
 Register for Thursday @ 9am (Virtual)
Knitting with Eleanor
 
Every Wednesday @ 11am
In-Person (No Registration Required)
Meditation & Mindfulness
 
Every Wednesday at 7:15pm (Virtual)
Register Here
Chair Yoga
 
Every Friday @ 10:30am
In-Person (No Registration Required)
Canasta

Every Monday 9:15 - 11:15am
No Registration Required
Spanish Conversation Group
New!
Thursdays at 6pm
No Registration Required

Virtual Evening Book Club
On Zoom
 
**May Advance Notice  "The Tenth Man" by Graham Greene**
Morning Book Club
"Roughing It" by Mark Twain
Thursday, April 16 @ 11am

Register Here
**May advance notice: "Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon**

Additional Library Programs
ESL - English as a Second Language
Beginner A and B - Mondays @ 7:15 pm
Intermediate - Tuesdays @10:30am
No Registration Needed - Drop-In
MAHJONGG
**FULL/CLOSED**
 
Tuesdays from 12:30-3:30 pm 
 
Wednesdays from 12:30-3:30pm
Bridge
 
Mondays from 11:30-4pm
 
In person | Walk-in
We are looking for new players. All skill levels welcome
Bridge Lessons for Beginners with Chris Regan

Mondays @ 3pm
 
There is a $10 fee which is paid to the instructor. 
 
The bridge tables are back up on Mondays at 11:30am for interested players.  Informal format.  The library has a limited supply of decks and experienced players are welcome to bring their own cards and supplies.  If interested in attending the 2:30pm beginning learning session please call the instructor at 908-334-7885 
Drop in Computer Help
 
Tuesdays 3-4pm
 
Sandy's Music
Friday, April 17@ Noon
 
Springtime themed selections from assorted musical genres.
In Person, no registration required

 
Tuesday, April 28th
 11-4pm
 More Information


 
All webinars are online
The First Indonesians in the Tri-State Area: A Hidden History of Migration & Survival
April 21 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
 
Did you know one of the first documented Indonesian families in the US lived in Elizabeth, NJ, before WWII? Award-winning author Brian Kimmel presents a fascinating “local history” edition of his memoir, Blue Skies, Troubled Waters.  Through rare archival documents—including 1940s Newark newspaper clippings and unclassified military maps—Kimmel traces the journey of early migrants from the Dutch East Indies to the Tri-State area. He explores the complex identity of these “First Indonesians,” distinct from the post-war “Indo” wave. The presentation highlights the legacy of the 1925 Youth Pledge and Minahasan leaders like Sam Ratulangi (a cousin of the author’s grandmother), who helped forge a national Indonesian identity long before independence. This presentation unveils a hidden chapter of New Jersey history that connects local families to the global stage of WWII and the birth of a nation.
Register Here
Importance of Estate Planning: Preparing for the Inevitable
April 28 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
 
Estate planning is not something that many people consider until it is too late. A delay in planning can result in costly estate litigation, guardianship proceedings, Medicaid recovery and many unintended consequences for your loved ones if done incorrectly. Please join Adam Lipps, Senior Staff Attorney for Central Jersey Legal Services, Inc. as he will explore the necessary estate planning documents, including but not limited to, wills, living wills, power of attorneys and trusts. He will also explore valuable Medicaid planning tools such as the life estate deed. It is our hope that after this presentation you will be equipped with the important tools to prepare your estate planning and documents.
Register Here
First-Time Homebuyer Information Session
April 30 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
 
Buying a home for the first time can be overwhelming and filled with roadblocks. Questions like “Can I afford it”, “Where should I look”, and “Do I need a lawyer” can make the prospect of owning a home feel undesirable. However, the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency has a first-time homebuyer program to help. Please join us as Emerlee Simons, Leading Outreach and Marketing Coordinator for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, provides a step-by-step guide to applying for their first-time homebuyer program, which provides up to $22,000 of forgivable down payment assistance. Participants will leave the session with a clear understanding of the process and the confidence to take the next step toward homeownership with support from NJHMFA.
Register Here

Friday Movies - Contemporary
ALL SCREENINGS BEGIN AT 1:30PM 
 
No registration required
 
One Battle After Another(2025) (161 min.) Rated R
Friday, Apr. 17, 1:30 pm

Leonardo DiCaprio leads a fine cast as a group of former revolutionaries reunite after many years to rescue the daughter of one of their comrades. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film also features Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Regina Hall.
Anaconda (2025) (99 min.) Rated PG-13
Friday, Apr. 24, 1:30 pm

Paul Rudd and Jack Black star as friends who decide to go into the jungle to remake one of their favorite movies. It is a silly romp that also features Steve Zahn and Thandie Newton and a really big snake.

                                  Local Events
 
Please see the 2026 Summer Camp Weekly Planner attached along with the registration process below. The 2026 Summer Camp Program with program descriptions and fees will be released in the coming weeks.
Bedminster Resident Registration
- Camp Bedminster and Afternoon Camp registration will begin Wednesday, April 1st, 2026.
- Camp Bedminster registration will end on Monday, June 1st, 2026 (if space is available).
- Afternoon Camp registration will end one week before the program begins (if space is available).
- After June 1st, 2026, there is a $20 late fee per program per participant for the afternoon camps.
Non-Bedminster Resident Registration
- Camp Bedminster and Afternoon Camp registration will begin Friday, May 1st, 2026.
- If space is available, non-Bedminster residents will have an opportunity to register for any remaining spots in Camp Bedminster or the afternoon camps.
- Camp Bedminster registration will end on Monday, June 1st, 2026 (if space is available).
- Afternoon Camp registration will end one week before the program begins (if space is available).
- After June 1st, 2026, there is a $20 late fee per program per participant for the afternoon camps.
- If there is no space available in a camp(s) you registered for, your child will be waitlisted. If space becomes available, you will receive an email notifying you that you can register for that camp.
 
If you have any questions, please give me a call at (908) 212-7000, Ext. 405 or send me an email at nmastrobuono@bedminsternj.gov. Thank you!

Bedminster Community Garden
The Township of Bedminster is pleased to announce that registration for the Bedminster Community Garden will has opened Monday, March 9. Gardeners are invited to secure one of the garden’s 253 available 4’ x 8’ plots and enjoy a season of growing fresh flowers, herbs, and vegetables at the Township’s new Community Garden located within River Road Park.
The Bedminster Community Garden is located at River Road Park, 3055 River Road, Bedminster, NJ 07921, offering gardeners a welcoming environment to cultivate their own produce while connecting with neighbors and enjoying the outdoors. Plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to strong community interest, early registration is encouraged to secure a plot.
For more information, please contact the Bedminster Recreation Department at (908) 212-7000, Ext. 405, or email Neil Mastrobuono at nmastrobuono@bedminsternj.gov.
Here is the link for the online registrtion for the Bedminster Community Garden.
Register Here


        Kids & Teens Highlighted Programs 
Click Here to see the entire Children's Newsletter

Thank You Friends!


 
A special "Thank You!" and heartfelt gratitude to the Friends of the Clarence Dillon Library for their generosity and support of our excellent library programs.
 
Bedminster Township | Far Hills Borough
 
 
Clarence Dillon Public Library
2336 Lamington Rd.
Bedminster, New Jersey 07921
908-234-2325

http://www.dillonlibrary.org