MainStreet Gala celebrating 40 years of downtown revitalization

HAMMONTON—MainStreet Hammonton will be celebrating the Hammonton Revitalization Corporation’s 40th anniversary with the first MainStreet Hammonton Gala on April 13 at 6 p.m. at Tomasello Winery.

Executive Director of MainStreet Hammonton Mica McCullough said the Hammonton Revitalization Corporation (HRC) started in 1984. The HRC is the organization that runs the MainStreet Hammonton program.

Last year, MainStreet Hammonton celebrated the 30th anniversary of the MainStreet Hammonton program that started in 1993.

“This is our first Gala. It’s pretty special that it coincides with our 40th anniversary,” McCullough said.

During the Gala planning process, MainStreet Hammonton has looked at old photos to see what things looked like in town then and to imagine what the next 40 years will look like.

“Part of this Gala planning process we’ve been thinking a lot about what Hammonton was like 40 years ago,” McCullough said. “A lot of people have reminisced what it used to be like and how much has changed for the better since then.”

The Gala is a formal event, so attendees should “dress to impress.”

The night will start off with a cocktail reception where guests can enjoy an open bar and light hors d’oeuvres as they browse silent auction items.

Later on at the event, there will be a dinner with choices of petite filet or crab cakes.

“We have a really exciting evening planned. The ticket costs includes access to an open bar with lots of local options,” McCullough said.

The open bar will include wines from Tomasello Winery as well as drinks from local breweries.

Throughout the night, attendees can dance along to music played by a DJ.

To feel like a celebrity, there will be a 360 camera for guests to take their photo.

“We’ll be having one of the 360 cameras. If you seen those at the Grammy awards, celebrities stand in the middle and do the 360 photo. We’ll have that as well as a red carpet experience,” McCullough said.

MainStreet Hammonton plans on making the Gala an annual event.

Tickets are $125 plus additional fee and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Tickets will be available to purchase from now to March 29.

There are only 150 tickets available, so it’s recommended to purchase tickets soon before the event sells out.

McCullough thanked HRC volunteers who helped plan the MainStreet Hammonton Gala.

“It’s a lot of planning and a lot of decisions and a lot of work, but I think it’s really going to be a beautiful event to celebrate a huge accomplishment, and I’m very proud to be involved with the organization the same year that they’re hosting a Gala and proud to be associated with an organization that has such a successful track record and the volunteers are what makes that happen at the MainStreet program and at HRC, so thank you to everyone who is involved and to everyone who buys tickets and supports the MainStreet program,” McCullough said.