Halloween has always been a special holiday in Merchantville. Our beautiful tree lined streets, carpeted with autumn leaves, and victorian homes, in close proximity to one another, allow our walkable community to capitalize on the Halloween theme and welcome gobs of trick or treaters from our borough and surrounding towns. The Monsterville concept was developed in 2016 and is an extension of the borough’s commitment to Halloween which kicked off with an event in 2015 called the Haunts of Merchantville. The efforts of community members and the response of residents motivated us to further embrace this holiday and expand this annual event. Renaming the town "Monsterville" for the month of October helps to promote this celebration and encourage community spirit! 2019 Monsterville kicks off on Friday, October 4th, with a Pumpkin Painting Contest and a visit to the pumpkin patch.

A couple in Merchantville is downsizing and selling the contents of their home at an estate sale on Friday, September 13th and Saturday, 14th from 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Items include furniture, pictures, lamps, area rugs, bar stools, glassware, decorative bar accessories, dining room furniture, kitchen furniture, family room furniture, bedroom furniture, outdoor furniture with accessories. Also being sold is some holiday decor and HO trains with village houses. Terms & Conditions: Cash and Credit Cards only. Furniture pickup on last day of sale. Bring help to move heavy pieces. No return and no delivery policy. Come out and see for yourself. The address for this sale in Merchantville, NJ 08109 will be available after 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2019.

The Merchantville Police Department would like to remind residents that we now have a permanent pill collection container located in Borough Hall, 1 West Maple Avenue. In the past, we collected old or unused drugs twice per year. Now, expired or unused medications can now be turned in during normal business hours which are Monday - Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The container is located in the main hallway next to the drinking fountain. If residents have any questions, please feel free to contact the police department on our non-emergency line at 856-662-0507. 

For some of us, the advent of a new school year is exciting. School shopping is the absolute best – bouquets of pencils delight us. We just can’t wait to organize our new assignment planners. For others, a new school year brings nothing but trepidation and an onslaught of anxious questions. Will I like my new teacher? What if my best friend isn’t in my class? What if I get a bad grade?... don’t make the varsity team? No matter where your kids fall in this spectrum, they will most likely carry a backpack to and from school. These backpacks may be mostly empty or crammed full of books and papers. No matter how full they are of stuff, they will contain hopes, dreams, fears, and questions for each new season and each new day of this academic year. We would like to invite you to bring those backpacks to Trinity Church, 36 Maple Avenue, on September 8th at 10:45 a.m. Bring them empty or full. Invite a friend! Adults, if you’d like in on this, bring your briefcases, tote bags, or backpacks as well. The priests will bless the bags during the announcements in the middle of the service, to honor all the hopes, dreams, and fears that accompany the new school year, and to ask for God to strengthen, sustain, and encourage all our children as they learn and grow throughout the year. 

PSE&G crews will be repairing a gas main on Chapel Avenue in Merchantville, on Monday, Aug. 19. While crews are at work, Chapel Avenue will be closed to all traffic between Clayton Avenue and Stanley Street. On Monday, Aug. 19, crews will close the affected stretch of roadway from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Motorists will be directed along a posted detour route to circumvent the affected area. The project is expected to be completed by the end of work hours on Monday, Aug. 19. Scheduling and project timing is dependent on weather and may be adjusted due to unforeseen events. Please use extra caution when driving near construction crews and vehicles.