You can watch recordings being made on Edison’s signature wax cylinders, just as they would have been 100 years ago. Many of the early recordings were of music, so it’s appropriate that there will be several live music performances on the park grounds, starting at 9:30 a.m., including the John Ehlis Ensemble and the Garden State Saxophone Quartet. There are also going to be four talks on the recording industry in Edison’s time and ours, starting at 11 a.m.
Edison was constantly scribbling down notes for new inventions, and if you want to hear how he did it in an era before laptops and cell phones, there are talks at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Edison is also synonymous with movies, and there will be talks around his contributions to that industry, as well as a screening of award winning films from the Black Maria Film + Video Festival. You can also tour the labs and a new exhibit in the park’s blacksmith shop. There will be a special kids tour at 12:30 p.m. and some hands-on inventing in the afternoon.
Edison Day also extends to Edison’s home, Glenmont, and includes tours of the Llewellyn Park estate and its grounds, including its geothermal power plant.
All of the events are free, but some do require tickets in advance, which you can get at the park’s visitors center. The full schedule of events is here.
