Medford Lakes Colony

09/04/2026

A warm welcome to the newest advertiser for the Medford Lakes Colony News –
CiCi with Cats Rule Grooming!
Cat grooming – bath-nails-groom – in your ML home!
Please see their ad on page 3.
Please continue supporting our advertisers! ❤

08/14/2026

A message regarding the 2026 Mardi Gras and 94th Canoe Carnival:

The 94th Medford Lakes Colony Canoe Carnival is officially in the books!

On behalf of the Medford Lakes Police Department, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who helped make this year's Mardi Gras and Canoe Carnival safe and successful events.

A special thank you to the Medford Lakes Fire Department, Medford Lakes Fire Police, Medford Township Police Department, Evesham Township Police Department, Burlington County Sheriff's Department, Medford EMS, Medford Fire Department, Medford Fire Police, Westampton Township Emergency Services, Tabernacle EMS, Evesham EMS, Delran Fire Police, Shamong Fire Police, Burlington Township Fire Police, and Lindenwold Fire Police for your outstanding assistance and partnership. Your professionalism, teamwork, and dedication were instrumental in ensuring the safety and security of everyone who attended.

I would also like to recognize the dedicated officers of the Medford Lakes Police Department. Your professionalism, commitment, and tireless efforts help keep our community safe throughout the year, and your hard work during Canoe Carnival weekend was exceptional. Thank you for your outstanding service and for representing our department with distinction.

A special thank you goes to Medford Lakes Colony Club President Dale Keagy for his outstanding partnership and commitment to making Mardi Gras a success. Dale dedicated a tremendous amount of time to planning this event. Together, we held numerous meetings to discuss event operations, traffic management, safety, security, and ways to enhance the experience for everyone involved. His willingness to collaborate and his commitment to a safe, family-friendly event played a significant role in this year's success.

Congratulations to all of the incredible float builders, paddlers, volunteers, and award winners. Your creativity, hard work, and community spirit are what make the Medford Lakes Canoe Carnival such a special tradition. Ensuring these events remains safe and enjoyable for everyone will always be our highest priority.

Thank you to everyone who attended, celebrated responsibly, and helped make the 94th Medford Lakes Canoe Carnival a memorable weekend.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and please continue to stay safe.

Very Respectfully,
Chief John G. McGinnis, Jr.

08/01/2026

07/29/2026

🚨 **TRAFFIC ALERT & IMPORTANT INFORMATION** 🚨
**7/31/2026 Medford Lakes Colony Mardi Gras**

MARDI GRAS IS A PRIVATE Medford Lakes Colony EVENT AND NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Medford Lakes Colony will be checking tags for members/guests.

The Medford Lakes Police Department and Fire Police units will be assisting with traffic control and pedestrian safety near Beach 1. Don't like waiting in traffic? Avoid Tabernacle Road!

🚗 **Beach 1 Traffic Pattern**
* All event traffic will be directed into the Beach 1 parking lot.
* Beach 1 will be a DROP-OFF ZONE ONLY — NO PARKING.
* Vehicles will be directed out of the parking lot onto Sagamore Trail toward Iroquois Trail. The traffic pattern will be the same for pick-up.

*Beach 2 - DO NOT BLOCK THE ROADWAY. Drop-off and park accordingly. The roadway must remain clear for emergency services.

**BEACH DRIVE: YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO LAUNCH FROM BEACH DRIVE. GO TO BEACH 1 OR BEACH 2.

🚶 **Pedestrian Safety**
Beginning at 4:00 PM, two Fire Police units will assist pedestrians crossing Tabernacle Road. All pedestrians will be directed to use the designated entry/exit point onto Beach 1.

🚫 **No Parking Areas**
Parking will be prohibited on:
*Tabernacle Road
*Powhatan Trail (between Tabernacle Road and Tecumseh Trail)
*Sagamore Trail

No parking signs will be posted in designated areas. Please follow all posted restrictions and directions from public safety personnel.

🛶 **Canoe & Kayak Safety Requirements - NJ Law
* All children under 13 years of age must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while in a canoe, kayak, or other watercraft.
* A U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket must be available onboard for every person in the canoe, kayak, or other watercraft.
*Navigation light: A bright white light visible from all directions (360°) must be displayed when the canoe is underway or at anchor.
The light must be visible at a sufficient distance to make the vessel identifiable to other boaters.
*Sound-producing device: Carry a means of making an efficient sound signal (for example, a whistle is strongly recommended).

* No alcohol is permitted — Colony Rules.

*NO ENTRY AFTER 8:30 P.M. and we are asking all watercrafts to be off the lake by 10 P.M.

🚫🍺 **DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.**

The Medford Lakes Fire Department will have a boat on the water assisting with public safety operations.

Please drive carefully, follow all traffic directions, and help us make this a safe and enjoyable Canoe Carnival weekend for everyone.

Have a safe and happy Mardi Gras and Canoe Carnival weekend!

07/17/2026

Voting for your favorite contestant begins Monday, July 20th in the Colony Office and will run through Friday, July 24th until 1:00 pm.

You may also vote Wednesday evening, July 22nd, at Beach 3 from 6-8 pm and Thursday, July 23rd, in front of Vaughan Hall from 6-8 pm.

To Vote - you must bring in your current 2026 activity cards.

Each card = 1 vote
No card = no vote

Best wishes to the contestants!

The Pageant is scheduled for Friday, July 24th @ 7:30 pm at Beach 3.

07/10/2026

Canoe Carnival Weekend
Mardi Gras and Carnival Night Information

The 94th Annual Canoe Carnival is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026.

Tickets go on sale on Monday (July 13th) in the Colony Office.
Bring-your-own-chair tickets are $5/ticket and reserved bleacher tickets are $15/ticket.

The Colony Office will also be selling $10 special event guest passes for Mardi Gras night. Mardi Gras is a member-guest only event. It is not open to the general public. To access Beach 1 and Area 2 on Mardi Gras night (Friday, July 31st), you must have a current member beach tag. Your guest(s) will be required to present either season guest tags or a Mardi Gras special event pass. Day tags will not be honored for this special event.

Members must accompany their guests. Guests will not be permitted on the beach without a member accompanying them. And please make sure that your watercraft is tagged.

There is no intention here to take away your enjoyment of Colony facilities, or the evening’s tradition. In fact, there is an opposite purpose. We want to ensure a safe and pleasant experience for all and to ensure its future by addressing the public safety problems we’ve experienced in recent years.

05/01/2026

A warm welcome to the newest advertiser for the Medford Lakes Colony News –

Kelly Stephen & Paws in Motion NJ
She specializes in dog walking and exercise programs!

Please see her ad on the bottom of page 2.

Please continue supporting our advertisers! ❤

04/24/2026