15 can't-miss summer festivals at the Shore
During the summertime, our calendars spring into action with vacations, parties and more.
But don't let your calendar get too full. Summer is high-time for cultural, seafood, music, beer and county festivals, which keep thousands busy nearly every weekend.
Not sure which to make room for? Here are some of the biggest, best and most anticipated events coming to a Shore town near you.
New Jersey Seafood Festival, Belmar
Nearly 100 seafood and other food vendors, as well as craft vendors and a beer and wine tent, will attend this festival, taking place 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 17; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 18; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at Silver Lake Park, 410 7th Ave. Live music will be played throughout the weekend. Admission is free; belmar.com.
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Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival, Oceanport
More than 30 food trucks will roll up for this festival, taking place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from Saturday, May 25, to Monday, May 27, at Monmouth Park Racetrack, 175 Oceanport Ave. There also will be kids' activities such as face painting, pony rides, clowns and a bounce house. Live music will be performed from noon to 4 p.m. all three days. Admission is $6; monmouthpark.com.
Boujee Foodie Con, Oceanport
More than two dozen food vendors will be cooking at this festival, taking place from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 1, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 2, at Fort Monmouth, 1000 Sanger Ave. The Butcher’s Block in Long Branch, Local 130 Seafood in Asbury Park, and Almost Home General Store of Monmouth County are among the participants. The event also will feature dozens of additional vendors, an exotic car club, pickleball and squash courts, carnival games and live music. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 the day of the festival; boujee-foodie.com.
Bayshore Greek Festival, Holmdel
This fest, hosted by Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Parish, features homemade Greek fare, live Greek music, 50/50s, church tours, vendors and more. It takes place 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, June 6; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, June 7; 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 8; and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 9, at 20 Hillcrest Road, Holmdel. Admission is $2; greekfestivalholmdel.com.
HopSauce Festival, Beach Haven
This nine-year-old hot sauce and craft beer festival features live bands and benefits the Jetty Rock Foundation, which protects the ocean and waterways. HopSauce takes place at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15, at Veterans Memorial Park, 198 Engleside Ave. Admission is $20 for a non-drinking ticket, $50 for a ticket that grants samplings of more than 50 craft beers, and $150 for a VIP ticket that includes a VIP tent, beer and food. jettyrockfoundation.org/pages/hop-sauce-festival.
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New Jersey State Barbecue Championship, North Wildwood
This fest, which runs in conjunction with the the Anglesea Blues Festival and benefits the Anglesea Volunteer Fire Company, includes the flagship barbecue competition, live cooking demonstrations, live music, and barbecue and other food vendors. It takes place from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 12; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 13; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 14 from3rd Avenue to Walnut Avenue in North Wildwood's Entertainment District. Admission is free; njbbq.com.
Ocean County Fair, Berkeley Township
The 77-year-old 4-H fair includes live music, a Tilt-a-Whirl, roller coasters, 4-H events, pony riding, pig races, food and commercial vendors and more. Nearly 50,000 people attend each year. The festival runs from 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, and Thursday, July 11; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 14, at Robert J. Miller Airpark, Route 530 and Mule Road in Berkeley Township. Admission is $10 per person; oceancountyfair.net.
Italian Festival and Wine Tasting, Oceanport
Restaurants, food trucks and delis will sell Italian fare at this fest, taking place from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28, at Monmouth Park Racetrack, 175 Oceanport Ave. Admission to the festival and grounds is $21, which includes five 2-ounce wine samples; monmouthpark.com.
Monmouth County Fair, Freehold Township
There will be 4-H shows and exhibits, rides and games, live music, racing pigs, a wildlife show, stunt horses and dogs, history displays, garden displays, and commercial and food vendors at this county fair, taking place from 4 to 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, to Friday, July 26; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 27; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 28, at the East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road in Freehold Township. Admission is $10, free for kids 12 and younger; monmouthcountyparks.com.
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Manahopkin Craft Beer & Music Festival, Stafford
This festival will feature live music, dozens of breweries, food trucks, craft vendors and kids' activities to support the Stafford PBA Holiday Toy Drive. It takes place from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Manahawkin Lake Park, Route 9 and North Lakeshore Drive in the Manahawkin section of the township. All-you-can-drink tickets start at $38 and rise as the event nears. Tickets for those not drinking are free; manahopkin.com.
Highlands Clam Fest
Portions of Waterwitch and Bay Avenues will be closed to accommodate the rides, games, children’s activities, specialty vendors and food trucks for this 29-year-old festival, which attracts more than 5,000 people over three days. The clam fest takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1; 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2; and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Huddy Park, 329 Bay Ave. There will also be a beer, wine and sangria garden, live music, and a fireworks display at 10 p.m. Saturday. Free admission; highlandsnj.com.
Latin Festival, Oceanport
A dozen Latin food trucks will serve Latin fare alongside live Latin music and kids' activities like clowns, face painting, pony rides and a bounce house at this festival, happening from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, at Monmouth Park Racetrack, 175 Oceanport Ave. Admission is $6; monmouthpark.com.
Italian festival, Ocean Township
Presented by the Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean, this festival includes Italian food, rides and cooking demonstrations. It takes place from 5 to 11 p.m. daily from Wednesday, Aug. 7, to Sunday, Aug. 11, at Joe Palaia Park, 200 Whalepond Road in the township's Oakhurst section. Admission is free; iaato.com/festival.
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Surf & Turf Seafood Festival, Oceanport
Restaurants and food trucks will serve seafood fare alongside live music and kids' activities at this festival, taking place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, and Sunday, Aug. 18, at Monmouth Park Racetrack, 175 Oceanport Ave. There will be a $15 hard seltzer sampling, which includes 10 2-ounce samples of hard seltzer. Admission is $6; monmouthpark.com.
BBQ & NJ Craft Beer Festival, Oceanport
Food trucks will offer barbecue fare and guests can sample local craft beer at this festival, taking place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, to Monday, Sept. 2, at Monmouth Park, 175 Oceanport Ave. There also will be live music and kids' activities. Admission is $21 to the festival and grounds, which includes 10 2-ounce samples of local craft beer; monmouthpark.com.
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Jersey Shore festivals: Here are the ones to check out this summer
