This weekend, let your littles try winning their very first pie eating contest at the Warren County Farmers’ Fair in Belvidere, teach kiddos about the amazing cultures that make our state so great at Summer Fest at Rutgers in New Brunswick, and don’t miss the highly-anticipated high-flying fun at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington. The summer fun options are a plenty around New Jersey as we wrap up July!
featured image via @littlekidnyc
Psst! We love to feature your adventures around New Jersey! Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmom and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
Here are 10 kid-friendly things to do this weekend around New Jersey:
QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
July 26 – 28
This is the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America, and one your fam does not want to miss. Each day is jam-packed with family fun, including hot air balloon shows and rides in every shape, color and size you can think of. There are also scheduled events for kids. So if kid-friendly concerts, magic shows, trampoline performers, carnival rides and fireworks topped off with 100+ colorful hot air balloons sounds like your idea of fun, this festival is a MUST.
Solberg Airport
Readington, NJ
Cost: Adult: $30, Kids: $12, Ages 3 and under are free
Monmouth County Fair
July 24 – 28
Mamas, this is not your average fair. With the typical rides, live performances and must-try food vendors aside, it’s the one-of-a-kind kids’ events that make Monmouth County Fair worth checking out. Littles can watch competitive, adorable piglets during the Robinson’s Racing Pigs event, or learn about new animals during the Bwana Jim Wildlife show. A juggling performance, dog show and living history displays are among the fun your kids won’t ever forget.
East Freehold Showgrounds
Freehold, NJ
Cost: Adults $8, Kids 12 and under are free
St. Ann’s Italian Festival in Hoboken
July 24 – 28
Celebrate this huge Hoboken tradition — and show your fam why you’re so proud to be Italian — at the annual St. Ann’s Italian Festival. This affair might revolve around good ole’ New Jersey Italian food (our favorite), but there are arts and crafts, small rides and live music for kids to enjoy while families taste their way down the streets.
St. Ann Catholic Church
Hoboken, NJ
Cost: free
Warren County Farmers’ Fair featuring the Hot Air Balloon Festival
July 27 – August 3
This is what a mini farmer’s dreams are made of. Plenty of farm-related activities are scheduled around the clock at the Warren County Farmers’ Fair, so moms can challenge their kiddo to a tractor pull, or watch miniature ponies do their thing at the horse show. There’s also a designated Kids’ Corral, filled with clowns, pie eating contests, veggie ‘fear factor’, reptile displays, a pottery zone and a hula hoop contest. We can already hear your little one talking about it for days to come. A bonus? There’s a hot air balloon festival taking place the same weekend there, too.
North Gate – County Road 519
Belvidere, NJ
Cost: free
Soulsational Festival
July 27, 11AM – 8PM
An entire kids village exists for the day at the Soulsational Festival, where children can participate in yoga, complete a craft, view an art gallery and listen to some music while celebrating health and wellness at the Jersey Shore. The best part? This volunteer-led event will donate all proceeds to Ocean and Monmouth County charities and local food pantries. Donations of diapers, school supplies, and new toys for local charities are also encouraged.
Veterans Park, Forest Hills Parkway, Bayville, NJ
Cost: free
The Wake Up 2019
July 27, 9AM – 11PM
Your little ones will be wowed as they watch local wakeboard competitors face off, catch waves and nail some fun tricks at the The Wake Up. The charity wakeboard competition supports an important cause and also doubles as a food truck festival, so the audience can enjoy some good summer eats while cheering on the athletes. The Wake Up Project aims to prevent suicide and raise awareness for mental health — all by you coming out to enjoy the food trucks, games, and prizes to support this great cause.
Lenape Park
Mays Landing, NJ
Cost: free
Kites, Crafts, and Cones Festival
July 27, 12PM – 8:30PM
When kites, crafts and ice cream cones are involved, it’s hard not to get excited. Kids will love this unique festival in Ortley Beach, featuring an all-day craft show (with some ice cream eating, of course!) and some high-flying kite action above the ocean. Once it hits 6:15PM, get your kites ready to soar, or sit and watch as they take to the night sky. Kids can enjoy free face painting and balloon art while they indulge in their favorite ice cream flavor, too.
Ortley Beach, NJ
Cost: free
Hammonton Peach Party
July 27, 9AM – 1PM
Head out to Hammonton for an actual peach party, celebrating one of summer’s juiciest Jersey fruits. This family festival also has fun events like a peach pie contest, live music and vendors selling crazy dessert food that is pure magic (Push Pop Cakes, anyone?). Psst! Don’t miss the Peach Fuzz Baby Contest, where you can enter your sweet little baby boy or girl to be chosen as one of the cutest peaches there.
Downtown Hammonton, NJ
Cost: free
Summer Fest at Rutgers Gardens
July 27, 3PM – 7PM
Kids can learn about the diverse cultures that make up New Jersey through different musical performances, food and art displays at the Summer Fest at Rutgers Gardens. Kids can also celebrate New Jersey’s eclectic heritage with face painting, dance performances, cooking demos, garden tours and chalk art.
Rutgers Gardens
New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: free
Wildfest Food Truck and Music Festival
July 28, 4PM – 9PM
The theme of this year’s Wildfest Food Truck and Music Festival revolves around top British musical hits. But no matter what type of music your kiddo likes, they’ll definitely love spending hours in the Kids Zone (two words: inflatable village), or making some sand art. Mamas, you can also sneak away and find local vendors selling jewelry, clothing and accessories.
Fox Park
Wildwood, NJ
Cost: free
