This weekend enjoy your favorite food trucks at the Chester Food Truck & Music Festival, Paramus Food Truck Festival, or Egg Harbor City’s 1st Annual Beer & Food Truck Festival. Race crabs at the annual Harvey Cedars Blue Claw Craft Show and Crab Race, relax with movies on the beach, and sink your toes into the sand at Atlantic Highland’s Beach Fest.
Psst! Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmom and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
Here are 15 things to do this weekend around New Jersey:
1. Passaic County Fair
August 16 & 17, 6 – 11PM, August 18 & 19, 3 – 11PM
Watch the amazing Harlem Wizards perform a fun, interactive show for the entire family at the annual Passaic County Fair. Chill out at the beer garden and satisfy your sweet tooth with a funnel cake at the carnival. Be sure to stick around for fireworks on Friday & Saturday, too.
Garret Mountain Reservation
8 Mountain Ave., Woodland Park, NJ
Cost: free, parking $5 per car
2. Olde Freehold Day
August 18, 12PM – 5PM
Celebrate Olde Freehold Day with live music and a beer garden at beautiful Lake Topanemus. Your little ones will love the rock climbing wall, pony rides, bounce houses, and petting zoo. Take the kids for a boat ride or enjoy a snack at the food trucks.
Lake Topanemus
Freehold, NJ
Cost: free
3. Canal Day Music & Craft Festival
August 18, 10AM to Dusk
At Canal Day Music & Craft Festival, experience life on the Morris Canal first hand by traveling down the waterway on a free boat ride, or prove your prowess by paddling a kayak. Experience the art of blacksmithing, visit a civil war encampment and enjoy listening to over 10 of New Jersey’s best musical performers. Head over to the fireworks festivities & display at Robert Street Park beginning at 7PM.
Hugh Force Park
180 W. Central Ave, Wharton, NJ
Cost: free, Parking $5
4. Harvey Cedars Blue Claw Craft Show and Crab Race
August 18, 10AM – 4PM
This fun family fest is held in beautiful Sunset Park located on the bay, a perfect spot to check out handmade goods and crafts while your little ones race their crabs. Registration starts at 10AM and races begin at 11AM.
Harvey Cedars Sunset Park
7606 Long Beach Boulevard, Harvey Cedars, NJ
Cost: free
5. Chester Food Truck & Music Festival
August 18, 11AM – 7PM
New Jersey foodies – unite! Eat your heart out at the Chester Food Truck & Music Festival with over 25 gourmet food trucks. Kids can enjoy face painting while you listen to live music and relax in the beer & sangria garden. Bring your appetite, lawn chairs, blankets, and a non-perishable food item to support the local food pantry. Eat up and give back.
Municipal Field
134 Main St, Chester, NJ
Cost: $5, Kids under 10 are free
6. Beach Fest 2018
August 18, 12PM – 7PM
Kick off your flip flops and root for your favorites in a sandcastle competition, enjoy live music, family tug-of-war, the free kids fishing derby and tons of food. Be sure to stop by the beer and wine tent for a relaxing drink, too. Bonus: For your little truck lovers, 2,000 tons of sand will be brought in to create the Atlantic Highlands Harbor Beach for the first time ever!
Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor Marina
2 Simon Lake Dr., Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Cost: free
7. Bugs Birds and Beyond
August 18, 12PM – 4PM
Ready to rap with raptors at Monmouth County’s, Bugs Birds and Beyond festival?! NJMOM is! Watch the penguins parade, hang out with live animals and insects, and learn all about these eccentric animals at this fun family-friendly fest.
Monmouth County Master Gardeners
4000 Kozloski Rd., Freehold, NJ
Cost: free
8. Bergen County Music Festival
August 18, 2PM – 8PM
Looking for a neighborhood block party? Bergen County Music Festival is a fun festival for families and communities to come together and celebrate music. Head over to New Overpeck County Park for live entertainment that’s sure to get you in the dancing mood.
The New Overpeck County Park
Teaneck, NJ
Cost: free
9. Beachfest Arts and Crafts Festival
August 18, 9AM – 4PM
Looking for some artsy fun? Stop by Beach Haven’s Beachfest Arts and Crafts Festival to fill up on tasty delicacies and hunt for crafts, wearable art, jewelry, handmade soaps, candles, traditional and fine art, and gourmet delights.
Bicentennial Park
Engleside Ave, Beach Haven, NJ
Cost: free
10. Egg Harbor City’s 1st Food Truck & Beer Garden Festival
August 18, 3PM – 9PM
Did someone say live music, beer garden, and Elvis? Get your beer steins ready for this fun-filled event with over 20 food trucks and 6 live bands including an Elvis tribute by “Gentleman Jim.” We can’t help falling in love with this fest.
100 & 200 Block of Philadelphia Avenue,
Egg Harbor City, NJ
Cost: free
11. Paramus Food Truck Festival
August 19, 11AM – 8PM
Ready to taste fun food items at the Bacon Me Crazy truck? Or maybe you’ll stop by The Guac Spot? The infmaous Just Jersey Fest is rolling into Paramus with 25 gourmet food trucks, a beer and sangria garden sponsored by Flying Fish Brewing Company, live music, face painting, and bounce houses for your little cuties.
Garden State Plaza
1 Garden State Plz, Paramus, NJ
Cost: $5, Kids under 10 are free
12. Jersey Shore Summer Comic Book Show
August 19, 10AM – 4PM
For the comic book lover in your life: the Jersey shore Summer Comic Book Show will feature talented artists from the comic industry as well as independent artists, writers and creators. Shop comics, cards, toys, gaming, anime, Pokemon, comic-related crafts, and collectibles. Bonus: The Dark Knight will join the fun as well as the 501st Star Wars Legions.
Toms River Elks Lodge
600 Washington Street, Toms River, NJ
Cost: $3, Kids under 12 are free
13. Allaire Village’s Rolling Iron Auto Show
August 19, 8AM – 3PM
Looking for a relaxing afternoon activity? Take a stroll around Allaire Village and check out some antique cars. At Allaire Village’s Rolling Iron Auto Show, enjoy over 200 cars including family cars, fire trucks, and motorcycles. Prizes are awarded for Best in Show, People’s Choice, and for each class of car.
The Historic Village at Allaire
4263 Atlantic Avenue, Wall Township, NJ
Cost: free, $5 parking
14. Smithville Fife & Drum
August 19, 1PM
Experience gorgeous Smithville Village while you listen to the beautiful sounds of the Smithville Fife & Drum Corp. During your visit be sure to stop by Historic Smithville’s 60 shops, 7 eateries, carousel and train rides, paddleboats, and arcade.
Historic Smithville
615 E. Moss Mill Rd., Galloway, NJ
Cost: free
15. Movies on the Beach
August 17 – 19
Pack your weekend with a movie on the beach each night in your favorite spots: Friday at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant, Saturday at Dykstra Park in Sparta, and Sunday at Cartaret Ave beach in Seaside Heights. Looking for more movies on the sand? Check out our full list here.
Cost: free
Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmom and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
MORE FUN THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS WEEKEND:
- 30 Free Kid Friendly Events in August
- Fireworks Shows for Summer 2018
- Top Summer Day Camps in NJ
- Museums in North, Central, & South NJ
- Aquariums in NJ
- 20 Family Friendly Hiking Trails in NJ
- 52 #NJMOM Must-Do Adventures
- Plan ahead by checking NJ Mom’s 60+ Things to Do in New Jersey
- Free Museum Days in NJ (the first weekend of each month)
- 275 Parks & Playgrounds in NJ
- 50 Best Spas in NJ
- 10 Mommy & Me Classes in NJ
- Date Night Ideas for Mom + Dad
- Kids Eat Free Restaurants
- Kids Bowl Free in NJ
