With Memorial Day weekend on the horizon, we’ve got plenty of family fun heating up the days leading up to it. Join a giant block party with kiddie rides, live music, a classic car show, and more at Kenilworth Street Fair in Kenilworth, satisfy your seafood cravings at the 35th Annual NJ Seafood Festival in Belmar, and give your kids the chance to make the biggest bubbles of their lives at a Bubble Festival in Swedesboro. If you’re looking for more seasonal things to try, check out everything spring on our bucket list. (Featured Photo Credit: Grandpop Bubbles)
(Note: It’s always best to check ahead for in-person events)
SPONSORED
Five Star Swim School Open House – Galloway
May 27 at 4 PM
Bring your family, have fun, and enjoy a tour at the Five Star Swim School Open House in Galloway. Spend the hour having a ball during Free Open Swim, where there will be a lifeguard on duty and pool toys available. Enjoy free snacks and drinks, a tour of the location, and special offers too. Walk-in customers are welcome.
Cost: Free
Five Star Swim School Galloway, NJ, 323 S Pitney Rd, Galloway, NJ 08205
35th Annual NJ Seafood Festival
May 19 – 21
Experience New Jersey’s top restaurants, craft vendors, live music, and more at the 35th Annual NJ Seafood Festival. This outdoor event will take place at Silver Lake Park. No pets allowed.
Cost: Free admission
Silver Lake Park (5th and Ocean Ave), Belmar, NJ 07719
Glen Ridge Art and Eco Fair
May 20 at 10 AM
Celebrate the arts and the environment at this eco-friendly fair. This event will include arts and crafts, wellness vendors, live performances, eco demonstrations, and children’s activities.
Cost: Free
200 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028
Made in Ocean County
May 20 at 10 AM
Shop the best in Ocean County and find jewelry, gifts, soaps, lotions, candles, and more. There will also be food trucks at this event.
Cost: Free
933 Monmouth Road, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514
Fairy and Pirate Festival
May 20 at 10 AM
Bring your family to a magical wonderland overtaking Turkey Brook Park. This festival will include inflatables, face painting, crafts, games, pony rides, vendors, performances, and more. You are encouraged to come in costume. No registration is required to attend.
Cost: Parking and admission are free.
Turkey Brook Park, 30 Flanders Rd, Budd Lake, NJ 07828
Seed Starting
May 20 at 10 AM
Explore and learn about the outdoor world through crafts, scavenger hunts, activity sheets, and displays. The Van Vleck Education team will guide your family through this interactive learning experience. Registration is required and includes everything you need to participate. This program is designed for children ages 4 -11, but all are welcome.
Cost: $15
Van Vleck House & Gardens, 21 Van Vleck Street, Montclair, 07042
Lake Hopatcong Block Party
May 20 at 10
Hosted by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, this event brings visitors together with businesses, non-profit organizations, community groups, crafters, and food vendors for a fun community day. Enjoy a food court, children’s area, boat rides, a 50/50 raffle, and more.
Cost: Free
Hopatcong State Park, 260 Lakeside Blvd, Landing, NJ 07850
Bordentown Street Fair
May 20 at 10 AM
A Spring tradition since 1977, the 44th Bordentown Street Fair is a free outdoor event for the whole family. Enjoy shopping, food, entertainment, and lots of family fun.
Cost: Free
Almost the entire Farnsworth Avenue and surrounding streets in downtown Bordentown City, New Jersey, in Burlington County.
Pennington Day 2023
May 20 at 10 AM
Join one of the most anticipated events in Pennington Borough and Hopewell Valley. This lively street fair features local businesses, artisans, activities, music, food, and non-profits.
Cost: Free
Downtown Pennington Borough, along South Main Street and East Curlis Avenue
National Kids to Parks Day
May 20 at 10 AM
You can take part in a grassroots movement to discover America’s parks through play. Join in on the fun at Plainsboro Preserve and learn about animals and pollinators. Also, sample preserved honey, plant seeds, go for hikes, and more.
Cost: Free
Plainsboro Preserve, 80 Scotts Corner Rd, Cranbury, NJ 08512
Walt Fest Laural Springs Day
May 20 at 11 AM
This art and history festival will feature historical reenactors, visual arts, food, and a trolley. The event will be at two sites.
Cost: Free
Whitman Stafford Farmhouse, Stone Road and East Maple Avenue, Laurel Springs, NJ 08021
Crystal Spring Park, W. Elma, and Lakeview Avenue, Laurel Springs, NJ 08021
Verona Food Truck & Music Festival
May 20 at 11 AM
This fun-filled family day features 15 gourmet food trucks, drinks, live music, and kid activities. Your kids will enjoy pony rides, the petting zoo, face painting, inflatables, knocker ball, sand art, spin art, and more.
Cost: $5; under 5 is free. Please bring an item for the food pantry
32 Lakeside Ave, Verona, NJ 07044
Woodbridge Street Fair & Craft Show
May 20 at 11 AM
Bring your family to enjoy artists, crafters, vendors, food, rides, and live music. This event will feature children’s rides, games, and more.
Cost: Free admission
Downtown Woodbridge, NJ Main St and Amboy Ave Woodbridge, NJ 07095
South Jersey Arts Fest
May 20 at 11 AM
Bring your whole family out to celebrate the arts at Apple Farm Arts and Music Center. This event will feature live music, craft vendors, a variety of delicious selections from food trucks, artmaking workshops for all ages, and more. Celebrate local young artists as they display their artwork in a pop-up outdoor art gallery.
Cost: Free
Appel Farm Arts & Music Center, 457 Shirley Rd, Elmer, NJ 08318
World Bee Day Craft
May 20 at 11 AM
Celebrate World Bee Day at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts. Bring your kids to see the new outdoor exhibit, The Bee Project, and create replicas of bees from recycled materials to populate the exhibit. You will also create bee masks to show our love for pollinators. Make sure to snap a photo in their Bee Photo Booth.
Cost: The crafts are $5 per family and are free for METC members.
Museum of Early Trades & Crafts, 9 Main St, Madison, NJ 07940
Mayfest Smithville
May 20-21 at 10 AM
Head to Historic Smithville for children’s activities like the carousel and train rides, crafters and vendors, an international food court, and live entertainment.
Cost: Free
Historic Smithville and the Village Green, Smithville, NJ 08060
Asbury Park Vegan Food Fest
May 20 – 21 at 11 AM
It’s a two-day celebration featuring vegan and plant-based meals from local chefs, vegan products, plant-based fashion, and live music. This event is rain or shine.
Cost: $15-$30
Bradley Park – 101-199 5th Ave., Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Ocean Fun Days
May 20 -21
Enjoy hands-on marine and environmental programs and exhibits at the 20th annual Ocean Fun Days. This event will feature giveaways and the chance to learn about the coastal environment, energy conservation tips, and much more. You can even become a sand sampler and search for natural treasures on a guided walking tour.
Cost: Free
Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park
Woodbridge Street Fair and Craft Show
May 20 at 11 AM
Bring your crew out to see live music, DJ, dancing, delicious foods, and performances. There will also be children’s rides and games.
Cost: Free
Woodbridge Township downtown, Woodbridge Township, NJ 07095
Captain Kidd Pirate Day
May 20 at 11 AM
Ahoy, mates—kids can dress in their pirate best for the Annual Captain Kidd Pirate Day parade and a treasure hunt at 19th and the beach. Kids can walk in the parade, receive a treasure chest, and enter a raffle and costume contest.
Cost: Free
Parade, 26th, and the Boardwalk., Wildwood, NJ 08260
Bubble Festival
May 20 at 11 AM
Give your kids the chance to make the biggest bubbles of their life with Grandpop Bubbles. This free bubble festival will have bubble wands, poles, basins, buckets, and gallons of special bubble juice on hand to keep the fun going. Your kids will love making bubble rainbows, trying to escape the Ghost of Glob, popping all the cars of a bubble train, and so much more.
Cost: Free
Locke Ave Park, 58 Locke Ave, Swedesboro, NJ 08085
Bloom & Blossom Flower & Market Festival
May 20 at 11 AM
This flower and market festival will feature special giveaways, “how to” demos focused on gardening and flower arranging, vendors, and more.
Cost: $4
The Historical Village at Allaire, 4263 Atlantic Avenue Wall Township, NJ 07727
5th Annual Franklin Food Truck and Music Fest
May 20 at 12 PM
Bring your crew to join in for family fun activities, including inflatable rides, face painters, local craft vendors, and live music from Naughty Humphry and The Big Fuss.
Cost: Admission will be $6 for everyone over 5. Tickets are $5 in advance (plus service charge)
500 Elizabeth Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873
2023 Food Truck Festival For Hope
May 20 at 12 PM
Join The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s 2023 Food Truck Festival For Hope. This event will feature food trucks, face painting, live music, touch-a-truck, vendors, and more. All proceeds go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention NJ chapter.
Cost: $10 per person. Kids 12 and under are free.
Blekicki Field Lot, 7 Convent Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
Keansburg 5th Annual Food Truck Festival
May 20 at 2 PM
Bring the whole family out to Keansburg’s 5th Annual Food Truck Festival. Your kids will enjoy face painting, a bounce house, and more. This event will also feature No Limit Entertainment from 2 PM – 5 PM and the Muddy Dog Band from 5 PM – 7 PM.
1 Beachway Ave, Keansburg, NJ 07734
Renaissance Faire NJ
May 20-21, 27-28, and June 3-4
Take a step back into the 16th century, and the kids can explore Nipper’s Nook, where there will be plenty of things to do to fire the imagination, including pinatas, water balloon games, building your own magic wands, and the new gaming cart of wonder.
Cost: $25 and up. $10 for Child Flex Day Pass (Ages 5 to 12).
1195 Florence Columbus Road, Bordentown, NJ 08505
Kenilworth Street Fair
May 21 at 10 AM
Hosted by the Borough of Kenilworth, this giant block party has something for the whole family. The Kenilworth Street Fair will feature quality exhibitors, a special crafter’s section, great food, kiddie rides, and kids’ area, live music, and more. This year’s event will also feature a car show in front of Harding School.
Cost: Free
525 Boulevard, Kenilworth, NJ 07033
Maplewood Street Fair & Craft Show
May 21 at 11 AM
Come enjoy the outdoors in Maplewood with live music, a DJ, dancing, food, performances, and more. There will also be children’s rides and games.
Maplewood downtown, Maplewood, NJ 07040
Walnford Day
May 21 at 11 AM
Bring the fam to experience colonial life. There will be horse-drawn carriage rides, historical demonstrations, and bluegrass music, and you can explore the 1773 Waln family home.
62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold, NJ 08501
Springfield Mayfest
May 21 at 11 AM
The Springfield Avenue Street Fair will feature activities for kids, live music, performances, and dozens of local and regional vendors.
Cost: Free
On Springfield Avenue between Indiana and Rutgers Streets
2nd Annual Northern NJ Empanada Fest
May 21 at 12 PM
Join the Boys and Girls Club of Clifton in a celebration of the Empanada and more. Enjoy local gourmet food vendors and their unique twists on empanadas and many other food trucks. Fun activities for kids and adults include a bungee trampoline, bounce house, air-soft shooting gallery, face painter, henna tattoo, and sand art.
Cost: $6 for everyone Over 5 years old! Tickets are $5 in advance (plus service charge)
Boys and Girls Club, 181 Colfax Ave., Clifton, NJ 07013
Don Bosco Community Food Truck & Music Festival
May 21 at 12 PM
Head to Don Bosco’s upper lot and practice field for a culinary treat featuring 17 gourmet food trucks, music, vendors, drinks, and family fun. This event will feature pony rides, a petting zoo, knocker ball, a bounce house, face painting, and sand art.
Cost: $5; under 5 is free. Please bring an item for the food pantry
Don Bosco Preparatory School, 492 N Franklin Tpke, Ramsey, NJ 07446
Excursion Train Rides
May 21, times vary
Enjoy a fun train ride at the Whippany Railway Museum. Excursion Trains depart at 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, and 4 PM from the Whippany Station and wind their way through the countryside for a 45-minute round trip.
Cost: Prices vary
Whippany Railway Museum, 1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany, NJ 07981
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