There's so much family fun in store across New Jersey, thanks to a full summer of festivals! There's still plenty of chances to see 4-H animals, eat lots of yummy fair food and go on rides, plus lots of other unique entertainment that varies between NJ regions.

It really is another easy Jersey Bucket List item to check off this season, by keeping this guide handy. (Full disclosure, one of these festivals is the weekend after Labor Day, the Greek festival in Union.) Scroll down for more info and share photos of your family festival fun by tweeting me @ProudJersey and at @NJ1015!

Burlington County Farm Fair
July 18th – 22nd
Burlington County Fairgrounds
1960 Jacksonville-Jobstown Rd. & Rt. 206, Columbus, NJ 08022
609-784-8369
The 5 day event is action packed and there is something there for all ages, including a Midway, food vendors and nightly shows! For a complete schedule of events, click here. 

Food Truck Festival benefit for The Hermitage Museum
July 22
The Hermitage Museum
335 N. Franklin Tpk., Ho-Ho-Kus
201-445-8311
A day filled with amazing food, craft beer, live music and summer fun to help support the Hermitage Museum, a National Historic Landmark.

Monmouth County Fair kids animals NJ summer festivals fun
22 NJ summer festivals to hit, now through Labor Day! (Erin Vogt, Townsquare Media)
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Monmouth County Fair
July 26 – 30
East Freehold Showgrounds, 1500 Kozloski Rd, Freehold
732-842-4000
The 43rd annual Monmouth County Fair is a landmark summer event, presented in cooperation with Monmouth County 4-H. Lots of live animals and shows, a petting zoo area, entertainers, food and craft vendors and rides for all ages. This year’s headlining performers are Moroccan Sheepherders, Jackson Pines, Lakehouse Music Academy, Nicole Atkins and The Chuck Lambert Band.

Gloucester County 4-H Fair
July 27 - 30
Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds
275 Bridgeton Pk., Mullica Hill
856-307-6450
In addition to displays and shows of 4-H projects, visitors can look forward to a day on the farm and petting zoo, animal shows, pony rides, live music, K-9 demonstrations, and craft vendors.

Quick Chek Balloon Festival NJ summer family fun
22 NJ summer festivals to hit, now through Labor Day! (Erin Vogt, Townsquare Media)
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35th Annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
July 28 - July 30
Solberg Airport (39 Thor Solberg Rd., Readington)
973-882-5464
The largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America celebrates 35 years of family fun! Featuring more than 100 hot air balloons from around the world, live concerts, rides and family entertainment. Performers this year are Pat Benatar, George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Plain White T's, Jake Miller and kids music star, Laurie Berkner. There's also the Running with Balloons 5K race and Family Fun Run and arts & crafts and food vendors. Hot air balloon rides are available for purchase.

Rutgers Gardens Summer Festival
Saturday, July 29
140 Log Cabin Rd., New Brunswick
732-932-3451
A celebration of summer with a day of FREE tours, classes and activities for adults and children in the Gardens. New Jersey gardeners, this is your day. Bring a picnic and enjoy a day of horticultural learning and sharing. Families, all ages welcome.

Peach Party in Hammonton
Saturday, July 29 10am - 1pm
209 Vine St., Hammonton
609-567-9014
Featuring bushels of peach activities, peach inspired foods and a visit from Peach Queens past and present! Enjoy live music, peach contests and giveaways. Baby Peach Fuzz Contest and a chance to enter your homemade peach pie into the statewide Peach Pie Contest.

Warren County Farmers Fair & Balloon Fest
July 29 - August 5
Warren County Fairgrounds (1350 Stryker Rd., Phillipsburg)
908-859-6563
The Warren County Farmers' Fair is celebrating its 80th year! A family fun event that also features a Hot Air Balloon Festival, with up to 35 balloons. Other highlights include 4-H exhibits and the Kids' Corral of activities. Main arena events include demolition derbies, mud bogs and tractor/truck pulls (additional charges apply). The balloon festival features mass hot air balloon launches, tethered balloon rides, and the Bicycle Balloon Race, where pilots and cyclists pair up in a race of skill and speed.

Wildwoods Baby Parade
Wednesday, August 2
Wildwoods Boardwalk at Burk Avenue, in front of Wildwoods Convention Center
609-729-4000
The Wildwood Civic Club presents the 108th Wildwoods Baby Parade, a Wildwoods’ tradition since 1909. This year features a promenade and festival, with bounce houses and games. Participation is FREE and open to all children under 12 years of age. Parents can register their child in categories like 'Best Dressed' and 'Best Decorated Theme on Wheels'. (Rain date for the Baby Parade is August 3).

Highlands 23rd Annual Clam Festival
August 3 - 6
Huddy Park, Bay & Waterwitch Aves., Highlands
The Highlands Business Partnership's 23rd Annual Clamfest is a four-day action packed event featuring the freshest seafood, live entertainment, thrill rides, games, contests, a beer and wine garden and more.

New Jersey State Fair
August 4 - 13
Sussex County Fairgrounds (37 Plains Rd., Augusta)
973-948-5500
The New Jersey State Fair, also known as the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show has plenty of family-friendly fun. The ten day show offers all the charm of an old fashioned country fair, with six barns of animals, racing pigs, a petting zoo, demo derbies, tractor pulls and motocross. Plus, live music and other entertainment, food and shopping.

Peach Festival
August 5 - 6
Terhune Orchards (330 Cold Soil Rd., Princeton)
609-924-2310
Celebrate Jersey Fresh at Terhune's Just Peachy Festival, which runs from 10 am - 5 pm both Saturday and Sunday. The festival will include live music both days. A special feature is the ticketed "Summer Harvest" farm-to-fork tasting section, featuring local chefs using local ingredients. There's tractor-drawn wagons, pony rides, games and barnyard fun.

6th Annual Craft Beer & Crab Festival
August 5, 10 am - 6 pm
Grounds of Emlen Physick Estate (1048 Washington St., Cape May)
609-884-5404
This all-day festival features local craft beers alongside summer food favorites like steamed crabs, crab cakes, pulled pork, corn on the cob, potato salad and more. Live music on the outdoor stage, plus stilt-walkers, jugglers and acrobats, crafts vendors, a farmers' market and more. Presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC).

Middlesex County Fair
August 7 - 13
Middlesex County Fairgrounds
655 Cranbury Rd., East Brunswick
732-257-8858
The Middlesex County Fair has been a tradition for over 75 years, drawing around 85,000 visitors annually. There's plenty of animal entertainment, rides, live music, craft and 4-H displays and plenty of food and vendors.

Salem County Fair
August 8- 11
Salem County Fairgrounds (735 Rt. 40, Woodstown)
856-769-3494
The Salem County Fair is an "old fashioned" country fair with numerous livestock shows and events and a large farm machinery display. A BBQ dinner is offered nightly along with many other food vendors. There are tractor and truck pulls, a ranch sorting, and Thursday evening fireworks. There is no admission but a parking fee is charged.

41st Annual Italian Festival
August 9- 13
200 Whalepond Rd., Oakhurst
732-517-1040
The 41st Ocean Township Festival hosted by the Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean continues the longstanding tradition, of food, rides and entertainment.

Pirate Fest at Jenkinson's Boardwalk
August 9- 10
Jenkinson's Boardwalk (300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant)
732-892-0600
Bring the whole family for arts and crafts, a balloonist, face painters, stilt walkers, strolling mini-shows, and pirates walking the boardwalk. There will also be a pirate show on the south beach stage, both Wednesday and Thursday at 6pm.

Butterfly Festival featuring the Kate Gorrie Butterfly House
August 12
The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed (31 Titus Mill Rd., Pennington)
609-737-3735
The Butterfly Festival at The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed in Mercer County has grown to be a major regional event, attracting more than 3,000 visitors. The day helps highlight how the Watershed is fulfilling its mission to protect the environment and clean water. The family-friendly day features local crafts and products and vendors, with many types of art, crafts, music, photography and sculpture.

Hunterdon County 4H & Agricultural Fair
August 23 - 27
Hunterdon County Fairgrounds (Rt. 179, Ringoes)
908-782-6809
The family friendly event features rides, tractor pulls, food and of course, 4H animal and agricultural exhibits. Bring the family to see 4H members caring and showing their animals. Plenty of live entertainment and fireworks on Friday night, weather permitting.

Allaire Bacon, Bikes & Brews
September 2- 3
Allaire Village (4265 Atlantic Ave., Farmingdale)
732-747-4449
The event will feature New Jersey's 'bacon masters' and will have crafts vendors and entertainment to make the crowds go HOG wild. Rain or shine.

33rd Annual Scandinavian Fest
September 3
NJ Vasa Park at Wolfe Rd & Vasa Dr, Budd Lake (Mount Olive Township)
610-417-1483
ScanFest '17 is the 33rd annual heritage festival, celebrating the Scandinavian countries with foods, entertainment, handcrafts and gifts, Vikings, childrens' program, re-enactors, artisans, music, dancing, field contests, encampments and the 9th annual 'all-Jersey wife-carry contest' finals.

St. Demetrios 40th Annual Greek Festival in Union
September 7- 10
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (721 Rahway Ave., Union)
908-964-7957
The 40th Annual Greek Festival in Union, hosted by St. Demetrios! Authentic, fresh-prepared Greek food, live entertainment, folk dancing, vendors, rides & games.


Proud Jersey Girl Erin Vogt’s first reporting gig involved her Fisher Price tape recorder. As a wife and momma of two kiddies, she firmly believes that life’s too short to drink bad coffee.  A fan of the beach, Dave Grohl and karma, in no particular order.

Follow her on Twitter and on Facebook as ProudJersey.

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