15 of the best festivals for July fun in NJ

🎈 There are plenty of festivals to check out in New Jersey in 2024

🎈 These are 15 of some of the best and unique events happening in July

Warm air, light breezes, bright sunshine, rippling waves, iced cold lemonade, juicy watermelon, cocktails, and more. July is a wonderful month to visit New Jersey.

Besides enjoying beach days, hikes, theme parks, state parks, wineries, and breweries, many events and festivals are happening in July.

Here are 15 of some of the most unique and fun NJ festivals in July

Blueberry Festival at Argos Farm II

Friday, July 5 – Sunday, July 7

1250 Lacey Road, Forked River

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission: $14.95 (online) or $19.95 (at the door)

Enjoy live music, blueberry treats, summer photo ops, and of course, hand-picked farm-fresh blueberries. A general admission ticket includes entry to the farm, plus access to U-Pick blueberry fields, music, photo ops, a jumbo jumper air pillow, a double hay slide, the gauntlet obstacle course, a bee zip line, and more. U-pick blueberries require an additional purchase.

Oceanfest

Thursday, July 4

On the Promenade, Long Branch

Time: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Brought to you by the Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce and the City of Long Branch, Oceanfest is the largest seasonal event at the Jersey Shore. Enjoy fireworks, live entertainment, balloon artists, face painters, bounce houses, a kids' zone, festival foods, a master sand sculpting exhibit, the first annual Windmill hot dog eating contest, and so much more.

Boardwalk Outdoor Craft Show

Friday, July 5 – Sunday, July 7

Rio Grande Avenue, Wildwoods

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Free

There are actually seven craft shows this season on the boardwalk. So, if you miss this one, there will be others. The event is rain or shine. Enjoy a day of shopping on the boardwalk for unique items from artisans, craters, boutiques, and more.

NJ State BBQ Championship

Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 14

201 New Jersey Ave, Wildwood

Time: Friday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission: Free

This three-day open-air festival features a championship barbecue competition, live cooking demos, special displays, food and beverage vendors, and so much more. The Anglesea Blues Festival features both national and regional blues musicians and is held in conjunction with the NJ State Barbecue Championship, so enjoy free, live entertainment from the outdoor stages.

The championship competition is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. So, if you enjoy ribs, chicken, brisket, and pork, masterfully marinated and seasoned, then smoked for hours to the point of perfection, you definitely want to check out this competition this summer.

Ocean County Fair

Wednesday, July 10 – Sunday, July 14

Robert J. Miller Air Park, Route 530, Berkeley Township

Time: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Wed and Thurs); 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.); 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Sunday)

Admission: $10 and parking is free.

Nothing says New Jersey in the summer like a good old-fashioned county fair. The Ocean County Fair has been a staple event since 1947. There will be musical acts, live entertainment, animal events, games, activities, rides, food, and tons of vendors. Don’t miss Cowboy Larry on Sunday.

Sourland Mountain Festival

Saturday, July 13

Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes

Time: 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Admission: Early Bird Online ($35 adults/$10 ages 12-18), Advance Online Discount ($40 adults/$15 ages 12-18), Event Day At The Gate ($45 adults, $15 ages 12-18)

The 19th Annual Sourland Mountain Festival is a time to bring communities in the Central New Jersey region together for a day of music, local, food drinks, and family fun. Proceeds from the Sourland Mountain Festival benefit the Sourland Conservancy, a non-profit that works to protect the 90-square mile Sourland region, which is home to the largest contiguous forest in Central Jersey.

AC Beer and Music Fest

Saturday, July 13

Bader Field, 545 Albany Avenue, Atlantic City

Time: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Session 1) or 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Session 2)

Admission: Tickets start at $75

“Beer, Bubbles, Booze, and Bands,” is the best way to describe this festival, according to its website. The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival features two sessions of music, brews, and fun. Dive into over 100 breweries, seltzers, and other uniquely crafted adult beverages, as you sample different flavors while jamming out to tunes all day.

Ticket admission includes, but is not limited to tastings from over 100 participating breweries and seltzers, a commemorative tasting mug, access to demos and seminars, entry into the silent disco, performances on both the main stage and acoustic stage, and more.

Blueberry Bash

Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14

Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets: Vary depending on the chosen package

It’s everything blueberry at Terhune Orchards. Enjoy a visit to the farm’s two-acre pick-your-own blueberry patch. Stroll the farm trail.

Visit Pam Mount’s Blueberry Bash Buffet for lots of tasty blueberry treats like pies, and muffins. Plus enjoy blueberry ice cream at the Barn Door Café.

Stop in the farm store and take home apple-blueberry crisp, cobbler, blueberry bread, jam, and blueberry salsa.

The winery is also open with apple-blueberry wine to toast the season.
For the kids, they can enjoy Tuckers’ Tales Puppet Theater, the NJ Bubbles Party, playhouses, tractors, and other cool activities.

Sewell Taco Palooza

Saturday, July 13

Washington Lake Park, 626 Hurfville Cross-Keys Road, Sewell

Time: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets: $5 in advance or $7 day of the event

Calling all taco lovers! The Sewell Taco Palooza features all things tacos plus beer, sangria, margaritas, live music, and craft vendors. Bring chairs, blankets, and pop-ups.
Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable canned or boxed item to help support the local food pantry.

Water Lantern Festival

Friday and Saturday, July 19 – 20

Liberty State Park, Jersey City

Time: Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets: Begin at $31

Enjoy food trucks, music, and fun, while designing your own lantern, and then launching that lantern. Each ticket comes with a wristband for entry into the festival area with access to the food trucks, a floating lantern kit, an LED candle, a commemorative drawstring bag, conversation cards, playing cards, a marker, lantern retrieval, and water clean-up.

“Experience the therapeutic power of our festival, where the serene setting and the act of releasing lanterns provide a unique space for emotional healing and rejuvenation,” according to the website.

Cape May County 4-H Fair

Thursday – Saturday, July 18 – 20

4-H Fairgrounds, 335 Court House-South Dennis Road, Cape May Court House

Time: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Thurs) and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.)

Cost: Free

This year’s theme is “Oh, the Places We Will Go With 4-H.” Enjoy rides, food, live music and of course, animals!

Germania Park Biergarten Fest

Saturday, July 20

Germania Park, 29 Slope Drive, Dover

Time: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission: $5

If you love German food, beer, and tunes, you’ll love this Biergarten Fest. Rain or shine, the covered pavilion holds over 200 people. Enjoy live music by Bud and Linda. The menu features brat/bauernwurst, burgers, sauerkraut, potato salad, assorted desserts, and a various selection of German beers to enjoy.

Monmouth County Fair

Wednesday, July 24 – Sunday, July 28

East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road, Freehold

Time: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Wed-Fri); 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sat), and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Sun)

Admission: $10 and parking is free

If there is an Ocean County Fair, it’s only fitting to have a Monmouth County Fair, right? Enjoy free entertainment, 4-H shows and exhibits, rides and games, live music, pig races, Bwana Jim Wildlife Show, Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy, Tommy Turvey’s Stunt Horses and Dogs, a butterfly encounter, Mutts Gone Wild, aerial thrill show, Bluey and Bingo, Crunchy the T-Rex, living history displays, home and garden demos, interactive displays, food vendors, and more at the 49th Annual Monmouth County Fair.

Von Thun Farms Sunflower Festival

Saturday and Sunday, July 27 – 28

Von Thun Farms, 438 Route 57 West, Washington

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets: $19.99 online or $21.99 in-person

Enjoy a wonderful summer weekend at Von Thun Farms with food trucks, beer, wine, crafters, live music, and of course the sunflower trail, where you can pick summer flowers, peaches, and berries. Enjoy hayrides, an activity area with more than 20 games and activities, farm animals, and free parking.

Italian Festival at Monmouth Park

Saturday and Sunday, July 27 – 28

Monmouth Park Racetrack, Oceanport Avenue, Oceanport

Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: $6 and general parking is free.

Enjoy Italian favorites from over a dozen of the area’s top restaurants, delis, and food trucks. Pair with a sampling of great wines with an Italian wine tasting.

Five 2-ounce samples plus a commemorative glass is just $15. Racetrack general admission and wine-tasting tickets are available both in advance and day-of-the-event.
Participating food trucks include Bella Ciao Pizza, Brooklyn’s Famous Pizza, Chanks, Chillin’ Out, Dellano’s Food Service, Dolato Espresso, Enzo’s, L’Acquario Seafood Italiano, Lola’s, Pasta Paradise, Taste of Napoli, Little Sicilian Riceballs, Tony’s Italian Sausage, Your Sister’s Balls, and The Pasta Truck.

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