New Brunswick’s Harvest festival is happening this weekend

It’s fall festival season and here’s one that you really won’t want to miss out on.

Although New Brunswick Harvest Festival was originally supposed to be New Brunswick Oktoberfest, as with a lot of other things, COVID-19 changed all that. The good news is that Harvest Festival sounds like it’ll be even more jam-packed with fun and entertainment. It’s all happening this weekend, Sept. 24 through 27, from noon to 10 p.m. at New Brunswick City Center on George Street at Albany St. to Bayard St. The festival will feature Oktoberfest-esque German-style food and beverage options from New Brunswick restaurants as well as also harvest-themed food like hot cider drinks and pumpkin beers. Restaurants will have coloring pages to keep the kiddies entertained.

Throughout the weekend, you may find roving caricature artists, stilt walkers, and magicians. The music and entertainment will be nonstop with so many different performers at so many different venues throughout the festival that you’ll have to check the schedule because they all can’t possibly be listed here. But some of the highlights are comedian Brian Regan at the Stress Factory, Flying Ivories dueling pianos, Beatles tribute band, Mystical Majesty Band and renowned Jazz artist Jerry Weldon.

And something I find so cool and different — an open air paint class hosted by Above Art Studios. And of course social distance guidelines will be followed, and face masks are required in common areas. New Brunswick is a fun, fabulous town even when it’s not hosting festivals. So check it out. For more information and to register, click here.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.