South Jersey’s biggest and best wine festival is this weekend

The wine festival at Valenzano Winery started as a modest project over a dozen years ago and it’s grown into a giant festival of wine food and yes, this year beer.

There will be a beer garden hosted by Community Care Food & Clothing Pantry as they provide a beer garden for a great cause.

Offering tastes from local breweries including Brotherton Brewing Company from Atco.

A $10 tasting fee is not included in the entrance price.

Over a dozen wineries from all over South Jersey including Wagonhouse Winery, Bellview Winery, Terra Nonno Winery, Tomasello Winery, Coda Rossa Winery, DiMatteo's Vineyards, Valenzano Winery, Four Sisters Winery, Villari Vineyards, Vintner's Wife Cream Collection, White Horse Winery, and Salem Oak Vineyards!

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There will be a DJ and several live bands including Five Dollar Shakes, Goodman Fiske, Jeff Selby and The Quixote Project, Legacy Band, and more TBA.

There will be plenty of food trucks offering a wide variety of culinary delights. The list includes Fireman Freddies BBQ, One More Bar & Grill, Just Fork It, Star of the Sea, Mannino's Cannoli Express, Gio's Steaks, Fig Charcuterie, Traveling Tomato Pizza, The Clean Plate, and quite a few more.

They are also local crafters from around the area and of course the best wines in New Jersey.

Tickets are reasonably priced at $35. VIP seats are also available you can check it all out here.

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Along with South Jersey's best vineyards offering their best wines, Valenzano is introducing their latest product called fizz it’s a carbonated wine drink that comes in three different flavors and my family can’t seem to get enough.

When my daughter lived in Texas for six years, she made sure she flew home the weekend of this wine festival every year.

It's that big of a deal in this area as it's probably the biggest event every September in South Jersey. The weather for this Saturday so far looks perfect.

Valenzano Winery is located right off Route 206 in Shamong just a few miles north of Hammonton.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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These are the best hiking spots in New Jersey

A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.

From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.

Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.

If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.

Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.

You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.

Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.

If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.

Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.

I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions: