Bruce Springsteen: Jersey Freeze in Freehold
Bruce Springsteen: Jersey Freeze in Freehold
Tanya Breen, Asbury Park Press
The Sea.Hear.Now music, art and surf festival featured Green Day and Stevie Nicks, but AsburyFest is the star this weekend.
Grab treats like Your Sister’s Balls meatballs or delicious lobster rolls (served cold with a slather of mayo or warm with butter and lemon) from Cousins Maine Lobster.
There will be dozens of vendors offering local goods, including homemade candy from River Street Sweets and custom fashion for your pet from Daisy’s Dog Collars (dogs are allowed at the festival).
KeVita Probiotic Lemonade is sponsoring the event, and alcoholic beverage options include classic beers like Blue Moon and Sam Adams Octoberfest, or wine from FitVine.
Play music every day of the festival, with a lineup that includes a classic rock cover band Kate and the Melonheads Friday at 6pm, mommy-faced punk rockers Mamadrama Saturday at 8:30 p.m., and the acoustics Misfit Johnny Unplugged Sunday at 2pm
The festival is free on Fridays and takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Schedule Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission to the festival on Saturday and Sunday is $3 for access to food, drinks, craft vendors, music and more (children 6 and older are free). Funds raised with admission support Coastal Habitat for Humanity.
Go to: In front of the Convention Center, 1300 Ocean Ave. North; 732-775-7676, asburyparkchamber.com/asburyfest.
Here are some other Jersey Shore food and drink festivals happening this fall:
Beers on Boards, Point Pleasant Beach
Summer beachgoers flock to Martell’s Tiki Bar on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk for freshly squeezed orange juice and seafood spirits.
But fall means it’s time for Beers on the Boards, an annual craft beer festival taking place at the tiki bar on Saturday, November 5, featuring beer from local breweries and an all-you-can-eat buffet. Admission is $60. Designated driver tickets are $25 and include the buffet.
The festival will take place in two sessions, at 12:30 and 18:00, with daytime live music by Matt Bakerand the Pour Boys Trio will go out at night
Go to: Martell’s Tiki Bar, 308-312 Boardwalk; 732-892-0131, pointpleasantbeachchamber.com.
Chowderfest, Beach Haven
For over 30 years, Chowderfest has been one of Long Beach Island’s most popular events. The festival serves as the island’s farewell to summer, and thousands of people flock to Beach Haven to sample the soups of local restaurants in a friendly but fierce competition.
While the tasting was held in person at the festival, the pandemic forced the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce to change course, implementing online voting and a bayfront festival to announce the winners.
While the soup won’t be available for tasting, there will be more than 50 vendors, live music, draft beer, wine and seltzers, and yes, soup and other local food specialties available for purchase.
Live entertainment of the day includes Electric Fritz, Frankie goes to Dollywood, Brandon Ireland Band, The fourth child i gypsy moon.
If you are interested in joining the online soup tasting trail, which is open until Friday 30 September, visit https://chowderfest.com/.
Go to: waterfront on Taylor Avenue near Fantasy Island in Beach Haven; chowderfestcommittee@gmail.com.
Get into the fall spirit: These Jersey Shore cafes are shaking up the classic pumpkin spice
Stafford Fall Wine Festival, Manahawkin
There’s nothing better than strolling through a lakeside park with a glass of wine in hand, listening to the crisp autumn air blowing through the trees. Well, you can do just that at the 10th annual Stafford Fall Wine Festival, taking place at Heritage Park in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township on Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th.
A $20 ticket ($25 at the door) gets you a commemorative wine glass to taste at nine different New Jersey wineries. There will be live music by Pennington Station Band on Saturday and Matt Noffsinger Band Sunday. Hungry? There will be local food from trucks like Shark Bait, BBQ on Wheels Catering and Keystone Farms Cheese.
Featured wineries are Chestnut Run Farm, Cream Ridge Winery, DiMatteo Winery, Monroeville Vineyard & Winery, Plagido’s Winery, Salem Oak Vineyards, Villari Vineyards, Wagonhouse Winery and White Horse Winery.
Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets, and those under 21 or designated drivers can enter for free. The festival takes place rain or shine.
Go to: 49 West Bay Ave.; visit eventbrite.com/e/2022-stafford-fall-wine-festival-tickets-346259109317 for the tickets.
Food Trucks in the fall, Wall
Whatever you’re craving, you’ll likely find it at Food Trucks this fall. Featuring eight different food trucks, live entertainment, tons of kids’ activities, booze for the adults and more, the festival will take place on Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th at Oak Tree Lodge.
Tickets may be purchased per session: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($7); 5-8pm ($10) or all day ($16). Groups can also choose to reserve a campfire table for $100, which includes six tickets. Parking is free.
Food trucks include Let’s dance (rice balls and Italian ice), JSBBQ, Rescue rolls (gourmet egg rolls), Bowls Beach, Chillin Out Ice Cream, Mr. Q’s Island Eats, Brazooka kitchen, The Nip n Truck, Sweetpepper, your awesome site (gluten-free Venezuelan cuisine), oh i Fresh from the coast.
Try bites like Mr. Q’s Bao Buns, a buffalo chicken egg roll from Rescue Rolls or Brazooka’s bolinho de bacalhau (cod fritters).
Kids can have fun playing with the animals at Blue Diamond Farm’s petting zoo, and there will also be a clown, DJ, horseshoe pits, an 18-hole miniature golf course and more.
Go to: Oak Tree Lodge, 1412 Schoolhouse Road; foodtrucksinthefall.com.
Adventure through the pines:From blueberry smoothies to blueberry hot dogs, stop by the NJ Pine Barrens
It’s worth the drive
Avalon Arts & Winer Festival, Friday, October 7: Returning after a two-year hiatus, the festival kicks off at 5.30pm with wine, beer, spirits and live music from Five times famouseat from Mutiny Mermaid and other local restaurants, and a silent auction of luxury items donated by local businesses. Tickets are $65 in advance, $75 at the door. Go to: Avalon Community Hall, 3001 Avalon Ave., Avalon; 609-967-3936, info@visitavalonnj.com, visitvalonnj.com.
Belleview’s Fall Fest 2022, Saturday, September 24th and Sunday, September 25th: Live music, wine, specialty sangria, grape floor, tractor tours, food trucks, local craft vendors and more at Belleview Winery, $5 (children under 20 are free). Go to: 150 Atlantic St., Landisville; 856-697-7172, winery@bellviewwinery.com, bellviewwinery.com.
Central Jersey Beer Fest, Saturday, October 8th: This annual beer fest, which runs from noon to 6 p.m., is hosted by BLEND Bar and Bistro in Hamilton Township. Celebrating its 10th year, the festival draws thousands to the Mercer County Festival Grounds, but it started as a small garden hog roast and beer. Sample beers, seltzers and wines, and hang out with live music Polish nannies, $50 to $60. Designated driver tickets are available for $10. Go to: Mercer County Park, 1638 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor Township. For more information, visit https://events.beerfests.com/e/cjbeerfest2022/tickets.
The Wildwoods Food & Music Festival (formerly Wildwoods Seafood and Music Festival), Sunday, October 9: This free festival is from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and features food, music, shopping with craft vendors, live music, pie eating contests and more. The “Kids Korner” (open noon to 5 p.m.) will feature games, pumpkin painting and bouncy bounce houses. Go to: Takes place in downtown Wildwood starting at Byrne Plaza along Pacific Avenue between Oak and Schellenger Avenues in Wildwood; 609-729-4000, wildwoodsnj.com.
Gabriela L. Laracca joined USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2021 and is excited to bring her passion for food and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.
