Savor May in New Jersey with this delicious assortment of dining and drinking events.
NORTH JERSEY
AAPI Food & Music Festival
: Saturday, May 2 | 1-5 pm
: Stuyvesant Avenue, Union Township
: Hosted by Union Township, the event recognizes local AAPI community members and includes food vendors and activities for all ages.
Single’s Night
: Thursday, May 7 | 7 pm-midnight
: The Splendid Rooftop at The MC Hotel, Montclair
: Singles 40+ are invited to mingle in an open-air space designed for meaningful connection, hosted by one of NJ’s top influencers @hotspotsnj.
Northern NJ BBQ Festival
: Saturday, May 9 | noon-7 pm
: 20th Century Fields, Garfield
: Sample and buy bites at this festival, with vendors serving international BBQ styles, Southern seafood, and more. Also includes beer gardens, craft cocktails, local breweries, BBQ-inspired drinks, and live music.
Meadowlands Racetrack Burger Battle
: Saturday, May 9 | 5-11 pm
: 1 Racetrack Drive, East Rutherford
: A burger competition where local restaurants and food trucks compete for cash prizes and a “Best Burger” title, alongside additional vendors serving everything from empanadas to ice cream and BBQ.
Annual Greek Festival
: Thursday, May 14-Sunday, May 17
: St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church, Paramus
: Family-friendly event in its 52nd year with carnival games, grilled foods, desserts, ouzo, beer, and live Greek music and dancing.
Bone Appétit
: Friday, May 15-Sunday, May 17
: Stern & Bow, Closter
: A three-course dining experience curated for dogs is coming back to Stern & Bow in Closter. The doggy-only menu features dishes like grilled butternut squash puree, chicken “pâwté” en terrine, and “Terrier-misu.” Stick around after dinner for a Pooch-Smooch booth photo opportunity.
Country Jamboree Festival
: Saturday, May 16 | 11 am-8 pm
: Firemans Field, Rockaway
: Country-themed festival featuring live music from local bands, BBQ and food vendors, and line dancing.
Hackettstown International Day and Maifest
: Saturday, May 16 | noon-5 pm
: 200 4th Avenue, Hackettstown
: Family-friendly event featuring local artists, shops, eateries, and breweries, highlighting Hackettstown’s diverse culture.
BergenPAC Women’s Luncheon
: Tuesday, May 19 | 11:30 am
: 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood
: This annual gathering will honor Roberta Mathes, a trailblazer in dance education and mentor to notable East Coast performers, Misty Copeland and Lea Michele. The evening will also feature performances by her students.
Flavors of South America
: Wednesday, May 20 & Thursday, May 21 | 6:30-9:30 pm
: Faubourg, Montclair/Weehawken
: Faubourg is collaborating with the Latinos of Montclair, a NJ-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering community and celebrating culture. Proceeds go toward supporting Latinos of Montclair programming.
CENTRAL JERSEY
New Jersey Wine & Food Festival
: Friday, May 1-Sunday, May 2
: Crystal Springs Resort, Hamburg
: Meet and mingle with the world’s finest chefs and winemakers and sample food and wine, featuring guest of honor chef Marco Pierre White. Saturday’s itinerary includes a lunch with New Jersey culinary stars from New Jersey Monthly‘s Top 40 Restaurants list, including Dan Richer of Razza in Jersey City and Sean Yan of Ram & Rooster in Metuchen, hosted by NJM senior editor Jacqueline Mroz. Read more on what to expect at this year’s bash.
Chester Food Truck and Music Festival
: Saturday, May 2 | 11 am-7 pm
: Municipal Field, Chester
: Browse 18 gourmet food trucks, catch live bands, and sip through a beer, sangria, and margarita garden at this food and music festival. Family-friendly activities keep kids entertained, and proceeds support the Chester First Aid Squad and the Chester/Mendham Food Pantry.
Branchburg Food Truck & Music Festival
: Saturday, May 9 | 11 am-7 pm
: White Oak Park, Branchburg
: Features 20 gourmet food trucks and drink vendors, along with live music and kids’ activities. Proceeds benefit the volunteer fire companies of North Branch, Readington, County Hills, and Neshanic.
Bloomfield Food Truck and Music Festival
: Friday, May 15 | 4-10 pm
: St Thomas the Apostle, Bloomfield
: Features 17 food trucks, live music—including a night set by Mr. Lovejoy—a beer, sangria, and margarita garden, and kids’ activities. Proceeds benefit St. Thomas the Apostle School.
New Jersey Seafood Festival
: Friday, May 15-Sunday, May 17
: Silver Lake Park, Belmar
: Seafood festival featuring dishes like gumbo, lobster rolls, jambalaya, coconut shrimp, crab legs, and conch fritters, with live music from local bands throughout all three days.
Keansburg Food Truck Festival
: Saturday, May 16 | 2-7 pm
: 1 Beachway Avenue, Keansburg
: Annual food truck festival featuring DJ sets from No Limit Entertainmen and live music by Michael Patrick and The Margarita Thrills (Jimmy Buffett cover band), plus free face painting, a balloon artist, and a bounce house.
Asbury Park Vegan Food Festival
: Saturday, May 16 | noon-7 pm
: Bradley Park, Asbury Park
: All-day event featuring live music, drinks, and a wide range of vegan offerings from East Coast vendors.
Clinton Township Food Truck and Music Festival
: Sunday, May 17 | 11 am-7 pm
: 8 Red School House Road, Lebanon
: Food truck and music festival featuring 17 gourmet trucks, live music, vendors, and a beer, margarita, and sangria garden, along with kids’ activities including pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, and more.
Snyder Farm’s Strawberry Festival
: Saturday, May 23-Sunday, May 24 | 9 am-4 pm
: Snyder’s Farm, Somerset
: Two-day festival featuring pick-your-own strawberries, a kids’ activity area with crafts and interactive games, a “Touch-a-Truck” experience, and photo opportunities throughout the grounds.
New Jersey Jerk Fest
: Sunday, May 24 | noon-8 pm
: Middlesex County Fairgrounds, East Brunswick
: Festival celebrating Caribbean “jerk” cuisine, with dishes like jerk chicken, pork, fish, goat, oxtail, and even jerk ice cream, alongside food trucks, vendors, live music, crafts, and kids’ activities.
SOUTH JERSEY
Mixology Series: Beyond Tequila
: Thursday, May 7 | 6-8 pm
: Renault Winery Resort, Egg Harbor City
: An expert mixologist guides guests through the hands-on-creation of three signature agave-based cocktails, sharing tips and tricks needed to balance heat, citrus, and spirit. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. A Renault glass and mixing kit will be gifted to attendees.
Stevie Van Zandt Debuts Malvado Maple Mezcal
: Saturday, May 9 | 8 pm
: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
: The E Street Band’s Stevie Van Zandt has partnered with Vermont’s St. Johnsbury Distillery on a maple-flavored mezcal. Celebrate with cocktails, live music, and a meet-and-greet in Atlantic City.
Wildwoods Restaurant Showcase
: Tuesday, May 12 | 5-8 pm
: Blue Water Grille at Bolero Resort & Conference Center, Wildwood
: Grab a sampling of dishes from dozens of Wildwoods’ restaurant and specialty shops. All proceeds benefit the Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce Foundation and scholarships for area high school students. An action of prizes will be held, with tickets available in advance at Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce office.
Bloom & Brunch: A Girls Day in Cape May with Mimosas
: Saturday, May 16 | 9 am-1 pm
: Bella Via Cafe, Cape May
: A guided Cape May outing with brunch at Bella Vida Garden Cafe, a boutique stroll at Washington Street Mall, a scenic ride, and a bloom workshop at Kiwanis Park, ending with a Champagne toast and photo op.
MayFest
: Saturday, May 16-Sunday, May 17 | 10 am-5 pm
: Smithville Village, Smithville
: Annual event featuring 100+ juried crafters, an international food court, live music, kids’ activities, and nonprofit groups, alongside the village’s year-round shops, rides, eateries, and arcades.
Bell Works Fresh Saturday Farmers & Makers Market
: Saturday, May 16 | 11 am-4 pm
: Bell Works, Holmdel
: A curated selection of local handmade goods, vintage finds, produce, and ready-to-eat food.
Rythm & Brews
: Saturday, May 16 | 3-9 pm
: Station Ave, Haddon Township
: Music festival featuring local bands, artisans, food trucks, and breweries, with performances throughout the street (500/600 block of Station Ave closed for foot traffic). A portion of drink sales benefits pediatric cancer awareness.
Duckhorn Wine Dinner at Chart House
: Thursday, May 28 | 7-10 pm
: Chart House, Atlantic City
: A five-course, seasonally inspired menu paired with Duckhorn Vineyards wines, featuring a peach and brie tart, sweet corn risotto, crispy seared black cod, fried chicken confit, and olive oil–thyme cake. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.
BBQ Beer & Boots Jamfest
: Sunday, May 31 | noon-4 pm
: Downtown Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant Beach
: Backyard-style BBQ and beer festival with a country twist, featuring live country music and beer.
Cape May Restaurant Week
: Sunday, May 31-Sunday, June 7
: Cape May
: Eight-day event held annually in early June, featuring prix fixe menus with an appetizer, entrée, and dessert at participating restaurants.
