Foodie Things To Do This Weekend & Beyond

Pizza Slaughterfest 2012, Saturday, May 26th from 10am-9pm. The annual Tony Baloney’s pizza eating competition and celebration with feature over 100 vendors, a beer garden, and live music. Tony Baloney’s in Atlantic City, a Jersey event not to miss. Click here for more information.

Blues & Wine Festival, Saturday & Sunday, May 26th & 27th from 12pm-5pm. Sample great local wine and enjoy live music at beautiful Natirar Park in Peapack-Gladstone in Somerset County sponsored by the Garden State Wine Growers Association (GSWGA). Click for more details.

Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars, Sunday, May 27th. The first ever Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars at Monmouth Park! The top food trucks in town (and out of town) will be rolling in to serve up their delicious dishes and try to earn your vote for People’s Choice. Family Fun Day is also at the park from 12-4pm. Adults may enjoy the beer garden as well.  JS Food Truck Wars

And Beyond…

Teaneck’s Cedar Lane Family Festival, Monday, May 28th from 11am-6pm. Join the Teaneck community as  they honor veterans this Memorial Day. There will also be a cupcake eating contest for children ages 9-12 and a pizza eating contest for adults 18 and over. Click for more info.

The Great Grill & Pig Out aka Swine & Wine, Wednesday, May 30th at 6:30pm.  With guest of honor Anita Lo, executive chef/owner of Annisa in NYC and a winner on Iron Chef. Held at the Estate at Florentine Gardens, River Vale, NJ, to benefit Table to Table. Featuring extraordinary food, fine wine and a silent auction with fabulous travel packages, exquisite culinary experiences, luxurious merchandise, and one-of-a-kind enticements! For tickets, call 201-444-5500.

Drinko de Mayo, Thursday, May 31st at 7pm. Create and sip cocktails at a Drinko de Mayo class at Liberty House, Liberty State Park, Jersey City. Tickets are $35. RSVP at 866-683-3586.

Greek Fest 2012, Thursday – Sunday, May 31st-June 3rd. Held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Westfield, NJ. Learn about Greek culture and enjoy delicious Greek traditional foods. Click for more info.

Greek Festival by the Bay, Friday – Sunday, June 1st-3rd. Held at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Perth Amboy, NJ. Share the beauty of the culture along with the beauty of the waterfront. You can look forward to seeing authentic Greek Dancers, eating authentic Greek Food and Pastries as well as games and prizes for the children. Call 732-826-4466 for more info.

Crawfish Fest, Friday – Sunday, June 1st-3rd. A three-day Louisiana and New Orleans style music, food and camping festival. Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. Enjoy fresh Boiled Louisiana Crawfish trucked in alive, Crawfish Bread, Shrimp Creole, Crawfish Bread, Crawfish Pie, Alligator Sausage, Crawfish Po-boys, Jambalaya, Southern Fried Chicken and the other great dishes on our Menu. for 10.00 or less per dish. Lots of live entertainment as well. Click for more information.

Wine Tasting Benefit, Friday, June 1st from 7pm-11pm. Stafford Township PBA and Rt. 72 Buy Rite Liquors present their annual wine tasting fundraiser, all proceeds benefit the Southern Regional Scholarship fund. There will be over 100 wines to taste, a buffet style dinner and unlimited draft beer. For more information, click here.

Red Bank RiverFest 2012, Friday – Sunday, June 1st-3rd. Three days of shore weather, the best Red Bank area restaurants, non stop music and family fun for everyone. Click here for more details.

Garden State Beer Expo, Saturday, June 2nd. Two sessions: 12pm-3:30pm & 5:30pm-9pm. Come sample some of the best brews available in the great Garden State at the PNC Bank Arts Center. Tickets are available online or at Spirits Unlimited locations. Click here for more information.

22nd Annual SummerFest, Saturday, June 2nd from 11am-7pm. Point Pleasant Borough. Enjoy five bands and a huge childrens section. For adults there will be a beer and wine diamond complete with waitress service! More than 30 food vendors and 100 craft vendors will fill the park. Plus special performances by the local dance academy, boot camp instructor, childrens parade and more!

Apple Farm Arts & Music Festival, Saturday, June 2nd from 11:30am-8:30pm. Elmer, NJ. Enjoy live music on two stages, a variety of food vendors, and a beer/wine tent available, a juried crafts fair including ceramics, basket-weaving, jewelry and more plus fun children’s activities in a beautiful country setting. For more information, click here.

West Cape May Strawberry Festival, Saturday, June 2nd from 9am-5pm. Held in Wilbraham Park, this much anticipated early summer event  features many vendors, live entertainment and of course lots of Jersey fresh strawberries. Crowning of the annual King and Queen at 3pm. Free parking & admission. Call 609-884-9325 for information.

Jersey Shore Wine Festival, Saturday & Sunday, June 2nd & 3rd from 12pm-5pm. The BlueClaws host the annual wine fest at FirstEnergy Park. Sample a variety of award-winning wines from throughout New Jersey. Enjoy live musical entertainment throughout both days, crafters, vendors, and food, plus a play area for the kids. For more information, click here.

Italian Street Festival, Sunday, June 3rd from 12pm-5pm at Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City. Enjoy great Italian food, activities for the kids, live music and lots of vendors. Free admission. Flyer

Somerville Spring Spectacular, Sunday, June 3rd from 11am-5pm. A mile of vendors line Main Street at this 25th annual spring event. The day is filled with non-stop music & fantastic festival foods. The children will enjoy the KidZone area.

Cape May Restaurant Week, From June 3rd-June 10th. Known for its variety of fine dining experiences, from casual sit-down to formal dining, Cape May, NJ will showcase its best restaurants for the eight-day event, with restaurants offering fixed prices that make our culinary adventure both affordable and tempting. For more information, click here.

Fort Lee Music Arts & Music Festival, Sunday, June 3rd from 11am-6pm on Main St. Enjoy live music, food, vendors, a farmers market and a motorcycle show. Flyer

Opening Day: Ventnor International Farmers Market, Wednesday, June 6th from 3pm-7:30pm. St. James parking lot. In celebration of opening day there will be, in addition to local foods, arts & crafts, live broadcasting from 96.9, local musicians, demonstrations and a guest speaker. Please be green and bring your own shopping bag.

An Evening With George Taber, Friday, June 8th from 6pm-9:30pm. Unionville Vineyards. Tickets are $15 per guest and advance purchase of tickets is strongly recommended. George Taber is a wine expert and world famous author of the novel “Judgment of Paris”,  the book in which the movie “Bottle Shock” was based on. George will make a presentation about his first hand experience at the 1976 wine competition in France and offer a special wine tasting presentation with acclaimed winemaker Cameron Stark where they will make comparisons of wines grown in different wine regions around the world. For more information about this event, and for tickets, click here.

Belmar Seafood Festival, Friday – Sunday, June 8th – 10th. This three day seafood extravaganza features over 45 of the area’s finest restaurants and food vendors. From traditional steamed lobster to more exotic alligator sausage, you’ll find it at the festival. Live entertainment, a wine and beer garden, crafters and vendors and children’s activities make this one of the top food festivals in the nation. Free admission, food prices vary. Click for more information.

LBIfest 2012, Saturday, June 9th from 11am-6pm. A day-long event featuring local artists and crafters, retail vendors, family fun, live entertainment and delicious local eats from your favorite restaurants. Held at Bay View Park and Long Beach Township Municipal Complex. Click here for more information.

Farm-to-Fork Fundraiser, Saturday, June 9th from 5pm-10:30pm. Brady Life Camp in Pottersville, NJ. There will be a farm fresh meal catered, live entertainment, 50/50 and live and silent auctions. Proceeds go towards America’s Grow-a-Row’s mission to positively impact as many lives as possible through a volunteer effort of planting, picking, rescuing, and delivering free fresh produce. For more information and to be a sponsor, please visit: America’s Grow a Row

Tenafly Surf’s Up Street Fair, Saturday & Sunday, June 9th & 10th, beginning at 10am. Great food, music, games, arts & crafts and much more at West Railroad Ave & Washington Street.

Chili Cook Off, Saturday, June 9th. The Lions Club will host it’s annual cook off in conjunction with the North Plainfield Street Fair. The Cook Off is a great way to spend the day, and people have the opportunity to sample the chili and vote for their favorite.

Rock, Ribs, and Ridges Festival, Saturday & Sunday, June 9th & 10th. Hidden Valley Club, Vernon, NJ. A two-day celebration of great music, finger-lickin’ barbeque and good times. Lunch, dinner and live music. Great barbeque all day. Click for more details.

Jersey Hills Wine Festival, Saturday & Sunday, June 9th & 10th from 12pm-5pm. Held at Ramapo College, Mahwah. Sample local wines, enjoy entertainment and bring a picnic. Click for more details.

New Jersey Irish Festival, Sunday, June 10th. Join us for live entertainment on two different stages, Pipe & Drum Band Competition, Catholic Mass, Food Vendors, Craft Vendors, Irish Step Dancing, Family Activities, 50/50 Raffle and a full day of live Thoroughbred racing. 42nd Annual Irish Festival

Peru to the World Gastronomic Festival, Friday – Sunday, June 15th-17th. Friday: 2-8pm Saturday: 11am-9pm Sunday: 11am-8pm. Robert Treat Hotel (50 Park Place, Newark). A general tasting open to the public, VIP gala dinners and culinary competitions by leading Peruvian chefs, Emmanuel Piqueras and Marita Lynn for the Best Ceviche and Best Quinoa Dish and Melanie Asher for Best Pisco drink. The fair will also promote/sample fresh Peruvian fruits and vegetables including aguaymanto, trucha, organic coffee and quinoa to name a few.

Chef’s At The Shore, Thursday, June 21st from 5:30pm-9pm. Historic Gardner’s Basin. In conjunction with Professional Chefs Week, the fundraiser attracts local chefs from casino and regional restaurants. Enjoy some of the area’s finest foods. Proceeds from Chefs at the Shore benefit the Atlantic City Aquarium and the Professional Chefs Association (PCA), the latter of which uses the funds to support its education and scholarship programs. For more information, click here.

New Jersey Beer and Food Festival, Friday & Saturday, June 22nd & 23rd. Crystal Springs Resort. Spend a day or the whole weekend as you sample your favorite brews, discover a variety of new flavorful beers, enjoy great food ranging from an all-out BBQ feast to a beer & food pairing reception with top chefs from NJ, party to all your favorite music, participate in the Brews & Birdies Golf Tournament and so much more! Click here for tickets and more details.

North Wildwood Italian American Festival, Friday-Sunday, June 22nd-24th. Friday: 4pm-10pm. Saturday: 10am-10pm. Sunday: 12pm-6pm. Takes place along Olde New Jersey Ave., North Wildwood. Annual celebration of Italian-American heritage, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Features vendors, food and live entertainment. FREE to attend!

BrewFest at the Ballpark, Saturday, June 23rd. Two sessions: 12pm-4pm & 6pm-10pm. Held at the Lakewood BlueClaws Stadium. There will be over 100 styles of beers to taste. There will be local, regional, national, and international brews. There will also be giveaways and a live broad casting from the WRAT. For more information and tickets, click here.

16th Annual Beer Festival, Garden State Craft Brewers Guild, Saturday, June 23rd from 12:30pm-4:30pm. Sample brews from 19 breweries, enjoy great food and live music all on the nation’s most decorated battleship, Battleship New Jersey. Click here for tickets and more info.

Blueberry Festival, Saturday, June 23rd from 10am-4pm. Celebrate all things BLUEBERRY at the 29th Annual Whitesbog Blueberry Festival. Great family fun. Enjoy blueberry picking, live country music, exhibits & demonstrations, lectures & tours, great food and an array of children’s activities. Enjoy the famous pie eating contest. Whites Bogs Road, Browns Mills, NJ. 609-893-4646

“Rythm at the Shore” Music Festival, Saturday & Sunday, June 23rd & 24th. Formerly the Jazz and Blues Festival, this Point Pleasant Beach festival features great music, food and wine. This is an admission FREE event. Wine tasting at a nominal fee. For more information, click here.

Summerbrew 2012, Saturday, June 30th at 5pm. An Island Heights Fire Company tradition. Enjoy beers from around the world, live entertainment and lots of food. Wine and soda are also provided. Click for more info.

Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, July 26th-29th. Festival will enjoy four days of events, tastings and celebrity chef appearances that showcase the city’s abundant culinary offerings. www.acfoodandwine.com