Foodie Things To Do This Weekend & Beyond

Cape May Craft Beer & Crab Fest, Saturday, August 11th from 11am-8pm. Held at the beautiful grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, an all-day festival featuring local and regional craft beers to wash down favorite summer picnic foods. Click for more details.

Italian Festival, Wednesday – Sunday, August 12th. Located in Ocean Township, NJ. There’s something for everyone! From sampling the great taste of Italy’s delicious food, rides, games, music, and fireworks display on Friday at 9 pm. This year’s festival promises 5 fun filled days of entertainment for the entire family. Click for more details.

Chocolate Fair, Thursday, August 9th from 6pm-8pm at the Long Beach Island Historical Association’s Museum. Many stations of luscious chocolate treats- Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream of Beach Haven, Country Kettle Fudge of Bay Village, Cand Treats from Kapler’s, Home-baked Chocolate Delights, Layer Cakes, Cupcakes, Brownies, Cookies, etc.  Beautiful Chocolate Fountain for dipping Bananas, Marshmallows, & Pound Cake.  Tickets sold at Door. Proceeds go to Maintenance of Museum. 609-492-0700

Silverton Farms Screening Food Inc., Friday, August 10th at 8pm. The owners of Silverton Farms in Toms River are hosting the first-ever movie night outside at the farm. They will be screening Food, Inc., a documentary about corporate food production in the U.S. The event is free and kids are welcome. You are encouraged to bring blankets and/or chairs to sit on. There will be a concession stand with organic popcorn and other goodies, but guests are also welcome to bring their own snacks if desired. There is no RSVP required, but if you are planning to go, you can stop by the farm or call ahead to let them know: 732-244-2621.

Rock Hops, Saturday, August 11th starting at 1:30pm. Mercer County Park, NJ. A beer & music festival celebrating grass roots Americana, music and craft beer. Click here for more information.

Butterfly & Peach Festival, Saturday, August 11th from 9am-4:30pm. Sickle’s Market. Stop by for face painting, food tastings, specials throughout the store, and a corn shucking contest! Our butterfly release will take place at 4:00pm. Butterfly Viewing: 9am-4pm, Food Tastings: 12pm -4:30pm, Activities: 2pm-4pm.

And Beyond…

A Night on the Navesink: A Flavour Summer Soiree, Thursday, August 16th from 6pm-9pm. Red Bank Flavour with JP Barry Hospitality, Inc will host this event at the Molly Pitcher Inn (88 Riverside Ave, Red Bank) to benefit the Lunch Break and the Red Bank Middle School Athletics Foundation. The evening will include more than 20 Red Bank eateries, as well as wine tastings, libations, and craft-beer selections from New Jersey breweries. Tickets are $40 in advance, or $50 at the door. For tickets, click here.

hMag Lackawanna Music Festival, Saturday, August 18th. Pier A in Hoboken. Sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s (we can only hope they bring ice cream). The event will be hosted by MTV’s Matt Pinfield and will feature the headliner band Tokyo Police Club. Other bands will include Vacationer, Shinobi Ninja, Body Language, Lights Resolve, We Barbarians, The Nightmare, River Band. Pilsener Haus will also be providing a Biergarten at the event as well. The music portion of the event is free but people are required to RSVP.

EARTH Center Garden Field Day | Open House, Saturday, August 18th from 10am-3pm. South Brunswick, NJ. This is a chance to join Farmers Against Hunger and help local farmers donate fresh produce to area soup kitchens, food pantries, and those in need. There will be a lot going on at this big event. The Extension Agriculture Department as well as the County Master Gardeners will be on hand, offering sound advice on horticulture and environmental stewardship. Tours will be given, kid’s activities, Jersey Fresh Taste Test, live music and more.

Canal Day | Music & Craft Festival, Saturday, August 18th from 10am-5pm. Hugh Force Canal Park, Wharton, NJ. Taste traditional ethnic foods of Italian delicacies, Cornish pasties, homemade cakes and other edibles will be for sale. Enjoy great music from NJ musicians, kayaking, mule drawn boat rides, traveling zoo, crafts, fire works, and much more.

Barefoot Grape Stomping, Saturday, August 18th from 2pm-5pm. Four Sisters Winery. Don’t miss out on the fun as you stomp grapes with your barefeet and feel the grape skins squeeze between your toes. Grape stomping event includes formal wine tasting, buffet style dinner, wine cellar tour, barefoot grape stomping and concludes with a dessert wine tasting. Reservations required.

Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-Off, Saturday & Sunday, August 18th & 19th from 12pm-5pm. Monmouth Park. Shore Chefs compete for the best crab cake award and the coveted People’s Choice Award. Taste fare from your favorite local restaurants. Crab cakes, fried catfish, and clam chowder bread bowls are just a few of the favorites. More information.

10th Annual Seafood Festival | And Car Show, Saturday & Sunday, August 18th & 19th from 11am-5pm. Bellview Winery, Landisville, NJ. Delicious seafood prepared fresh by local vendors along with great live music. Attractions include selected crafters and gourmet food vendors, cigars, massages and of course, wine tasting under the wine tent! Saturday also features an extensive American Car Show. Click for details.

Red Bank Food & Wine Walk, Sunday, August 19th from 2pm-6pm. * LAST RB food & wine walk for this summer! Purchase a wristband for $25/person and spend the afternoon strolling through the beautiful riverfront town while sampling food and wine from Red Bank’s fine food establishments. Click here for details.

Saint Sebastian’s Italian Feast, Wednesday – Sunday, August 22nd – 26th. Montclair, NJ. The 5 day event features a wide variety of fine Italian foods such as zeppole, sausage and pepper and cheese steak sandwiches, oven brick pizza and all the Feast favorites. Plenty of rides for the kids and adults as well as games, novelties, nightly entertainment will include the talents of local Italian favorites, Tommy Scala and award winning Sinatra idol, Eric DeLauroe. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. More info.

Buffalo’s 2012 Spicy Wing Challenge, Saturday, August 25th at 3pm. Buffalo’s Chicken Shack, Wood Ridge, NJ. They’re back and the challenge is expected to be bigger, better and if you can believe it, Hotter this year. As always, they issue the challenge to those that can both stand the heat and eat some wings. Winning is just as easy this year as it’s been every other year, just eat more than person next to you! Click for registration and details.

Bridgeton Crabfest and Beer Garden | Cohansey RiverFest, Saturday, August 25th from 10am-8pm. An all day event in conjunction with the Cohansey RiverFest. Food vendors, crab dinner, beer garden, cooking demonstrations, craft vendors, music and much more.

Chili Cooks Against Cancer, Saturday, August 25th from 11am-6pm. West Windsor. The ICS Sanctioned contest includes three chili categories – Red Chili, Verde (green) Chili and Salsa ICS Sanctioned contest includes three chili categories – Red Chili, Verde (green) Chili and Salsa. Chili Lovers? Come out and taste Chili or volunteer to be a judge, either way you’ll have a wonderful time. Kids Activities and Live Entertainment as well as beer! Click for details.

Sharrott Winery Harvest Festival, Saturday & Sunday, August 25th & 26th from 12pm-5pm. Celebration of the grape harvest. Enjoy live music on their field overlooking the vineyards. On Saturday they will have the Matt Noffsinger Band. On Sunday they’ll have Midlife Crisis. Food will be available as well as craft vendors. Of course there is the wonderful wine tasting. Admission to the festival is $10 per person, $8 in advance. Tickets can be purchased online.

Grape Stomping Festival, Sunday, August 26th from 12pm-5pm. Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City will host this fun event. Enjoy wonderful food including their “world famous sausage & pepeprs” and more, beer and wine, crafters, entertainment, activities for kids and of course grape stomping where you get to meet Lucy! Click for more details.

Sustenance on the Farm Dinner, Sunday, August 26th from 5pm-8pm. Morristown, NJ. Fosterfields resident farmer Rob Kibbe will provide a farm tour. The chefs will prepare an elegant farm-to-table six-course dinner centered around Fosterfields, vegetables, grass-fed meat and poultry as well as School Lunch Farms heirloom vegetables. Vegetarian and Vegan options are available. Learn more about this great event and fundraiser.

Wildwood Restaurant Week, Sunday – Friday, August 26th-31st. Enjoy delicious courses from local Wildwood restaurants fro just $30. Click here for more information.

Great Tomato Tasting, Wednesday, August 29th from 3pm-dusk, Pittstown, NJ. This event includes the very popular tasting of over 60 heirloom and hybrid tomato varieties, chef demonstrations, guided educational wagon tours of the farm’s research plots, tastings of honey, basil, apples and peaches, professional advice offered by the Hunterdon County Board of Health Staff on stink bugs, mosquitoes and black flies – pesky insects near and dear to local residents, and “square foot” gardening demonstrations for those interested in small, productive gardens. Click for more info.

BBQ & Craft Beer Festival, Saturday & Sunday, September 1st & 2nd. Monmouth Park. Ribs, pulled pork, brisket – it’s all back and better than ever, served up by some of the Garden State’s best BBQ joints. In addition, cool off with a cold one in the beer garden. More information.

West Cape May Jersey Tomato Festival, Saturday, September 1st from 9am-5pm. Featuring Jersey fresh grown tomatoes, Tomato jewelry, tomato soups, tomato tacos & all things tomato, fine vendors, South Jersey Artists, handmade jewelry, and stained glass. Located in Wilbraham Park. Call 609-884-9325 for information.

Pig Skin Pig Roast Family Tail Gate, Sunday, September 2nd from 1pm-5pm. Get ready for the NFL Season Opener while benefiting seven local food pantries as the Southern Ocean Community Foundation along with the Southern Ocean Chamber of Commerce partners for some great bbq, fixings, prizes and team spirit. Held at the Doc Cramer Field in Manahawkin. Click for more info.

Scandinavian Fest, Sunday, September 2nd from 10am-6pm. Vasa Park, Budd Lake, NJ. An all-day celebration of Scandinavia at its best – where you’ll discover the customs, history, food and ethnic variety of the six Nordic nations: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Click for more details.

An Evening in Normandy, Culinary Workshop, Tuesday, September 11th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. The home of Taillevent, chef to kings and author of France’s first cookbook, this region, located near the coast and its abundance of lush orchards and dairies, dictates the cuisine that is rich with seafood, butter, cream, fruit and meat. The menu will include Moules Normande, Veal Calvados, Pear and Camembert Salad, and Creamy Apple Tart for dessert. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.

Sickles on the Road: Discover the Best of Edible Princeton, Saturday, September 15th from 9am-6pm. Spoil yourself this fall and join Sickles On The Road for a day of culinary discovery in Princeton! Hosted by Kirsty Dougherty, On The Road Tour Director and Sickles’ Chef Carol Maxwell, this is an insider’s look at the burgeoning culinary scene of Princeton and a chance to try your hand at mozzarella cheese making! More info. here.

Atlantic City Seafood Festival, Saturday & Sunday, September 15th & 16th. A two day extravaganza of fun, food and entertainment celebrating the treasures of the Atlantic Ocean while highlighting our sea side city. The festival will offer event goers the opportunity to treat their taste buds to a large variety of dishes prepared by area restaurants and culinary personalities. Click for more details.

WineFest 2012, Saturday & Sunday, September 15th & 16th from 12pm-5pm. Held at Valenzano Winery in Shamong, NJ. Sample award winning, local, wines from seven New Jersey wineries, while enjoying live entertainment. There will also be local restaurants providing food and cheese tastings, try grapes right from the vine, children’s activities, helicopter rides and much more.