TIP: If you’re reading this after the fair or fest listed has finished, never fear, these are all annual events, and it’s a great idea to plan ahead.  Discount admission tickets and carnival ride all-day wristbands can generally be purchased online a month or so prior to the event, and in some cases, wristbands can ONLY be purchased online and quantities are limited. Mark your calendars for 2012 now!  Activities vary from day-to-day.  Visit websites for annual dates, prices, event listings and more.

The New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show (Augusta)

Sussex County Fairgrounds
August 5-14

After 65 years, the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show is still going strong, with 200,000+ fair-goers each year hitting the 145 acre fairgrounds for 10 days of fun.  This fair provides a great balance of carnival/commercial and agriculture, in fact agriculture and the horse show areas comprise at least half the fairgrounds.  Take in a Quarter Horse show, watch a 4-H cow judging in the livestock pavilion, visit the Peters Valley Craft Center Tent for demonstrations on blacksmithing, pottery jewelry making, wood turning, weaving; bet on a pig at Robinson's Paddling Porkers obstacle course race; catch musical acts from cowboy singers to polka bands; visit a robotics display; take a monster truck ride; climb a coconut tree; see honey hives buzzing with bees; watch oxen and truck pulls; catch a rabbit-and-other-small-creatures costume contest; visit the Snook Museum for a taste of old-fashioned life in a farmhouse and general store; check out incubators full of chicks; stop and smell the roses at the Flower & Garden Expo. Worked up an appetite?  Every manner of fried food (and otherwise) can be found in the concessions aisle—if you’ve never had a corndog on a stick, now’s the time to try one!  On to the midway, where carnival games and rides abound.  Little ones will love the merry-go-round and ferris wheel, braver souls, the Viking Ship and Himalaya coaster, and the bravest, the Alien 20000, the Crazy Claw and many more.  Truly, a full-on fair experience! (August)

New Jersey Friends of Clearwater Festival (Asbury Park)

Sunset Park
August 20

This FREE one-day open-air music and arts festival takes over Sunset Park with two stages of live musical performances, including rock, folk, blues, gospel, and even children’s music.  Is the spotlight calling you?  Get on up there!  A third stage is reserved specifically for festival-goers to perform–bring your own instruments, or just warm up your vocal cords, and the stage is yours! There’s concessions, children’s arts-and-crafts and more.  C’mon, relive those garage band days and embarrass your kids, all at the same time! (Note:  This event is handicapped accessible and sign language interpreters are available.) (August)

Maywood Summertime Family Festival (Maywood)

West Pleasant Avenue
August 21

Maywood’s main thoroughfare transforms into a huge family-oriented festival for one day each August.  Restaurants along the festival route offer outdoor cafe-style service; there’s a huge pedestrian marketplace featuring local businesses and crafters; non-stop music and entertainment;  kiddie rides; a climbing wall; pony rides; a petting zoo; clowns;  games;  face painters;  sand art; and more! (August)

Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-Off at Monmouth Park (Oceanport)

Monmouth Park
August 20

If our One Great Day in NJ post devoted to Monmouth Park wasn’t enough to get you to head to the track, this annual 2-day event should seal the deal!  Thirteen top Shore Chefs compete for the best crab cake award and the coveted People’s Choice Award—oh, yes, it’s up to YOU to decide!  Crab cakes, fried catfish, clam chowder bread bowls and more line the cook-off area, and at prices ranging from $5.-15. a restuarant, you’ll be fine dining on a dime. Go on Sunday, and you’ll get to hit the FREE family fun day activities, too! (August)
 
Hunterdon County 4H & Agricultural Fair (Lambertville)

County Fairgrounds, South County Park
August 24-28

The focus is on the farm at this annual 4-H fair!  There’s enough animals to rival Noah’s Ark: poultry, goats, horse, waterfowl, lambs, rabbits, guinea pigs, seeing-eye puppies, sheep, cows, horses, llama and more.  Visit exhibit halls to check out the huge array of 4-H projects;  4-Her’s compete for blue ribbons with bake-offs, art, creative writing, crafts, sewing, cake decorating, needlework, photography, bike rodeo, lego designs, antique tractors, farm crops, honey and more.  There’s also action at the tractor pulls (everything from pedal tractors to the big, real deal), pony rides, a petting zoo, a Xmas tree display, a circus, and carnival games and rides.  Make a day of it–the kids’ll be snoozing before you even leave the parking lot! (August)

IAANJ Annual Irish Feis/Festival (Augusta)

Sussex County Fairgrounds
September 11

Can’t wait ‘til St. Patrick’s Day to get your green on?  Hit this annual September fest at Sussex County Fairgrounds for an over-the-top day of Irish celebration! Watch competitions ranging from Irish Step Dancing and Bagpipe Bands, to Piping/Drumming and Celtic Art.  Entertainment includes Irish folk music, bagpipe bands and Irish bands.  Learn a little about Irish language and art and traditional Ceili dancing, take park in a 9/11 Remembrance Mass, check out the children’s activities, and of course, eat up some Irish food and down some green beer, too! (September)

Hoboken Italian Festival (Hoboken)

Sinatra Drive
September 8-11

If your family’s familiar with Italy only through Snookie and the Situation’s foray to Florence, head to this annual Italian celebration for 4-days of fun! Beginning with a New Jersey “American Idol” competition and tribute to Lady Gaga (did you know she’s Italian?), the festival continues over four days with loads of Italian music in every shape and form; pizza-eating contests; cannoli-eating contests; fireworks; grape-stomping; and a day-long procession through the streets of Hoboken, including a painstaking reenactment of the "Blessing of the Fleet" in the Hudson River.  85 years in the making, it’s a true celebration of everything Italian in New Jersey, capiche? (September)