Summertime means festivals and fairs, and June is a fine time to be outdoors in Central New Jersey. Community News takes you through just some of the area events that are planned to help you get out of the house and enjoy the weather — and maybe a little bit of culture, too.
One of the area’s most popular annual festivals is already in progress as we enter June: the New Jersey Renaissance Faire, which began on May 18 and is set to continue through June 9.
Now in its 15th edition, the Renaissance Faire looks to recreate a pocket of 16th-century England at the Burlington County Fairgrounds in nearby Columbus. Vendors, artists, musicians and performers, many in period costume, look to entertain and edify festivalgoers each weekend. Attendees are invited to dress up in period clothes as well, and many do, but it is not required.
Every year’s faire has a theme, and this year’s theme is “The Brothers Grimm.” The Brothers Grimm are neither from the 1500’s nor were they English (they were German), but they are known for popularizing many familiar folk tales, including “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Rapunzel” and “Sleeping Beauty,” among many others.
This year, Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm are visiting the Ren Faire and its make-believe village of Crossford. The brothers and some of their famous fairy-tale characters can be seen wandering the faire grounds each Saturday and Sunday to offer interactive storytelling.
There are six stages at the faire, each offering a variety of entertainment that includes belly dancing, live jousting, magic shows, circus shows, story times, comedy and more. Live music is scheduled throughout the day on the Evergreen Stage and at Fiddler’s Green; visit the website for schedules pertaining to each weekend of the festival.
Food vendors offer both period and modern cuisine, and wine and beer are available for purchase. Whisky tasting takes place in the Whiskey Tent. Some events require ticket purchases beyond the cost of admission, and while most are family friendly, some are marked as being appropriate for adults only. These include the after-hours concerts, which also have an additional cost to attend.
The NJ Renaissance Faire has grown over its 15 years, and now boasts of crowds of more than 5,000 daily.
“We are building and producing the show that we have always wanted, and can’t wait to celebrate with our faire family and fans this season when they see how different the shire looks and feels,” says NJRF general manager TJ Miller. Those differences include a new front gate with two 16-foot-tall towers, a new kids’ area and two 80-by-40-foot tents for eating and relaxing.
Tickets are available on the Ren Faire website and include a number of pricing options for adults and children. Saturday and Sunday, June 1–2 and June 8–9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine. Burlington County Fairgrounds, 1990 Jacksonville Jobstown Road, Columbus NJ.
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Those looking to remain firmly ensconced in the year 2024 can head over instead to Mercer County Park, where the county will be hosting the 12th annual Cultural Festival and Food Truck Rally.
The festival is set to feature live music and traditional dance performances featuring area residents with a diverse array of cultural backgrounds. The county says there will be art demonstrations, heritage crafters, children’s activities and a beer garden.
The county’s Division of Culture and Heritage makes an effort to keep the festival as diverse as possible, and that can be seen in the art, music and dance performances as well as in the food trucks on offer, which are set to represent the cuisines of the world.
Food trucks and food and drink vendors set to attend include those representing the cultures of Liberia, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Mexico, Italy, Greece, Belgium, China, Korea, Thailand and Philippines. American regional cuisines including soul food and coastal New England will also be represented.
The event is free to attend and is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 8 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Food and drink is provided for a cost. For weather updates visit the Cultural and Heritage Commission on Facebook.
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Two-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Angel Blue has been tapped to open this year’s Princeton Festival on Friday, June 7 at 8 p.m.
The soprano is expected to perform arias by Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, and George Gershwin. She will be accompanied by Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov as the orchestra performs orchestral pieces by Dvořák, Puccini, Ruperto Chapí, and Frederick Delius.
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s 16-day showcase for the performing arts is set to run from June 7 to 22 and include fully staged performances of Mozart’s comic opera Così fan tutte, Broadway cabaret with Santino Fontana, orchestral music, Baroque and chamber concerts, dance with American Repertory Ballet and a Juneteenth celebration.
Rounding out opening weekend are The Music of Tina Turner with LaKisha Jones, Nova Payton and Matthew Johnson on Saturday, June 8 at 7 p.m. and a Family Day culminating with a concert featuring Latin Grammy Award nominee Sonia De Los Santos on Sunday, June 9 at 4 p.m. All three performances take place in the outdoor performance pavilion on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden.
For a complete listing of Festival events at the pavilion and at nearby Trinity Church, visit the festival website.
This year’s Festival Family Day is Sunday, June 9, and begins with a free yoga class at 9 a.m. on the front lawn of Morven Museum and Garden (ages 10 and up). From 1:30-3:30 p.m., there will be a middle school Listen Up! art exhibition opening, plus free hands-on musical activities and treats for children of all ages, followed by the 4 p.m. family concert featuring Sonia De Los Santos and her band, performing original songs sung in Spanish and English.
Tickets are available now for all 2024 Princeton Festival events at Morven Museum & Garden and nearby Trinity Church, ranging in price from $10 to $150. Tickets can also be purchased online at princetonsymphony.org/festival.
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On the following Saturday, gear up for one of the area’s newest annual festivals, the Juneteenth Freedom Day Ride followed by the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Festival, both in Mercer County Park.
The bike ride and festival have been held since 2021 in honor of Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The bike ride is presented by nonprofit organization Let’s Cycle NJ along with the Samuel McCoy III Scholarship Fund.
Things kick off at 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 15 when in-person registration for the bike ride begins at the park. Riders have their choice of four levels of ride: a 75-mile ride, a 50-mile ride, a 35-mile ride and a novice ride, all set for staggered starts beginning at 8:30 a.m. Registration is online.
The Juneteenth Festival, organized by the African American Cultural Collaboration of Mercer County, is set to begin following the completion of the bike rides. Organizers say that the festival will feature live music, food trucks, vendors and reserved areas for members of participating cycling clubs.
More information is available on the website, or by emailing organizers Doug Smarr at dougsmarr@gmail.com or Tennille R. McCoy at tmccoy72@me.com.
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One of the longest running fairs in the area is the St. Gregory the Great Carnival, an annual June tradition in Hamilton that was briefly pushed to fall by the pandemic. It’s back in June, and set for Monday, June 17 through Saturday, June 22 this year.
The Catholic church on Nottingham Way raises funds for its K-8 academy through the carnival, which features rides, a midway, food vendors, a balloon man, two nights of fireworks (Tuesday and Saturday) a drone light show on Thursday, June 20, and of course, the super 50/50 raffle, which rises into the tens of thousands of dollars each year. Organizers say that more than 100,000 people attend the carnival each year.
The carnival’s 22 rides are usually divided into rides for kids 8 and younger and for kids 8 and older, up to adults. There are 16 games of chance plus a money wheel. Food for sale includes carnival staples like fried Oreos and funnel cake, as well as stands from Four Boys Ice Cream, Momma Rosa Pizza, Kona Ice and G&L Gyros.
Rain is often a factor that time of year, and all dates are weather permitting. The carnival is open from 6 to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from noon to 5 p.m. and 6 to 11 p.m. on Saturday.
St. Gregory the Great is located at 4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton.
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Those who haven’t got enough of the carnival vibe after St. Gregory’s rolls out of town will be able to head over to Mercer County Park starting Friday, June 28 for the annual L.E.A.D. Fest State Fair.
L.E.A.D. Fest events feature rides, food vendors, craft vendors, local business and community organization kiosks and live entertainment. This year’s festival runs through July 7.
L.E.A.D. stands for Law Enforcement Against Drugs, and the national nonprofit organization supported by police officers focuses its efforts on protecting youth and communities from drugs, drug-related crime, cyberbullying and violence. L.E.A.D. holds fairs throughout the country each year to spread its message.
Organizers of the New Jersey state fair say that more than 60,000 people attended last year’s event. Tickets are $7 during the week and $8 on the weekends, and can be purchased online.
Jousting shows are among the festivities at the New Jersey Renaissance Fair, taking place this year between May 18 and June 9. (Photo by Michael Ulrich.),
Expected participating vendors at this year's Mercer County Cultural Festival and Food Truck Rally.,
