Guide to Attending New Jersey's 2025 Beer Festivals

What Sets New Jersey Beer Festivals Apart?

New Jersey beer festivals and local breweries have a character all their own, shaped by close-knit communities, inventive brewing, and the state's unique regulations:

Local support plays a huge role. Many NJ craft breweries share strong ties with their towns, creating a friendly, familiar feel where brewers and visitors often know each other.

Small-batch creativity is everywhere. Breweries offer everything from fruited sours and pastry stouts to juicy IPAs and mixed styles, not just typical lagers and ales.

State laws keep most breweries food-free, so festivals often feature food trucks and local vendors. The result feels more like a lively block party than a corporate event.

Whether you’re at the Shore, in the city, or out in the countryside, breweries reflect their neighborhoods. Shore spots tend to favor crisp fruit ales and light beers, while city breweries in places like Jersey City highlight bold, global influences.

These events deliver more than beer. Enjoy live music, unique foods, friendly crowds, games, and exclusive releases that rarely hit store shelves.

Being close to New York and Philadelphia puts NJ breweries near lots of experienced beer fans, but local breweries keep things independent and never lose their small-town charm.

Beer Festival Basics: A Simple Guide for First-Timers

Your first visit to a New Jersey beer festival is exciting and welcoming. After checking in, you usually get a tasting glass, often around 5oz. Move from booth to booth and sample small pours (2-3oz) from dozens of breweries. No need to finish every pour if you don’t love it—dump stations are provided for anything you want to pass on.

Festivals are fun and busy, with live bands, games, and food trucks everywhere. To make your day great:

Drink water often, matching one water for every two beer samples. Most festivals have free water stations.

Take it slow and grab food from local vendors, especially between heavy or strong beers.

Make a plan for how you’ll get home. Always use a designated driver, rideshare, or a festival shuttle if available.

Popular Beers and Breweries at NJ Craft Beer Events

The top choices at beer festivals in New Jersey change seasonally, but some favorites stand out every year. Hazy and juicy IPAs draw big crowds, and releases from Kane, Carton, Icarus, and The Seed usually sell fast. Fruited sours are popular in the warmer months and offer something fresh for those after more than just hop-forward beers.

Classic crisp lagers and pilsners from breweries like Cape May Brewing Co. are great choices, especially for those hot festival afternoons. During fall and winter, watch for barrel-aged stouts and special small-batch pours. Check the event map and look for the booths with strong reputations—they often bring their best and newest brews to NJ craft beer events.

The top choices at beer festivals in New Jersey change seasonally, but some favorites stand out every year. Hazy and juicy IPAs draw big crowds, and releases from Kane, Carton, Icarus, and The Seed usually sell fast. Fruited sours are popular in the warmer months and offer something fresh for those after more than just hop-forward beers.

Classic crisp lagers and pilsners from breweries like Cape May Brewing Co. are great choices, especially for those hot festival afternoons. During fall and winter, watch for barrel-aged stouts and special small-batch pours. Check the event map and look for the booths with strong reputations—they often bring their best and newest brews to NJ craft beer events.

The Top 2025 Beer Festivals New Jersey Has to Offer

September 2025 New Jersey Beer Festivals

Annual Fall Boo Brew By The Bay
Saturday, September 13, 2025 | 12pm–5pm
The Seafarer, Highlands, NJ
Sip by the Shrewsbury River. Tickets are $40 and include seven tastings plus a commemorative glass. Live bands, fire pits, and tasty food available for purchase.

Burlington Hops & Rocks Festival
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Colonial Burlington Foundation, Burlington, NJ
Taste beer from 20+ breweries, eat from food trucks, and enjoy live music. The optional 5k run/walk raises money for local causes.

Harvest Brew Fest
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Cape May, NJ
Free entry (pay for food and tastings). Celebrate South Jersey’s best beers, local food, artisan vendors, and music from area performers.

Freedom on Tap Beerfest
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Delran, NJ
A great mix of craft beer, food trucks, music, and local makers. All proceeds support local veterans and their families.

Highlands Oktoberfest
Saturday, September 20, 2025 | 12:00–7:00pm (Rain date: Sept 27)
Veterans Park, Highlands, NJ
Experience authentic German beer, classic food, traditional music, and lots of dancing.

South Orange Downtown Beer Fest
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Sloan Street Parking Lot, South Orange, NJ
Sample craft beers from some of NJ’s favorites. Expect a welcoming vibe for beer geeks and first-time tasters alike.

Central Jersey Beer Festival
Saturday, September 27, 2025 | 12pm
Mercer County Park Festival Grounds, West Windsor, NJ
Taste more than 175 beers, seltzers, and spirits from across the region. Enjoy live music and pack a blanket to spread out with friends. Proceeds help local non-profits.

Glassboro Craft Beer Festival
Saturday, September 27, 2025 | 12pm–5pm
Glassboro Town Hall, Glassboro, NJ
Over 100 samplings from 50+ breweries, string of food trucks, and headlining local band Goodman Fiske.

Trails, Tails & Ales
September 27, 2025
Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, 4 Sawmill Rd,, MedfordNJ
This event features a 5K Trail Run & Beer Garden for runners, nature enthusiasts to support wildlife conservation. Sample beer from 7 different local South Jersey breweries in a beer garden after the run.

October 2025 Beer Festivals New Jersey

North Jersey Craft Beer & Wine Fest
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Veterans Community Park, Randolph, NJ
Enjoy handpicked regional beers, boutique wines, and gourmet snacks under the stars. This open-air tasting features live bands and artisan food vendors.

November 2025 NJ Craft Beer Events

Beer BBQ Bacon Showdown
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Firemans Field, Rockaway, NJ
Over 30 breweries serve three unique beers each, with at least one rare or exclusive beer per brewery. Enjoy award-winning BBQ and bacon, live bands, and friendly competitions. All food and beer are served up under tents, so rain can't spoil your fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

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