With Memorial Day considered the unofficial start of summer, Middlesex County residents are invited to enjoy myriad events indoors and outdoors as the weather begins to warm up.
- The First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury’s annual Strawberry Festival will take place on June 1 at the church, 22 N. Main St., Cranbury.
There will be food concessions, a bluegrass band, a brass band, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides and emergency service vehicles.
- St. George’s Anglican Church will hold its eighth annual Kidztown & Strawberry Festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 1 on the church grounds, 56 Main St., Helmetta.
The day features strawberry treats, homemade baked goods, craft vendors, historic church tours, a playground for children, face painting, a bounce house, games and more.
Parking and admission are free.
For more information, visit www.helmettachurch.com/strawberry-festival.
- The East Brunswick Art & Music Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 1 at the Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.
There will be musical performances, art and craft exhibitors, and food trucks.
Free to attend.
Sponsored by East Brunswick Recreation.
For more information, visit www.eastbrunswick.org/artmusicfestival.
- Outdoor Movies at Metuchen Town Plaza will be held the first Saturday of the month from June to October. For the schedule, visit www.downtownmetuchen.org.
- The Bash Music & Craft Beer Festival 2019 will be held from noon to 10 p.m. on June 2 at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, 230 Pension Road, Englishtown.
The event will feature up to four hours of craft beer tastings with more than 100 craft beers and live music. The performance lineup is Rancid, Pennywise, Suicidal Tendencies, L7 and Madball.
Noon begins the VIP tasting for attendees age 21 and older. General admission tasting begins at 1 p.m. All ages are invited beginning at 4 p.m.
Tickets range from $49.50-$130.
For more information, visit thebashenglishtown.frontgatetickets.com.
- SIROCKSNY.com and School of Rock will hold the fourth annual Foodstock food truck festival from 5-10 p.m. on May 31 and from 1-10 p.m. on June 1 and 2 at the Woodbridge Center Mall, near the Sears parking lot, 250 Woodbridge Center Dr., Woodbridge.
There will be a beer garden, entertainment, children’s activities, an inflatable Gaga pit, costume characters and a bounce house.
Admission is $5 per adult per day. Children under 12 are free.
For more information, visit SIROCKSNY.com.
- The New Jersey Renaissance Faire celebrates its 10th season on June 1-2 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine, on the grounds of Liberty Lake, Bordentown.
Guests cheer for their favorite knight during jousting matches. Lord Oakheartt will provide photo opportunities with guests as the living tree man. Adamo Ignis will take the stage with her fire performance and street circus act. Shakespeare Approves will present comedic, interactive performances. Nipper’s Nook provides an area for children to enjoy creative craft making and musical exploration. Music fills the shire with acts including Nothing Sacred performing traditional Irish, Celtic and Pirate music, and father and son Celtic musical act, The Kennedys.
For tickets, visit NJRenFaire.com. Single Day: $25 for adults, $10 for children 5-12; Season Pass (six days): $60 adults, $30 children. Free parking and free admission for children under 5.
- The Summer 2019 New Jersey International Film Festival will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. from June 1-9 in Voorhees Hall, Room 105, at Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton St., New Brunswick. For the complete schedule, visit www.njfilmfest.com.
-
The Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce will hold Cruise Nights from 6-8:30 p.m. on June 5, July 10, Aug. 7 and Sept. 4 in downtown Metuchen.
Rain dates are the following Wednesday. There will be no rain date in July.
For more information, visit metuchenchamberexchange.com.
- The 34th annual Lebanese Festival will be held from 6-10 p.m. on June 7, from noon to 11 p.m. on June 8 and from noon to 10 p.m. on June 8 at St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church, 526 Easton Ave., on the corner of Franklin Boulevard, Somerset.
Better known as a Mahrajan, the festival is an outdoor gathering for authentic Middle Eastern food, music, dance and culture. Traditional Lebanese foods such as falafel, shawarma (gyro), hummus, shish kabob, spinach pies, tabouhli, stuffed grape leaves and more will be featured. Vegetarian selections will also be vegan. In addition, there will be a large assortment of Middle Eastern pastries such as baklawa, mamool, nammoora and ghraybeh.
Performing on Friday will be Eddie Osama. On Saturday, Ayad Atallah will perform. On Sunday, Jad Rahme will sing both traditional and popular songs from Lebanon. There will be daily dancing, as well as folkloric dance performances.
In addition, there will be souvenirs, games of chance, raffles and prizes.
Admission and parking are free.
For more information, call the parish office of St. Sharbel Church at 732-828-2055 or visit www.saintsharbelnj.org.
- The Princeton Festival will be held June 7-30.
John Adams’s opera Nixon in China, a poetic and thought-provoking modern masterpiece, June 23 and 30
The Princeton debut of Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, June 16
13 performances of She Loves Me, June 8-30
Internationally known pianist Rachel Cheung, playing music by Chopin, Ravel, and Schubert among others in her Princeton debut, June 22
An evening of music by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Kodály from the Concordia Chamber Players, June 7
The period-instrument Princeton Festival Baroque Orchestra in a chamber performance, June 22; a full orchestra concert, June 26
Choral music by J.S. Bach and Antonio Vivaldi, accompanied by the Baroque Orchestra, June 30
Final round of the festival’s piano competition, June 9
For more information, call 609-258-2787 or visit www.princetonfestival.org.
- Rutgers Day at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport will be on June 8. Gates open 7:30 a.m. First race is at 12:50 p.m.
General parking $5, grandstand admission $5, children 12 and under free.
For more information, call 732-222-5100 or visit www.monmouthpark.com.
- The Jamesburg Presbyterian Church will hold its annual Spring Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 8 at the church, 175 Gatzmer Ave., Jamesburg. Rain date is June 15.
There will be live music, the Cloggers dance group, food choices, a bounce castle, face painting, children’s activities and more.
- The third annual Celebrate Middlesex County Event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 8 at Roosevelt Park, Parsonage Road, Edison.
For more information, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/celebrate.
- The Central Jersey Kids Expo will be held from noon to 4 p.m. on June 9 at the Monroe 33 Tennis Basketball Sports Center, 4 Farrington Blvd., Monroe.
There will be crafts, games and prizes.
Free admission.
To register, visit nmg.ticketleap.com/kids19
The event is sponsored by Newspaper Media Group and centraljersey.com.
- Woodbridge Township will present the Alborada Spanish Dance Theater in “A Taste of Spain” at their 10th annual Feria de Sevilla, set for 2:30-6 p.m. on June 9 at Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge. Rain date is June 23.
There will be Flamenco dancing, live music, Spanish food, a paella demonstration, sangria tastings, children’s arts and crafts and interactive activities.
Free admission.
For more information, visit www.alboradadance.org.
- The North Brunswick Youth Sports Festival will be held from June 13-23 on Route 1 north, next to DeVry University, 630 Route 1 north, North Brunswick.
Hours of operation are 6-11 p.m. weeknights, 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays, 3 p.m. to midnight Saturdays, and 3-11 p.m. Sundays.
Attractions include Daniel Weeks FMX Motorcycle Show, Rosaries’ Royal Racers pig racing, Gossamer Magic Show, Commerford Petting Zoo, High Flying Pages Thrill Show, Kiddie Land, live entertainment nightly on the main stage, food vendors, games and rides.
Daily admission is $6. Free parking.
For more information and the promotions schedule, visit www.nbysf.com.
- The third annual Edison VeganFest will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on June 15 at The New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison.
VIP admission begins at 11 a.m.
Festival-goers will have the opportunity to enjoy plant-based culinary delights, cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, children’s activities and giveaways. More than 80 vendors will bring a variety of animal-friendly wellness and beauty products, apparel, health services, educational resources and more.
An up-to-date vendor list and ticket information, visit www.edisonveganfest.com.
- The 16th annual East Coast Cricket Festival, organized by the Ananda College Old Boys’ Association, East Coast Chapter, will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 15 at Tall Timbers Park, 178 Culver Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
In addition to cricket, there will be several vendors selling authentic Sri Lankan food and other items, music, games, and entertainment for children.
For more information, call Kevin at 732-844-5098.
The event is free and open to the public.
- Downtown Loves Dads will be presented by the Metuchen Downtown Alliance from 5-9 p.m. on June 15 at Metuchen Town Plaza.
There will be food, drinks, music, games and more.
For more information, visit www.downtownmetuchen.org.
- St. Stan’s will hold its 2019 carnival from 6-10 p.m. on June 19 and 20, and from 5-11 p.m. on June 21 and 22, on the grounds of the school, 221 MacArthur Ave., Sayreville. Live music will be Nick Ryan Band at 6 p.m. on June 19, East Brunswick School of Rock at 6 p.m. on June 20, Jernee Mill Music at 8 p.m. on June 20, Thunder 106 on June 23 and The Fog at 8 p.m. June 23.St. Stan’s Alumni Night is Jon une 21.
- Metuchen Yoga Day will be held on June 23 in the plaza.
For a schedule, visit metuchenchamberexchange.com.
- SIROCKSNY.com and School of Rock will hold the second annual Foodstock food truck festival from 5-10 p.m. on June 28 and from 1-10 p.m. on June 29 and 30 at the Brunswick Square Mall, 755 Route 18, East Brunswick.
There will be a beer garden, entertainment, children’s activities, an inflatable Gaga pit, costume characters and a stage show.
Admission is $5 per adult per day. Children under 12 are free.
For more information, visit SIROCKSNY.com.
- Metuchen will hold its annual Restaurant Week Jon uly 15-21. For a list of participating restaurants, visit www.downtownmetuchen.org.
- The North Brunswick Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services will present its Summer Music Series again this year.
On July 31 there will be Tempo Allegre playing salsa. On Aug. 7 The B Side Entertainment Group will play soul music. On Aug. 14 there will be rock and roll from Full Throttle.
All concerts will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Babbage Park, near Parsons Elementary School, Hollywood Place. In the event of rain, the concerts will be moved indoors to Linwood Middle School, 25 Linwood Place, North Brunswick.
Bring a chair or blanket.
Food will be available for purchase.
At the Aug. 14 concert, Mobile Family Success Center will sponsor its second annual Ice Cream with a Cop.
For more information, visit northbrunswicknj.gov or call 732-247-0922, ext. 475.
- The Middlesex County Fair will be held from Aug. 5-11 at the Middlesex County Fairgrounds, 655 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.
There will be home arts, craft demonstrations, events, entertainment, musical performances, vendors, exhibits, special attractions and fireworks.
The cost is $7 for adults, $4 for seniors over age 65, $1 for children ages 3-12 or free for children under 2. Parking is free.
Hours are 5-11 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit middlesexcountyfair.com.
- East Brunswick Elks Lodge 2370 will hold a car and motorcycle show from noon to 3 p.m. on Aug. 17 at the lodge, 21 Oakmont Ave., East Brunswick. Rain date is Aug. 25.
The cost is $10 to register and includes a door prize ticket.
Trophy categories are classic, custom, muscle, truck and Best in Show.
Proceeds benefit the Special Needs Committee.
For more information, contact Loretta Medina at 732-900-8124 or [email protected].
- The 24th annual North Brunswick PBA Local 160 Cops & Rodders Car Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 29 in the parking lot by DeVry University, 630 Route 1, North Brunswick. The show was rescheduled from April 28 and May 5 due to two weekends of rain.
Registration is $20 the day of. Spectator admission is free.
For more information, contact Joe Grasso or Ken Riley at [email protected].