New Jersey Beer & Food Festival
The New Jersey Beer & Food Festival is a hot summer event in New Jersey. For over 10 years, this event has been treating locals and visitors to new foods and drinks, plus there are always world-renowned chefs at the event to introduce flavors from other cultures. The festival itself is held at Crystal Springs Resort, which is just an hour's drive from New York City. The resort is nestled in the Kittatinny Mountain Range, and it's on a 4,000-acre campus. At the resort, you can find many restaurants, golf courses, heated pools, tennis courts, and more.
ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT
The New Jersey Beer & Food Festival is a showcase of food and beverages as presented by chefs from all over the world, and chefs in the past have included Thomas Keller, David Kinch, Michael White, Daniel Boulud, Jose Andres, David Bouley, and plenty of others. One of the highlights of the entertainment is an all-you-can-eat barbecue. Besides all the food and more than 200 types of craft and specialty beers that are available for tasting, there are other activities to enjoy, like Saturday wine seminars, a Friday sunset cabaret, and a huge afterparty.
ON-SITE AMENITIES
There are tons of food and beverages to try at this festival during its three-day course. There will be a marketplace lunch on Saturday that will allow you to purchase wines and snacks from local winemakers.
LOCATION
The New Jersey Beer & Food Festival is held in the Skylands Region at Crystal Springs Resort in North Jersey. The area is remote, but it is still near some popular Jersey cities.
1 Wild Turkey Way Hamburg, NJ 07419
RVING AT THE EVENT
This event is held at Crystal Springs Resort, which does not offer RV camping options. However, there are other campgrounds in North Jersey to choose from when you want to stay near the festival.
• Indian Rock RV Park & Campground: Indian Rock is a family-owned RV park that has been in operation for 30 years. Pets are always welcome at this RV campground. There are 30 acres of pine and oak trees to enjoy, and there are plenty of activities such as horseshoes, mini-golf, basketball, volleyball, a swimming pool, and a playground.
• Pleasant Acres Farm Campground: Pleasant Acres is a unique RV campground in Sussex that operates as a working farm. Guests can interact with the animals, and there are activities that immerse visitors in real farm life. This campground has been in operation for 45 years and has 290 back-in or pull-through 30- and 50-amp sites, all with free Wi-Fi. Pets are also welcome.
• Beachcomber Camping Resort: This 100-acre wooded park has two spring-fed lakes with plenty of boating activities. There are three adult pools and three kiddie pools plus a large beach area. There are 820 back-in sites with full 30- or 50-amp hookups. Pets are allowed, and there is a clubhouse for adults.
Here are some tips to ensure your camping experience at the festival goes well:
• Always get a ride back to your campground if you plan on drinking at the festival. You can use a rideshare program, or you can try a limousine service that is recommended by Crystal Springs Resort.
• Consider making a meal or two in your RV when you can’t make it to a scheduled dinner at the festival. There are lots of ways to prepare healthy food in an RV, and you can make things easier by prepping meals ahead of time.
• Check with the campground you plan to stay at and see if pets are allowed. Some campgrounds do not allow pets to be left unattended, so keep that in mind if you'd like to travel to and from the festival a lot.
WHERE TO STAY
Aside from staying at a campground, you can also stay right at the Crystal Springs Resort or another hotel.
• Crystal Springs Resort: This resort hosts the New Jersey Beer & Food Festival, and it offers luxurious accommodations, dining, spa facilities, golf courses, and many other activities and amenities.
• Quality Inn near Mountain Creek: This Quality Inn is found just down the road from Crystal Springs Resort, and it offers free breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi. It’s also located just 10 miles from the Olde Lafayette Village and 12 miles from the Space Farms Zoo & Museum.
HOW TO GET THERE
Located in the Skylands Region of Northern New Jersey, the Crystal Springs Resort is just a few miles from the New York state border, and it's surrounded by lots of woods and mountains.
From Philadelphia: Take I-95 to New Brunswick, Highway 18 to Piscataway, I-287, and Highway 23. Turn right on Highway 94 to Crystal Springs.
From New York: Take I-95 and then Highway 280, Highway 287, and Highway 23. Turn right on Highway 94 to Crystal Springs.
PARKING
Crystal Springs Resort offers free parking for all guests of the events. The venue also offers valet parking for guests of the resort’s Grand Cascades Lodge.
TICKETS & PRICING
Tickets for individual festival events vary in price, and some sell out quickly. Tickets for all events are available only for adults 21 and older.
WRAP UP
Spending a day at the New Jersey Beer & Food Festival in May is a great way to try new cuisine, sample local craft beers, and enjoy all of the best in entertainment. You can make your experience even more enjoyable by traveling to the event in an RV and staying within the North Jersey area. That way, you can sample all the food and drinks you'd like during the day and have a place to call home each night.
For more updates about the New Jersey Beer & Food Festival, check out the event’s official Instagram page.
Please note, this is not the official source of the event information. While we try to be as comprehensive as possible, some details may have changed since the time this article was written. Please confirm final details with the official event page .
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