New Jersey’s Top 4 Spring Events You Won’t Want to Miss

From the southern barrier islands overlooking Delaware Bay to the old mining country in the north, New Jersey has plenty going on during the spring months. With the cold winds of winter gone, spring is the perfect time to go outside and enjoy the weather. If you have the time, you should visit one of the great events the state hosts.

1. Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival

Every year, Newark and the rest of Essex County celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival. Branch Brook Park, the first county park in the United States, has more cherry blossom trees than anywhere else, even the National Mall in Washington. That’s why it hosts the Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival every year, and people from New York City to Trenton come to see the trees in full bloom in late March and early April. The festival includes Japanese culture demonstrations, a craft market, food, and live music.

2. St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Morris County

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Morristown dates itself back to 1780. After a tough winter, General George Washington gave his Irish militia members a vacation on St. Patrick’s Day, and they happened to be in Morris County at the time. Morris County’s first modern St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicked off in 1979, and it’s been going strong ever since. The parade takes place on a Saturday in March before the day itself. Aside from the parade, Morris County also hosts a pre-parade festival with food, music, and activities for kids.

3. Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival

Where else would you go for beer and music except Atlantic City? Every year at the end of March, the Atlantic City Convention Center hosts a two-day festival that celebrates the many craft beers and local breweries that have sprung up during the last few decades.

The brews come from all across the East Coast and beyond, and for a $60 ticket, you get a commemorative tasting mug and unlimited tastings of all the beer you’d like to try. For the music, Atlantic City brings in a variety of acts to play sets for the main stage and acoustic stage.

4. New Jersey Renaissance Faire

While many ren fairs take place in the fall, the New Jersey Renaissance Faire opens its doors on three May and June weekends just outside Bordentown near Trenton. This festival has plenty of activities: eating classic fair foods, browsing the handcrafted goods offered by the many merchants, drinking mead at the Mead Garden, or watching one of the many performers putting on a show on one of the event’s 10 stages. You can show up in a period costume, but period clothing is just fine, too.

When the weather warms up, people come out of their homes and start having fun. That’s why New Jersey offers all kinds of spring events like a Renaissance fair, St. Patrick’s Day parades, and festivals that celebrate spring blossoms, spring harvests, and even spring brews. Check out at least one of them this year!

Image via Shinya Suzuki | Licensed by CC BY-ND 2.0

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