Local Event

Stafford Fall Wine Festival

Sat, October 9, 2021 to Sun, October 10, 2021 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Cost: $20 in advance, $25 day of

After being put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Annual Stafford Fall Wine Festival is slated to return on October 9 and 10. The event will be held from 12 to 5 pm each day and is moving across the street to Heritage Park on West Bay Avenue (across from A. Paul King Park) to accommodate social distancing. Dozens of fine wines from some of New Jersey's leading wineries will be available for sampling while enjoying the beautiful park setting. Unique crafters, vendors and food will also on hand. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to sit and enjoy live music Saturday from area favorite The Impulsives; on Sunday Acoustic NRG will perform​. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. A maximum of 1,300 wristbands per day will be available, advance tickets are strongly encouraged. Under 21 years of age and designated drivers are free and are not included in the wristband count. Parking will be available in the A. Paul King parking lot; a police officer will be on hand to help people cross the street. Pets will not be permitted; service animals are welcome. Although the festival is rain or shine, in the event of extreme weather a cancelation decision will be made the evening prior and posted on the Stafford Wine Festival Facebook page. Advance tickets can be purchased by visiting https://staffordwinefest2021.eventbrite.com. The Stafford Township Fall Wine Festival is sponsored by WJRZ 100.1 and sister station WRAT 95.9.

The festival will offer sampling from some of New Jersey’s leading wineries; participants include Chestnut Run Farm, Cream Ridge Winery, DiMatteo Winery, Monroeville Vineyard & Winery, Plagido’s Winery, Wagonhouse Winery, White Horse Winery, and Villari Vineyards. Dozens of varieties of wines will be available for sampling; each paid admission includes a commemorative wine glass to use for the tasting and guests can purchase favorites by the bottle or case during the event. 

The wine festival is being held in conjunction with the Stafford Township Recreation Department’s Fall Harvest Festival. According to Recreation Director Jason Hazelton, “Our Fall Harvest Festival is one of the largest and most anticipated events of the year on the Recreation Department calendar. It always feels like a homecoming of friends near and far, new and old. We are thrilled to welcome everyone back after not being able to gather with our neighbors in 2020, and are very excited to announce the expansion of more festivities into Heritage Park. Stafford Recreation is certain this addition will be welcomed to the traditions of the weekend.”

For 2021 the Wine Festival component of the weekend will be held on the grounds of

Heritage Park surrounded by rich local history such as the Old Stone Store, Manahawkin Train Station and the Tuckerton Railroad train car. Members of the Stafford Township Historical

Society will be on hand and the museums will be open. There will be entertainment, vendors and food trucks as well. On Saturday the festival features entertainment and family fun events including the Halloween parade, costume contest, scarecrow making, hayrides, jalapeno eating contest, and pumpkin patch. Sunday will feature the Red Rocker Record Fair, a classic car show, and musical entertainment by Ridgemont High. Both days will offer food vendors and crafters along with the wine festival.

 For more information on the wine festival or to purchase advance tickets, visit https://staffordwinefest2021.eventbrite.com. For more information about the Stafford Township Fall Harvest Festival, call the Recreation Department at 609-597-1000 ext. 8573, visit www.staffordnj.gov or follow Stafford Recreation on Facebook.

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Tags

• event
• New Jersey wines
• wine tasting
• wine festival
• Things to do in Manahawkin, New Jersey
• New Jersey Wine & Food Events
• Manahawkin Wine & Food Events