5 Weekend Events In NJ: Balloon Festival, ‘Renaissance,’ County Fair

NEW JERSEY — Is it just us, or is this summer going by quickly? It's the last weekend in July already, and Patch rounded up some events going on around New Jersey for you to check out this weekend.

Here's what is going on in the Garden State from Friday, July 28 through Sunday, July 30.

Beyonce - Renaissance World Tour at MetLife, Saturday and Sunday

Beyhive members and "alien superstars" will put their best faces forward for Beyonce's two-night tour stop in East Rutherford. Tickets are still available on several resale sites if you want to see Queen Bey (and a possible dance feature from her daughter, Blue Ivy) on her stadium tour.

"New Voices of 2023" performances at Paper Mill Playhouse, Friday-Saturday

Young performers in the competitive Summer Musical Theater Conservatory program will celebrate "the sounds that revolutionized the Broadway musical" in a fully-produced concert this weekend called"We Will Rock You."

The "New Voices of 2023" will perform four shows at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $25. (Read more, and see what towns the performers are representing, in this Patch article).

Monmouth County Fair, Friday-Sunday

Jersey residents love spending time at the beach, but nothing says summer quite like strolling along the main drag of a county fair. Monmouth County has theirs this week at the East Freehold Showgrounds. The pie-eating contest is Sunday, with pies donated by Wemrock Orchards.

Hours this weekend are Friday from 4-11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is $8. Children 12 and under enter free, as do veterans and active military (with ID). Sunday is also free admission for seniors 65 years and older, and for students with ID.

New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, Readington, Friday-Sunday

The largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America kicks off on Friday and will run through Sunday, as the New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning returns for 2023. The festival will feature 100 sport- and special-shaped hot air balloons from across the country flying twice each day over Central Jersey. (Read more in this Patch article).

Antique and Summer Market at WheatonArts, Millville, Saturday and Sunday

This indoor and outdoor event features "a standout collection" of antiques dealers from the Mid-Atlantic region, who will be selling a wide variety of vintage accessories, jewelry, glass, ceramics, toys, furniture, and more. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, $7 for students, and children 5 and under are free; WheatonArts Members also get in free.