Get Hooked On The Belmar NJ Seafood Festival
- May 4
- 4 min read
Updated: May 21
The NJ Seafood Festival in Belmar, New Jersey, is scheduled for Friday, May 15; Saturday, May 16; and Sunday, May 17, 2026. The festival returns to its oceanfront location at Silver Lake Park on Ocean Avenue, between 5th and 7th Avenues.
Every day of the Belmar Seafood Festival will offer an ultimate feast of crowd-pleasing favorites — from scallop kabobs and lobster rolls, to coconut shrimp, crab legs, and more.
Admission to the festival is free, with grab-and-go fare for sale at each individual food vendor. Nearly 30 food truck vendors are participating in the 2025 NJ Seafood Festival in Belmar, including local restaurants Ragin' Cajun, Playa Bowls, Santo Ceviche, and Brandl.
If you are looking for some savory sides to add to your seafood platter, you'll find food trucks selling grilled sweet corn, empanadas, blooming onions, lobster and crab fries, lobster mac and cheese, and more.
For your sweet tooth, take your pick from vendors selling funnel cakes, fried Oreos, Caribbean rum cakes (moist and decadent!), cannoli cream waffles, and ice cream treats.
In addition, 10th Ave. Burrito Co. has teamed up with ShorePoint Distributors to host the beer, wine, and hard seltzer tent (admission fee applies plus the cash bar).
Local Tip: Don't miss Point Lobster Company's hot butter-bathed lobster roll served on a soft potato bun. It is sinfully delicious. I also love the blackened scallop kebabs. So fresh and just the right amount of spicy kick!
Last year, I swooned over the fried grouper sandwich from the legendary Ike's Crab Cakes of Ocean City, New Jersey. The sandwich is kicked up with coleslaw and sriracha on top — a flavorful combination! You also must check out the moist and flavor-packed Caribbean rum cakes from Goodway Gourmet Bakery out of Troy, New York. They sold out last year, so make sure you don't miss out on a sweet slice of rum cake at the 2026 New Jersey Seafood Festival in Belmar.
RELATED: Dining In Belmar, NJ
Seafood Festival Shopping And Vendor Market
Throughout the Belmar Seafood Festival weekend, an assortment of local artisans and market vendors, including Belmar's own Señor Juan's Cigars, will have merchandise for sale in Silver Lake Park. Make sure you also stop by the Belmar Tourism table, where you can spin a prize wheel and win some fun Belmar swag. And don't forget the mobile petting zoo! Feed the gentle farm animals and give them a head scratch. Admission is $2.00 to enter. For $5.00, you get entry and a cup of chopped carrots to feed the animals.
Downtown Belmar businesses and restaurants will also be open during the event – a great time to browse the clothing boutiques and specialty shops along Main Street.
Local Tip: Wear shoes or sneakers that are suitable for walking in a grass field. Also, don't be fooled: The ocean water is cold and not suitable for swimming, even though the day is sunny and warm.
NJ Seafood Festival Live Music Schedule
Along with the food, musical entertainment is also a big part of the Belmar Seafood Festival. Bring lawn chairs or a towel for lawn seating in the park.
The lineup of bands for the 2026 Seafood Festival in Belmar includes:
Friday, May 15
4:00 p.m., Shut Up Gus
6:00 p.m., Tommy B and the Deep Blue Sea
Saturday, May 16
12:00 p.m., Beach Music Studios Kids Rock Band
2:00 p.m., Danny White Band
4:00 p.m., 9 South
6:00 p.m., Little By Little
Sunday, May 17
11:00 a.m., E Boro Bandits
1:30 p.m., Side Hustle Band
4:00 p.m., Pat Roddy Band
RELATED: Explore The Belmar Treasure Trail
Getting Here: Tips From Town Officials
To minimize parking and traffic issues, out-of-town visitors are encouraged to ride New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line to Belmar to get to the Seafood Festival.
If you are coming from Monmouth or Ocean County, park at your closest local train station and ride New Jersey Transit into Belmar. The Belmar train station in Belmar Plaza is conveniently located just steps from the festival fun between 9th and 10th Avenues.
Train schedule for the New Jersey Transit North Jersey Coast Line to the Belmar train station.
If you travel local roads to get to the festival, be advised that the Main Street Bridge between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea is currently closed. New Jersey Transit is operating a shuttle bus that makes several stops between the two towns. Ocean Avenue in Belmar will remain open to vehicular traffic throughout the event.
38th Annual Belmar NJ Seafood Festival
Silver Lake Park
500 Ocean Avenue
Belmar, New Jersey 07719
Friday, May 15, 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 16, 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 17, 11:00 am. - 6:00 p.m.
Rain or shine event. No dogs permitted in the festival area.
If you are an interested food or marketplace vendor, contact Belmar Tourism officials at 732-681-3700, ext. 214, for more information about reserving your spot in the 2026 Belmar Seafood Festival at the Jersey Shore.
Story and images © Christine Cardellino, Belmar Beachcomber Blog, and www.VacationInBelmar.com, 2017 to present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, including photography, without express and written permission from this site’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. If you wish to use a photograph from this site, full and clear credit must be given to Belmar Beachcomber Blog with appropriate and specific links to the original content.
Live Like A Local: Rent A Belmar Beach House
Day trips down the shore are fun, but the best way to experience the area is to unpack your bags and stay for a week or two. If you are looking for a clean, quiet getaway for a couple, solo stay, or small family trip, our updated two-bedroom Blue Hydrangea Cottage in Belmar, New Jersey is the perfect place to relax in serene surroundings at the Jersey Shore.
The house sleeps up to four people and is consistently rated five stars by our guests for its fantastic location, spotless upkeep, and all the thoughtful details that make for an easy beach stay. You can see photos and check our open dates on our Blue Hydrangea Cottage rental page.
RELATED: Explore our local Belmar NJ Travel Guide to plan your beach days, dining, and local events.
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