The 2025 Bayonne Hometown Fair is officially set to take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, and will run from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. The fair will be held on Broadway, stretching from 21st Street to 26th Street, and will feature free mechanical rides, bounce houses, two stages of live entertainment, 84 vendors, and a brand-new rock climbing wall.
There is no rain date for this event. However, fair organizers say they will make every possible effort to continue or resume activities on the scheduled day in case of bad weather.
This year’s fair is organized by the Bayonne Heritage Association, a non-profit group created in 2024 to host community events such as fairs and parades. The event is being run in partnership with the City of Bayonne and Mayor Jimmy Davis.
- The Bayonne Hometown Fair will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. along Broadway between 21st and 26th Streets.
- This year’s fair features 84 vendors, two live entertainment stages, a 55-foot Ferris wheel, a new rock wall, and free mechanical and inflatable rides.
- Organized by the Bayonne Heritage Association with support from Mayor Jimmy Davis and city departments, the fair is funded through vendor fees and local sponsors.
84 Vendors Lining Broadway from 21st to 25th Streets
The fair will host 84 vendor spaces located along Broadway from 21st Street to 25th Street. These spaces will be filled by local businesses, organizations, and artisans from Bayonne and neighboring towns.
Vendors will be selling or showcasing a wide range of products and services, including:
- Clothing, including handmade and printed apparel
- Jewelry, including custom and handcrafted pieces
- Artwork and paintings by local artists
- Small toys and collectibles for children
- Pet products such as leashes, toys, and treats
- Home décor, including candles, crafts, and design pieces
In addition to merchandise, vendors will also include local banks, real estate offices, home improvement companies, children’s services providers, and non-profits offering information, free materials, and promotional giveaways.
A Full Menu of Local Food Options
Visitors are encouraged to arrive hungry. The fair will offer a long list of food vendors serving meals and snacks throughout the day.
Available food includes:
- Sausages
- Hot dogs
- Empanadas
- Pulled pork sandwiches
- Corn on the cob
- Cheesesteaks
- Grilled kabobs
- Kettle corn
- Zeppoles
- Cotton candy
- Pastries
- Doughnuts
- Ice cream
Food will be available from both vendors and food trucks stationed along Broadway.
Two Performance Stages for Music and Entertainment
The fair will have two live performance stages.
The Main Stage, located on East 23rd Street by Church Lane, will feature professional musical performances throughout the day. The schedule is as follows:
- 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Opening Ceremony
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Doc Watson and Ambrosia
- 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Break Time
- 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Jive Stock
- 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – South End
- 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – She Said No
The Community Stage, located on the east side of Broadway between 22nd and 23rd Streets, will showcase Bayonne-based performers, including:
- Dance schools
- Karate schools
- Musical groups
- Acting troupes
- Professional children’s entertainers
These stages run independently, giving fairgoers entertainment options throughout the entire day.
Free Mechanical Rides and Inflatable Attractions
This year, all mechanical rides and bounce houses will be completely free for children and families. The mechanical rides, including a 55-foot Ferris wheel, are provided by a ride company that has returned each year. Tickets are not required in 2025, thanks to sponsorship from the City of Bayonne’s Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). Rides will be centrally located near 23rd Street.
The inflatable rides (bounce houses) will be available between 21st and 22nd Streets, also provided at no cost by the Bayonne UEZ.
Additionally, a new rock wall will be available for climbing. This is the first year the rock wall has been included in the fair and is expected to be a highlight.
Games, Contests, and Character Entertainment
Fairgoers can expect a return of carnival games, which were added to the fair in 2019. These include the Candy Wheel and Water Gun Race, both of which will be scattered along Broadway.
The Donut Eating Contest, also introduced in 2019, will take place again, including two rounds—one on Saturday and another on Sunday. Contestants will eat trays of sprinkled donuts provided by Judicke’s Bakery. The winner receives a Donut Trophy and a free one-month gym membership from Retro Fitness.
Children and families can stop by the Bayonne Hometown Fair Association Tent, just north of 23rd Street, for free entertainment, including:
- Live storytelling sessions
- Photo opportunities with characters like Mickey Mouse and Peppa Pig
- Balloon artists
- Caricature artists
Beer Garden Operated by the Knights of Columbus
Managed by the Knights of Columbus, the Beer Garden will be located in front of the Main Stage on East 23rd Street. Adults can enjoy cold beverages inside the clearly marked and secured beer garden area, though alcohol must be consumed within the designated boundaries.
Street Closures and Transportation
On Saturday, June 7, Broadway from 21st Street to 26th Street will be closed to traffic from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The City of Bayonne will post No Parking signs in advance to ensure vendors and emergency vehicles can access the fair space.
For out-of-town visitors, the fair is easy to reach by public transit. The nearest Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station is located at 22nd Street and Avenue E, just a short walk from the event.
Behind the Scenes: Volunteers, Costs, and Community Support
The Bayonne Hometown Fair exists today because of grassroots efforts that started in 2013, when local business owner Carrissa Golomb, of Reese’s Hair Pieces on 24th Street, began petitioning to bring the fair back. Although she received strong community support, she couldn’t get approval from the city until Mayor Jimmy Davis was elected in 2014. By summer 2015, the Bayonne Hometown Fair Association was formed, and the fair officially returned.
Today, the fair is more compact than in previous decades, which helps people move more easily through the attractions. This layout removes long gaps between activities and keeps the streets full of energy from start to finish.
The fair has an annual budget of over $40,000. About half of this budget goes to live entertainment, including performance fees, sound systems, stage equipment, and staff. In 2019, nearly 25% of the budget was spent on adding just two game trailers.
Funding comes from vendor fees, which cover about half of the costs.The remaining funding comes from donations and sponsorships by local businesses. Major sponsors include:
- RWJ Barnabas (Platinum Sponsor)
- CarePoint Health
- BCB Community Bank
- Bayonne Exterminating
- R Kellner Agency
- McCabe Ambulance, which provides on-site medical coverage
All members of the Bayonne Heritage Association work on a volunteer basis, meaning no salaries nor office rent is paid. Meetings are often held at the volunteers’ businesses. The fair also supports Bayonne businesses through vendor discounts, including the Bayonne Discount for residents and the Brick and Mortar Discount for those with storefronts in the city limits.
City departments also contribute major support. The Bayonne Police Department, Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management, Department of Public Works, Department of Health, and Fire Prevention all help keep the fair safe and clean. The UEZ funds the free rides and Dunk Tank on 24th Street, which is open to non-profits to raise money.
