First-Ever Hamilton Park BBQ Festival Slated for September 25

By • Aug 26th, 2010 • Category: Arts, Blog, Food

It’s been a big few months for historic Hamilton Park.

First, a 13-month multi-million dollar renovation was completed, allowing the park to reopen in May, just in time for summer. And now a group of local organizations is hoping to bring thousands of people to the Downtown Jersey City park for the inaugural Hamilton Park BBQ Festival next month.

The festival was the brainchild of Sawyer Smith, a co-owner of the local retail spot Smith & Chang General Goods, located in the Hamilton Square development next to the park. Both of those companies, along with Fizzy Lizzy and the Jersey City Independent (hey, that’s us!), are sponsors of the festival.

Smith says he wanted to emulate the famed Big Apple BBQ Festival in New York City, but on a smaller, neighborhood scale. At the same time, he thought the event could be a new way to raise money for ongoing upkeep of the revamped park; to that end proceeds from the festival will go to a new Hamilton Park Conservancy group dedicated to park improvements.

The festival, which is slated for September 25, will feature a number of vendors offering special dishes. So far Jersey City’s Legal Beans, as well as Pennsylvania-based Jimmys BBQ and the Tamworth Supper Club have been confirmed; more restaurants are expected to sign on soon. For drinks, there will be beer on tap as well as Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka and natural sodas from Fizzy Lizzy.

In addition to the grub, which is the main draw, there will be live music all day, with organizers hoping to host at least five bands. As of this writing, local band bands The Milwaukees and Ace Case and the Crosstown Country Allstars have been confirmed; other bands are slated to be confirmed soon.

THE DETAILS
Hamilton Park BBQ Festival; Saturday, September 25 from noon to 8 pm (rain or shine); Hamilton Park

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is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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  • MORRIS PETERS

    WHO DO YOU REGISTER WITH FOR THIS DAY I AM FROM THE KULTURAL KUISINE AND TASTE OF INDIA LUNCH TRUCK

  • http://www.jerseycityindependent.com Jon Whiten

    @Morris:

    I have passed your contact information along to the person in charge of food. Thanks.

  • http://jewelrybymg.com maureen g.

    but will there be portobello mushroom burgers for us vegetarians?

  • http://www.jerseycityindependent.com Jon Whiten

    @Maureen:

    I think vegetarians will mostly have to go with side dishes, although there will be lots of filling sides prepped by a few of the vendors (check back tomorrow for more details on the menus).