As a queer person living in North Jersey, it’s just about impossible to miss out on hearing about Lunar Faire. Since the Magical happenings sprung up about a year ago, the self-proclaimed “witchy and weird night market” has all but exploded into popularity as not only a place to find hand made art, but also a social event for everyone.
So….What Exactly is Lunar Faire?
Other than an insanely good time- I’d best describe it as a spooky festival for finding unexpected curiosities! I personally have bought some of my favorite pieces of jewelry here, and even met some cool people who have become close pals of mine!
The event is described on their website as “a pop-up night market that celebrates ambiance, the strange and unusual, the moon obviously, and all the weird things people make and do.”
When and Where Does Lunar Faire Happen?
Lunar Faire takes place every half and full moon, bi-monthly! Just about every two and a half weeks, you can find another faire! And most importantly, the faire itself moves around New Jersey. More recently, the faire I attended took place at Jungle Habitat (a spooky abandoned zoo), but the next new moon’s faire is taking place Sunday, Sept. 25, at Burlington County Fairgrounds. Tickets often sell out fast and are cheaper to buy ahead of time, so I fully recommend buying them online before you get there.
Upcoming Dates:
Sunday September 25 Burlington County Fairgrounds- Get Tickets Here!
Sunday October 9 Readington River Buffalo Farm
Tuesday October 29 Jungle Habitat (Halloweekend!)
I Somehow Haven’t Convinced You To Go Yet?
Here’s a list of attractions they list on their website that will be featured at the next faire:
“The vibe A whole witch coven
Curiosities Hair glitter
Potions lab (assorted drinks) Flute wizard
Fire dancing Whimsey
Drag show Stilts and aerials
Fortunes told Things that glow
Nighttime Drums, possibly in a circle
Group spell making Cool people like you
The best vendors around Cool people unlike you”
Assorted Advice For The Best Time Possible!
In my experience, aim to show up not too early but also not too late. Once things get in full swing, parking fills up fast and you might have to walk pretty far to get to the main entrance! If you’re interested in tarot reading or hair glitter, many of the vendors that provide services have long waitlists, so be sure to put your name down first before you walk around!
Wear comfortable shoes! Listen, we’ve all been there… You’ve heard this event attracts hot witchy people such as yourself and you want to impress them with your platform boots and killer outfit. Well, I’m here to tell you from experience, you might break an ankle. Who knows what the venue might look like- grass? Pavement? Sand? Save those shoes for the club! :)
BRING A FLASHLIGHT! Now this one might seem obvious, but a night market is bound to happen… at night… when it gets dark outside. And I too, have fallen victim to a dead phone battery from using my flashlight all night.
If you get hangry easily, eat before you get there and bring snacks! Spending your money on cute things is exhausting, so I guarantee you’ll get hungry! While they do have some food vendors, lines are so long! When I went, most of the food was on par with Six Flags cafeteria food (hot dogs, fries, generally greasy things). I’m not slandering hot dogs but… I think sneaking in a Wawa sandwich might be a better idea.
Bring something to sit on! There are a variety of shows during the faire such as the drag show benefitting Sussex County Pride, or the fire dancing show! Also, depending on the venue, there’s not always a place to sit down and eat so for sure bring a blanket to sit down on if you’d like.
And most importantly! Enjoy yourself, make friends and treat yourself (you deserve it)! :)