Every September, North Wildwood turns Celtic for the Irish Fall Festival, one of the biggest Irish weekends on the Jersey Shore.
What Makes This Festival Special
The Irish Fall Festival fills North Wildwood’s Anglesea section, around Olde New Jersey Avenue, with three days of Irish music, a parade on Surf Avenue and rows of vendor tents. It is run by the Cape May County Ancient Order of Hibernians. Note that it is in North Wildwood, not on the Wildwood Boardwalk.
The festival runs Friday through Sunday in late September: the 2026 festival was September 25-27, and the 2027 festival is set for September 24-26. Admission is completely free, making it accessible for families and groups of all sizes.
Local Tip: The organizers post the schedule closer to festival weekend. Check the Irish Fall Festival listing on WildwoodsNJ.com, or call the Cape May County AOH at 609-729-0075.
Entertainment and Activities
Expect Irish musicians on stage all weekend and the parade along Surf Avenue.
It is free and outdoors, so it works for families: come for the parade, stay for the music and the tents.
Food and Shopping
Look for Irish favorites at the food tents, such as:
- ✓Fresh-made Irish soda bread and scones
- ✓Traditional fish and chips with malt vinegar
- ✓Bangers and mash with authentic Irish sausages
- ✓Irish stew served in bread bowls
Rows of vendor tents sell Irish gifts and goods along the festival streets.
The organizers do not publish hours far ahead. The festival centers on the Anglesea section of North Wildwood, around Olde New Jersey Avenue, with the parade on Surf Avenue.
Why Stay With Coastal Collection
Our five locally-owned hotels and private Airbnb rentals put you within a short drive from the festival in North Wildwood. After a full day of Celtic celebrations, you can retreat to comfortable accommodations a few blocks from the beach and the Boardwalk, whether you choose the family-friendly Paradise Inn or Sunset Beach Hotel.
Late September is a good time for Wildwood’s free beaches, with the summer crowds gone. The combination of authentic Irish culture and classic Jersey Shore charm creates an unforgettable autumn getaway.
Local Tip: The 2027 festival is September 24-26. All five Coastal Collection hotels are open in late September, so book once your dates are set.
Stay a Few Blocks from the Beach and the Boardwalk.
Five locally-owned Wildwood hotels plus private cottages — all within walking distance of the boardwalk, beach, and Morey’s Piers. Coastal Sands Inn stays open through the winter; the other four hotels reopen each April.
Where to stay in Wildwood
Planning a Wildwood trip? Coastal Collection runs five locally owned hotels a few blocks from the beach and the Boardwalk: Coastal Sands Inn, Beachside Resort, Sunset Beach Hotel, Sunrise Inn and Paradise Inn. Compare them on the hotels in Wildwood page and book directly with the hotel.
