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Over the river and through the woods to Jersey City we go.
Smorgasburg, one of the food and drink events that traditionally ushers in spring and summer in NYC, is heading to the Garden State while organizers await reopening guidance in New York. Although indoor restaurant capacity restrictions will be lifted on May 19 in NYC, it is as yet unclear how the outdoor vendor bazaar will be allowed to proceed.
The JC expansion is still a stride toward Smorgasburg reestablishing itself as a destination after it had to run a truncated, to-go only operation last year. Smorgasburg’s previous lineups included dozens of vendors in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
“Our plan is for Smorgasburg to return to our longtime homes in Williamsburg, Prospect Park, and the World Trade Center as soon as possible,” Smorgasburg co-founder Eric Demby said in an email.
“It does seem lately that the loudest voices get the most results, and although our event is outdoors and masked (unless eating) and represents the return of 1000 jobs for small businesses owned mostly by women and/or POC, for some reason indoor activities seem to be reopening faster than ours,” Demby said.
“We are confident that with acres of open space and clear, enforced guidelines, our events can be the safest possible way to gather for large groups this spring and summer, while bolstering the crucial smallest businesses in our communities.”
In the meantime, Smorgasburg Jersey City will open with 30 vendors on May 29. New Jersey’s present outdoor gathering cap is 500 people, and the state plans to strike that restriction completely barring a virus surge.
Smorgasburg Jersey City is expected to stay open at Harborside on Saturdays from 11am-6pm into the fall. See Smorg’s current offerings below:
Berg’s Pastrami
Big Mozz
Bisska
Bona Bona Ice Cream
Bon Chovie
C Bao
Carlito’s BBQ Taqueria
Chofi Familia
D’Abruzzo
Duck Season
The Good Batch
Oyster Party
Tojo’s Kitchen
Valentine Burger
Vaquero Elotes
Wood Fired Edibles