# Laurita Winery’s Upcoming Events: Fall Festivals, Live Shows and Holiday Nights 2026-10-26 · Laurita Winery · New Egypt, New Jersey · Reported Feature From an autumn finale and fireworks over the vines to holiday concerts, interactive mysteries and hands-on workshops, here is what is currently on Laurita’s special-event calendar through December. From an autumn finale and fireworks over the vines to holiday concerts, interactive mysteries and hands-on workshops, here is what is currently on Laurita’s special-event calendar through December. --- EVENT GUIDE / NEW EGYPT, NEW JERSEY Laurita Winery in New Egypt is heading into the final stretch of 2026 with an unusually varied calendar. The season includes food truck weekends and live music, but also a vineyard 5K, a singing competition, specialty craft and cooking classes, tribute concerts and holiday theater. The common thread is the setting: an Ocean County winery where a visit can be as simple as a tasting or built around an entire day’s activity. This guide concentrates on the distinct, date-specific events Laurita has announced as of October 25, 2026. Regularly repeating offerings—such as weekly food specials, Music B-I-N-G-O, recurring mozzarella classes, routine line-dancing and the monthly-style comedy series—are intentionally left out. Unique holiday workshops and the four-part fall singing competition are included because they have their own limited-run programs. The events below are arranged by date, with direct organizer links for confirmation and tickets. OCTOBER Laurita Idol — Fall Singing Competition Tryouts October 29 and November 5; semifinals November 12; finals November 19 | Thursdays, 7–9 p.m. | Free spectator admission Laurita turns its stage over to singers competing for a $150 grand prize. Contestants age 18 and older must register before auditioning, with two tryout nights leading to the November 12 semifinal and November 19 final. Visitors can come listen without buying a ticket, and the winery encourages guests to arrive early for dinner. This is one seasonal competition unfolding across four dates, rather than a repeating weekly entertainment listing. Official event information / tickets | Contestant preregistration is required; spectators are welcome. Decades Dance Party Friday, October 30 | 7–11 p.m. | $11 online or $13 at the door The vineyard trades quiet evening atmosphere for a dance floor celebrating the music of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Guests are encouraged to dress for their favorite decade and settle in for a night of retro hits, wine and dancing. This is a stand-alone themed party rather than one of Laurita’s ongoing weekly entertainment nights. Official event information / tickets NOVEMBER Run the Vineyards Laurita 5K Sunday, November 1 | 10 a.m. start | Registration required; race fee varies at checkout Runners and walkers take on a scenic route through Laurita’s vineyard paths and around a horse track. The chip-timed race includes awards for top finishers and participant perks such as an event shirt, a commemorative wineglass and a drink ticket. Music from Matt Noffsinger and food trucks are planned after the finish. The event supports Mary’s Place by the Sea, making it an option for visitors who want an active morning rather than a conventional wine tasting. Official event information / tickets | Organized by Good Day for a Run. Shell Ornament Class Thursday, November 5 | 7–9 p.m. | $65 per person This one-night holiday workshop brings coastal materials into the Christmas season. Participants use decoupage techniques to turn one oyster shell and two clam shells into handmade ornaments. Materials and a glass of Laurita wine are included, and no prior craft experience is required. The session is limited to 50 participants, giving it a more focused format than the winery’s large outdoor festivals. Official event information / tickets | A distinct, dated project within Laurita’s Farmhouse Craft Series. Wade Preston: A Tribute to Billy Joel Friday, November 6 | Show 7–9 p.m.; arrive earlier for dinner | $21 online or $25 at the door Wade Preston, who portrayed the Piano Man in the Broadway production of Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out, brings a concert built around Joel’s best-known songs and enduring favorites. The performance offers a more intimate musical outing than Laurita’s food truck festivals, with guests invited to make a full evening of the venue’s food and wine before the show. Official event information / tickets Food Trucks & Fire Pits — With Saturday Fireworks Saturday–Sunday, November 7–8 | Saturday noon–9 p.m.; Sunday noon–7 p.m. | $15 advance / $20 late or at the gate; under 21 free Laurita’s November outdoor weekend combines food trucks, fire pits, live music, local makers, wagon rides and seasonal treats. Saturday adds a fireworks display; Sunday offers the same fall setting without the advertised fireworks. Both days also include the winery’s apple and pumpkin cannons, wagon access to Dancer Farm for pumpkin picking, cider drinks, cider donuts and a souvenir wineglass. The winery lists accessible parking at 85 Archertown Road for vehicles with a valid placard, with other visitors directed to 17 Archertown Road for free parking and transportation. The two dates are grouped here as one themed festival weekend. Official event information / tickets • Sunday tickets Wine & Pine Rustic Ornament Class Thursday, November 12 | 7–9 p.m. | $65 per person At this guided holiday workshop, guests decorate three live-edge wood-slice ornaments, each with its own natural shape and grain. The fee includes all supplies and one glass of Laurita wine, and the winery says beginners are welcome. Although the winery offers an ongoing craft series, this session features its own specific project and date rather than an identical repeat class. Official event information / tickets | Class maximum: 50. Piano Dudes Friday, November 20 | Doors 5 p.m.; music 6–9 p.m. | $21 per ticket Tony T. and Wildman Joe bring their request-driven piano show to Laurita for an evening intended for singing along, clapping along and revisiting familiar hits. Doors open an hour before the performance, allowing time for dinner, wine, sangria and specialty wine cocktails. The focus here is the featured duo’s November show rather than Laurita’s routine background entertainment. Official event information / tickets Give Thanks Festival — Benefiting Lunch Break Saturday–Sunday, November 21–22 | Noon–7 p.m. each day | $15 advance / $20 late or at the gate; under 21 free The season’s final advertised food truck festival takes on a charitable purpose, with proceeds supporting Lunch Break, the organization that serves people facing hardship in Monmouth County and beyond. Festivalgoers can expect live bands, food trucks, craft vendors, vineyard rides, access to seasonal farm activities and the apple and pumpkin cannons. The two-day festival also advertises cider donuts, hot cider, a souvenir glass and optional VIP pergola rentals. Parking procedures follow the winery’s larger festival setup, including the free shuttle lot at 17 Archertown Road. Official event information / tickets • Sunday tickets D.O.A. Mysteries Presents Santa’s Slay! Friday, November 27 | 7:30–11 p.m. | Ticketed; see organizer for current price The holiday season arrives with a twist in this interactive murder mystery built around the annual party at the fictional Grinch International Factory of Toys. Guests become part of the story as they try to work out who delivered a very unwelcome present. The premise mixes festive characters, comic mystery and audience participation, making it a distinctly different sort of post-Thanksgiving night out. Official event information / tickets Sushi Making Class with The Sushi Class Sunday, November 29 | 12:30–2:30 p.m. | $65 per person This hands-on workshop starts with a chef-led demonstration before guests roll their own California and vegetarian sushi rolls. No previous sushi-making experience is needed, and the admission price includes a glass of Laurita wine. Additional roll options may be offered at checkout. For people who prefer an activity to a concert or outdoor festival, this is a small-format experience with something tangible to take away: a new skill. Official event information / tickets DECEMBER Dueling Pianos Holiday Friday, December 4 | Doors 5 p.m.; show 6–9 p.m. | $21 per ticket The seasonal edition of Laurita’s dueling-piano entertainment mixes familiar audience requests with Christmas music and holiday sing-alongs. Guests can arrive early to order food, wine, sangria or a specialty cocktail before the performance begins. The festive program makes this a specifically scheduled holiday show, not a listing for weekly live music. Official event information / tickets Walking the Line: Tribute to Johnny Cash Saturday, December 5 | Shows at 2–4:30 p.m. and 8–10:30 p.m. | $40 per ticket The Johnny Cash tribute Walking the Line presents two separate performances on December 5. The show aims to recreate the look, sound and progression of a Cash concert, combining signature hits with less frequently heard material from across his career. Doors open at noon for the afternoon show and at 6 p.m. for the evening performance. Travelers should choose their performance time when purchasing tickets. Official event information / tickets • Evening performance Christmas in Red — Atlantic Brass Band Sunday, December 6 | 2–4 p.m. | $30 per ticket The Atlantic Brass Band returns with Christmas in Red, a concert of carols, seasonal favorites and traditional brass-band sound. The award-winning ensemble, founded in 1984 and serving as ensemble-in-residence at Rowan University, gives the winery a concert-hall atmosphere for the afternoon. Laurita calls the program an annual holiday tradition; this listing is for its specific December 2026 performance. Official event information / tickets D.O.A. Mysteries Presents Murder at the Kringle Variety Hour Friday, December 11 | 7:30–11 p.m. | Ticketed; see organizer for current price D.O.A. Mysteries returns with a different holiday whodunit, this time set during Kris Kringle’s annual variety show. The interactive production borrows the atmosphere of an old-time radio program and blends comedy, audience involvement and a mystery that interrupts the holiday festivities. It is a separate storyline from November’s Santa’s Slay!, so visitors considering both are not simply buying repeat performances of one script. Official event information / tickets New Jersey Chamber Singers — The Weary World Rejoices Sunday, December 13 | 4–5:30 p.m. | $31 per ticket The New Jersey Chamber Singers present a holiday concert built around beloved seasonal texts and choral arrangements, combining traditional carols with more contemporary settings. The announced program ranges from We Three Kings and Away in a Manger to Betelehemu and O Holy Night. Led by artistic director Matthew Zabiegala, with pianist Karen Hill-Miske, the performance offers a quieter musical option during a month filled with larger holiday productions. Official event information / tickets Christmas with the King — An Elvis Tribute Saturday, December 19 | 7–9 p.m. | Ticketed; see organizer for current price Laurita closes the currently announced special-event lineup with an Elvis-inspired holiday performance. Christmas with the King brings familiar rock ’n’ roll spirit to the season and returns following earlier sold-out holiday shows. For fans of Elvis music or anyone looking for a festive evening that is not a standard carol concert, it is the final distinct December performance listed on the winery’s current calendar. Official event information / tickets Before You Go Laurita Winery is at 85 Archertown Road in New Egypt, Plumsted Township. For ordinary visits, the winery advertises Thursday, Friday and Saturday hours of noon–9 p.m. and Sunday hours of noon–7 p.m., but ticketed events can use different schedules. Casual visits generally do not require a reservation; indoor and outdoor seating is first come, first served. The Marketplace serves food on-site, and wine tastings are available. Laurita does not permit outside food or beverages, and pets are not admitted except approved service animals. For large food truck festivals, follow Laurita’s event-specific parking directions rather than assuming the main driveway is the general entrance: standard parking and shuttle service are listed at 17 Archertown Road, while vehicles with a valid accessible parking placard use 85 Archertown Road. Admission and age rules vary by event; the under-21-free policy applies to the major fall festivals, not automatically to concerts or workshops. Food, wine, farm purchases and optional VIP areas should not be assumed to be covered by general admission. The current official calendar lists special events through December 19, 2026. No later dates are included here without a specific announcement. Event programming, prices and availability may be updated, so check the linked organizer listing before traveling. Primary source: Laurita Winery official event calendar Editorial scope: Published October 25, 2026. Includes discrete themed events and seasonal performances; excludes routine recurring programs and past dates. Dates, admission and activities come from Laurita’s published calendar and associated organizer or ticket pages. --- ProbleMattic is written and maintained by Matthew Kulcsar, a software engineer, project manager, technologist, platform builder, emergency-services-trained helper, grandfather, and lifelong collector of broken systems, odd behaviors, and useful nonsense.