Featuring a Delectable Blend of Music, Local Flavor and Pure Pork Roll Bliss!

One of the area’s most anticipated, and tasty, fall festivals is coming on October 10. When Pork Roll Palooza takes over scenic Shappell Park and the surrounding streets in downtown Phillipsburg, expect a full day of scrumptious food, engaging family fun and community pride.

Norwescap is thrilled to host the 8th Annual Pork Roll Palooza in partnership with the Phillipsburg Downtown Association, on Saturday, October 10, from 11 am to 5 pm at Shappell Park, 353 South Main Street. Free to attend, food and goods will be available for purchase from vendors. The rain date is Sunday, October 11. Updates at Norwescap.org/porkroll and Facebook.

Bicyclists can get a jump on the day with a Family-Friendly Bike Ride led by Tailor Fit Cycles, the local bicycle shop. Participants can meet at Shappell Park at 10 am (bring your bike AND your helmet!), and enjoy a ~two mile community ride-along through Delaware River Park, then looping back to Shappell Park, all while exploring downtown Phillipsburg.

Laura Jennings-Pitt, Norwescap’s Director of Development, explained, “At its heart, Pork Roll Palooza is about bringing people together while celebrating local culture, helping Phillipsburg businesses, and creating memorable experiences for our community.”

Norwescap’s many programs help individuals and families meet their most pressing needs, and build stability and resiliency for the future, while strengthening the communities in which they live and work. Every Norwescap program offers an opportunity to move forward. 

The Pork Roll Palooza street fair attracts thousands of attendees each year to celebrate New Jersey’s iconic breakfast meat—pork roll! Visitors can savor a wide array of dishes, from classic pork roll-egg-cheese sandwiches to tacos, sliders, and other pork roll-infused bites. The streets are lined with food trucks, locally-sourced products, and eclectic craft vendors.

In 1856, John Taylor invented a spiced, ground pork product in Trenton, and sold it as “Taylor’s Prepared Ham.” The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 forced a name change to “pork roll”  because the processed meat did not legally qualify as “ham.” Other competing brands eventually emerged. On April 14, 2015, Assemblyman Tim Eustace introduced an Act in the New Jersey State Legislature to declare the pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich the official state sandwich of New Jersey.

The spicy, salty feud rages on – the geographic divide in New Jersey is real. In North Jersey, residents predominantly call the meat “Taylor Ham,” sticking to the original brand name. Central and South Jersey residents call it “pork roll,” using the generic regulatory term. No matter how you slice it, Jersey’s ultimate breakfast sandwich is a crusty kaiser roll packed with grilled pork roll (or Taylor ham) and American cheese melted directly over fried eggs.

Whether a lifelong pork roll fan or just coming for the autumn sizzle, expect a jam-packed day at Pork Roll Palooza:

• Creative pork roll-inspired dishes and classic favorites

• Food trucks and mouthwatering local eats

• Vendors, makers, and community partners

• Games and activities for kids and families, including an inclusive sensory zone, the “PigPen” dedicated children’s play area, and free rides on the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians’ miniature train

• Live music (Phillipsburg High School Band will kick off the festivities with electric high school energy. Joyous, acclaimed as the Lehigh Valley’s ultimate high-energy party band, is a dynamic ensemble featuring powerful lead vocals and a dynamic horn section. The Big Easy Easton Brass band’s mantra is “Laissez les bons temps rouler.” They perform New Orleans-flavor music with Mardi Gras pizzazz, crowd participation, and scads of beads. Wrapping up the event, Blue Rooster Pie, led for over two decades by NYC blues harpist and vocalist Billy T, is a powerhouse group that delivers danceable blues and blues-rock classics).

New for 2026, local and regional creatives are invited to submit original artwork inspired by New Jersey’s eternal culinary debate —”Taylor Ham vs Pork Roll & New Jersey.” Selected works will be showcased in a festival art exhibit and auctioned to benefit Norwescap’s community programs. 

Pork Roll Palooza is made possible by enthusiastic vendors, dedicated volunteers, and generous sponsors, including McWane Ductile, Xfinity, First Commonwealth, and Warren County Arts Council, along with other community partners.

Over 3,000 revelers are expected to converge on this exceptional street festival. “Pork Roll Palooza is about having fun while also highlighting our town, supporting the business community, its talented artists and community members,” said Mark Valli, Norwescap CEO. “It’s a day that brings out the very best of Phillipsburg.”

Come hungry. Bring your dancing shoes. Celebrate Phillipsburg at Pork Roll Palooza 2026!

Official website: Norwescap.org/porkroll

Sponsors, vendors, food creators, craft artisans, commercial vendors, local organizations, submissions for charity art auction, email Susan Ludwig, communitydev@norwescap.org

Questions about Pork Roll Palooza, email Malia Borges, communitydev@norwescap.org

Follow the event on Facebook for updates

For more information about Norwescap and its initiatives, please visit norwescap.org

Norwescap (Northwestern New Jersey Community Action Program) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals and families to move away from the crisis of poverty and toward a future where they can thrive. Through a comprehensive array of programs and services, Norwescap serves communities across northern New Jersey, helping tens of thousands of people each year achieve greater stability, opportunity, and self-sufficiency.