Shad Fest To Celebrate 43 Years Of Art, Fish, Food, And Fun In Lambertville

LAMBERTVILLE, NJ — When it comes to river town traditions, few can rival Shad Fest, the City of Lambertville's epic celebration of fish, fun and family.

For the 43rd year, the Lambertville Chamber of Commerce will stage the festival this weekend to welcome the shad back home to its spawning grounds and to bring people together to celebrate the city’s location on the Delaware River.

Once a year in the spring, the shad make the harrowing journey northward from their home in the Atlantic Ocean to lay their eggs in the fresh waters of the Delaware River.

In celebration of that journey, the chamber has organized the festival for the past four decades, featuring live music and entertainment, more than 80 vendors, visits to the Lewis Island Fishery, and plenty of food and family-oriented fun.

This year, the rain-or-shine festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day off Bridge Street and along the Lambertville waterfront.

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

Shad Fest crowds in the parking lot of the Lambertville Station. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

The festival will kick off Friday evening, April 24, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. with a live performance by The Shackers, Lambertville’s original seven-piece party band. They will be ringing in Shad Fest weekend on Local’s Night at Mary Sheridan Park.

Throughout the weekend, many of the local bars and restaurants will be offering drink and menu specials, all centered around a Shad Fest theme.

On Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Shad Fest will bring 80 vendors to the streets of town. Look for them along North Union Street, in the North Union Street parking lot (Home and Garden theme), and Church Street (Local's Lane featuring an area filled with treasures made by Lambertville area artists.

The festival will also feature a children’s section with games, prizes, face painting and entertainment.

In addition, entertainment is scheduled both days at locations throughout the business district.

“Shad Fest features the area’s finest artists and crafters, great food, music and family entertainment,” said organizers. “You can bring children. You can bring friends. You can bring the whole family. You can spend a couple of hours or you can spend the whole day. There’s just a lot to see and do.”

Delicious eats of all kinds will be available at the Shad Fest Food Court at the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot. On the menu will be everything from fried Oreos to taco salads, Hawaiian BBQ to fried calamari and from gyros to fresh lemonade.

And look for the Beer Garden in the parking lot of the Lambertville Station.

Throughout the weekend, Shad Fest posters created by local artists will be on display at the First Presbyterian Church. They will be sold during a live and silent auction on Sunday with proceeds benefiting scholarships for local students pursuing degrees in art.

At the heart of the weekend festival are the free public Shad hauling demonstrations with Steve Meserve on Lewis Island located at the end of Lambert Lane. They are scheduled for 1 p.m. both days, weather permitting.

The Lewis family has been fishing these waters since 1888, and holds the only remaining commercial license to catch shad with nets. Once a year for Shadfest they open up their fishery to the public offering a unique glimpse into the shad fishing story.

For the past 20 years, Steve Meserve and his family have run the Lewis Fishery, the last commercial shad operation on the Delaware River. He is the fourth generation to lead the Lambertville, New Jersey, business. Like his great-grandfather captain Bill Lewis, who turned the former American Shad Fishery into the Lewis Fishery in 1888, Meserve is a proud steward of the river.

Throughout the weekend, a lot of local businesses will be joining in the fun, paying homage to the Shad in their own unique and fun ways. You might find a Shadtini at some of the local bars or Shad Fest discounts at the shops and stores.

“If you want to have a good time, come on down to Shad Fest. There’s something for everyone,” organizers say. “It’s also a great opportunity to explore Lambertville’s many shops and restaurants. Bring your bikes and ride along the trail. Visit some of the antique shops. Walk over the bridge. It’s a great place to explore and experience.”

For complete details on Shad Fest, visit LambertvilleChamber.org.