St. James Parish Festival 2026: Your Guide to Springfield’s Fall Tradition
October 13, 2026 | By John Apicella, Cynthia Apicella Group at Keller Williams Midtown Direct Realty
Every October, the grounds of St. James the Apostle Church on South Springfield Avenue light up with rides, music, and the smell of festival food, and half of Springfield seems to show up at some point during the week. The St. James Parish Festival is back for 2026, running Tuesday, October 13 through Saturday, October 17. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Festival at a Glance
- Dates: Tuesday, October 13 – Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 6:00–10:00 PM; Saturday, 2:00–10:00 PM
- Location: St. James the Apostle Church, 45 South Springfield Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081
- Admission: Free to walk in. Rides, games, food, and raffles are paid separately.
- Questions: Call the parish office at (973) 376-3044 or check the festival’s Facebook page.
Live Music Lineup
There’s a different band on stage each night from Wednesday through Saturday:
| Night | Featured Band |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, Oct. 14 | Postscript |
| Thursday, Oct. 15 | The High Strung Band |
| Friday, Oct. 16 | Dizzy Cat Band |
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | The Characters |
What You’ll Find
- Rides and games for kids, teens, and the kids at heart.
- Festival food, the main reason a lot of us come back every year.
- Beer tent for the adults (21+, bring your ID).
- Super 50/50 raffle, one of the most popular parts of the week.
- Tin Can Basket Auction, where you drop tickets into the can for the basket you want to win (details below).
The Basket Auction: How the Tickets Work
The Tin Can Basket Auction is a festival favorite, and this year there are three ticket colors to know:
| Tickets | For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow sheets | Daily Baskets | $12 each or 2 for $20 |
| Red tickets | Super Prizes | $5 each |
| Green tickets | Grand Prizes | $10 each |
Super Prize and Grand Prize winners are drawn on Saturday night. One rule to remember: bent tickets will not be pulled, so drop yours in the can flat.
Golfers, pay attention to the Grand Prizes. This year’s lineup includes:
- A golf outing for four at Maplewood Country Club, with a round of golf, golf cart, and lunch with drinks (donated by Maplewood Country Club)
- A foursome at Galloping Hill Golf Course, including golf cart
- A foursome at Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park
A big thank you to the sponsors who donated these prizes. Their generosity is a big part of what makes the festival a success.
Tips for Making the Most of It
- Ask about ride wristbands. In past years, the festival has offered pay-one-price ride bracelets on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights and Saturday afternoon. Check the festival’s Facebook page or call the parish office for this year’s details and pricing.
- Saturday afternoon is great with little ones. The festival opens at 2:00 PM on Saturday, so younger kids can enjoy the rides in daylight and still be home for bedtime.
- Walk if you can. The church sits right in the heart of town, and parking nearby fills up quickly on the busier nights, especially Friday and Saturday.
- Bring some cash for raffle tickets, basket auction tickets, games, and food.
- Save Saturday night. It’s the big finale, with The Characters on stage and the Super Prize and Grand Prize winners drawn.
A Parish with Deep Springfield Roots
St. James the Apostle has been part of Springfield for more than a century. The parish was founded in December 1923, back when Sunday Mass was held at Springfield’s Municipal Hall. Its first church was a wooden building at the corner of Linden and Morris Avenues, and the present church on South Springfield Avenue was dedicated in 2002. When the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary, the township named the stretch of South Springfield Avenue from Shunpike Road to Mountain Avenue “Saint James Way.”
The festival is one of the parish’s biggest fundraisers, so every ride ticket, raffle entry, and plate of food helps support the church and its work in the community.
Why We Love It
I’ve lived in Springfield my whole life, and the St. James festival is one of those weeks that reminds you what makes this town special. You run into neighbors, old classmates, and families you helped move into town, all in one place. When people ask me what it’s like to live in Springfield, this is the kind of thing I tell them about.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Springfield or anywhere in Union County, we’d love to talk. And if you see us at the festival this week, come say hi!
John Apicella: 973-885-5953 | [email protected]
Team leader Cynthia Apicella: 201-697-5365 | [email protected]
Cynthia Apicella Group, Keller Williams Midtown Direct Realty, 223 Mountain Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081