Autism Acceptance Month is in full swing for 2026, and there are a ton of events in Hoboken + Jersey City. On April 25th, an Autism Acceptance Foodie Festival will take place, dedicated to acceptance and awareness, all while enjoying food around the Mile Square. The 2nd Annual Hoboken Foodie Fest, a celebration of community, creativity, and spreading Autism awareness + acceptance, is back: complete with local eats, live music, a book drive, and more. Read on for more about The Foodie Fest happening in Hoboken, New Jersey this April 2026.
What is The Foodie Fest?The Foodie Fest in support of Autism Awareness + Acceptance Month will take place on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 from 2PM-7PM on Garden Street between 4th and 5th Streets in Hoboken. The event is being organized by The Foodie Goddess and What Hoboken Sounds Like, and is sponsored by the Hoboken Business Alliance.
Foodie Fest
The Foodie Goddess, also known as resident + mom Amanda Dale, is also the Vice President and Director of Creative Culinary Content at What Hoboken Sounds Like: a Hoboken nonprofit "on a mission for inclusivity & diversity," per its Instagram bio. This newer event is close to Amanda's heart, as she is a mom to a child with Autism.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would come to life...the Foodie Fest is officially happening! This event is so much more than amazing food; it's a celebration of community, creativity, and causes close to my heart. With incredible food vendors serving up their amazing dishes and a book drive to support families within our community, we're bringing people together to feed both minds and stomachs. As a mom to a child with Autism, this event is also a platform to spread Autism Awareness/Acceptance and foster inclusion, showing the beauty of acceptance in every corner of our lives. This means the world to me, and I can't wait to share it with all of you. Let's make it unforgettable!"
The event will include a variety of food vendors and food trucks, live music, and a kids' book drive. The organizers will be collecting new or gently used children's books, which can be dropped off at the check-in stand during the event.
Creative Culinary Content
Last year, the vendor lineup included:* Tastebuds Hoboken
- gtk
* Chicken + Waffles on Wheels
* Magic Mikes Smoked Meats
* Angry Archies
* Why Not Burgerz
* RainBao Food Truck
* Empanadas Cafe
* Nelly Cakes Bakery
- Erotori
* Eat My Franks Catering
- Badabingbites
* Sabor Boricua
* Uncle Bob's Kettle Corn
* The Little Sicillian
* Babka Bailout
* Butch's Hot Stuff Hot Sauce
- Mas + Pas Tex Mex BBQ
* Moo Jersey
We'll be sure to update this as this year's vendors are announced.
For more information about The Foodie Fest, email [email protected].
on a mission for inclusivity & diversity.
Reading the wider picture
Location, rent and staffing shape restaurant stories long before the food does, and the operators who last are the ones who plan around all three.
What to remember
- Autism Acceptance Month is in full swing for 2026, and there are a ton of events in Hoboken + Jersey City
- The Foodie Fest in support of Autism Awareness + Acceptance Month will take place on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 from 2PM-7PM on Garden Street between 4th and 5th Streets in Hoboken
- "Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would come to life...the Foodie Fest is officially happening!
- The event will include a variety of food vendors and food trucks, live music, and a kids' book drive
What people ask
What should you know about Foodie Fest?
The 2nd Annual Hoboken Foodie Fest, a celebration of community, creativity, and spreading Autism awareness + acceptance, is back: complete with local eats, live music, a book drive, and more.
What happens next?
On April 25th, an Autism Acceptance Foodie Festival will take place, dedicated to acceptance and awareness, all while enjoying food around the Mile Square.
The bottom line
Every change in the dining room eventually reaches the same test, which is whether people keep choosing it once the novelty has worn off.