Must-Attend Events & Festivals: Garfield-Bloomfield
From heritage-focused street festivals to monthly art crawls, the Garfield-Bloomfield corridor is home to some of the city's most beloved traditions. Here are the annual events that offer visitors a true sense of the area's community spirit.
Annual Events & Festivals
Little Italy Days | Liberty Avenue (Bloomfield)
Held every August, this is the region’s largest heritage festival. For four days, Liberty Avenue transforms into an open-air celebration of Italian culture with three stages of live entertainment, bocce tournaments, and a "Best Pizza in Bloomfield" contest. It’s a high-energy event where visitors can enjoy everything from opera vocalists to Frank Sinatra tributes while sampling food from dozens of local vendors.
Unblurred: First Fridays | 4800-5500 Penn Ave (Garfield)
While many events are annual, this is a monthly staple that reaches its peak during the warmer months. On the first Friday of every month, the Penn Avenue arts district opens its doors for a massive gallery crawl. You can expect to see a mix of photography, sculpture, and dance performances, with local shops like Irma Freeman Center and Bunker Projects
staying open late to host special openings.
Bloomfield Saturday Market | 5050 Liberty Ave (Bloomfield)
This is more than just a farmers’ market; it’s a weekly community gathering. Running Saturdays from May through November (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.), the market features locally grown produce, artisan crafts, and live music. There is also a Winter Market that continues on the first and third Saturdays of the month from December through March, ensuring the neighborhood stays active year-round.
Bloomfield Halloween Parade | Liberty Avenue (Bloomfield)
A neighborhood tradition for nearly 50 years, this parade typically takes place on the Thursday before Halloween. It is one of the largest Halloween parades in the city, featuring local marching bands, elaborate floats, and community groups. It’s a festive, family-friendly night that brings thousands of residents and visitors to the sidewalks of Liberty Avenue.
Garfield Night Market | 113 N. Pacific Ave (Garfield)
Running on select evenings during the summer and fall, this outdoor market celebrates the maker spirit of Garfield. It’s a slightly more casual, funky alternative to the larger festivals, focusing on hyper-local vendors, street food, and independent artists. It’s an ideal way to experience the neighborhood's bohemian vibe in a relaxed, family-friendly setting.
