The Arc of Essex County is bringing back its beloved annual Uncorked and Uncapped tasting fundraiser, set for Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Hanover Manor in East Hanover. The event blends three hours of unlimited food and drink sampling with genuine community fundraising, giving guests a genuinely festive way to support a nonprofit that has spent years providing vital support and services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Essex County.
Based in Livingston, The Arc of Essex County has built its mission around delivering direct, meaningful support to individuals and families navigating intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Uncorked and Uncapped stands as one of the organization’s signature annual fundraising events, drawing genuine community support each fall to help fund that ongoing work.
The evening itself unfolds as a genuinely immersive tasting experience, with guests receiving a tasting glass upon arrival and spending the night wandering through the banquet hall sampling items donated by dozens of top New Jersey restaurants, craft breweries, wine distributors, and distilleries. That unlimited tasting spans craft beers, local ciders, international wines, spirits, and artisanal cocktails, giving attendees a genuinely wide range of options to explore over the course of the three hour window. Alongside the drink sampling, local chefs and popular area restaurants set up dedicated food stations throughout the hall, serving signature bites, distinctive regional cuisines, and high end desserts, rounding out the evening with a genuinely full culinary experience layered on top of the drink tastings themselves.
Live musical entertainment keeps the entire three hour window fully soundtracked, giving guests a lively backdrop while they eat, drink, and socialize throughout the evening. Beyond the tasting itself, the event includes both silent and virtual auctions, where guests can bid on donated luxury prize packages, travel opportunities, and local goods, giving attendees an additional way to contribute directly to the fundraiser’s overall total. The evening also functions as a genuine community networking opportunity in its own right, typically drawing more than 250 local business owners, families, and longtime charity supporters together in a single room, giving the fundraiser a distinctly warm, community driven atmosphere well beyond the food and drink itself.
Tickets are typically priced around $100 per person, with proceeds from the event flowing directly into The Arc of Essex County’s community programs, giving every ticket purchased a direct, tangible connection to the organization’s ongoing mission. Anyone interested in attending, purchasing tickets, or reviewing the final vendor lineup as it’s confirmed can find full details directly through the official Uncorked and Uncapped website.
With a genuinely wide-ranging tasting menu, live entertainment, dual auction formats, and a guest list built around genuine community connection, Uncorked and Uncapped continues to stand out as one of Essex County’s most enjoyable ways to support a genuinely worthy cause each fall. For anyone looking to spend an October evening sampling the best of New Jersey’s food, wine, and craft beer scene while directly supporting individuals and families served by The Arc of Essex County, this year’s event at The Hanover Manor offers exactly that combination in one evening.
