From arts festivals and massive pumpkin carvings to colorful Diwali celebrations, this weekend is packed with fun things to do with the kids. We’ve rounded up more than 120 events to explore across New Jersey.
Editor’s Note: Acting Governor Tanesha Way has declared a state of emergency ahead of Sunday’s potential nor’easter, so check event websites or social media pages for updates before heading out.
WEEKEND
Newark Arts Festival
Newark Museum of Art, Newark
Wednesday – Sunday
During the week, there will be open gallery hours, the Halsey Art Block Party, Art Night Out, a costumed art and jazz exhibition, NAF Kids, the Youth Joy Jam and other events dedicated to the arts.
Fall NJ Gem Show
New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison
Wednesday – Sunday
Paleontologists, miners, gemologists and artists will talk about their work. The Kids Zone has a fossil and gem dig pit and a craft station. Other hands-on activities include metal detecting, geode cracking, gemstone sluicing and panning for gems.
Scarecrow Season
Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, PA
Wednesday – Monday
Get your votes in, because this is the last weekend to walk around the village to choose your favorite scarecrow that lines the pathways. Before stopping into the shops and restaurants, sign up for a scarecrow-making workshop or view the pet photo exhibit.
Holland Ridge Fall Flower Festival
Holland Ridge Farms, Cream Ridge
Wednesday – Monday
Aside from walking through millions of sunflowers, dahlias, gladiolus and calla lilies, people from all over the region come for the photo ops, windmill tour, Bloom Bar, new “Moovie” Theater, picnic pods and hayrides around the farm. These are the last few days of the fall blooming season.
Disney’s Moana Live Film-to-Concert
McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton
Thursday
Watch the beloved film on a huge screen while listening to live music performed by an ensemble of Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters, and vocalists.
Khaṅkhaṇā: The Sound of Dancing Feet
Alexander Kasser Theater, Montclair
Thursday
Nrityagram Dance Ensemble brings the ancient tradition of Odissi, which blends classic and contemporary dance with movement and meditation.
South Orange Downtown Fashion Show
Spiotta Park, South Orange
Thursday
The fashion show kicks off Disability Employment Awareness Month, with models from JESPY House showcasing the latest looks from Sadie’s and creations by Artistry by Ampy Salon. Three Daughters Baking Co. and Miti Miti will provide snacks.
Amazing Pumpkin Carve
Woolsey Park, Titusville
Thursday – Sunday
Walk through the big top tent to see 30 massive, 150‑pound pumpkins that were carved into whimsical and spooky creations. There will also be a beer garden, live music at the bandshell, a hay bale play area, pumpkin painting for kids, and storytelling by the firepits.
Morristown Festival of Books & KidFest
Morristown
Friday – Saturday
The festival includes in-person talks by authors, meet-and-greets with award-winning writers and illustrators, special events for book lovers, and the day-long KidFest for young readers.
Morey’s Piers Oktoberfest
Mariner’s Pier, Morey’s Piers, Wildwood
Friday – Sunday
This is the final weekend that Oktoberfest-themed decorations will liven up the boardwalk. The event includes live German music, food, beer, and games and rides at the pier. New this year, Founder Haus will offer a ticketed Oktoberfest dining experience with family-style appetizers, a special German fare menu, and seasonal beers.
Renaultberfest
Renault Winery Resort, Egg Harbor Twp.
Saturday – Sunday
The two-day harvest and Oktoberfest celebration includes live music, German food and drinks, grape stomping, a 5K run, pet adoptions, a photo booth, stein-holding contests, barrel rides, pumpkin painting, lawn games and other activities for the family.
The Pumpkin Patch Train
Whippany Railway Museum, Whippany
Saturday – Sunday
After each pumpkin train ride, children with valid tickets can pick out a free kid-sized pumpkin and a pumpkin decorating kit.
Juntos (“Together”) Events
Saturday: ShopRite of Passaic, Passaic
Sunday: ShopRite of Linden, Linden
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, ShopRite and Unilever are teaming up for their fourth annual Juntos (“Together”) event series — a celebration of culture, family and community through live music, cultural activities, a DJ, beauty activations, sampling stations, and an ice cream station.
Fall Family Fun Weekend
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Saturday – Sundays
Celebrate fall with PYO pumpkins and apples; there will be a pumpkin painting station. There are 30+ activities and attractions to enjoy: pony rides, pedal and play tractors, wagon rides, children’s games and activities, corn stalk maze and hay bale maze, a barnyard of farm animals, barnyard sports (basketball toss, pumpkin bowling, baseball throw), the pollinator sunflower trail, a scavenger hunt, live music, and tastings of Terhune’s wine and sangria.
Somerset County Journey Through the Past
Throughout Somerset County
Saturday – Sunday
This passport program gives you access to 32 historic sites throughout the county, which will be open for free during the weekend. Join a tour of a historic house, participate in family-friendly activities, listen to live music, see blacksmithing demonstrations, etc.
OctoberFeast
Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, PA
Saturday – Sunday
The autumn festival features live music by Polkadelphia, Philadelphia German Brass Band and Galena Brass Band; an outdoor beer garden; Oktoberfest-inspired food from six restaurant tents and food trucks; axe-throwing, moonbounces, pumpkin painting, sand art, a petting zoo, hay piles and lawn games; plus the final weekend of Scarecrows in the Village.
Catsbury Park
Bell Works, Holmdel
Saturday – Sunday
The purr-fect day includes adoptable cats and kittens, speakers, presentations, dozens of vendors, cat-toos, arts and crafts, games, a cat-photographer, and more.
Funtober Festival
The Funplex, Mt. Laurel and East Hanover
Saturday – Sunday; plus Monday, October 13
Rides, pumpkin decorating, entertainment, seasonal food and drinks, and activities are open to the whole family.
FRIDAY
GLOW Jump Event
Sky Zone Hamilton, Hamilton
During this two-hour event at the indoor trampoline park, proceeds will benefit resources for breast cancer patients.
Spooky Stories by Candlelight
Crane House & Historic YWCA, Montclair
You (and maybe your teens) will travel back in time as your guide talks about ghastly tales from Montclair’s history – like spooky ghosts, unsolved murders and gruesome deaths.
SATURDAY
Meet Harriet Tubman’s Great-Great-Great-Grandniece
East Jersey Old Town Village, Piscataway
Celebrate African American history and heritage with Michele Jones Galvin, Harriet Tubman’s great-great-great-grandniece and co-author of Beyond the Underground—Aunt Harriet, Moses of Her People. The free, family-friendly event will include storytelling, live demos, children’s crafts, food, and hands-on activities celebrating African American culture and history.
Moving Beyond Abuse 5K Charity Run. Walk. Wag
Johnson Park, Piscataway
Run along a 5K route, or bring your kids and dogs for the one-mile walk. The 5K benefits Women Aware’s plan to become a pet-friendly shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Stafford Fall Harvest & Wine Festival
Heritage Park, Manahawkin
This all-ages festival will include samplings from nine New Jersey wineries, live music, food trucks, and local artisan crafters.
Pumpkin Patch Day
Third and Morris Avenues, Spring Lake
Bring your kids to decorate a pumpkin they’ll proudly display on your front porch.
Oktoberfest
Sinner’s Seafood & Steakhouse, Pt. Pleasant
Head inside the restaurant with the kids for live music, giveaways, and authentic German food and drink specials.
Waggin’ Tails Fall Fest
SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals, Skillman
Entertainment includes food, treats, music, artisan and craft vendors, pumpkin decorating, a parade with SAVE adoptable dogs in costume, a fall-themed photo area, a scavenger hunt, a bounce house, and dog agility course demos by Princeton Dog Training Club.
Bloomfield HarvestFest
Washington Street and Glenwood Avenue, Bloomfield
There will be food, vendors, live music, games and family activities.
Neshanic Station Car Show
Neshanic Station Bridge, Branchburg
The car show runs at the same time as the farmers’ market, so you can shop for fresh foods you can eat while walking through the car displays. Trophies are usually awarded for Best Original, Best Customized, and Best of Show.
Little Shepherds Early Learning Community Fall Festival
Little Shepherds ELC, Washington Twp.
Come for games, local vendors, arts & crafts, pumpkin decorating, face painting and a photo booth.
Haddon Twp. Music Festival
Haddon Avenue, Haddon Twp.
Haddon Avenue will be lined with two music stages, food trucks, local artisans, beer gardens, a kid-zone, and a 70-foot Ferris wheel.
Boots on the Ground
South Orange
Love You Girl Boutique, Events & More will hold this event in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Put on your cowboy boots; fans and bandanas will be provided. There will be shopping deals, line dancing with a DJ, free food and drinks, and a themed outfit contest.
Milk & Cookies: Mr. Ray
State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick
Children’s singer-songwriter Mr. Ray puts on an interactive storytelling and music series with Milk & Cookies – after which kids age 3 to 8 get a cookie and a carton of milk. One of the shows today will be a sensory-friendly performance.
Family Saturday: Halloween
Alice Paul Center for Gender Justice, Mt. Laurel
The not-so-spooky Halloween event will include historical fortune-telling games, Halloween-themed crafts, and a presentation on the traditions of tarot cards.
Art in the Park
Van Saun County Park, Paramus
The outside art exhibit and concert will showcase 100+ visual artists that represent Bergen County, with a musical performance by Dean Shot with special guest saxophonist Greg Piccolo as part of the Bergen250 historical series.
Diwali Celebration
MarketFair, Princeton
The Festival of Lights will include cultural music, dance performances, crafts, snacks and shopping.
Christ Lutheran Church Fall Car Show
Christ Lutheran Church, Whiting
The first-ever car show held by the church will show up to 100 cars. There will be food, music, awards and a 50/50 raffle.
Multicultural Folk Dance Gathering
American Hungarian Club, New Brunswick
Chinese, West African, Aztec, Middle Eastern, Bulgarian and Hungarian dances will be presented by local dance groups. After the performances, stay for a lesson on how to dance these dances, too.
Oktoberfest
Edmund Wilson Plaza, Red Bank
Set up between Triumph Brewing and The Two River Theater will be beer and liquor samplings, plus live music, food, a kids zone, and a vendor market curated by Fresh Markets.
Disney’s Moana Live-to-Film Concert
Alexander Kasser Theater, Montclair
As you watch the movie, a live ensemble of Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters, and vocalists perform the soundtrack.
Hungarian Artisan Market
American Hungarian Foundation, New Brunswick
There will be Hungarian food and dessert vendors, Magyar apparel, and new product vendors each month.
Hearth Cooking Demonstration
Crane House & Historic YWCA, Montclair
See how meals were prepared in the past – taste food made from historic recipes, and discover the art of cooking over an open fire. The demo is included with admission to the museum sites.
5K Run/Walk/Roll for Brain Injury Awareness
Bradley Beach Boardwalk, Bradley Beach
Thousands of families will join together to run, walk or roll along the boardwalk to raise money for the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey.
Town Bike Tour
Roebling Museum, Florence Twp.
Take a short tour of the historic Roebling village and mill, with expert narration along the way. The route is 4 miles, with frequent stops.
Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical
Berrie Center for the Arts, Ramapo College, Mahwah
Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog have started an epic club to teach 21 rambunctious baby frogs how to make their own comics. Their fishy father Flippy is happy until the frogs’ constant bickering and outrageous imaginations send their comics off the rails. Will the club survive, and will the frogs ever get along?
Falling for Local Sip & Shop Vendor Market
Garden State Distillery, Toms River
This free local craft and vendor market is hosted by Jenn Zazzara of Shore Crafted, who wants to bring together local makers, artisans and small businesses. Shop for one-of-a-kind items while sipping on craft drinks.
The Last Encores: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
NJPAC, Newark
The legendary Jersey Boy Frankie Valli brings The Four Seasons for their final performance in his native hometown of Newark.
Oktoberfest
American Hungarian Foundation, New Brunswick
Seven Tribesmen Brewery will bring beer samples. Plus, there will be Hungarian food and pastries.
Forging and Fences
Howell Living History Farm, Hopewell Twp.
See how the ironworkers keep the fields protected.
Big Little 9 Fundraiser for Beacon Animal Rescue
Big Little Nine Golf Course, Cape May Court House
Big Little Nine, owned and operated by Morey’s Piers and Beachfront Water Parks, will host Beacon Animal Rescue for a family-friendly day of nine holes of golf. Casey’s Cause Food Truck will sell BBQ and rotisserie-style items.
Harvest Celebration
Unionville Vineyards, Ringoes
The winery will be open to everyone to celebrate the end of the grape harvesting season. There will be live music by Free Soil, food available from Antimo’s Italian Kitchen Food Truck, vineyard walks, and lots of wine.
Multicultural Folk Dance Gathering
Hungarian American Athletic Club, New Brunswick
Chinese, West African, Aztec, Middle Eastern, Bulgarian and Hungarian dances will be presented by local New Jersey folk dancers performing in traditional costumes.
Fall Taste of Highlands
Huddy Park, Highlands
Come hungry, because there will be 5 hours of food samplings and cocktails, as you take your map and visit 18 restaurants and retailers who will stamp your passport.
Fall Festival
Main Street, Allentown
Aside from visiting the cute shops in the historic downtown, you can walk along the street for crafters, food trucks, kid zones, street music and a beer & wine garden.
SUNDAY
Andi’s Team 5K Walk & Run
Duke Island Park, Bridgewater
Support kids with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a genetic disease that causes loss of muscle control and balance, cancer, lung disease and immune system problems in kids and young adults. Duke Island Park is a USATF-NJ certified course, but families and leashed pets can take a slower walk along the path. After the 5K, stop by for the vendor tents, kids’ activities (including a 1K) and an ice cream truck.
Califon Street Fair
Main Street, Califon
Stroll through the downtown area, where artisans and crafters, food trucks, vendors, a beer garden and music stages will be set up. Sign up for the pie-eating contest.
Fall Fest
Palmer Square, Princeton
The festive afternoon will be filled with live music, food, and cozy autumn vibes out on the Green.
Diwali Gala
North Brunswick Veterans Park, North Brunswick
There will be food, entertainment, music by the NBTHS marching band and orchestra, and lots of Indian-themed décor at the Festival of Lights holiday celebration.
The Vampire Circus
Levoy Theatre, Millville
Not your ordinary circus, this version is a mix of Tim Burton and Cirque Du Soleil, taking you on a trip to the Underworld with vampires, acrobats, contortionists, creepy clowns and jugglers.
HungaRhythm
Magyar Reformed Church, New Brunswick
Fészer Band brings authentic folk music, while Csűrdöngölő Folk Ensemble puts on a dance performance.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
Hard Rock will be the presenting sponsor of the Atlantic-Cape Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.
Viva Rahway: Italian Heritage
Main Street, Rahway
The town’s first-ever celebration of Italian culture will transform Main Street into a lively piazza with offerings from local restaurants, a classic Italian car show, an Italian-inspired art alley, DJ music, games, giveaways, and activities designed for families.
Art Together: Indigenous Identities
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick
This month’s free drop-in family art workshop series is based on the museum’s exhibitions on indigenous peoples.
Free Guided Garden Tour
New Jersey Botanical Garden, Ringwood
A docent will lead you on a tour of what’s blooming around the gardens.
RevNJ Race Series 5K & Family Fun Walk
Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Rahway
As you run or walk through the parkland, you’ll learn about New Jersey’s revolutionary history.
ONGOING
Navy & Marine Corps 250th Celebration
Camden and Philadelphia
October 9-16
The 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps will be celebrated with dozens of events, including a parade of ships, a veterans reunion picnic, concerts, museum exhibits, Rocky Steps Run at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, an Army-Navy soccer match, a Navy-Temple football game, galas, weapons demos, flyovers and fireworks.
Brookdale’s Haunted Theater
Brookdale Performing Arts Center, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft
October 11-12, 17-19, 24-26, 30, and November 1-2
The indoor, self-guided maze is built by more than 100 Brookdale students, faculty, alumni and community members. You’ll be screaming as you wander through pitch-black passages, immersive set designs and eerie special effects. If you don’t want to jump scares, consider taking a daytime, lights-on behind-the-scenes tour of the sets on October 12 and 26, or November 2.
Brite Nites
Wagner Farm Arboretum, Warren
October 10-11, 17-18, 24-25
The 1/4-mile walking path transforms into a glowing display of hand-carved, LED-lit pumpkins, skeletons interacting with excavation equipment, spooktacular games, Halloween-themed photo ops and local food trucks.
Fall Planetarium Shows
Longo Planetarium, County College of Morris, Randolph
Select dates, October 10 to December 13
There are three shows to choose from: Cosmic Colors takes you on a journey across the entire electromagnetic spectrum; in Messengers of Time and Space, you can get an in-depth look at how large telescopes are mapping the universe and patrolling the sky for supernovas; or take a live tour of the night sky in Starlit Nights. All shows include a tour of the night sky and planets.
Small Explorers Program: Spooky Season
New Jersey State Museum, Trenton
Saturday, October 11
Thursday, October 16
Families with kids ages 1-5 can meet in the Discovery Den for storytime, themed activities and crafts. This month’s program focuses on New Jersey wildlife like owls, bats and foxes that come out at night. The kids will learn about animal tracks, and pretend to go camping. Also available on Thursday, October 16.
Boo at the Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA
October 11-13, 18-19, 25-26
Put on your favorite costume, bring a trick-or-treat bag, and visit the Trick-or-Tree House for a dance party and haybale maze, take a ride on the Boo Choo Train, compete at the Pumpkin Putt Putt mini golf course, join the costume parade, take a self-guided tour of the floral gardens, and watch as the animals eat from the pumpkin harvest.
Pine Creek Railroad Halloween Train Rides
Pine Creek Railroad, Allaire State Park, Wall Twp.
October 11, 17-18, 24-25
Hop on board for a Halloween train ride.
Highlights Tour
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick
October 11, October 19, November 2, November 15, November 19, December 6, December 14
Student educators will take you on a free guided tour of the galleries, highlighting key artworks in the Zimmerli’s collection.
Haunted Car Wash
Team Car Wash, Westfield
October 14, 17-18, 24-25, 30
Teens from Play Theater, a performing arts program for kids in Union County, will dress up in creepy costumed characters and spook you while you wait in line. You’ll listen to Halloween-themed audio while your car gets washed.
UniverSoul Circus
Weequahic Park, Newark
Through October 19
This fall’s new Rhythm of the World production features stuntpeople performing dizzying spins on a towering vertical pole, a graceful ballerina act, a contortionist, an aerial lyra duo, a roller skating troupe, hoop divers, a stylized teeterboard act, a strong-man hand-balance duo, 20-foot dancing puppets, fire-breathing stilt dancers, hip-hop dancing clowns and the Wheel of Death stunt.
Festival of the Moon
Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway
Select dates, through October 20
Experience symphonies and movies under Luke Jerram’s 23-foot moon sculpture, which will be suspended mid-air at UCPAC’s Main Stage. Events include karaoke before a screening of the movie “Sing,” performances by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, free guided tours, a Pink Floyd tribute and Tales for Tiny Astronauts.
LuminoCity Dino Safari
Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold Twp.
Through October 25
The kids will be in awe as life-sized, animatronic dinosaurs move their heads and tails, open their mouths and roar. There’s also a Dino Speedway, bounce zone, playground, safari dig, fossil hunt and Dino Carousel.
Middlesex County 4-H Haunted House & Hayride
Middlesex County Fairgrounds, East Brunswick
Fridays – Saturdays, through October 25
Choose either the haunted house or hayride, or both, in this fundraiser that supports 4-H youth in Middlesex County.
Screamline Haunted Car Wash
Streamline Car Wash, Rockaway
Fridays – Saturdays, through October 25; October 31 and November 1 TBD
Stay in your car and get an actual car wash while costumed zombies and clowns pop out from every angle. The live actors, light displays, smoke machines and animatronics are meant to spook you.
Fall Funland at Harbaugh Village
Harbaugh Village, Mullica Hill
Fridays – Sundays, through October 26
Compete on the pedal car track, go sky high on the straw mountain, get lost in the corn maze and plunge down the mega slide.
Fall Festival
Snyders Farm, Somerset
Weekends, through October 26
The events and roadside stand will reopen in late September when the fall season begins. There will be festivals, pumpkin and sunflower picking, a corn maze, music, food trucks and kids’ activities on October weekends.
The Great Pumpkin Train
Delaware River Railroad Excursions, Phillipsburg
Saturdays – Sundays, through October 26
Ride along the Delaware River, then hop off at The Corn Maze/Susquehanna Mine (Snyders Station) and spend 2 hours panning for gemstones or going through the corn maze. Every train stops at the pumpkin patch on the way back.
Autumn Leaf Pumpkin Train
Woodstown-Central Railroad, Woodstown
Select dates, through October 26
After you ride the rails to Fenwick Grove, you’ll hop off for fall-themed games, pumpkin picking, and cider and donuts.
Black River and Western Railroad Pumpkin Train
Black River & Western Railroad, Ringoes/Flemington
Saturdays-Sundays, through October 26
Ride the train from Flemington Station to Everitt Farms to pick a pumpkin, explore the corn maze, take wagon rides, see sunflowers, and listen to music.
Pumpkin Days
Riamede Farm, Chester
Through October 26
Pumpkin Days include a pumpkin patch, apple picking, hay wagon rides, live music, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
Etsch Farms Fall Festival & Corn Maze
Etsch Farms, Monroe Twp.
Saturday – Sunday, through October 26
At the family-owned, fourth-generation farm, you can wander through the 8-acre corn maze. You can also take a hayride, meet the farm animals, sample apple cider donuts and slushies, and pick a pumpkin.
Tri State Sunflower Festival & Pumpkin Fest
Dalton Farms, Swedesboro
Daily, through October 26 (closed Tuesdays)
Daily activities include flower picking, a corn maze, a giant slide, a trike track, a playground area, a low ropes course, a pumpkin patch and fall photo ops. Weekend activities add a farmers market, live music, food vendors, a beer garden, and pedal boat rentals.
Terror in the Junkyard
Fleming’s Junkyard, Egg Harbor Twp.
Fridays – Sundays through October 26
Scullville Volunteer Fire Company will host a haunted hayride and maze. October 18 will be a free, sensory-friendly hayride with shorter lines, no pop-outs, and no startling noises or flashing lights.
Lentini Farms Fall Festival
Lentini Farms, Newton
Weekends, through October 26
Haunted hayrides will take place every Friday and Saturday night. Food trucks, live bands, Angry Erik’s Brewery, Milk Street Distillery and O’Reilly’s Pub will be part of the entire season.
Scarecrow Festival
Hillsborough Twp.
Through October 29
Residents, organizations and businesses will decorate their buildings with scarecrows, which you can view in the streets during Halloween time.
Fall Fest on the Delaware River Waterfront
Cherry Street Pier and Spruce Street Harbor Park, Philadelphia, PA
Select dates, through October 31
Autumn-themed activities include art exhibitions and studio tours, Villains Day cosplay party, scary movie screenings, Super Game Day, a Taste of the Philippines, a Halloween party, Summerween Weekend, and Tails and Ales.
Halloween Light Show
Demarest Farms, Hillsdale
Select dates, through October 31
Known for its Orchard of Lights at Christmastime, the Halloween Light Show is a family-friendly drive-through of 32 acres around the farm. After, park your car near the farm market for fall goodies.
Red Wagon Farm Fall Activities
136 Applegarth Rd., Monroe
Thursdays to Sundays, through Halloween
Activities include pumpkin picking, hayrides, farm animals, redneck basketball, a giant swing set, axe throwing, tic tac toe, checkers, rock hunt, cornhole, tug of war, bowling, a tire mountain, ring toss, Connect 4 and Jenga.
Fall Harvest Days
Norz Hill Farm, Hillsborough
Through October 31
There are farm tours, corn mazes, a kids’ corner, food, and a scenic pumpkin patch.
Harvest Glow
The Bronx Zoo, The Bronx, NY
Through October 31
Although the animals won’t be viewable at night, the nighttime Halloween spectacular features a trail of 5,000 hand-carved, animal-themed jack-o’-lanterns, Dinosaur Safari, pumpkin carving demos, games, face painting, illuminated characters, shows in the Wildlife Theater, photo ops and food trucks.
Indian Acres Tree Farm Fall Activities
Indian Acres Tree Farm, Medford
Daily, through October 31
There will be pumpkin picking, a giant sorghum maze with 40 scarecrows to find, Boo Buddies Maze with 19 kid-friendly scarecrows, a Ghoul Gang Maze with 21 “slightly scary” scarecrows, weekends-only barrel train rides, a free play area, live music, visits with goats and alpacas, grilled food, and apple cider donuts.
Harvest Moon Nights
Alstede Farms, Chester
Fridays – Saturdays, through November 1
After going through the corn maze, take a leisurely hayride through the fields, then have some snacks by the campfire. There will be locally crafted hard ciders from Ironbound Hard Cider.
Corn Maze, Hayrides & Pumpkin Adventures
Abma’s Farm, Wyckoff and Hillsborough
Select dates, through November 1
Depending on the location, there will be morning yoga, music classes, tractor time, spooky storytime, a Halloween dance party, a corn maze, hayrides, and pumpkin picking.
Maple Leaf Farms Fall Fun Fest
Maple Leaf Farms, Manalapan
Weekends, through November 1; plus Monday, October 13
Classic autumn adventures include hayrides through the farm, a sprawling corn maze, a festive pumpkin village, train rides, farm animal encounters, outdoor games, playgrounds, and interactive attractions for kids of all ages. There are live bull riding shows and pig races scheduled throughout each day.
Jacks & Lights
Argos Farm, Forked River
Select dates, through November 2
Included in admission are the lighted pumpkin trail, the pumpkin patch, a flashlight maze, access to fall treats and the Spook-Easy, and photo ops.
Von Thun Farms’ Fall Festival
Von Thun Farms, Washington Twp.
Saturday – Sunday, through November 2; plus school closure days
Come to the farm for apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, cider donuts, apple blasters, corn cannons, other kids’ activities, and a new Sesame Street-themed corn maze.
Fright Fest
Six Flags Great Adventure Resort, Jackson Twp.
Select dates, through November 2
Start in the daytime at Kids Boo Fest, a not-so-scary Halloween event with trick-or-treating, silly performances and fall photo ops. At night, dare to be scared inside movie-themed haunted houses, scare zones and themed performances.
GLOW Spooky Speedway
Through November 2
Take a light-filled journey as you figuratively drive along Route 66. Expect glowing pumpkins, ghosts and witches, all brought to life by thousands of synchronized lights.
Shades of Autumn Fall Foliage Tours
Port Imperial, Weehawken
Saturdays – Sundays, through November 2
NY Waterway offers two- and four-hour boat tours along the Hudson River so you can see the beautiful fall foliage in addition to the awesome NYC skyline. You’ll get food and drinks on board, plus a tour guide will point out historical sites along the way.
Fintastic Pumpkin Glow
Adventure Aquarium, Camden
Through November 2
The aquarium’s fall festival puts glowing gourds of every shape, size and species both above the surface and deep below the sharks and stingrays. As part of the themed activities, you can paint and take home your own personalized pumpkin masterpiece.
Halloween House
Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold Twp.
Deptford Mall, Deptford
Daily through November 2
This indoor experience transports you into a movie-based Halloween world that is more creative than scary. Each of the 10 rooms you walk through has a different scene, like the Beetlejuice Illusion Room, Glow Room, Halloweentown and Trick-or-Treat Room.
Happy Day Farm Fall Festival
Happy Day Farm, Manalapan
Select dates, through November 2
There’s a little bit of everything you love about fall here: sunflower and pumpkin picking, corn cannon and pumpkin blaster, animal zoo and pony rides, a real corn maze and an inflatable corn maze, pig races and a bee barn, pumpkin bowling and a spider web climb, and many more kid-friendly activities.
Great Pumpkin Festival
Heaven Hill Farm, Vernon
Select dates, through November 2
There will be 35+ fall-themed attractions, plus food, games, a hayride to the pumpkin patch, an Alice in Wonderland-themed corn maze, farm animals and pig races, a dog show, a giant slingshot, a straw pyramid and a baseball speed through. For an additional fee, take the kids to the carnival ride area, apple cannon, paintball range and gem mining.
The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular
Sesame Place Philadelphia, Langhorne, PA
Select dates, through November 2
Sesame Street- and Halloween-themed activities include a castle maze, stage performance, trick-or-treating, costume contests, Halloween parade, pumpkin decorating, character shows, Halloween storytime, and a special Halloween dining op.
Winery Weekend Music Series
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Saturdays, through November 2
In the wine orchard among 100-year-old apple trees, have a glass of wine, listen to live music from local artists, snack on food, shop in the farm store, or take a stroll with the kids on the farm.
Halloween Haunt
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, PA
Fridays – Saturdays, through November 1
Additional Sundays: October 12, 19 and 26, and November 2
There are seven haunted mazes, separate scare zones, access to the theme park’s 60 rides, musical stage shows, and seasonal food and drinks.
Hoboken Art Month
Throughout Hoboken
Through November 3
Highlights include a storefront art walk with a docent-led tour, Jazz on the Hudson, a public print event where families can squeegee their own hand-cut print on paper, storytelling, a lace exhibit, a screening of “Hocus Pocus,” a walking tour of Hoboken art studios, pop-up markets, musical performances, an improv workshop, hat making and pottery building.
Halloween Nights
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA
Select nights, through November 8
The ten-acre former prison site is transformed for Halloween with five haunted houses, historic tours, themed bars, live entertainment, and more. There’s an outdoor scare zone, food and drink vendors, a lineup of characters from Shadow of the Veil, and the ability to “opt in” to access hidden passageways.
Field Station: Dinosaurs
Overpeck County Park, Leonia
Select dates, through November 9
This will be the final season of the dino-themed park, which has 30 life-sized dinosaurs, a bounce house, live musical shows, meetings with paleontologists and science shows.
Fall Theatre Season
All Children’s Art Center of New Jersey, Denville
Select dates, through November 26
ACACNJ’s fall productions include Aladdin, Camp Rock, The Sound of Music Jr., Shrek Jr., and The SpongeBob Musical.
Terhune Orchards Fall Art Show
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Through December 7
This year’s exhibit honors the Mount family with the theme “50 Years of Terhune Orchards.” Displayed inside the 250-year-old red barn, the art showcases original works inspired by the farm’s landscape, history and community over the past five decades.
Hometown Pride: The Power of Sports in Middlesex County
Cornelius Low House Museum, Piscataway
Select dates through December 31
Middlesex County’s sports connections include the first-ever college football game played between Rutgers University and Princeton University; professional athletes and Olympians, Paralympians, and Special Olympians. You will see high school trophies from the 1930s to the present, NFL golden footballs for pro athletes, balls from the highest-scoring high school athletes, uniforms from the 1930s to the present, and more.
Springsteen in Long Branch: An exhibition telling the story of Born to Run
Long Branch Arts & Cultural Center, Long Branch
Ongoing through 2026
Fifty years ago, Bruce Springsteen wrote the “Born to Run” album in West End, Long Branch. A new exhibit showcases his life at the Jersey Shore through photos, posters, album promo materials and mementos – like his green drum set from his first band, and a replica of the guitar used on the album cover.
SUE The T. Rex Experience
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Through May 25, 2026
The world’s most complete, most well-preserved T. rex skeleton is making a stop at LSC so you can see her bones, hear her growl and smell her breath (seriously!). There will be fossils on display, projection mapping of other prehistoric creatures, and a life-sized fleshed-out replica to show what the creature’s life was like in the Cretaceous era.
Editor’s Note: Always check times, dates and weather updates before heading out.
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