This weekend’s top pick in North Jersey is the final stretch of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Newark, with Essex County Family Day on Saturday and Bloomfest! on Sunday. In Central Jersey, the first-ever New Brunswick Spring Bazaar is taking over George Street, while the inaugural Pork Roll vs. Taylor Ham 5K puts New Jersey’s favorite breakfast debate on the move. Down South, the Doo Dah Parade i in Ocean City brings the cutest dachshunds to the boardwalk, Johnson’s Corner Farm in Medford is offering hayrides to its u-pick tulip fields, and in Mays Landing, you can show off your K-pop dance moves at the fairgrounds.
WEEKEND
Restaurant Week
Hopewell Township
Wednesday – Sunday
Restaurants around town will offer deals and promotions so you can try a new place or go back to your favorite.
Tulip Picking Hayrides
Johnson’s Corner Farm, Medford
Wednesday – Sunday
A combination ticket includes a hayride to the u-pick fields, and time in the Discovery Barnyard play area for kids, plus a stop at the animal farm.
Tri State Tulip Festival
Dalton Farms, Swedesboro
Wednesday – Monday
Aside from 1 million tulips, there will be thousands of daffodils blooming during festival, which includes u-pick flowers on weekdays and a festival every weekend – featuring kids’ activities, a new playground, live music, paddle boats, and a beer garden.
Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, Atlantic City
Friday – Sunday
The festival features performances from over 70 acts. It was founded by Jerry Ryan as a fundraiser inspired by his autistic son, Jeremy.
First Oval Office Project Weekend
Liberty Hall Museum, Union Twp.
Saturday – Sunday
The weekend is filled with historical interpreters, crafts, lectures, a historical costume contest, a monument design competition, opportunities to interact with other local historic sites, games and more. You can sign up to help set up the exhibit on Friday, or help break it down on Sunday.
Cherry Blossom Festival
Essex County Branch Brook Park, Newark
Saturday – Sunday
Part of the Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival is Essex County Family Day on April 18, followed by the culminating BloomFest! festival on April 19, with a packed schedule of events on the Oval in the Northern Division, including Japanese cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, live music, a crafter’s marketplace, food and more.
SATURDAY
K-Pop Inspired Dance Party
Atlantic County 4-H Fairgrounds, Mays Landing
There will be a character meet-and-greet, a DJ and dancing, face painting, hair art, sensory play and games, a performance by the 4-H Cloggers, a K-Pop karate routine by Olivia Charlee, and lunch. This is a fundraiser for the Autoinflammatory Alliance and the Atlantic County 4-H.
Celebrate Earth Day
Pulda Farm, North Brunswick
Members of several environmentally-focused organizations – like the North Brunswick Gardening Club, NBTHS Environmental Committee, Rutgers Master Gardeners and Fresh Pond Farms – will be on site to talk about the earth. Hop on a free hayride around the preserved farm.
New Brunswick Spring Festival & Bazaar
New Brunswick City Center, New Brunswick
The ’90s-themed celebration coincides with the 30th anniversary of Harvest Moon Brewery & Cafe. It will be similar to Oktoberfest in the fall and Winter Wonderland in December. There will be local makers, artisans, live music/a deejay, food vendors, interactive games (like Giant Jenga and Connect Four), a ’90s-themed outfit contest, caricatures, henna, and an area exclusively for adults with a beer garden. Harvest Moon will honor 1990s beer pricing and other throwback deals. You can also catch the 1990s-themed live band Who Brought the Dog on stage.
Earth Day Festival in Hunterdon County
Echo Hill Park, Flemington
Earth Day events include live animals with Rizzo’s Wildlife World, a high-energy musical experience with recycled instruments with Bash the Trash, activities with local 4-H clubs, recycled crafts, critter-searching in the stream, and fishing.
Lambing Day
Howell Living History Farm, Hopewell Twp.
This is the day everyone hopes a baby lamb will be born. While you wait, visit the barn to learn about what the flock of Romney-Suffolk sheep did during the winter. You’ll also see baby chickens, horses, bees, and the farmers working in the fields.
Hopewell Valley 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run
Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington
The high school will support the classes of 2027 and 2028 with a 1-mile Fun Run followed by a 5K race. The event will feature a special “Top Teacher/Administrator” award, and prizes will be presented to the top three overall male and female finishers, as well as the top three finishers in every age group. This year’s race is a USATF-sanctioned event, open to everyone from competitive runners to casual walkers.
From Dunes to Deep Blue
Cape May
Cape May County’s Earth Day celebration raises awareness of the entire coastal ecosystem through hands-on educational exhibits, children’s amusements, live entertainment, a variety of eco shops and a scavenger hunt.
Fit For Autism
Signature Fitness, Belleville
Signature Fitness is teaming up with the Belleville PBA for a day of live music, a fire truck pull (at 3 pm), fitness challenges, Crossfit classes, vendors, food, prizes, entertainment, and Easter egg hunt (at 1 pm) and a kids’ bounce house. The event will raise funds for Ariana’s Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals with autism and their families.
Hungarian Artisan Market
American Hungarian Foundation, New Brunswick
There will be Hungarian food, products and merch to buy while celebrating the culture.
Batter Up
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Morristown
The Flemington Neshanocks take on the Mountain Athletic Club in two back-to-back historical baseball games.
Steinert High School AfterProm Parent Association Spring Craft Market
Steinert High School, Hamilton Twp.
The craft fair fundraiser will include more than 70 sellers inside and outside.
South Brunswick Bike Rodeo
South Brunswick Senior Center, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick
Kids will ride around the track during bike games and challenges. There will also be pedestrian safety education, helmet safety checks, helmet decorating and community providers.
Doo Dah Parade
Boardwalk, Ocean City
This funny parade features more than 300 basset hounds walking along the boardwalk.
Earth Day Open House
Huber Woods Environmental Center, Middletown
Events include live animal shows, and guided nature and history walks.
Kids Night Out
Shimon and Sara Birnbaum JCC, Bridgewater
Kids ages 5 to 11 can play high-energy games, team challenges and sports, and make crafts, during this drop-off event.
Daffodil Day
Moorestown
Spring arrives with horse-drawn surrey rides, live music, artisan demos, family activities, and sales at local businesses.
Penguins & Pajamas
Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Pt. Pleasant
Come in your PJs and listen to stories about penguins before getting to meet one of the resident African penguins. Then, you get all-day admission to see all the exhibits.
Holi Festival
New Brunswick Free Public Library, New Brunswick
The Indian holiday that welcomes spring will include a musical dance drama, performances, henna, face painting, sampling of Indian foods and Holi color play.
SUNDAY
All-Ages Folk Dances
Suzanne Patterson Center, Princeton
Open to everyone from age 4 to 104, the options include square dances, contra dances, party games, traditional American dances, and folk dances from around the world. The music will be played by the Mixed Age Dance Band, and you can join the group at a rehearsal before the dancing begins.
Spring Festival and Earth Day Celebration
Red Bank Battlefield, National Park
There will be Earth Day exhibits and presentations, Colonial craft demos, activities (like glass making, pottery, hearth cooking, spinning and weaving), farm animals, kids’ games, live music, craft vendors, food trucks, a magic show, and tours of the battlefield and Whitall House.
Party Like It’s Your Earth Day
Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton
Sustainable Princeton and Morven reps worked together to create a day packed with yoga, capoeira dance, garden tours, musical and dance performances, a “trashion” show, food booths, craft tables, and a puzzle and book swap.
Jersey Shore Spring Comic Book Show
Toms River Elks Lodge, Toms River
There will be tons of comics, trading cards, toys and crafts for sale. Meet artists, writers and costume groups. Guests include Neil Vokes from DC Comics and horror author Steven Farkas.
Terry Fator
BergenPAC, Englewood
The ventriloquist who headlined in Las Vegas is on tour with his characters, putting on a 90-minute show of comedy skits and song parodies.
Pork Roll vs. Taylor Ham 5K/10K – and 2K Pup Strut
Duke Island Park, Hillsborough
The endless Jersey debate of pork roll vs. Taylor ham is taking center stage at a race this weekend, when runners will head to the finish line and declare their favorite breakfast meat. When you cross the finish line, you’ll get a medal, plus the sandwich of your choice. Your dog will get a treat at the end, too.
Family Fun Earth Day
Renault Winery & Resort, Egg Harbor City
Bring the family to the winery for pot painting and planting, sensory potting, a horticulture chat and nature face painting.
Fabricating for Faeries
Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly
Look for inspiration as you take a guided walk along the Fairy Trail, because when you get back, you will design and build your own fairy house to take home.
ONGOING
Daffodil Days
Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit
Through April 15
Be part of this decades-old tradition, where you’ll get to see more than 50,000 beautiful bulbs in bloom. On April 12, will be spring-themed games and crafts, a story trail, food trucks, market vendors and their famous goats during the Daffodil Day Festival.
Beak Week
Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary, Short Hills
April 17-24
This new week-long birding competition has you looking for bird habitats, listen for bird calls and look for all types of species of birds.
The Stinky Cheese Man And Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Arden Children’s Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
Select dates, April 17 – May 3
Based on the book, this musical flips classic fairy tales completely upside down. The Ugly Duckling stays ugly, a princess gets more slime than romance after kissing a frog, and familiar characters keep wandering into the wrong stories as narrators lose control and chaos takes over.
SatARTdays Free Kids’ Art Classes
Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, Atlantic City
Saturdays, through April 18
A professional artist will lead art classes for kids ages 5 to 12.
Northeast Earth Coalition Earth Day Celebration
Montclair
April 18-26
Activities during the week include volunteer cleanup opportunities, movie night, a demo garden and an Earth Day festival (April 26).
Von Thun Farms Tulip Festival
Von Thun Farms, Washington Twp.
April 18 – May 7
In November, farmers planted 250,000 tulip bulbs for the first time ever. Visit on any day to pick your own, or plan to come by on a festival weekend when there will be food trucks, kids’ activities, farm animals (like Hope the Highland cow) and market shopping.
Face(t)s of America Exhibition
Gallery Space, Rahway
April 18 – June 13
Six artists whose work explores what it means to live, belong and define oneself in America will present their artistic thoughts through portraiture, photography and painting.
1776
Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn
Through May 2
In this tribute to the country’s 250th anniversary, 1776 follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and some other delegates as they try to unite the 13 Colonies.
Dino Festival and Tulip Experience
Arrowhead Farmstead, Manalapan
Select dates, through May 3
Thirty life-sized dinos will be hiding amongst 1 million tulips on 150 acres of farmland for this combo fest. Activities for the kids include fossil hunting, dino stage shows and science lessons on the prehistoric. You can order from the food trucks or lemonade stand.
Spring Blooms
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Through May 7
There’s so much to see among the 1,100 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows. Already growing are hardy bulbs, crocus, forsythia and cherry blossoms. By next week, more than 150,000 tulips and other spring bulbs are expected to reach peak bloom along the 600-foot-long Flower Garden Walk. Come a little later in the season for flowering magnolias and dogwoods.
SUE The T. Rex Experience
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Through May 25
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.
Elmo’s Springtacular
Sesame Place Philadelphia, Langhorne, PA
Select dates, through June 14
Kids can meet Blippi, sing along (and sign along to ASL) during a concert with Emma Memma, watch “Dino Ranch On Stage!’, check out the new Elmo’s Imagination Explorers stage show, and dress up for Elmo’s Pirate Weekend, as just some of the different themed events taking place each weekend.
Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition
The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
Through September 7
There are animatronics, robots, ride designs, costumes and props that mimic The World Famous Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, giving you an insider’s look at the storytelling and building behind the rides and worlds at the Florida and California theme parks.
Editor’s Note: Always check times, dates and weather updates before heading out.
Got questions about this weekend’s events?
We pulled together a quick FAQ to help.
Q: Do I need tickets or reservations?
A: Some of the bigger attractions (musicals, theme parks) do require tickets, and popular times can sell out. It’s important to check the event link in our guide for details, times, date, pricing, availability and weather before you head out.
Q: Does the list include both indoor and outdoor events?
A: You’ll find a mix of indoor shows, markets, and museums, along with outdoor flower shows, events and festivals.
Q: What are some of the best things to do in New Jersey this weekend (April 17-19, 2026)?
A: This weekend (April 3-5, 2026) features family-friendly things to do across New Jersey and in NY and PA. Highlights include the final days of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Newark, the first-ever New Brunswick Spring Bazaar, the first-ever Pork Roll vs. Taylor Ham 5K, the Doo Dah Parade in Ocean City, and a K-pop dance party at the fairgrounds in Mays Landing.
Q: What parts of New Jersey do these events cover?
A: We include family events happening throughout North, Central, and South Jersey, plus more events in New York and Pennsylvania.
Q: Where can I find more events near me?
A: This weekend’s roundup is a comprehensive list, but you can also browse more upcoming events on our calendar.
Q: How can I stay updated on more things to do in New Jersey?
A: Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Read More:
Looking for Spring Break Ideas? Your Kids Will Love These Day Trip Ideas
Fairs and Festivals in NJ: Our Mega-Guide
Springtime Flower Festivals In and Around New Jersey
Best Ways to Celebrate Earth Day in NJ
