Best Things to Do in New Jersey This Weekend (January 23-25, 2026)

There’s a major snow storm predicted for Sunday into Monday, so you’ll have to squeeze in your fun on Saturday. Head to Monster Jam, try pottery painting, or bundle up to hit the slopes at Mountain Creek 60th Anniversary Fest before Sunday’s storm. Make sure you check event websites for closures due to the weather.

WEEKEND

‘Wicked’ Trivia Night
Calandra’s Il Vecchio Cafe, Caldwell
Thursday
Test your knowledge of the movies while sipping on $5 margaritas all night.

Monster Jam Freestyle Mania
Prudential Center, Newark
Friday – Saturday
Monster Jam trucks team up with Freestyle Motocross bikes to show off stunts, flips, races and obstacle runs. Monster Jam Trackside opens about an hour before start time, and includes a competition preview, driver interviews, behind-the-scenes views of the pit crew, the judges zone overview, opening ceremonies, power rush truck intros, and giveaways. Before the show, get tickets to the Monster Jam Pit Party, where you’ll see the massive trucks up close, meet your favorite drivers and crew, get autographs, take pictures, and enjoy family-friendly activities. You can also get tickets for the Post-Event Driver Meet & Greet, where you can take photos, get autographs and hear competition takeaways from the drivers. Note: Sunday’s show has been canceled and postponed to August 16.

BroadwayCon
Palladium Times Square and The New York Westin at Times Square, New York City
Friday – Sunday
Panels, performances, interviews, workshops, sing-alongs, and more will take place all weekend for the biggest Broadway fans.

Mountain Creek 60th Anniversary Fest
Mountain Creek Resort, Vernon Twp.
Saturday – Sunday
Celebrate 60 years on the slopes with a terrain park competition, discounts on lift tickets if you dress in retro gear, the Legacy Rail Jam, DJ music at the South Peak Base — plus an afterparty at The Kink.

The Lion King Jr.
Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center, Bridgewater
Saturday – Sunday
Young actors from the JCC bring the classic Disney story to life.

Mid-Winter Antique Show
WheatonArts Event Center, Millville
Saturday – Sunday
Roughly 40 dealers will offer a selection of antique furniture, books, ceramics, glass, jewelry, linens, memorabilia, toys, pottery, vintage accessories, and more. During Antique Show weekend, the Museum of American Glass, Artist Studios, and Museum Stores will also be open, before they close until April 2 for updates.

FRIDAY

Winnie the Pooh: Popcorn & Pajamas
UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage, Rahway
Dress in your comfy PJs and watch your favorite characters from the Hundred Acre Wood on screen, while snacking on free popcorn. An hour before the movie, take a seat at the craft table to make something to take home.

Family Float & Fins: Finding Nemo Dive In
College Avenue Rec Center Pool, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
If you’re a member of Rutgers Recreation (students, faculty and staff) you can bring your kids to watch Finding Nemo from the pool or deck while snacking on fresh popcorn.

SATURDAY

Jurassic Bark Live!
Levoy Theatre, Millville
The show combines larger-than-life animatronic dinosaurs and stunt dogs from the producer of Puppy Pals Live, as seen on America’s Got Talent. There are freestyle dancing dogs, agility dogs, Frisbee dogs, and high-jumping dogs performing lots of stunts, in addition to the 14-foot velociraptor Velma.

Click Clack Moo
Wilkins Theatre at Kean University, Union
When his granddaughter Jenny comes for a visit, Farmer Brown declares the farm a tech-free zone. He takes her laptop in the cold barn, and the shivering cows use her computer to type messages asking for blankets. When Farmer Brown says no, the cows – and chickens – go on strike. This is a musical about negotiation and compromise, based on the award-winning children’s book.

Dessertopia
Morristown Armory, Morristown
Get your fix of all the cupcakes, cookies, waffles, ice cream, pastries, pies, puddings and chocolate you want. There will also be an adult beverage bar, a specialty dessert beverage, vendors, a DJ, and face painting.

Family Pottery Painting Party
All Children’s Art Center, Denville
Kids and parents will pick their favorite ceramic piece and paint side-by-side.

Science in Action Day
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Art and science will meet beauty as you talk to Longwood’s scientists and horticultural experts, who will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the research, innovation, and techniques that guide how staff grow, care for, conserve, and steward plants and landscapes. Stations include floriculture, regenerative resources, plant exploration, plant collections, and land stewardship.

SUNDAY (be sure to check for postponements due to the major snow storm predicted for Sunday into Monday)

Gabby’s Dollhouse Live!
State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick
The brand-new stage show is inspired by the preschool show from DreamWorks Animation.

Wickedly Fun Family Sing-Along
Calandra’s Bakery, Fairfield
Miss Desiree will lead you and the kids in an interactive sing-along based on the Broadway musical and movies. Snack on a variety of Calandra’s pastries.

Cranford’s 250 RevolutionNJ Flag Raising
Municipal Council Chambers, Cranford
After a brief ceremony indoors, a flag raising will be held outside of the municipal building, featuring a color guard, members of the VFW, local scouts, live re-enactors, a bagpiper and the Cranford High School Choir.

Pet Patrol Brunch
The Bistro, Freehold Twp.
Before – or after – playing in the arcade at iPlay America, bring the kids over to the on-site restaurant for brunch with their favorite Pet Patrol characters. They can order off their own menu, plus they’ll get a photo and a free coloring book.

ONGOING

Ballet for Toddlers
Princeton Public Library, Princeton
Ongoing, Fridays
This interactive dance workshop introduces kids ages 2-4 and their adult caregivers to the basics of ballet.

Updike Farmstead Museum and Grounds Tours
Updike Farmstead Museum, Princeton
Ongoing, Fridays and Saturdays
Take a 30-minute guided tour of the headquarters of the Historical Society of Princeton. The late 18th-/early 19th-century farmhouse museum, grounds, renovated barn and recently restored wagon shed include exhibits of Einstein Salon and Innovators Gallery, featuring HSP’s collection of Albert Einstein’s furniture and other personal belongings; and Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection.

Narnia The Musical
Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts, Maplewood
January 23-25, January 30 – February 1
The Maplewood Strollers present their midwinter children’s show based on the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

New Jersey Film Festival
Rutgers University, New Brunswick; with virtual options
Fridays – Sundays, January 23 – February 22
Almost 50 films will have their area screenings as part of the New Jersey Film Festival or the United States Super 8 Film and Video Festival. There will be many in-person guest appearances by film directors, producers and actors. Two free filmmaking workshops will be open to anyone.

All-Ages Folk Dances
Suzanne Patterson Center, Princeton
January 25, February 22, March 22, April 19
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.

Maple Sugaring Season
The New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Recreation, Ringwood
January 28 – March
Kick off maple sugaring season on January 28, when Tree Tapping & Foraged Tea gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how senior staff members drill the holes, set the spiles, and hang the buckets in preparation for the maple sugar programs on weekends in February and March.

Nature & Stories
Plainsboro Preserve, Plainsboro
Thursdays, through January 29
Kids ages 2 to 7 will listen to stories about nature and animals, followed by crafts or activities. Every week will be a different winter nature theme.

Center City District Restaurant Week
Center City, Philadelphia, PA
Through January 31
Dozens of restaurants across Center City will offer exclusive limited-time menus at a discounted price: three-course dinners for $45 per person, with select locations offering a $60 premium option; or a two-course lunch menu for $20.

Winter at Dilworth Park
Dilworth Park, Philadelphia, PA
Select dates, through February
The heart of Center City comes alive with outdoor ice skating, a topiary garden, the Wintergarden, a chalet-style cabin, charming fire pits, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, and Breakfast with Santa.

Antique Toy Train Show
The Museum of American History, Deptford
Thursday – Sunday, through February 1
See toy trains from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, including Lionel, Marx and American Flyer engines. Plasticville buildings from the 1950s will give the platforms a vintage holiday appearance.

Behind the Scenes at The Giraffe Barn
Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, South Orange
Select Saturdays, through February 28
You’ll take a tour, meet the keepers, and learn about conservation efforts.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center, NYC
Through March
Ice skate or chill in a rinkside chalet while looking at the magnificent tree, which stays lit through mid-January. 

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Bryant Park, New York City
Through March
This Manhattan park is home to the largest free-admission ice skating rink in NYC. Relax rinkside at The Lodge while taking in the splendor of the giant Christmas tree. Shop more than 180 vendors selling gifts from around the world. And check out the bumper cars on ice.

Outdoor Winter Wonderland
Middletown Sports Camp, Middletown
Through March 8
This will be the place to skate, sip and shop during the holiday season, with its new winter festival that includes festive music, lights and décor; vendors; fire pits; igloos; and the center of it all, the outdoor ice skating rink.

Lunar New Year at American Dream
American Dream, East Rutherford
Through March 8
Celebratory events include a youth talent competition, K-Pop dance competition, concerts, fashion shows, a spring festival gala, a Lunar New Year spectacular, the lighting of the Dream Wheel, a photography contest, opera night, and a Sunflower Lantern Festival Gala.

Sap to Syrup (Maple Sugaring)
Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly
Sundays, through March 15
Learn about how sap becomes syrup, and which local trees can be tapped for their own unique flavors. You’ll stay outside to identify trees, learn how sap flows, and practice using real tapping tools.

Art Attack
Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center, Bridgewater
Fridays, through March 20
Kids ages 2 to 5 will use clay, paint, papier-mache, pastels and watercolors to express themselves without words, using creativity and emotions.

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.

Q: What are some of the best things to do in New Jersey this weekend (January 23-25, 2026)?

A: This weekend (January 23-25, 2026) features family-friendly things to do across New Jersey and in NY and PA. Highlights include Jurassic Bark Live!, the 60th anniversary celebration for Mountain Creek Resort, Dessertopia and Monster Jam Freestyle Mania.

Q: What parts of New Jersey do these events cover?