From a massive pet expo to a winter village with ice skating and a comic book convention, there’s no shortage of fun things to add to your January to-do list!
January 1
Ventnor City Polar Plunge and Winter Festival
Polar Plunge: Newport Avenue Beach, Ventnor City
Winter Festival: St. James Memorial Hall, Ventnor City
Start your afternoon inside the church hall, where there will be inflatable games, music, a chili cookoff, and food and beer specials. Head out to the Atlantic for the plunge. Then, warm up at the afterparty at Ventnor Social.
January 1 – 3
Kringle Cove
Whitechapel Projects, Long Branch
Shop all weekend from different vendors set up each day at The Long Branch Holiday Bazaar. There will be a live DJ, craft workshops and face painting for kids. Kringle Cove will have each room decorated so that you feel like you’re in a holiday movie. Make your own s’mores or order pizza.
January 1 – 4
Winter Wonderland
Holland Ridge Farms, Cream Ridge
The walk-through event has more than 50,000 illuminated tulips lighting up the flower fields, a light show from the windmill; illuminated pony rides on the weekends; interactive LED seesaws, swings, spinners and slides; magical snow flurry stations; and “snowball fights” inside a giant igloo snowball pit.
January 2 – 4
Newark Winter Village
Mulberry Commons Park, Newark
The open-air festival in the downtown offers ice skating, go karts, a marketplace, private heated pods and igloos.
January 8 – 11
Festival of Trees
Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton
Seventeen trees and mantels will be decorated and displayed throughout the museum, created by local community groups. Themes include All Aboard to Movie Magic; Family Game Night; A Tribute to Pollinators; and Fruit of the Holiday Spirit.
January 9-11
Super Pet Expo
New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison
Everything here is pet-centric: the marketplace, the activity courses, the adoption booths, the displays, the catwalk and the cat judging area, the animal talent agencies and even the celebrity guests. You’ll see dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and arachnids. Leashed dogs are allowed.
January 9-10, 16-17
Fire & Frost Fun Winter Festival
Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, PA
Watch as artists carve blocks of ice into sculptures, while others breathe and juggle fire. The kids can go on the Find Jack Frost scavenger hunt, while you grab them hot cocoa or cider from the Village Green. The shops and restaurants will be open late.
January 16-18
Downtown Haddonfield
Creative ice sculptures will be spread out throughout Downtown Haddonfield. Haddonfield restaurants will be serving their best soups. Live ice carving will take place in Kings Court on Sunday.
January 17
Wild Con
Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood
There will be artists, vendors and interactive activities at this popular comic book show. Meet actress Sharon Smyth Lentz from TV’s Dark Shadows and Glenn Taranto from The New Addams Family, plus animator Jeff Brennan (Courage the Cowardly Dog).
Pokémon Market
Bell Works, Holmdel
There will be 350+ tables featuring some of the top vendors from across the tri-state area. There will be a Trading Card Game tournament during the event.
January 17 – 18
Totally Rad Vintage Fest
Meadowlands Expo Center, Secaucus
Go back to the ’80s, ’90s and Y2K and check out the nostalgic clothes, toys and home goods. There will be a free-play vintage arcade, the Rad Rewind Museum and throwback photo ops.
January 17 – March 8
Lunar New Year at American Dream
American Dream, East Rutherford
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 phtoography contest, opera night, and a Sunflower Lantern Festival Gala.
January 23 – 25
BroadwayCon
Palladium Times Square and The New York Westin at Times Square, New York City
Panels, performances, interviews, workshops, sing-alongs, and more will take place all weekend for the biggest Broadway fans.
January 24
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.
January 24-25
Mountain Creek 60th Anniversary Fest
Mountain Creek Resort, Vernon Twp.
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.
Mid-Winter Antique Show
WheatonArts Event Center, Millville
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.
January 30 – February 1
Greek Winter Feast
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Egg Harbor Twp.
There will be authentic Greek food and pastries, cocktails, Greek dance performances, and DJ entertainment.
January 31
The 33rd Fire & Ice Festival
Downtown Mount Holly
Watch ice block carvers, participate in a chili tasting contest, make winter crafts, buy from area artisans and vendors, sample delights from the food trucks & beer tent, photo ops with characters, learn from Revolutionary War Re-enactors/demonstrators, watch dog sled demonstrations and more.
Groundhog Day Celebration
The Watershed Institute, Pennington
Join Watershed Wally the Woodchuck as he celebrates winter but looks forward to the return of spring. Learn all about groundhogs, enjoy a hike to a groundhog hole, and try your hand at chucking wood with a catapult or trebuchet. There will be treats by the campire.
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