Looking for things to do in NJ this weekend with your family? Halloween is less than two weeks away, so celebrate at Brite Nites in Warren where you can see carved jack-o’-lanterns and test your courage at the Barn of Fear. If you’re looking for low-scare events, try the Zombie Parade in Highlands or Happy Haunts at Red Mill in Clinton.
For more fun, check out our complete list of fairs and festivals. If you want to stay inside, take a look at our favorite indoor activities. Got a bunch of younger kids to entertain? We’ve got activities that cater just to them, plus free events for the whole fam. Check out our calendar for events near you, or browse things to do in NJ this weekend by county below.
THINGS TO DO IN NJ ALL WEEKEND
Great Pumpkin Festival
Vernon
Spend a day at Heaven Hill Farm and explore the ten-acre Maize Quest Corn Maze (aka the largest corn maze in northern NJ), filled with winding paths, questions and pictures. There’ll also be hay rides, pig races and pony and carnival rides.
$15/person
Addamsfest
Westfield
Take your coven to the 2nd Annual AddamsFest, a Westfield-wide shindig dedicated to local Charles Addams, the cartoonist who created The Addams Family characters. Try events like Gomez’s Dynamite Model Railway, The Addams Family Fun Zone and more.
Prices vary
The Great Pumpkin Train
Phillipsburg
The Delaware River Railroad Excursions’ Peanuts engine will take you from Phillipsburg straight to a pumpkin patch. Try your luck in the corn maze or explore the Ol’ Susquehanna Mine where the kids can pan for gems.
Prices vary
DiDonato’s Trick-or-Treat Train
Hammonton
Come aboard this outdoor train ride, which travels through a goblin-friendly Halloween town. The kids can get their faces painted, pick a pumpkin from the patch, hit the hay maze or go bowling.
$12.95/online, $14.60/door
Haunted Express
Allaire State Park
Your lil’ daredevils will love exploring the haunted woods at Allaire State Park in Wall Twp. and walk through a portion of the trail, if you dare. While you’re there, visit Allaire’s Haunted Village before hopping back on the Parkway. Hop on a hayride, sip hot apple cider at the bakery and shop the general store.
$7.50/each
Fall Fun at Lupardi’s Nursery
Closter
Get lost in a six-acre corn maze and stop by 12 stamping stations along the way to enter the Corn Maze contest. Your youngest can hit the Snow White mini maze, the feeding zoo, hayride and haunted greenhouse.
$12.50/maze
Brite Nites
Warren
Take your family to Wagner Farm Arboretum to see an elaborate display of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns. Hit the Barn of Fear before you leave for scenes and special effects sure to give you the heebie-jeebies. There’ll also be cider, hot cocoa, desserts and kids’ games.
$15/adults, $10/ages 5-12, free/ages 4 and under
A. Casola Farms Fall Fest
Holmdel
This fall fest at A. Casola Farms guarantees fun for all ages with Halloween-themed attractions like the haunted hayride and greenhouse, corn mazes, the house of horror, cowboy shows and a petting zoo.
Prices vary
Ghost Train
Hackettstown
Suspense, laughter and thrills await at this show featuring a spooky train stranded for the night in a railway waiting station at the Centenary Stage Company. Passengers will be captivated by the psychic station master and his stories of ghostly apparitions.
$25
Happy Haunts at the Red Mill
Clinton
If you’re looking for a low- to no-scare event for your lil’ ones, the Red Mill is the place to go. A friendly guide will lead your group through the Mill before your lil’ monsters hop on a hayride, get their faces painted or dig into donuts and cider.
$10, free/ages 2 and under
Giant Corn Maze
Chester
Have you heard the buzz about Stony Hill Farms’ ten-acre corn maze? This year’s theme is BEE aMAZEd, and it features a number of bridges and games.
$3.99-17.99
Holland Ridge Farms Sunflower Festival 2019
Cream Ridge
Create memories at one of NJ’s sunflower festivals, which boasts more than 50 acres of flowers. If you get tired of picking, there are food trucks, live music and a fire pit to keep you busy.
$7-10
Harvest Moon Hayride and Night Time Corn Maze
Chester
Spend an evening on a hayride at Alstede Farms—without the scares. Bring the whole family for a night filled with a corn maze, pumpkin picking, relaxing around the campfire, apple cider and tasty s’mores.
$17
Fall Fun
Closter
This event boasts a tractor-pulled hayride to corn mazes, a feeding zoo, pumpkin painting and carving and tons of other fall-themed activities.
$6-20
Halloween Fun at iPlay America
Freehold
Experience a free magic show, trick or treat trail and Halloween crafts before snapping some spooky photos.
Free
Roxey Ballet presents Dracula
Lambertville
Stop by the Canal Studio Theater where strobe lighting, fog and sound effects will draw you into the spooky world of Dracula, who struggles between his love for Lucy and the stake. The choreography, costumes and gothic tale will keep you enraptured.
$40-44
Small Explorers Program
Trenton
Bring your kids to the NJ State Museum to experience this year’s program theme, Land of Pines and conservation. Guests will read Tall Tall Tree by Anthony D. Fredericks, then visit the Preserving the Pinelands exhibit and try painting with pine needles.
Free
Halos for Angels Fright Factor
Florham Park
Taking place behind Chase Bank, this event has a scare attraction for the fearless and courageous. But there’s also a scare-free family festival which includes kiddie tours, face painting, games, prizes and more.
$10
Sleepy Hollow
Piscataway
Watch this original retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, full of family-friendly comedy and the supernatural. In this story, a film crew is in production for a historic adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. After a series of unexplained on-set disasters caused by mysterious specters, it’s at risk of being shut down.
Free
Annual Cranberry Festival
Chatsworth
Celebrate the cranberry harvest with attractions like live artists and craftsmen demos, a classic car show and a variety of cranberry delights to purchase.
Free
Chester’s 36th Annual Harvest Celebration
Chester
This two-day event on Main St. will host a blacksmith, clown performances, face and pumpkin painting, square dancing and an opportunity to meet NBC’s Produce Pete.
Free
Scarecrows
Morris Twp.
The Frelinghuysen Arboretum invites all to explore the beautiful gardens while checking out dozens of festive fall scarecrows designed by individuals, businesses, organizations, scout groups and school classes.
Free
FRIDAY (OCTOBER 18)
Tot Walks
Flemington
Spend some quality time with your little one at Echo Hill where you’ll join Senior Park Naturalist Laura Bush on an early adventure to discover and learn more about nature.
$3
Forest Therapy
Ringoes
Head to Sourland Mountain and join Park Naturalist Debra Reed for a tranquil guided walk through the forest to experience nature. You can also bring kids ages 12 and up.
$5
Scooby-Doo Kids’ Craft
Hackettstown
Ages 3-8 can watch classic episodes of Scooby-Doo while creating a matching craft at the Warren County Library. Registration required.
Free
The Great Pumpkin at Insectropolis
Toms River
Stop by the Insectropolis Museum for an indoor treat trail with games and crafts, photos with Snoopy and costume contests, as well as showings of It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
$10
SATURDAY (OCTOBER 19)
Hoboken Harvest Festival
Hoboken
The kids can go crazy on pony rides, inflatables and a trackless train. They can also get their kicks at the petting zoo, hay maze, pumpkin and face painting and craft activities at Pier A Park.
Free
Fall Family Festival
Mountainside
Bring the family down to the Family Arc Center for a night of games, snacks, arts and crafts and trunk or treating.
$5
Touch a Truck
Whippany
Come to the Learning Experience Center where your kids can touch and play with a real fire truck, police car, ambulance and other vehicles.
Donation required
Intro to Micro:Bit
Camden
If your child’s ever expressed interest in coding or technology, this is an opportunity for them to learn. Students in grades 6-8 will walk through the various features of a micro:bit and learn how the code they create can activate animation, temperature sensing, radio buttons and motion sensors.
Free
5th Annual Zombie Parade
Highlands
Zombies of all ages are welcome to come in their most ghoulish attire and visit makeup artists who’ll assist with their costumes, then listen to spooky music, visit vendors and check out the parade at Huddy Park.
Free
28th Annual Pumpkin Festival
Cape May
Head down to the Historic Cold Spring Village to try some pumpkin painting and games, then visit a haunted house and hop on a hayride.
Food donation
NJBG Harvest Fest
Ringwood
From hayrides and pumpkin painting to children’s games and exhibits to a beer garden and live music, there’s something for everyone.
Free
Fall Bird Walk
Jersey City
Families can explore various habitats for birds and identify some of the local and migrating birdlife at Liberty State Park.
Free
Twp. of Washington Food Truck and Music Festival
Sewell
Dine on over 20 gourmet food trucks along with kids activities and live music. Craft beer, sangria and margarita bars included for the adults.
$5, free/ages 10 and under
Fall Festival at Casino Pier
Seaside Heights
Come dressed in your Halloween best, plus make festive fall crafts with the kids, play games and win prizes. Don’t forget to bring school supplies or canned food donations for admission.
Free
Fall Fun for Families and Fido’s
Freehold Twp.
Marty’s Place encourages visitors to bring their loyal companion for a day filled with obstacle courses, costume contests, police dog demos, a kids’ zone and more.
$5
Fall Festival at Congress Hall
Cape May
Take your kids down to Congress Hall for fall-themed carnival games and the Congress Hall Spook Express. Also, be sure to come hungry to dig into fall favorites like funnel cakes, apple cider doughnuts and cheese pretzels.
Free
Kids Harvest and History Day at Lambert Castle
Paterson
Lambert Castle is kicking off the fall season with history, food and fun fall activities for kids. They can participate in fall crafts and games, learn about historic sites or drill with Revolutionary War soldiers.
Free
SkyLights
Branchburg
Bring the kids to the RVCC Planetarium where they can sing songs by Mr. Ray and Jane Murphy. Songs will be illustrated with lasers and other images.
$10
Costume Pet Parade
Galloway
Include your pet in the Halloween fun at this cute event at Historic Smithville where more than 100 pets are competing with each other.
Free
SUNDAY (OCTOBER 20)
Clifton Food Truck Festival
Clifton
While the kids are running around the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton at different activities, browse fare from 20 gourmet food trucks and grab a glass of craft beer or sangria. Lay out your blankets and chairs and check out the live music while you sip and bite.
$5, free/ages 10 and under
Runnemede Fire Company Fall Festival
Runnemede
The Runnemede Fire Company is hosting more than a dozen food trucks with more than 50 craft vendors, as well as special games for the kids like the firefighter experience, a simulated adventure game.
Free admission
Jersey Shore Toy Show
Mansaquan
Your little ones can check out more than 75 tables showcasing collectible vintage and modern toys, comic books, video games and thousands of action figures at the South Wall Fire Banquet Hall.
Free
Fall Fest and Paint Out
Princeton
This fall fest has something for the entire family, from hayrides and the Jammin’ Crepes food truck to Brick Farm donuts and the Jungle Joe Wildlife Adventure Show.
Free
Flat Rock Brook’s Great Fall Festival
Englewood
Celebrate fall with the family at this fest showcasing delicious BBQ and live music, plus games, crafts and pumpkin painting.
$15/adults, $10/ages 6-17, free/ages 5 and under
FIND MORE THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS WEEKEND
If you have any upcoming events you’d like to add to our calendar, click here! And if you know of other things to do in NJ this weekend, leave us a comment.
