The Best Things To Do in NJ This Weekend, October 25-27

From Halloween parties to screenings of cult classics, there’s plenty to do with your crew in NJ this weekend.

Looking for things to do in NJ this weekend with your family? October is almost over, so with Halloween nearly here, it’s prime time to celebrate with events like Historic Haunting in Morristown where you’ll listen to spooky ghost stories and play fun Halloween games. If you’re looking to sit back and relax, check out screenings of cult classics like Beetlejuice in Hackettstown and Casper The Friendly Ghost in Hopewell.

If you’re looking for pumpkin picking, trunk or treats, corn mazes and fall festivals, we’ve got you covered. 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.

ALL WEEKEND

addamsfest
Marcela Aguero

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 cartoon. Try Gomez’s Dynamite Model Railway, The Addams Family Fun Zone and more.
Prices vary

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

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

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

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

Scarecrows
Morris Twp.
Explore the beautiful gardens at Frelinghuysen Arboretum while checking out dozens of festive fall scarecrows designed by individuals, businesses, organizations, scout groups and school classes.
Free

Mission Holiday Lights
Hackettstown
View a colorful array of more than 35,000 animated lights from the comfort of your car. Park by the this festive home’s display and tune your radio to 88.1 FM for holiday tunes.
Free

Goblins in the Garden
Camden
Come dressed in costume for a discount, then take on spider hand art, a costume parade, trick or treating and concessions stands with hot chocolate and ghost cupcakes at the Camden Children’s Center.
Free/members and ages 1 and under, $9/non-member

FRIDAY (OCTOBER 25)

Nocturnal Neighbors: Bats!
Summit
Ever wonder how bats became the patron animal of Halloween? Find out at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum, then go on a hike, work on activities and listen to a story around the campfire—with s’mores. Registration required.
Free/members, $10/non-members

Hocus Pocus
Rahway
The 1993 cult classic is magicking its way to UCPAC’s silver screen. Introduce your kids to this eccentric trio of witches who attempt to take over Salem, but are thwarted by a group of kids.
$5

Mini Golf With Ghosts and Goblins
Somerset
Ghosts and goblins of all ages are welcome to the Colonial Park Putting Course for an evening of spooky miniature golf with apple cider and donuts.
$10

iPlay America’s Trick or Treat Around the Park
Freehold
Follow a trail throughout the park to collect treats and enter for a chance to win prizes and more. Registration required.
Free

Beetlejuice Tween Movie Showing
Hackettstown
Ages 9-17 can stop by Warren County Library for a screening of this Halloween classic, along with apple cider and candy. Registration required.
Free

Halloween Night Hike and Campfire
Flemington
This spook-free, educational night hike at Echo Hill Playground for ages 8 and up will have you listening for nocturnal animals and learning how to adapt your eyes and ears for nighttime survival.
$5

All Hallows’ Evenings
Morris Plains
Bring your teen for a tour of the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms in October 1913, when Halloween wasn’t what it is today. Back in the day, it was a night of match-making, fortune telling and connecting with spirits.
$10-25

Madison Volunteer Corp’s Annual Trunk or Treat
Madison
Your lil’ one can decorate their own car and the top three will win prizes or go trick or treating.
$10/car, $2/trick or treater

Skies Over Hogwarts
Branchburg
Celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday with a group of witches and wizards that’ll guide you through a themed tour of the night sky. You’ll learn how J.K. Rowling used astronomy as inspiration for her characters at RVCC’s Planetarium.
$10

SATURDAY (OCTOBER 26)

©istockphoto.com / monkeybusinessimages

Chemistry Day: Halloween Fun!
Morris Museum, Morristown
As National Chemistry Week comes to a close and Halloween creeps closer, your kids can pull on their costumes, hit the costume parade, learn spooky science, work on crafts and venture on a trick or treat scavenger hunt.
Free

Ort Farms Food Truck Festival
Long Valley
Bring the kids and furry friends! Think 20 food trucks, craft beer, sangria and margarita bars. There’ll also be live music and kids’ activities.
$5, free/ages 10 and under 

Halloween Hocus Pocus
Westfield
Kids ages 3 through elementary school can decorate their own Halloween cupcakes, go on a scavenger hunt, work on crafts, listen to a story and get temporary tattoos at the Miller-Cory House Museum. Registration required.
Free/adults, $5/kids

Everlasting Autumn Wreath Workshop
Jersey City
Learn how to create ornamental wreaths that’ll last for years using natural materials found in Liberty State Park at the Historic CRRNJ Terminal. Registration required.
$3

Monster Bash
Galloway
Show up in full costume for a day at Historic Smithville with vendors and music, then take part in the area’s largest Zombie Walk.
Free

Art for Families: Flower Power
Princeton
Come with your little one for a morning filled with art and creative activities at the Princeton University Art Museum. This week, check out “Narcissa’s Last Orchid” by Georgia O’Keeffe and make a floral project to take home.
Free

Spooky Spectacular Show
Morristown
Explore various science experiments with a twisted and spooky theme from freaky frogs and floating eyeballs to melting witches and creepy crawlers at the Morris Museum.
Included with admission

Second Annual Halloween Trunk or Treat Fall Festival
Bernardsville
This festive celebration boasts trick or treating and activities, an outdoor movie and a chance to win prizes from local businesses if you have the best decorated trunk at Bernardsville Train Station. Registration required for trunk or treat event.
$15-20/trunk or treat 

Historic Haunting
Morristown
Listen to spooky ghost stories, play fun Halloween games and participate in a costume contest where prizes will be awarded to winners at Historic Speedwell.
$5/adults, $3/ages 4-16, free/ages 4 and under

Hilltop at Cedar Grove’s Harvest Festival
Cedar Grove
This event will have food trucks like Oink and Moo, Falafull and Glazed and Confused, plus games, pumpkin picking, face painting and a balloon artist. Registration required.
Free

Teeny Tiny Trail Tales
Chatham Twp.
Bring kiddos ages 2-5 to this spook-free program which features nature-themed tales told by costumed storytellers and decorated trails at Morris County Park. Registration recommended.
$3

East Asian Autumn Festival
Millville
Spend a day celebrating East Asian culture with narrated music and dance performances, plus participate in a variety of hands-on demos of folk and traditional art making and kids’ games at the Wheaton Arts Center.
Free

A Miller’s Halloween
Chester
Come in costume to spend an afternoon listening to spooktacular storytelling, create corn husk dolls and playing old games at the Cooper Gristmill.
Free

Family Matinee: Halloween Edition: Casper
Hopewell
Watch the 1998 cult classic about a friendly ghost who falls in love with a human girl at Hopewell Theater.
$6

Trail Tales
Chatham Twp.
For ages 6 and up, this more mature version of the Halloween event Teeny Tiny Trail Tales will have silly- and spooky-themed tales told by costumed storytellers. Registration recommended.
$8

SUNDAY (OCTOBER 27)

things to do in nj this weekend
©istockphoto.com / Roberto

Apple Cidering
Chatham Twp.
Try making delicious, homemade apple cider using an old fashioned hand cranked cider press at the Great Swamp OEC.
$4/ages 3 and up

5th Annual Halloween 5K to Scare Hunger Away
Woodland Park
This Halloween-themed race will feature trick or treat stations, a costume contest and a Kids Fun Run with music.
$30/ages 13 and up, $20/ages 12 and under

Farm to Table Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast at Alstede Farms
Chester
Come down to Alstede Farms for a delicious all-you-can-eat breakfast of homemade pancakes and a wagon ride through the corn maze.
$24.99/adults, $19.99/kids

New Providence Street Fair
New Providence
Springfield Ave. will be transformed into a block party offering live entertainment, mechanical kiddie and pony rides, face painting and plenty of food.
Free

8th Annual Halloween Spooktacular
Trenton
Stop by the NJ State Museum for hands-on activities, a costume contest with prizes and the planetarium’s laser Halloween program.
Free

Sunday Children’s Programs at Monmouth Museum
Lincroft
From art hour in the green arts studio to storytime in the wonder wing and a starlab planetarium show, Monmouth Museum has plenty to keep your little ones entertained.
$8

Hub City Sounds: 5th Annual Corazon Latino Festival
New Brunswick
Experience Latino and Caribbean culture through dance, music and visual arts displays at the New Brunswick Cultural Center.
Free

Fall Harvest
Scotch Plains
The Fanwood Scotch Plains YMCA has something for everyone, thanks to its pumpkin patch, decorating activities, obstacle courses, pony rides and more.
Free

Historic Halloween Happenings
Morris Twp.
Climb aboard the air wagon for a ride, play Halloween games and try on old-fashioned costumes at the Historic Speedwell.
$6/adults, $4/ages 4-16, $2/ages 2-3, free/ages under 2

HalloWheaton
Millville
Take the kids for a scare-free trick or treat event throughout the WheatonArts grounds and meet actors from Mystic Realms dressed as traditional characters like a mummy, witch and scarecrow.
Free

A Historical Halloween Celebration
Piscataway
This celebration offers horse and wagon rides, children’s crafts and a magic lantern theatre at the East Jersey Old Town Village. At the Cornelius Low House, there’ll be children’s crafts and a Halloween horror movie marathon of The Blob, The Day The Earth Stood Still and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Free

Join JJ the Pony at the LSS Cowboy Cookout
Basking Ridge
JJ the Pony is inviting kids ages 12 and under for a day of hay and pony rides, games and a cowboy cookout at Lord Stirling Stable.
$20

Fantastic Beasts of New Jersey
Short Hills
Come to this Harry Potter-themed event where you’ll meet and learn about some of New Jersey’s well-known beasts while representing your favorite Hogwarts house at the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum.
$10/Member, $15/non-member

Branchburg Sports Complex’s Annual Halloween Party
Branchburg
Dress up in your craziest, silliest costume to celebrate Halloween at the Branchburg Sports Complex where there’ll be a Trick or Treatville including games and bounce houses.
Free

things to do in nj this weekend
©istockphoto.com / EvgeniiAnd

Teal Pumpkin Spooktacular!
Gladstone
This kid-friendly Halloween party will have your little one trick or treating for treasures, painting pumpkins, making potions, decorating scarecrows and more.
Free

FIND MORE THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS WEEKEND

Atlantic

Bergen

Burlington

Camden

Cape May

Cumberland

Essex

Gloucester

Hudson

Hunterdon

Mercer

Middlesex

Monmouth

Morris

Ocean

Passaic

Salem

Somerset

Sussex

Union

Warren

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.

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