Labor Day Weekend is here! We’ve found dozens of ways to round out the summer with some fun before the school year ends.
WEEKEND
Wildwoods Restaurant Week
Throughout the Wildwoods
Thursday
A select group of the top restaurants in the area will each offer a complete three-course prix fixe menu for $40 per person, plus tax and gratuity, including an appetizer, entrée and dessert.
Back to School Bash
Sesame Place Philadelphia, Langhorne, PA
Thursday – Friday
Join Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and Count von Count as they share their favorite parts of going to school. Include the Back to School Bash Dine in your plans for lunch or dinner.
Summer in Sand
Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, PA
Thursday – Saturday
Five incredible sand sculptures designed by John Gowdy and Team Sandtastic showcase favorite summer activities like watching baseball, camping, embarking on an overseas adventure, playing games, solving puzzles and lounging at the beach.
Peter Pan
Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven
Thursday – Sunday
This classic story will be told in a way that’s geared toward kids ages 3-10.
Barbie You Can Be Anything: The Experience
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Thursday – Monday
You’ll be able to see role models from every era of Barbie’s history. You’ll learn about the dolls as if they were real, including their backgrounds, struggles and accomplishments. Each area will highlight a particular role type – leader, problem solver, creator, nurturer or adventurer – and you can try each career option for yourself. This is the last weekend the exhibit will be on display.
Apollo: When We Went to The Moon
Intrepid Museum, New York, NY
Thursday – Monday
Climb aboard a lunar rover model, leave your footprints on the Moon and learn about the Space Race through this exhibit at the sea, air and space museum. Starting April 4, you can check out the Concorde Superjet that recently underwent renovations and returned to the museum. This is the last weekend the exhibit will be on display.
Delsea Drive-In 2024 Season
Delsea Drive-In Movie Theatre, Vineland
Friday – Sunday
Watch two movies back-to-back while sitting in your car, just like they did in the ’50s. This is the last movie series of the year.
Sesame Place Summer Nights
Sesame Place, Langhorne, PA
Friday – Sunday
During extended hours on special nights, extra activities include the DJ Dance Party at Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Stage and an encore of the Sesame Street Party Parade.
Master Gardener Butterfly House
EARTH Center, Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, North Brunswick
Saturday – Sundays
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County is hosting a series of community events at their “hoop house,” where Master Gardeners have nurtured butterflies throughout the growing season. You can learn about butterfly host plants and participate in capturing butterflies for the house.
Labor Day Weekend Boardwalk Craft Show
Boardwalk, Wildwood
Saturday – Sunday
If you’re a fan of handmade products, check out the craft items, boutique items, gifts and more.
Sangria Weekends
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Saturday – Sunday
The focus of the festival is Terhune’s sangria, but the whole family can listen to live music.
Sesame Place Labor Day Celebration
Sesame Place Philadelphia, Langhorne, PA
Saturday – Sunday
Elmo will be available for meet-and-greets in his patriotic attire on both days. The “C is for Celebrate” Labor Day Fireworks will light up the sky on Sunday.
AirFest 2024
NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum, Wildwood
August 29 – September 1
There will be 27 planes and helicopters on display. Events include flyovers from the F-16s, EAA, Aero Club of PA, and other organizations. There will be appearances by the New Jersey State Police, AtlantiCare MedEvac, the Mosquito Commission, and the USCG helicopter and Smokey the Bear. AirFest will also feature live music by Animal House and Devlin, Ted Schwartz’s WWII radio show, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, free caricatures and face painting, as well as vendors and exhibitors, including the 621st Contingency Response Squadron and the F-14 Tomcat Calverton ATG Podcast. Shore Axes Mobile Axe Throwing will be on-site all four days.
Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival
Tymor Park, Union Vale (LaGrangeville), NY
August 30 to September 1
Aside from watching the hot air balloons floating in the sky, or taking your own flight, there will be yoga in the morning, live music, food trucks, a kids’ zone and aerial acrobatics.
FRIDAY
Grand Opening of H Mart’s Food Hall
American Dream, East Rutherford
H Mart is the largest international supermarket chain in America. Fun fact: H Mart is short for “Han Ah Reum,” which means “One Arm Full of Groceries” in Korean. It’s opening its food hall with 11 different Asian fast-casual dining options.
Mermaid Visit
Diggerland, West Berlin
Mermaids will visit the Water Main, the construction-themed water park that sits aside the main theme park, so you can take pictures with them. Aside from wading in Bulldozer Bay, splashing in Jackhammer Bay, and racing down dual slides, check out the all-new wave pool, Claw Hammer Cove, and the aqua obstacle course, Carpool Lane.
Free Flour Friday: Cider Pressing
Cooper Gristmill, Chester
Stop in for a tour and bring the family for apple cider pressing. Your group’s visit includes a 1-pound bag of Cooper Mill flour.
Friday Night Fireworks
Boardwalk, Wildwood
The fireworks are launched from the beach at Pine Avenue and are synchronized to music that plays over the Wildwoods Boardwalk sound system. This is the last display of the season.
Rootstock Vineyard Summer Concert Series
Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery, Rio Grande
Listen to musicians while watching the sunset. Food and wine will be available for purchase. This is the last concert of the season.
SATURDAY
Salsa at Grundy Park
J. Owen Grundy Park, Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Jersey City
The free community event features live music, salsa dance lessons, and health-related resources during the wellness expo.
Freestyle Beach House White Party
Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, Brooklyn, NY
The artist lineup for this annual Labor Day Weekend tradition is TKA, George Lamond, Judy Torres, Cynthia, Safire, The Cover Girls, Betty D Of Sweet Sensation, Coro, Lisette Melendez and Pretty Poison.
Howell Farm Plowing Match
Howell Living History Farm, Hopewell Twp.
The 41st annual plowing match kicks off a 10-month growing season for wheat, rye, barley and spelt. Plowing is the first step in working the soil so the fall crops can be planted. The different teams will race to plow the fields. There will also be obstacle course driving. After, kids can make a horse tail ribbon.
19th Century History Faire
Wicoff House Museum, Plainsboro
Experience life in the 19th century. There will be demonstrators, rides, museums and more. In attendance will be reps from museums from all over New Jersey, each with their own booth of artifacts and activities. There will also be a demonstration by The Wheelmen, where you’ll get to see how people rode high-wheel bicycles in the 1800s.
Boonton Fire Department Labor Day Parade and Carnival
Boonton
For the past 87 years, the Boonton Fire Department holds an inspection and a parade on Labor Day Weekend. This year, the parade will assemble in the West Boonton area and proceed down Main Street to Grant Street, to Old Boonton Road, ending at Boonton High School. The apparatus judging will take place before the parade; older firemen residing at the New Jersey Firemen’s Home will come to the reviewing stand so that they may view new equipment, comrades and possibly their former units on parade.
World Championship Skeeball Tournament
Ed’s Funcade, Wildwood
The tournament is free, and anyone can enter.
Downtown Wildwood Farmer’s Market
Byrne Plaza, Wildwood
This is the place to be for Jersey Fresh produce, baked goods, specialty foods and gifts. More than 70 vendors will showcase produce, plants, cut flowers, honey, baked goods, specialty foods, handmade items, fine art, candles, soaps, jewelry, personalized gifts, clothing, signs, pet items, breakfast sandwiches, dinners to go, craft beer, wine, craft spirits and hard cider.
Wildwood Crest Summer Music Series – ‘70s Flashback
Centennial Park, Wildwood Crest
The free, outdoor concert will feature pop, rock and dance hits from the 1970s by the band ‘70s Flashback.
Concerts Under the Stars Series – Beatlemania
Lou Booth Amphitheatre, North Wildwood
The free, outdoor concert features Beatlemania, a tribute band to The Beatles.
Glassboro’s Car Show & Food Truck Festival
Downtown Glassboro
There will be more than 300 vehicles on display, plus live music and enjoying local food trucks.
Community Appreciation Day
Mercer County Community Park East Picnic Area and Campground, Princeton Junction
Womanspace, Inc. will hold a free, family-friendly event to show appreciation for the community’s ongoing support of Womanspace’s mission to assist those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. There will be an appearance by Boomer from the Trenton Thunder, free food and snacks, a bouncy house, summer games, and more entertainment.
Stream Exploration
Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Boonton
Wade into the creek and see what creatures you can find, then discover what those creatures can tell you about how healthy the stream is.
Well-Sweep Herb Farm’s Fall Flower Festival
Well-Sweep Herb Farm, Port Murray
There will be lectures and presentations, tours of the gardens, a craft market and food vendors.
Night Climb
TreEscape Aerial Adventure Park, Great Gorge, Vernon Twp.
During the 3-hour event, you will have access to all 10 original aerial obstacle courses and the zipline course, The Black Creek Flyer, for a night of climbing, zipping, scrambling, and scampering through the trees.
SUNDAY
Polynesian Luau Night
Icona Diamond Beach, Wildwood
There will be authentic Polynesian hula dancers, a full live band and Tahitian drummers, Samoan fire knife warriors, tropical cocktails, a Hawaiian pig roast and other food faves, and views of the ocean.
End of Summer Block Party and Music Festival
Fox Park, Wildwood
The festivities include hours of continuous entertainment, games, activities for kids, food, merchandise vendors, live music and more.
Frenchtown’s Riverfest
Sunbeam Lenape Park and Bridge Street, Frenchtown
For the past 20 years, this festival is traditionally held on Labor Day Weekend to celebrate life along the river. Stroll Bridge Street and Sunbeam Park for a fun-filled day of live music, art, food, family-friendly activities, and paper boat races with the Frenchtown Vikings, all with an ecologically- and sustainability-focused lens. There will be 70+ local vendors, 20+ local musicians and six food vendors.
MONDAY: LABOR DAY
Labor Day Street Fair
Riverdale
This year’s annual Labor Day party will also celebrate the town’s centennial. There will be exhibitors selling a selection of assorted items, a special arts & crafts section, live entertainment, kiddie rides and games, great festival foods and food trucks, and so much more. See the shows with live music, dancing, karate demonstrations, and more. Come hungry and eat carnival food favorites, plus order from the food trucks. The Kidz Traveling Shindig is a section in the school parking lot area dedicated to children with kiddie bounce rides, slides, and interactive blow-ups, face painters, sand art and kids’ games.
Labor Day Fireworks
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, Pt. Pleasant
Finish out summer at Jenkinson’s at dark with the family. Bring a lawn chair or beach blanket and watch the sky light up above the ocean.
Vegan Labor Day Wellness Festival
The Villa, Glen Gardner
Eat clean, gourmet, plant-based foods prepared by multiple vegan chefs from tri-state vegan restaurants. There will be activities and discussions centered around wellness, such as yoga classes, sound healing, biomagnetism, essential oils, make-your-own workshops, a saltwater swimming pool, an outdoor sauna, a Bulgarian Rose Otto Radium Mineral Salt bath, and music.
Mendham Labor Day Parade and Carnival
East Main Street and Mountain Avenue, Mendham
There will be tons of rides, games and carnival food, perfect for ending the summer in the best way possible. Stop by Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening for the carnival. On Labor Day, the Mendham Labor Day Parade marches up Main Street ending at Borough Field.
South Plainfield Labor Day Parade and Festivities
Veterans Park, South Plainfield
This claims to be the oldest and largest Labor Day parade in New Jersey. The 65th annual theme is Once Upon a Parade. Kick off the day – literally – with the 5K race at 9:30 am. The parade starts at the PAL Building on Maple Avenue at 10 am, and ends at South Plainfield Middle School. From 11 am to 4 pm, there will be vendors, food, a beer tent, music by DJ Troy and more entertainment at Veterans Park. At night, head to Spring Lake Park for music at 7 pm followed by an 8:30 pm fireworks show.
Labor Day Race
Ocean City
Choose from a 5-mile run on the beach, or a 1-mile fun run/walk.
ONGOING
Friday Night Live
Marcus Live! Bar & Grille, American Dream
Every Friday
Harlem band The Nate Lucas All-Stars will perform every Friday night at Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s new restaurant.
Tours of Crane House & Historic YWCA
Crane House & Historic YWCA, Montclair
Every Sunday
Take a self-guided tour to learn about the women of the Historic YWCA and the Crane family at your own pace. Take some time to walk through the gardens and meadow on site.
Vegan in NJ Monthly Market
American Legion Post 346, Neptune
First Sunday of every month
More than 20 vegan vendors will be set up indoors and outdoors, selling food, sweets and retail items.
Sussex County Sunflower Maze
Liberty Farm, Sandyston
August 28 – September 15
This is the OG sunflower spot in New Jersey, the first sunflower maze ever created in the Garden State. It’s open for its 14th season for selfies, fresh air and time in nature.
Funbox
Cherry Hill Mall, Cherry Hill
Fridays – Sundays, August 30 – September 29
Plus Labor Day (Monday, September 2)
There will be 25,000 square feet of inflatable bounce house space in 10 different bouncy sections, plus an inflatable obstacle course.
Salsa at Grundy Park
J. Owen Grundy Park, Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Jersey City
Saturday, August 31 and September 7
The free community event features live music, salsa dance lessons, and health-related resources during the wellness expo.
Family Photo Scavenger Hunt: It’s a Seedy Business
Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown
September 1- 30
Search for all sorts of seeds, and complete the hunt to win a prize.
Farm-to-Table Apple Pancake Breakfast
Alstede Farms, Chester
Sundays, September 1 and 8
Take the wagon ride to Harvest Hall, where you’ll sit down with the fam for homemade pancakes with apple topping, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, and breakfast potatoes. After, head to the pick-your-own fields, then play in the Blooming Giants Sunflower Trail, corn maze, hay pyramid and evergreen maze.
Sunset Sips & Sounds
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Fridays, through September 6
Come to the historic apple orchard after work for Terhune wine, music, light bites and friend-filled evenings.
Roller Skating
The Rink, American Dream
Through September 7
This summer, trade your ice skates for rollerblades. Every Friday and Saturday will be Retro Nights, where you can skate to your favorite tunes from the past. Ice skating returns on September 8.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
The Duke Theater at New 42 Studios, New York, NY
September 7 – January 5, 2025
The show returns to NYC to celebrate its 10th anniversary. This production will feature two tales from Eric Carle: The Artist That Painted a Blue Horse and Mr. Seahorse. You will also see The Very Lonely Firefly and The Very Hungry Caterpillar during the 50-minute show. During the holiday season, Dream Snow will be added to the story rotation for the first time in New York City.
Wellmont Arts Plaza Outdoor Concert Series
Wellmont Arts Plaza, Montclair
Select dates, through September 8
A series of free, all-ages, outdoor shows will take place, courtesy of Montclair Jazz Festival and Jazz House Kids. Some of the newly announced shows include Spafford, Prince/Bowie, Wallace Roney Jr. and Vanessa Perea, as well as the annual return of the Montclair Jazz Festival Downtown Jamboree.
Black River Limited Train Ride
Black River & Western Railroad, Flemington or Ringoes station
Select dates, through September 14
This 90-minute trip takes you through Hunterdon County aboard a train, with stops at both historic train stations.
Hunterdon Wine Express
Black River & Western Railroad, Flemington
Select dates, through September 14
The round-trip excursion goes from the Flemington station to Old York Cellars Winery, where you’ll be treated to a wine tasting, chocolate and cheese pairing, and lunch. You’ll have time to walk through the vineyards before heading back.
SpongeBob Experiences
Adventure Aquarium, Camden
Through September 15
Adventure Aquarium has partnered with Nickelodeon for photo ops, Spongebob-themed kids’ activities, activity sheets, episode screenings, and more in celebration of the show’s 25th anniversary.
Like Clockwork! Guinness Collection Conservation
Morris Museum, Morristown
Wednesdays – Sundays, through September 22
Learn how the Morris Museum keeps hundreds of mechanical objects running like clockwork for twenty years.
The BEAST NYC Speedboat Ride
Pier 83, New York, NY
Tuesdays – Sundays, through September 29
Roar down the Hudson River from Pier 83 to The Statue of Liberty on this high-speed boat.
Yoga on the Beach
Burk Avenue, behind the Wildwoods Convention Center
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through September 29
A traditional Hatha yoga-style class will be infused with Qi Gong, a variety of healing therapies and lots of modifications.
Free Guided Garden Tours
New Jersey Botanical Garden, Ringwood
Sundays, through the end of October
NJBG docents take you on a tour of what’s blooming around the Botanical Garden.
Friday Night Bites
The Hungry Puppy Dog Park, Farmingdale
Fridays, through October 25
Bring your pup and your friends to the double-gated, specially-designed dog park, where you can relax and listen to some music while mingling with other pet parents. There will be free snacks and treats from a sponsoring pet food manufacturer each week.
Festival of Fountains
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Through October 27
There are new garden spaces, the return of the Fireworks & Fountains Shows, performances in front of the Illuminated Fountain, a beer garden, Festive Fridays with live music, and a Wine & Jazz Festival (September 14), plus all the gorgeous landscapes we can’t get enough of.
We All Scream For Ice Cream
Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May
Through November 3
Learn about the history of ice cream dating back to the Victorian era. It started as an elite and expensive dish but by the end of the 1800s came in simpler flavors and was used in cones, sundaes and banana splits. You’ll see an authentic ice cream maker and other equipment, plus a Victorian ice cream wagon.
Field Station: Dinosaurs
Overpeck County Park, Leonia
Select dates through November 10
New for the season is the Feathered and Fearless exhibition, three new dinosaurs and tons of new games, activities, and shows featuring T-Rex, Toddlersaurus, dinosaur hatchlings and the park’s Dinosaur Troubadour.
Frank V. Marina Flea Market
Frank A. Vincent Marina, Kearny
Second Sunday of every month, through December
There will be more than 100 vendors selling everything at bargain prices.
Main Memorial Park Flea Market
Memorial Park, Clifton
Second Saturday of every month, through December
There will be more than 100 vendors selling everything at bargain prices.
Blue Whale: The World’s Biggest Animal
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Through January 5, 2025
The exhibition tells the story of the 60-ton whale that washed ashore in Trout River, Newfoundland, in 2014. You’ll see the enormous skeleton of a recovered blue whale and discover how whales evolved, the size of their heart, how they communicate, their decline, what’s being done to protect them, and how scientists are using DNA to unlock some of the secrets of these elusive creatures.
Morven Revealed: Untold Stories From New Jersey’s Most Historic Home
Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton
Wednesdays – Sundays, through March 2, 2025
This special exhibit is part of Morven’s 20th-anniversary celebration and will shed light on lesser-known stories of this historic home and its residents. You’ll see rarely-seen objects and newly discovered photos about American life: childhood, hosting guests, pets, fashion, and more.
Slow Motion
Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton
Through September 1, 2025
Five artists from Monument Lab in Philadelphia created gigantic, creative, introspective monuments that will be on display for their beauty, but also to address political, cultural and social issues.
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