Labor Day is around the corner, so before you pack up the swimsuits, close the pool and buy your school supplies head out to these great activities for some last-minute summer fun. You’ll be sure to have a great time at a food festival, movie night or crab race (plastic, that is). There’s still plenty of summer sun left so make the most of the season!
ALL WEEKEND
Hightstown Plein Air – Paint the Town
Hightstown
Friday – Saturday
En plein air, or plein air painting, is the act of painting outdoors. Artists are invited to capture Peddie Lake and the surrounding area, the borough’s historic buildings, churches, parks and other points of interest throughout Hightstown.
WheatonArts
Millville
Friday – Sunday
The Wheaton Wide Open initiative offers all visitors free admission for the entire month. WheatonArts is a charming 45-acre wooded campus that includes the Museum of American Glass; the Down Jersey Folklife Center; glass, pottery and flamework studios; museum stores; scenic picnic areas; and the mile-looping Nature Trail with a scavenger hunt for native species and structures.
River Dance Festival
Music Mountain Theater, Lambertville
Friday – Sunday
Choreographers from across the nation will appear, including Anna Paterson Dance Company, SynthesisDANCE, Ariel Rivka Dance, Chapman Dance (Houston), CityDanceNY, T.MAJ Dance Company, Project SK+A, Rogue Wave, ReFrame Dance Theater, Q Dynamics Dance Company, the Mill Ballet School Trainees and Roxey Ballet Company. Enjoy diverse styles of dance such as modern, ballet, tap and traditional Indian dance.
Bounce the Mall
The Mills at Jersey Gardens, Elizabeth
Friday – Sunday
Bounce, slide and dance with the kids through a surreal, candy-colored wonderland. This special event features the largest ball pit on the planet, a 600-foot obstacle course, inflatable sports area, silent disco dome, giant slides and more!
Beyond Van Gogh
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City
Friday – Sunday
This is an immersive experience in which both still and moving art provide a show your family will never forget. More than 300 of Van Gogh’s masterpieces come alive, appearing and disappearing and flowing across multiple surfaces. This one-hour walk through will have your whole family captivated by the sights, sounds and colors.
Sports Card, Toys, Comics & Collectibles Show
Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood
Friday – Sunday
Browse through more than 150 tables of collectibles, memorabilia and guest star appearances. An expansive collection of new and old sports cards, toys, comic books, Starting Line-ups, McFarlane figures, non-sports cards, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic, Beanie Babies, videos, wax boxes, supplies, autographed memorabilia, sets, posters, coins, T-shirts, LEGOS and dolls will impress everyone.
Pop In The City
Greeley Square, New York
Friday – Sunday
Walk, “swim” and slide through a new immersive experience in Midtown Manhattan. When you enter this inflatable wonderland, you take a giant slide down to oversize ball pits, live deejays, cutting-edge effects and 200 glittering disco balls.
Food Truck Rally
Dorney Park, Allentown, PA
Saturday – Sunday
Admission into the park gets you access to the food trucks but does not include food truck fare. Food trucks and hours subject to change, so check the website before you go for up-to-date information!
Latino Festival
Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange
Saturday – Sunday
Pack a blanket, enjoy the cool evening breeze, and dance to the sounds of summer for the Essex County Summer Music: Latino Festival.
Wine Down Summer Wine Festival
RiverWinds, West Deptford
Saturday – Sunday
Enjoy wine samplings, food and live entertainment. Open to all ages.
SummerFest
Ort Farms, Long Valley
Saturday – Sunday
Take a walk through the sunflower trail, take a scenic horse-drawn carriage ride around the farm and enjoy live music. Kids can take a ride on the cow train or spend time with friendly farm animals. Local artisan vendors will be on site in addition to local food trucks.
Outdoor Walking Tours
Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton
Saturday – Sunday
Princeton University is home to one of the country’s most significant collections of 20th- and 21st-century public sculpture. Join a free, hour-long walking tour led by a museum tour guide and discover the campus’s outdoor artworks, including Henry Moore’s bronze Oval with Points, monumental geometric screens by Louise Nevelson, and more.
Just Be You Children’s Fest
Riverside Park & Amphitheater, Easton, PA
During this family fun event celebrating art, culture and wellness for kids, there will be live performances, standup comedy, interactive crafts, fitness engaging activities and more, featuring Easton Saints Wrestling, Ador Danae, Seth Witcher, Andrew Barrow, DaVinci Science Center, Kids Quest and Cyber Quest.
Dutchess County Fair
Rhinebeck, New York
Friday – Sunday
If your family is up for a quick drive from New Jersey, you will be treated to AgVenture Kids Activity Tent, horse show rings, horticulture, working blacksmith shop, Gun Club Wildlife Exhibit, arts and crafts displays, “Fluffy” the T-Rex, Commerford’s Petting Zoo, Dock Dogs, Rosaire’s Racing Pigs, Pawstars Canine Frisbee Dogs, Andy Rotz Wild West Showdown, Oscar the Roving Robot and a sheriff K-9 demo, plus lots of musical entertainment.
Hudson Valley Seafood Festival
Saturday – Sunday
Beacon, NY
Don’t miss two days of total “seafood nirvana,” including raw and fried fish, lobster rolls, seafood salads, barbecue, tacos, gluten-free and vegan options, great brews, wines, hard seltzers and fun for the whole family. Leave room for dessert! There will be live bands and a deejay all weekend, including a Santana tribute band as well as an ’80s hair band.
FRIDAY
Red Bank Broadwalk: Kids Takeover
Bring your little ones with their trikes, scooters, helmets and chalk for some summer fun along Broad Street. Appropriate for children ages 2-8.
International Winefest
Golden Nugget, Atlantic City
The wine and jazz reception will be held under the stars on the Event Lawn. Mingle with winery ambassadors, winemakers and wine enthusiasts while you enjoy wine and award-winning cuisine. Must be 21 or older to attend.
Dancing Under the Stars
Hinds Plaza, Princeton
Members of Central Jersey Dance will demonstrate basic steps and lead others in an evening of dancing to recorded music of all kinds.
History Kids Summer
The Historic Village at Allaire, Wall Twp.
Kids ages 5-12 can learn what it was like to live in the 19th century and experience history firsthand by different trades, tasks and lifestyles of an 1830s Howell Iron Works village. This will be paired with a field survey activity.
Family Back-t0-School Movie Night
Grace Bible Church, North Haledon
Enjoy an outdoor movie, free snacks, back-to-school giveaways and family-friendly games and activities. The movie title will be announced.
Vernon Resident Day
Mountain Creek, Vernon
Vernon residents can donate $20 to the Joseph P. Hession Foundation to unlock free access to Mountain Creek Waterpark for the day, games and fun on the Great Lawn and live entertainment. Vernon residents can also receive a discounted rate on the 2022-23 Winter Snow Pass.
Artisan Market
Veterans Park, Beach Haven
Browse the crafts and artisan items made by local vendors.
SATURDAY
Crab Race
Casino Pier, Seaside Heights
Your kids will get a kick out of watching artificial plastic crabs being released from Patriot’s Plunge into the Revolutionary River at Breakwater Beach. The race honors Denise Whalen, a former manager at Breakwater Beach who lost her battle to cancer. The winning crab gets $100 and 10 all-day passes to Breakwater Beach for the 2023 season. All proceeds go to Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in hopes of finding a cure for cancer.
Foam Glow Atlantic City
Bader Field, Atlantic City
After being doused from head to toe with vibrant UV foam throughout the race, participants will be plastered in color and ready for the afterparty.
Women’s Equality Day Summer Festival
Paulsdale, Mt. Laurel
Celebrate the anniversary of women’s right to vote with a pop-up beer garden, food trucks, sack races, arts and crafts, lawn games and guided tours of the exhibit at Paulsdale. Encourage your kids to walk through the vendor fair that will feature curated women-owned businesses and organizations.
Long Branch Jazz & Blues Festival
Long Branch
Aside from a full lineup of jazz and blues performances, enjoy crafts, vendors and food along the boardwalk.
Caribbean Festival
New Brunswick
Revel in Caribbean vibes while you explore the English, Spanish, Dutch and French-speaking diaspora, featuring dance, music, and culinary delights.
Hop Harvest
Readington Hop Farm, Neshanic Station
DJ George starts the hop-harvesting party. Grab a slice on the farm from Bella Pizza Hillsborough. Face painting will be available. Be sure to stop next door for a Readington Brewery brew.
Dead Serious Men of War Pro Grappling
iPlay America, Freehold Twp.
Come watch some of your favorite MMA contenders battle it out.
SUNDAY
Sacred Music Across the Ages
Ocean Grove
The Great Auditorium Choir, Solo Quartet and MidAtlantic Philharmonic Orchestra will join together to present a concert of movements from the great sacred works of Mozart, Beethoven, Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass and Tim Sharp’s Appalachian Mass.
Music at Midvale
New Weis Center, Ringwood
Play your own instrument or listen to an afternoon of live acoustic music near the old farmhouse in a variety of musical genres.
Apples & Artisans
Riamede Farm, Chester
Riamede’s farm market is filled during apple season with specialty goods like local honey, sauces, small batch ice cream, locally grown flowers, and even charcuterie boards made from Riamede’s own apple wood. New this season is the inaugural Apples & Artisans event, which celebrates the beginning of the apple harvest and the talents of local artisans.
Raceways to Spaceways
Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park, Paterson
Visit this official NASA host site to celebrate the summer with the first images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. The Great Falls Youth Corps high school interns and Park Rangers will be conducting hands-on activities that explore the technology behind this stellar telescope.
ONGOING
Open Play at Play Big Zone
Morganville
Summer hours extend through August
Your kids will love 10,000 square feet of space for nonstop fun. Activities include Amazing Race, Spin Zone, Foosball Arena, Laser Maze, Robots, Bumper Cars and Little Play Zone.
Half Mile of Horses Artwork
Downtown Freehold Borough
Every day (through Sept. 30)
There are 12 painted horse sculptures decorating Main Street. The display honors the equine heritage of Freehold Borough, home of the oldest half-mile horse racing track in the country. Vote for your favorite one!
Dig It! Plant It! Eat It!
Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, Morristown
Saturdays
From pollinators to plant dyes, each Saturday discover something new in nature! Rain or shine. Recommended for ages 4 – 10.
Beach Baby Goat Yoga
Beach Haven
Fridays (through Sept. 2)
Join fellow yogis and animal lovers on the beach for a beginner-friendly goat centric yoga experience and snuggles with baby and miniature breed goats. Reap the benefits of animal and laughter therapies as the baby goats jump on your back, snuggle in your lap or take a nap on your mat as you move through the instructor’s guidance.
Cruise Nights
Downtown Somerville
Fridays (through Sept. 4)
Friday Night Cruise Nights return to Downtown Somerville. Through Labor Day weekend, the coolest classic cars around line up along Main Street every Friday.
Summer Carillon Concerts
Graduate School, Princeton University, Princeton
Sundays (now through Sept. 4)
The carillon is a musical instrument of 23 or more bells that produce music when sounded. All concerts start at 1 pm every Sunday, July 3 through Sept. 4 (Labor Day), and are held rain or shine. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on.
Shark Tooth Summer
Adventure Aquarium, Camden
Every day through Sept. 5
This month-long celebration highlights the aquarium’s jaw-some collection of sharks. The highlight, the new Scuba Tooth Fairy, will use their special skills to find and scoop up fallen shark teeth hidden in the sand of the Ocean Realm exhibit. Walk through the Shark Tunnel or Shark Bridge or visit the Touch-a-Shark Tank.
Super American Circus
The Boardwalk by The Showboat, Atlantic City
Thursday – Sunday (through Sept. 5)
Catch this fantastic show with acts, thrills and laughs that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Some of the highlights include America’s Got Talent superstars, Cirque Du Soleil performers and talent from Ringling Bros.
Field Station: Dinosaurs
Leonia
Summer Hours: 10 am – 6 pm, Tuesdays – Sundays, through Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5)
At Field Station: Dinosaurs, more than 30 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs are sure to impress all the paleontologists in your group. Enjoy dozens of shows, Jurassic Jump, and then Dinosaurs: After Dark come October.
Sunset Sips & Sounds
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Fridays (through Sept. 9)
Meet in this historic apple orchard for Terhune wine, music, light bites and friend-filled evenings every Friday night at Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery. It’s a great way to unwind after the week, meet friends, bring your family and enjoy the sunset on the farm.
Virtual Reality Experiences
Harry Potter New York, New York City
Select dates (through Sept. 12)
“Chaos at Hogwarts” and “Wizards Take Flight” give fans of the Wizarding World and thrill seekers the chance to explore the magical world as never before through virtual reality.
Post-Game Fireworks
TD Bank Ballpark, Bridgewater
Select dates (through Sept. 17)
After watching an exciting Minor League baseball game with the Somerset Patriots, stick around for a great fireworks display! Scheduled dates are Aug. 13, 24 and 27, and Sept. 17.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
New York, New York
Fridays (through September)
Enjoy the history and magic of the Intrepid for free on select Fridays through September.
Stargazing Boat Cruises
Belmar
Fridays and Saturdays (through September)
Take a sail out to the ocean while gazing up at the moon, stars and constellations.
Sunrise Wellness Sails
Wilbert’s Marina, Lacey Twp.
Saturdays (through September)
Anyone who is interested in yoga, meditation and mindfulness is welcome to take part in a 3-hour Sunrise Sail along the Barnegat Bay. Sail into rejuvenation with Jaime Zazzara and Captain Dave from Jersey Coastal Adventures for the wellness retreat. There are options to enjoy a swim or float in a tube when the boat anchors out at sea.
Tours of Wyckoff-Garretson House & Museum
215 South Middlebush Road, Somerset
Second Sunday of every month (through October)
Docents will lead tours of the house, which dates back to 1730.
Seward Johnson Sculptures
George Street, New Brunswick
Every day, through Oct. 15
A series of sculptures by renowned artist Seward Johnson are placed along George Street in New Brunswick for public viewing.
Sunday Farmers Market
Garden State Plaza, Westfield; in the parking lot between Macy’s and Route 17
Sundays (through Nov. 20)
Garden State Plaza is the site of weekly Sunday farmers markets. Expect food vendors, food trucks, music, activities for kids and a car show from 9 am-2pm.
Weekend Wine Tasting
Weekends (through Dec. 31)
Tomasello Winery, multiple locations
Plan a relaxing evening sipping wine at any of their five locations in the South Jersey region. Choose from a wide variety of award-winning wines and bubblies, accompanied by assorted cheese boards and truffles. Wine Tastings are available every day, but reservations are strongly recommended for a weekend wine tasting.
Check out all these great activities you and your kids can enjoy before heading back to school!
And believe it or not, apple picking starts this weekend at select farms – check out our top spots!