It’s spooky szn and Halloween events are happening all over New Jersey. Here are some can’t-miss things to do on All Hallows’ Eve, which is a Friday this year:
Glow! The Spooky Speedway
Glow!, Sicklerville
Drive along an illuminated version of Route 66 – look for glowing pumpkins, friendly ghosts and witches that are brought to life by thousands of synchronized lights in a non-jump scare environment.
Toms River’s Halloween Parade
Toms River Shopping Center / Highland Parkway, Toms River
Hosted by Toms River Fire Co. No. 1, this annual parade is one of the biggest in the state.
Fright Fest
Six Flags Great Adventure Resort, Jackson
There will be haunted houses, scare zones, rides in the dark and special shows specially tailored for Halloween inside the theme park. Themes include Stranger Things, The Conjuring, Army of the Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Pokeween
Progress CCG, West Milford
This free Pokémon-sanctioned event includes themed activities, cake from the Cake Boss, and trick-or-treating in costume.
Jack ‘O Lantern Experience
Skylands Stadium, Augusta
Festival-like activities include seasonal food and drinks, outdoor games, pumpkin picking and painting, a beer garden, live music, and a 45-minute stroll through over 6,000 hand-carved Jack-O-Lanterns.
Halloween House
Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold Twp.
Deptford Mall, Deptford
This indoor experience transports you into a movie-based Halloween world that is more creative than scary. Each of the 10 rooms you walk through has a different scene like the Beetlejuice Illusion Room, Glow Room, Halloweentown and Trick-or-Treat Room.
Indian Acres Tree Farm Fall Activities
Indian Acres Tree Farm, Medford
There will be pumpkin picking, a giant sorghum maze with 40 scarecrows to find, Boo Buddies Maze with 19 kid-friendly scarecrows, a Ghoul Gang Maze with 21 “slightly scary” scarecrows, a free play area, live music, visits with goats and alpacas, grilled food, and apple cider donuts.
Byrne Community Center Haunted Gym
Byrne Community Center, Wildwood
Walk through the haunted gym and receive tricks – or treats – along the way.
Halloween at Marcus Live!
Marcus Live! Bar & Grille, American Dream, East Rutherford
On Halloween night, a Haunted Vibes party includes festive food, drinks and music.
Clean & Scream
Hopewell Valley Car Wash, Pennington
The Ghostbusters of NJ will try to take down some of the ghosts lurking around the car wash.
Jacks & Lights
Argos Farm, Forked River
Aside from the fall festival activities at Argos Farm, you can return at night for Jacks & Lights. The main hit is a quarter-mile walking trail of thousands of carved jack-o-lanterns. There is also a lighted pumpkin trail, pumpkin patch, flashlight maze, Spook-Easy, and tons of photo ops.
Disney on Ice: Jump In!
Prudential Center, Newark
Catch characters from Moana 2, Inside Out 2, Toy Story, Encanto, Zootopia and Frozen skate around. There will be a special festive holiday sing-along with Olaf. You can add on a meet-and-greet with Moana. On Halloween, come in costume for a special show.
Fintastic Pumpkin Glow
Adventure Aquarium, Camden
During this fall festival, look for carved pumpkins that glow on land or in the water.
Hoboken’s Legendary Ragamuffin Parade
Washington Street, Hoboken
Marchers will start at the Elks Club and walk along Washington Street in their costumes.
Halloween Light Show
Demarest Farms, Hillsdale
Known for its Orchard of Lights at Christmastime, the Halloween Light Show is a family-friendly drive-through of 32 acres around the farm. After, park your car near the farm market for fall goodies.
Halloween Game Night: Dungeons & Dragons
Eclectic Chic Boutique, Montclair
If your teens are “over” trick-or-treating, they can still dress in costume and play a game of D&D.
Pennsylvania
The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular
Sesame Place Philadelphia, Langhorne, PA
Sesame Street- and Halloween-themed activities include a castle maze, stage performance, trick-or-treating, costume contests, Halloween parade, pumpkin decorating, character shows, Halloween storytime, and a special Halloween dining op.
Halloween at Museum of the American Revolution
Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, PA
Revolutionary, family-friendly frights include turnip-carving demos and Revolutionary stencils for your jack-o-lantern.
Dracula’s Lair Haunted House
Mill Ballet School, New Hope, PA
This is part live dance theater performance, part haunted attraction. You’ll start by wandering through a torch-lit haunted trail, and then sit down in the theater for a Halloween ballet performance.
Halloween Haunt
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, PA
There are seven haunted mazes, separate scare zones, access to the theme park’s 60 rides, musical stage shows, and seasonal food and drinks.
Halloween Nights
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA
The ten-acre former prison site is transformed for Halloween with five haunted houses, historic tours, themed bars, live entertainment, and more. There’s an outdoor scare zone, food and drink vendors, a lineup of characters from Shadow of the Veil, and the ability to “opt in” to access hidden passageways. Note: This is more for teens and older.
New York
Harvest Glow
The Bronx Zoo, The Bronx, NY
Although the animals won’t be viewable at night, the nighttime Halloween spectacular features a trail of 5,000 hand-carved, animal-themed jack o’lanterns, Dinosaur Safari, pumpkin carving demos, games, face painting, illuminated characters, shows in the Wildlife Theater, photo ops and food trucks.
Kids Eat Free
Kids Eat Free
Chevy’s Fresh Mex, Clifton and Linden
Bring the kids in costume, and they’ll get a kid’s meal for free with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Kids Eat Free
Jinya Ramen Bar, Totowa
Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Kids Eat Free
The Shannon Rose Irish Pub, Clifton and Ramsey
Kids in costume eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Kids Eat Free
Applebee’s – Doherty-owned locations
Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Editor’s Note: Always check times, dates and weather updates before heading out.
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