Donate toys at the It’s All Love Community Toy Drive, attend Holiday Mart at the HUB Kick-Off Event, or watch Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales. Visit Rahway’s Winter Wonderland, watch Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas, or attend Morristown’s Christmas Festival!
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photo via Erin Nicastro Photography
1. Holiday Mart at the HUB Kick-Off Event
Saturday, November 28, 2015 from 11am to 7 pm
MLK Hub
360 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305
Cost: Free
2. Palmer Square Christmas Tree Lighting
Friday, November 27, 2015 at 5 pm
Kick off the Season with our Tree Lighting Spectacular! Our 65-foot Norwegian Spruce is adorned with over 32,000 lights and will be lit with the help of Santa Claus. Plus special musical performances by Princeton High School Choir and Bob Denson’s Blues.
Palmer Square
One Palmer Square East, Princeton NJ 08542
Cost: Free
3. It’s All Love Community Toy Drive
Now until Sunday, December 20, 2015
The It’s All Love Community in conjunction with Marvilous Marketing is coming together to spread the love this holiday season with a Toy Drive! Toys will be donated to The May Academy-Youth Consultation Services of Emory Street in Jersey City. At some point throughout the holiday season, we are asking our friends and families to donate a toy to our Toy Drive. Simply visit one of our following drop off locations to drop off the toy at any time:
PJ Ryans – 292 Barrow St.
Coffee Shop/Bistro – Grove Square
Gymboree – 175 Newark Ave. Jersey City
Talde / Bell & Gray – 8 Erie St
4. Country Christmas with Santa
Friday, November 27, 2015 from 11 am to 4 pm
Saturday, November 28, 2015 from 11 am to 4 pm
Sunday, November 29, 2015 from 11 am to 4 pm
Come on over to Santa’s Country Christmas! He will be visiting us at the farm and would love to take a photo with you – so make sure you bring your camera! Enjoy Christmas music and a cozy campfire too! Available for purchase: s’mores kits, hot cider, hot chocolate, donuts, and more.
Alstede Farms
1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ 07930
Cost: Free
5. Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales
November 27, 28, & 29, 2015
There are two locations, times vary by location
Prepare to step into a world of wonder where wishing is only the beginning and dreams really do come true in Disney Live! presents Three Classic Fairy Tales Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt. Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy as they bring the timeless fairytale adventures of Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to life right in your hometown. Featuring dynamic storytelling, award winning music, stunning costumes and glittering special effects, audiences will be captivated by the humor, fun and adventure of these spellbinding stories. Dream with the princesses, cheer for the heroes as they conquer evil villains, and marvel as these classic tales are brought to life in a theatrical experience that’s pure magic.
State Theatre
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Avenue at Rt. 129, Trenton, NJ 08611
Cost: $15+
6. Red Bank Holiday Express Concert & Town Lighting
Friday, November 27, 2015 at 7 pm
Kick off the season with the annual Holiday Express Concert & Town Lighting. Now in it’s 23rd year, Holiday Express will be rocking the streets with all of your favorite tunes plus plenty of special guests. The holiday lights will be lit for the first time this season during the concert. The Red Bank Fire Department will be on hand with free hot chocolate. And don’t miss the LIVE countdown to light the town with News 12!
Broad Street & Canal Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
Cost: Free
7. Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas
Sunday, November 29, 2015 at 1 pm
Families will join Nancy in a very fancy holiday celebration! What could be fancier than Christmas? Presents with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles – and who could forget the tree? After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Ooh la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited. She bought a brand-new sparkly tree topper with her own money and can’t wait to decorate the Christmas tree. But when things don’t turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous?
Bergen Performing Arts Center
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
Cost: $15+
8. Nutley Holiday Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting
Sunday, November 29, 2015 from 5pm to 7 pm
There will be live entertainment from local musical groups approximately every 15 to 20 minutes, including the Elementary School Choir, the John H. Walker Middle School Concert Choir, the Middle School Jazz Band, the Choralettes, the MS Madrigals, Men’s Choir, NHS Chamber Singers and the Brass ensemble. Under the direction of Music Director James Riley, the groups will provide a medley of holiday music. Festivities feature a mini-train ride, horse and buggy rides, roasted chestnuts, hot cider and coffee and family entertainment. There will be a special refreshment/bake sale to support the Friends of the Nutley Singers and the Nutley Music Boosters, as well as a hot cocoa sale to support the senior class.
Nutley Park Oval
300 Franklin Avenue, Nutley, NJ 07110
Cost: Free
9. Rahway Winter Wonderland
Friday, November 27, 2015 from 4 pm to 8 pm
The theme for this year’s event is The Wizard in Wonderland and will feature characters from the ever-popular Wizard of Oz. Join us for a family-oriented fun night of entertainment which will include outdoor ice skating, music, inflatables, pictures with Santa, carriage rides, food, drink and many other activities at locations throughout the City. Come early! Last year’s event drew a crowd of over 10,000 children and adults from towns all over Union County and beyond.
1 City Hall Plaza, Rahway NJ 07065
Cost: Free
10. Cape May Holiday Crafts Fair
Friday, November 27, 2015 from 10 am to 4 pm
Enjoy a vast assortment of craft vendors who have truly unique items for sale.
Cape May Convention Hall
714 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204
Cost: Free
11.Cranbury Christmas Lights
Saturday, November 28, 2015 from 6 pm to 9 pm
Sunday, November 29, 2015 from 6 pm to 9 pm
Come and see the 120,000 lights Dance to 20 songs at New Jerseys NUMBER ONE Christmas Display for Charity!!
128 North Main Street, Cranbury, NJ 08512
Cost: Free but donations will be accepted
12. Morristown Christmas Festival
Sunday, November 29, 2015 at 5 pm
Celebrate Santa’s Arrival and the lighting of the Morristown Green, North Park Place. Programming begins at 5 p.m. with special performances by the Morristown High School Theatre Program and Morris Choral Society. Don’t forget to take pictures with Santa!
Downtown Morristown, Morristown NJ 07960
Cost: Free
13. Historic Smithville Holiday Light Show
Friday, November 27, 2015 from 4 pm to 8 pm
Come out and see over 100 christmas trees decorated with over 50,000 christmas lights floating on Lake Meone. The lights will dance and change with the music!
615 East Moss Mill Road, Smithville, NJ 08205
Cost: Free
14. Madison Holiday Arts Festival
Friday, November 27, 2015 from 12 pm to 5:30 pm
Holiday Arts Festival with musicians, dancers and artists featured throughout the borough of Madison, from noon until the traditional Santa Parade comes down Main Street.
Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940
Cost: Free
15. Mooseltoe
Sunday, November 29, 2015 at 1:30 pm & 4 pm
Mooseltoe, the Moose with a Dream, and his friends come to life in this colorful, magical and whimsical musical tale. Follow our hero as he pursues his seemingly impossible dream while learning many valuable lessons along the way – lessons which are important for us all. This sparkling new production has 16 unforgettable costumed characters which include three snobby penguins, an Edward G. Robinsonesque snowman and a fat walrus named Willy, not to mention two elves and Santa Claus himself.
Mayo Performing Arts Center
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
Cost: $12+
MORE IDEAS FOR THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS WEEKEND:
- FREE Events in New Jersey through November 30th
- Organic Turkey Farms in NJ
- NJ Apple Picking Hotspots
- Pick your own {Organic} farms
- Plan ahead by checking NJ Mom’s 60+ Things to Do in New Jersey
- Free Museum Days in NJ (the first weekend of each month)
- Kids Eat Free Restaurants
- 275 Parks & Playgrounds in NJ
- 50 Best Spas in NJ
- 10 Mommy & Me Classes in NJ
- Date Night Ideas for Mom + Dad
