Spend this weekend with your kids experiencing fun and interactive events throughout New Jersey. Make some maple syrup at Lusscroft Farm’s Annual Maple Sugaring Open House, celebrate Easter at Verona High School’s Bunny Brunch, or discover dinosaurs at Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live. Find craft supplies at Ocean County College’s Vendor and Craft Fair, play with Lego’s at Lego & Tech Fest, or discover the beauty of the ocean at Beneath the Sea Expo.
Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmomhq and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
Here are our top picks for family events in NJ this weekend:
1. Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
March 24-26, 2017 (Rain or Shine)
Friday & Saturday from 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sunday from 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Do your little ones have a passion for arts and crafts? If so, make sure they do not miss out on the incredible Sugarloaf Crafts Festival featured at the Garden State Exhibit Center! The event will showcase more than 200 artisans doing live demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Some demonstrations and workshops include stoneware art, sculpting, and glass blowing.
Garden State Exhibit Center
50 Atrium Drive, Somerset, NJ 08873
Cost: Free for Children 12 and under, $10 Adults ($8 Online)
2. NJ Herald’s Monster Garage Sale
March 25, 2017 from 8:00AM to 3:00PM
What’s better than the BIGGEST Garage Sale that New Jersey has to offer? The NJ Herald’s Monster Garage Sale at the Skylands Stadium includes bargains and treasures from over 90 vendors! Your kids will be sure to walk away with knick-knacks for their crafts, room decorations, or even great gag gifts.
Skylands Stadium
94 Championship Place, Augusta, New Jersey 07822
Cost: Free Children under 12 and Seniors, $3 Adults, $5 for Early Bird Shopping starting at 7AM
Receive $1 off admission by bringing this coupon.
3. Annual Maple Sugaring Open House at Lusscroft Farm
March 25-26, 2017 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM
Has your children ever wondered how sap is made into delicious maple syrup? The Annual Maple Sugaring Open House has the answer for them! Lusscroft Farm will be holding demonstrations to show how to tap the trees, collect the sap, and operate the evaporator and condenser. There will be fresh maple syrup available for purchase. This is a great family fun event with beautiful scenery provided by the historic Lusscroft Farm.
Lusscroft Farm
50 Neilson Road, Wantage, NJ 07461
Cost: Free
4. New Jersey Maker’s Day
March 24-25, 2017 Times vary by location
NJ Maker’s Day is a state-wide celebration of maker culture, with programs that include hands-on projects and tinkering. Some projects showcased during the event include 3D printing, collage and origami making, and LittleBits and Snap Circuits. This is a great event to introduce young creators to a world they have never seen before!
Held at multiplication, please visit http://njmakersday.org/content/nj-makers-day-sites-map-and-listing to find a location near you
Cost: Varies by location
5. Spring Fest
March 25, 2017 from 10:00AM to 4:00PM
The cure to cabin fever is here! Join us at the Woodbury Heights Community Center for Spring Fest; where there will be plenty of crafts, face painting, food, and more to keep your kiddies entertained!
Woodbury Heights Community Center
741 Helen Ave, Woodbury Heights, New Jersey 08097
Cost: Free
6. Keansburg St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 26, 2017 at 1:30PM
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Keansburg St. Patrick Day Parade. The parade will start on Beachway and work it’s way down Main Street to Church Street and ending at Creek Road.
Corner of Beachway Avenue and Main Street
Keansburg, NJ 07734
Cost: Free
7. Keyport St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 25, 2017 from 1:00PM to 3:00PM
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Keyport’s St. Patrick Day Parade. The parade will start in St. Joseph’s church Parking Lot and end on Broad Street.
St. Joseph’s Church – Parking Lot
376 Maple Place, Keyport, NJ 07735
Cost: Free
For more St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, please visit our 30 Free March Events post.
8. Bunny Brunch
March 25, 2017 at 9:00AM to 11:00AM
The Bunny Brunch will be a jam packed event that will feature many Easter favorites! There will be a breakfast buffet, crafts, and a photo opportunity with the Easter Bunny. There will also be a Jelly Bean guessing game and 50/50 raffle. Kids will also receive goody bags to take home, so make sure you stop by for all the family friendly Easter activities!
Verona High School
151 Fairview Avenue, Verona, New Jersey 07044
Cost: $5.00 Children, $20 per Family
9. Lego & Tech Fest
March 25, 2017 from 11:00AM to 03:00PM
Did you know that LEGO comes from the Danish phrase ” leg godt” meaning “play well”? Mount Olive Recreation as well as Flanders Pediatric Dentistry invites event goers to play with these timeless toys. Guests are invited to view incredible LEGO & Tech creations, visit a variety of LEGO & Tech vendors, have the opportunity to color at the craft table, and of course create whatever their heart desires in the “brick pile” play area. The Mt. Olive Robotics team will also be onsite with their latest projects & demonstrations for all.
Mt Olive Senior Center
204 Flanders-Drakestown Road, Mount Olive, NJ 07836
Cost: $5.00 per family at the door!
10. SMASH’s Prehistoric Adventures at New Jersey State Museum
March 25-26, 2017 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM
The New Jersey State Museum opens its doors to present to you SMASH! SMASH Prehistoric Adventures explore the intersections of science, fine art, and history! Kids will get a chance to learn about New Jersey’s ancient life, which is so much more than just dinosaurs! The event will also feature cool projects such as discovering footprint trackways, making Ice Age puppets, DIY fossils, and creating an imaginative cretaceous world…complete with volcanoes! The March SMASH event is part of the New Jersey Makers Day program.
New Jersey State Museum
225 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608
Cost: Free
11. 2017 Vendor and Craft Fair
March 26, 2017 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM
Ocean County College and the OCC Cheerleaders will be hosting the Vendor and Craft Fair Fundraiser! It will be a day filled with fun, prizes, and shopping! There will also be a gift wheel, face painting, and a fortune teller! The first 25 kids will even receive a free gift bag, so make sure your young ones don’t miss out!
Ocean County College – Gym/Bldg. 19
One College Drive, Toms River, NJ 8754
Cost: Free
12. Beneath the Sea Expo
March 24-26, 2017
Friday from 6:00PM to 9:00PM
Saturday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Sunday from 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Share your love for the ocean with your children at The Beneath the Sea Expo! This exciting event hosted at the Meadowlands Exposition Center will include workshops, door prizes, exhibits, demonstrations, and even scuba diving in the Go Dive Now Pool! The weekend will also feature a film festival showcasing underwater videographers, vendors from resorts, and so much more!
Meadowlands Exposition Center
355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ 07094
Cost: $5+
13. Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live
March 26, 2017 at 12:00PM & 4:00PM
The Count Basie theater is hosting the ultimate playdate for the whole family that has been 65 million years in the making, and trust us, it was worth the wait! The Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live show will guide your family on a breathtaking tour through pre-historic Australia. Children will observe, meet, and interact with an eye-popping collection of amazingly life-like dinosaurs and other creatures that will thrill and entertain them while stimulating their imaginations. With the help of skilled paleontologists and performers, these creatures will be brought to life in a way your children have never seen before. This live, exciting, and educative event is one your family wouldn’t want to miss!
Count Basie Theatre
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701
Cost: $25+
14. Shamrockin’ Food Truck Festival
March 26, 2017 from 12:00PM to 5:00PM
Hosted by Kappa Delta at The College of New Jersey, the Shamrockin’ Food Truck Festival is a fundraising event that will feature some the best food trucks NJ and Philadelphia can offer! You and your little ones can fill your stomachs with some mouth watering street all while supporting to end child abuse.
The College of New Jersey – Lot 6
2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ 08618
Cost: $2
15. Dylan Scott at iPlay America
March 24, 2017 7:00PM Doors Open, 8:00PM Show Starts
The amazing Dylan Scott will be performing at iPlay America. His music will capture everyone in your family! This event will be a fun time for everyone!
iPlay America
110 Schanck Road, Freehold, NJ 07728
Cost: Free
BONUS! – Outside NJ
Paw Patrol Live
March 23-26, 2017
Thursday at 11:00AM
Friday at 11:00AM, 5:00PM
Saturday at 10:30AM, 2:00PM, 5:30PM
Sunday at 10:30AM, 2:00PM, 5:30PM
Are you ready for an action packed, high octane adventure featuring upbeat show music that is set around the day of the Great Race between Adventure Bay’s Mayor Goodway and Foggy Bottom’s Mayor Humdinger? PAW Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue” invites your kids to join in on the the great race, but they will soon realize that Mayor Goodway is nowhere to be found. Ryder summons Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma, and the newest pup, Everest, to rescue Mayor Goodway and to run the race in her place. This show blends classic theatrical scenery along with a high-tech video wall to visually transport families to popular locations from the TV series, like Adventure Bay, The Lookout, Seal Island, Farmer Yumi’s Farm and Jake’s Mountain. Once guests enter the theater, they will have the opportunity to participate in the adventure and become a part of the PAW Patrol Cheer Team. The show incorporates an innovative costume approach to help bring the pups to life on stage as well, as their vehicles and packs during the all important rescue mission.
The Garden at Madison Square Garden
4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Manhattan, NY 10001
Cost: $30+
MORE FUN THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS WEEKEND:
- 30 FREE NJ Events in March
- 10 Outdoor Activities To Do in March
- Best Ski Resorts for NJ Families
- Must Know Winter Classes in NJ
- Museums in North, Central, & South NJ
- Aquariums in NJ
- 20 Family Friendly Hiking Trails in NJ
- 52 #NJMOM Must-Do Adventures
- 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)
- 275 Parks & Playgrounds in NJ
- 50 Best Spas in NJ
- 10 Mommy & Me Classes in NJ
- Date Night Ideas for Mom + Dad
- Kids Eat Free Restaurants
- Kids Bowl Free in NJ
Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmomhq and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
