The holidays are officially here! After the table is cleared and the leftovers are stored from Thanksgiving, spend your weekend ringing in this festive season with family-friendly events and celebrations, including the Hugs for Brady Holiday Light Show and Festival in New Brunswick, Night Market and Holiday Exhibit in Beach Haven, and Palmer Square Tree Lighting in Princeton.
Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmomhq and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
Related Articles: 10 Must Know Christmas Tree Lightings in NJ
Here are our top picks for family events in NJ this weekend:
1. Red Bank Tree Lighting & Holiday Express Concert
November 25, 2016 | 7:00PM – 10:00PM
Red Bank is celebrating its 24th year of holiday celebration in its cheery shopping and dining downtown area. Holiday Express will be rocking the streets as the town lights up for the first time this season. Free hot chocolate will be available from the Red Bank Fire Department. Don’t miss the live countdown to the tree lighting with News 12!
Broad Street and Canal Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
Cost: Free
2. Holiday Wine Trail Weekend
November 25 – 27, 2016 | Friday 12:00PM – 5:00PM, Saturday 11:00AM – 5:00PM, Sunday 11:00AM – 4:00PM
Take a break from the hustle of holiday shopping for a glass of wine at Valenzano Family Wine’s most anticipated event of the year. Taste over 30 wines, choose from a variety of gift baskets and take advantage of special savings on barrels and bottles. Live entertainment will keep your spirits up and a special lunch menu from Summit Catering will be available from noon to 4:00PM.
Valenzano Family Winery
1090 Route 206, Shamong, NJ 08088
Cost: $5.00 Admission includes Live Entertainment & Wine Tasting
$10.00 Admission includes Live Entertainment, Wine Tasting, Winery walk-through, & Barrel Tasting
3. Hugs for Brady Holiday Light Show Opening Weekend
November 25 – 27, 2016 | 4:00PM – 10:00PM
Come experience New Jersey’s only large-scale animated light show as it opens this weekend. The event benefits Hugs For Brady, a charity supporting children suffering from cancer. This holiday festival features food trucks, merchant vendors in a large heated tent, live ice sculpting, glow-in-the-dark face painting, roast your own s’mores, and much more.
DeVry University Campus
630 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Cost: $1 – $15
4. Night Market & Holiday Exhibit
November 26, 2016 | 12:00PM – 8:00PM
Get in the spirit for this cozy, festive outdoor market and find the area’s best handmade items. Enjoy locally crafted beverages and food, hot chocolate and s’mores.
120 Long Beach Blvd, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
Cost: Free
5. Rutherford Holiday Parade & Festival
November 26, 2016 | 4:00PM – 8:00PM
Residents are encouraged to come out for this annual holiday event. The parade begins at 4:00PM at the corner of Springfield and Union Avenues, and will end at Lincoln Park. Live entertainment will be provided from Union School and Rutherford Community Bands. Immediately following the parade, the annual Tree Lighting will take place. Bundle up and stay until the end to see Santa Claus himself!
Springfield and Union Avenues, Rutherford, NJ 07070
Cost: Free
6. Palmer Square Tree Lighting in Princeton
November 26, 2016 | 5:00PM – 7:00PM
Ring in the holiday season by celebrating as Princeton’s Palmer Square counts down to the lighting of over 32,000 lights on the 65-foot Norwegian Spruce Christmas tree, with the help of Santa Claus.
Palmer Square
40 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542
Cost: Free
7. Highland Park Tree Lighting & Small Business Saturday
November 26, 2016 | 6:00PM – 7:00PM
Spend the day strolling through downtown Highland Park and support the local shops, restaurants, and businesses that call this quaint downtown area home. At 6:00PM, join together at the Main Street Highland Park office for the annual tree lighting, complete with music, hot chocolate, candy canes, and visit from Santa.
Main Street, Highland Park, 08904
Cost: Free
8. Spring Lake Tree Lighting
November 26, 2016 | 6:00PM – 9:00PM
In addition to the holiday tree lighting, there will be many live performances to keep your spirits high, including the SLTD Dancers and Scrooge cast plus a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus and their elves. Following the tree lighting, take advantage of fun activities around town including family hay rides. Meet at the Spring Lake Community House to meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Third and Morris Avenues, Spring Lake, NJ 07762
Cost: Free
9. Asbury Park Holiday Tree Lighting
November 26, 2016 | 6:00PM – 11:00PM
Greetings from Asbury Park! It’s never too chilly out for a day at the beach. Step inside Asbury Park’s cozy, historic Convention Hall Grand Arcade for a sparkling, musical, family holiday event. The evening will be hosted by Rich Robinson of area radio station 90.5 The Night, introducing the fantastic music guests including The Weeklings, The Ocean Ave Stompers, Yawn Mower, Nervous Triggers, and DJ Foggy Notion, all playing special holiday sets. Don’t forget to take a photo with Santa and enjoy the wonderful food and shopping established right inside the Grand Arcade.
Grand Arcade of Convention Hall
1300 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Cost: Free
10. Greenberg’s Train & Toy Show
November 26 – 27, 2016 | 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Over 500 Tables of trains for sale, huge operating model railroad layouts, activities for kids and more! Purchase your ticket online today.
New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center
97 Subfield Ave, Edison, NJ 08837
Cost: Starting at $6.96. Kids are free.
11. Holiday Craft & Vendors Fair
November 27, 2016 | 10:00AM – 3:00PM
Make a dent in your holiday shopping list while contributing to this fundraiser for Jersey Shore Animal Shelter. Shop over 50 vendors, take home super packed swag bags, enter to win door prizes, and spin the prize wheel to win instantly. The first 25 children to enter the event win a free gift! This indoor event will offer one-of-a-kind gifts that you won’t be able to find in stores this season.
Brick Elks Lodge #2151
2491 Hooper Ave, Brick Township, NJ 08723
Cost: Free
12. Holiday Shopping Craft/Vendor Fair
November 27, 2016 | 12:00PM – 5:00PM
For lots of crafts, vendors, food, and gifts, visit this holiday shopping fair. Featuring vendors including LuLaRoe Clothing, Rodan & Fields, Premier Designs Jewelry, Chloe & Isabel Jewelry, Touchstone Crystal, Thirty On, Pampered Chef, Wildtree, Younique, and many more handmade gifts, crafts, and food items.
4-H Building
645 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
Cost: Free
13. 63rd Annual Winter Festival Parade in Metuchen
November 27, 2016 | 2:00PM – 4:00PM
This year’s theme is “Lights on Main!” March along Main Street from Bushwick Avenue to New Street, ending at the Senior Center for hot cocoa, a visit with Santa Claus, and holiday giveaways. Take part in this town-wide tradition that started in 1953.
Main Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840
Cost: Free
14. Long Branch Tree Lighting at Pier Village
November 27, 2016 | 4:00PM – 6:00PM
This great night of family fun features a meet and greet with Santa Claus and friends, and a live performance by Tim McLoone and the Shirleys. Stop by the Pier Village Ice Rink for its grand opening this weekend for a full holiday experience.
Pier Village
50 Chelsea Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740
Cost: Free
15. Westfield Annual Tree Lighting with Santa & Mrs. Claus
November 27, 2016 | 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Visit this annual event to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus and welcome the lighting of Downtown Westfield’s iconic holiday tree. Spend the day touring the town’s wonderful downtown businesses, restaurants, and shops to get you in the holiday spirit.
Westfield Train Station
821 S Ave W, Westfield, NJ 07090
Cost: Free
MORE FUN THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS WEEKEND:
- 30 FREE NJ Events in November
- #NJMOM Fall Bucket List
- 10 Must Know Tree Lightings in 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.
