25 Kid-Friendly Things To Do This Weekend

Whether you are on team fall sipping pumpkin spice everything or team summer soaking up those last sultry beach days, September has lots of family fun this coming weekend. Honor the lives lost in 9/11 with the Smithville Freedom Run in Smithville, kick-off fall with rides and pumpkin picking at Happy Day Farm Fall Festival in Manalapan, or watch them crown the queen in the Little Miss Apple Fest Pageant at the South Jersey Apple Fest in Bridgeton. And if you are looking to plan out your month, don’t miss our Guide on Free Things To Do In September.

Featured Photo Credit: @anthonyquintano taken at Happy Day Farm

Become an NJMOM Insider! For all the best things to do with your family around New Jersey, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter delivered right to your inbox each week, and don’t forget to tag your photos #NJMOM and @njmom for a chance to be featured on our social media.

(Note: Since COVID-19 rules and regulations are continually changing, it’s best to check ahead for in-person events)

Ort Farms Fall Fest
September 4 – October 31
Known as “the most spacious farm in Morris County,” Ort Farms offers its visitors the whole nine yards when it comes to fall family fun. Enjoy a monster truck ride with your family and friends, head to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin, get lost in the corn maze, or take a cow train ride. After you’ve had your fill, be sure to check out the farm store to try out Ort Farms’ delicious fresh apples, apple cider, donuts, pumpkin rolls, local ice cream, homegrown produce, and more.
Cost: $8
25 Bartley Road, Long Valley, NJ 07853
(908) 876-3351

Hoboken Italian Festival
September 9-12
One of the largest Festivals in NJ, the Hoboken Italian Festival is not one to miss! With an abundance of delicious Italian delectables and all the music and fun you could ask for, this family-friendly event spans four packed days.
Cost: Free
Frank Sinatra Drive Promenade, Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 216-0252

Fright Fest at Six Flag Great Adventure
September 10-October 31
Kick off the scary season with rides, shows, entertainment, haunted attractions, scare zones, and more at the annual Fright Fest event in Jackson, NJ. Don’t worry if your littles don’t want to be frightened—there are family-friendly events throughout the day.
Cost: Admission starts at around $30.99
Six Flags Great Adventure – 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 928-2000

The Newark Museum of Art Family Movie Night
September 10 at 7:30 PM
The movie Soul will be playing at The Newark Museum of Art for Family Movie Night. Please reserve your free tickets in advance to secure your spot.
Cost: Free
The Newark Museum of Art – 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 596-6550

9/11 Memorial Ceremony
September 11 at 8 AM
This 9/11 remembrance ceremony will take place in the Atlantic Highlands.
Cost: Free
460 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716
(732) 872-0336 

Smithville Freedom Run
September 11 from 9-11 AM, registration starts at 7:30 AM
Kids can commemorate 9/11 by participating in the Smithville Freedom Run on Saturday, September 11. Depending on the age of your children, choose between running a 5K or opt for a one-mile walk or run. The event will kick off with the presentation of colors, ringing of the memorial bell, and rifle salute, and the start of the run will be signaled by the firing of an actual Civil War cannon. The Freedom Run honors the lives lost in the World Trade Center and first responders, and the military. Cost: Registration fee
Historic Smithville – 615 E. Moss Mill Road, Galloway, NJ 08205

Bridge Arts Festival
September 11 from 11 AM-6:30 PM
Round up your crew to experience arts, music, dance, culture, a free kid’s craft corner, food truck row, and an artist vendor market. Celebrate the arts in Bayonne, and if you are looking for a VIP experience, for a VIP ticket, you can have access to the VIP lounge with food, meet the artists, and more.
Cost: $40 for VIP tickets
W. 1st Street, Bayonne, NJ 07002
(201) 443-8921

Light Up The Shore
September 11 at 8:46 PM
In Monmouth County, residents are invited to arrive along the shoreline on Saturday, September 11, and use their cellphones at 8:46 PM to light up the skyline in honor of the heroes of 9/11. The lights symbolize the enduring American spirit and a reminder never to forget.
Cost: Free
Jersey Shore

6th Annual NJ Taco Festival
September 11 from 10 AM – 8 PM
This festival is taco-errific, with over 50 of the Tri-State Area’s Best Taco producers with craft beer and specialty cocktails for mom and dad. Live Music and a Kids Zone with inflatables, face painting, and more will be available for the kiddos too.
Cost: $10-$75
The Sussex County Fairgrounds – 37 Plains Road, Augusta, NJ 07822
(973) 948-5500

Wood Street Fair
September 11
Enjoy crafters, artisans, live music, food, collectibles, art, and lots of family fun at this popular fair. While you are there, don’t miss touring the historic homes in the area, such as the Revell House from 1685 and the Carriage House from 1876.
Cost: Free
Wood Street, Burlington, NJ 08016

WoofStock 2021 Food and Music Festival
September 11 and 12
A 2-day music festival with K-9 contests, raffles, prizes, Battle of the Bands, craft vendors, food trucks, and most importantly, dog adoption opportunities.
Cost: Tickets starting at $12 for kids and $30 for adults prices increase at the door
336 Loantaka Way, Chatham, NJ 07940
(908) 598-8212

Great Pumpkin Festival
September 11 – November 7
Kick off the “Largest Fall Festival in Northern New Jersey,” with lots of fall fun. There are over 40 different activities each day, including a hay crawl, vortex tunnel, pedal cart track, and more. Heaven Hill Farm also offers on-site wine tastings, a farmer’s market, and more.
Cost: prices starting at $14.99 during the week and $19.99 on weekdays
451 State Route 94, Vernon, NJ 07462
(973) 764-5144

Ocean Grove Fall Flea Market
September 11 from 9 AM – 4 PM
This giant Fall Ocean Grove Flea Market is one of the largest in the area. There will be antiques, memorabilia, jewelry, and a whole lot more to choose from. Come celebrate the beginning of fall and do a little shopping, too. Rain or shine.
Cost: Free
Ocean Pathway, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
(732) 774-1391

Preserving the Harvest at Historic Longstreet Farm
September 11 from 11 AM-3 PM
How did they preserve food in the 19th century? Learn about the 19th-century techniques for preserving food such as salting, jelling, and drying during your visit to this Holmdel Farm.
Cost: Free
44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
(732) 946-3758

Historic Battery Lewis Tours
September 11 from 10 AM-4 PM and September 12 from 1 PM-3 PM
Come and tour the newly restored Historic Battery Lewis in the Rocky Point section of Hartshorne Wood Park. Learn all about the history of this former coastal defense site. 
Cost: Free
1402 Portland Road, Highlands, NJ 07732
(732) 872-0336

Duffield’s Farm Food Truck Apple Festival
September 11 from 11 AM-5 PM
A food truck festival and apple picking? Count us in. Have fun with activities for the whole family like hayrides, a corn maze, and apple picking. Don’t miss the hot apple cider donuts and live music too.
Cost: Free to enter; you only need tickets for hayrides and apple picking
Duffield’s Farm & Market – 280 Chapel Heights Road, Sewell, NJ 08080
(856) 589-7090

Chester’s 47th Annual Craft Show
September 11 and 12 from 10 AM-5 PM
Experience a wide variety of handmade items, crafts, fine art, and country crafts. Be sure to stroll through Historic Chester and visit over 80 unique shops and eateries while you are there.
Cost: $5
Municipal Field, 134 Main Street, Downtown Chester, NJ 07930

Mediterranean and Indian Festival at Laurita Winery
September 11 and 12
Hummus, falafels, samosas, lamb kabobs, and more savory foods will be available for the whole family at Laurita. Shop for authentic handicrafts, clothing, and jewelry. There will also be henna tattoos, fusion music, a dance competition, grape stomping, and don’t miss the belly dancers.
Cost: $12-$18 and up
85 Archertown Road, New Egypt, NJ 08533
1-800-LAURITA

South Jersey Apple Fest
September 11 and 12
Apple butter, apple pies, apple cider—this festival has everything apple that you could imagine, even a Little Miss Apple Fest Pageant. Don’t miss the free hayrides, free craft making for kids, and live music. This festival will entertain you to the core. 
Cost: Free
Shoppes at Dragon Village – 97 Trench Road, Bridgeton, NJ 08302 
(856) 765-0118

Red Bank Street Fair
September 12 from 11 AM-5 PM
Rain or shine, the Red Bank Street Fair will feature crafters, food vendors, rides, and shopping. Bring the whole family to enjoy this fall festival.
Broad Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701

Happy Day Farm Fall Harvest Festival
Open Saturdays and Sundays (Plus Fridays in October) from 10 AM – 5 PM, last entry at 4 PM
September 11 through October 31
Begin your fall adventure at Happy Day Farm’s Fall Harvest Festival, jam-packed with activities all day long like pumpkin bowling, tractor rides, a corn maze, hay mountain, pig races, fun slide, horse lasso, tug-o-war, and so much more. Don’t miss the fun add-ons like the jumping pillow, corn cannon, and sunflowers for an extra fee. Be sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time.
Cost: $20
106 Iron Ore Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726
(732) 977-3607

RWJBarnabas Health: Cooking Classes for Kids
Dates and times vary depending on the program
Kids of all ages will love cooking up healthy treats in these virtual hands-on cooking classes (adult supervision required during class): Try Healthy Kids in Hannah’s Kitchen for kids 8-12, where they’ll learn to use a recipe, cook with nutritious ingredients, and utilize kitchen basics or try Taste Testers in Hannah’s Kitchen, a Mommy and Me style class for 2-4-year-olds.
Cost: Free
RWJBarnabas, Virtual
(973) 926-7371

Psst—want to read more posts like this? Sign up for NJMOM’s weekly newsletter, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and use #NJMOM on all your adventures around New Jersey.