It’s officially fall this week, and with it, plenty of family-friendly activities to celebrate the new season. Bring the whole fam out to say goodbye to summer at the Galloway End of Summer Bash in Galloway, dig into fall fun with a hayride and pumpkin decorating at the opening of Diggerfest in West Berlin or celebrate Oktoberfest with lawn games, balloon animals, and more at the 37th Annual Mountain Creek Oktoberfest in Vernon. And before the month is over, don’t miss your last chance to find Free Things to Do This September.
Featured Photo Credit: Diggerland USA
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(Note: Since COVID-19 rules and regulations are continually changing, it’s best to check ahead for in-person events)
Ho Ho Kus Oktoberfest
September 22-25
Live German music and a German Polka Band will perform during Oktoberfest. And you can’t miss the German dinner with Sauerbraten, Bier Cheddar Soup, and Brotpudding.
Cost: Price of meal
1 East Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423
(201) 445-4115
Open House Barn Dance
September 24 at 7 PM
Spin your partner round and round and give square dancing a try during this fun, family-friendly event with the Middletown Ramblers at the Thompson Park Activity Barn in Lincroft. Open to all ages, participants under 18 must be with an adult.
Cost: Free
805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738
(732) 842-4000 ext 4312
Oktoberfest at Morey’s Piers
September 24-26, October 1-3, and 8-10
Get ready for four consecutive weekends of German-themed goodness with “Oktober das Oktopus,” live entertainment, kids “Rootbier Garten” activity area, and more at the lively Oktoberfest on Morey’s Piers. On September 17 at 5:45 pm, the festivities kick-off with a ceremonial keg tapping of Warsteiner beer and the Morey family clad in lederhosen—prost!
Cost: Prices starting at $29
3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260
(609) 729-3700
Roseland Greek Fest
September 24-26
Gather your crew for Greek music, dancing, and authentic Greek food and desserts at Ss Nicholas, Constantine, and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Don’t miss the Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey, Terpsixorian Hellenic Dancers, and Fantasia Music. Free shuttle bus service.
Cost: Free
80 Laurel Avenue, Roseland, NJ 07068
(973) 251-2920
Cape May Oktoberfest
September 25 at 9 AM
Walk on the main street into a German promenade with food, crafters, music, and more in beautiful Cape May. The rain date will be September 26.
Cost: Free
Carpenter Lane to Beach Ave Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-5508
Evesham Harvest Fest
September 25 from 10 AM- 4:30 PM
The annual Evesham Harvest Fest returns with over 90 artisans, including new vendors and old favorites. Travel down Main Street to grab some grub as you shop homemade soaps, glass art, jewelry, fall and winter decor, and fine photography.
Cost: Free
Main Street (between Maple Avenue and S. Locust Avenue), Marlton, NJ 08053
Shamrocks by the Sea Irish Festival
September 25 from 10 AM-6 PM
The whole family can get in the Irish spirits by listening to the Shamrock and Thistle Pipe Band or watching the Devrin Academy of Irish Step dancers. Taste the food, sample shore brews from the beer garden, and check out the craft vendors too.
Cost: Free
101 J Street, Seaside Park, NJ 08752
Edison Fall Family Spectacular
September 25 at 11 AM
More than eight blocks of fun with two food courts, two live music stages, shopping, and so much more. There will also be a professional wrestling ring, a remote control car track, kids entertainment on stage, and a Kids Zone.
Cost: Free
Amboy Ave. in the Clara Barton section from Waltuma Ave. to Jackson Ave., Edison, NJ 08837
(201) 998-1144
8th Annual Somerville Oktoberfest
September 25 at 12 PM
Bring out the fam for traditional Oktoberfest brews, plenty of food from local restaurants, and live music throughout the day. There will be an annual Stein Holding Contest, a live Brews & Brushes painting experience, and a custom beer puppeteer setup. Look out for pumpkin and face painting for the kiddos.
Cost: $12
N. Bridge St., Somerville, NJ 08876
Galloway End of Summer Bash
September 25 at 2 PM
Celebrate the end of summer with the Don’t Call Me Francis band, fireworks, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. The rain date is September 26.
Cost: Free
Galloway Municipal Complex, 300 East Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway, NJ 08205
(609) 652-3726
South Amboy Irish Fest
September 25 at 2 PM
Listen to the sounds of Andy Cooney and The Willie Lynch Band and watch Irish Step Dancers while overlooking the Raritan Bay. There will also be crafts, food, and rides for the kiddos. The festival will conclude with fireworks.
Cost: Free
Raritan Bay Waterfront Park, 201 John T O’Leary Blvd., South Amboy, NJ 08879
elliotj@southamboynj.gov
37th Annual Mountain Creek Oktoberfest
September 25 and 26
The kids can enjoy the sky rides, lawn games, petting zoo, activity ring, face painting, balloon animals, and musical entertainment. There will be food, drinks, and live entertainment for the adults too.
Cost: $20 for ages 7 and up
200 Route 94, Vernon, NJ 07462
(973) 827-2000
Margate Fall Fun Fest by the Bay
September 25 and 26
Check out the food, music, kid’s activities, crafts, a character parade, and more at this family festival. There will also be the Margate Catch the Wave Cornhole Tournament and Scarefest After Dark (though this event is for adults only). And don’t miss the Dog Show, where pups compete to be the prettiest and benefits NJ Aid for Animals and Humane Society of Ocean City.
Cost: Free, Scarefest After Dark $20, $25 at the door
Amherst Avenue, Margate, NJ 08402
(609) 822-1129
DiDonato’s Trick-or-Treat Train
September 25 and 26, October 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 23 and 24
Take a train ride through a friendly Halloween town with tricks, treats, and surprises. But that’s not all—explore a hay maze, visit the pumpkin patch, race down a giant slide, and more.
Cost: $11.95 per person if purchased before September 25, then $12.95 and up
1151 South White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ 08037
(609) 561-3040
Zeppelin Hall Oktoberfest
September 25 until October 24
During this almost-a-full-month-long celebration, they’re serving Oktoberfest beer, Bavarian dishes, and pretzels – with kid-friendly options like burgers and mac and cheese too. On weekdays, they have “Happy Hour” from 4PM to 7PM. And on weekends, your whole family can relax and enjoy the live German bands that play from 3PM to 7PM (on both days) on stage.
Cost: Cost of meal
88 Liberty View Dr., Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 721-8888
Diggerfest
September 25 through November 7 from 11 AM-6 PM
Do you love diggers and the fall? Then, head out to Diggerland this weekend for the start of Diggerfest. The whole family can spend the day operating all the fantastic machines while enjoying live music, special fall foods, hayrides, and fun and games. Of course, you’ll get to celebrate all things fall, too, with pumpkin decorating, fall parades, and even a petting zoo on select days.
Cost: $44.95 per ticket
Diggerland – 100 Pinedge Drive, West Berlin, NJ 08091
(856) 768-1110
2021 Steeplechase Distance Run
September 26 at 7:30 AM in-person, September 18-27, or challenge yourself the whole month of September
Bring the whole fam out to support the Steeplechase Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset with the 13th annual Steeplechase Distance Run. This event raises money to create free supportive services for patients, including educational programs, yoga, art therapy, and more.
Register for the event.
Registration Fee: $ 30 for 15 and under and $45 for 16 and over
Amsterdam Elementary School, 301 Amsterdam Drive, Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Harvest Home Festival at Historic Longstreet Farm
September 26 from 11 AM-5 PM
This old-fashioned fair will send you back to the 1890s, where you can enjoy wagon rides, games, and live entertainment. Admission and parking are free.
Cost: Free
44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel 07733
(732) 946-3758
Great Pumpkin Festival
Now – November 7
Self-proclaimed as the “Largest Fall Festival in Northern New Jersey,” it has 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
Fall Festival Weekends at VonThun Farms
Weekends now through October 31 from 10 AM – 5 PM
This family-friendly farm (with 2 locations) has a packed seasonal schedule with over 20 different farm activities and attractions like hayrides, a 5+ acre corn maze, barnyard basketball, lil’ rocking horses, pedal karts, and more. While admission includes most of the attractions, there are additional fees for corn cannons and pony rides.
Cost: $14.99 General admission and up
VonThun’s Country Farm Market – 438 Route 57 West, Washington, NJ 07882
(732) 986-6816
VonThun’s Country Farm Market – 519 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
(732) 329-8656
Family Fun Fall Weekends at Terhune Orchards
Weekends from now – October 31 from 10 AM-5 PM
At Terhune Orchards in Princeton, you and the littles can celebrate fall in NJ with live music, picking pumpkins, and a corn maze or hay bale maze. Don’t miss the hippy hop corral, pumpkin painting, and duckie races too. You can also visit the barnyard, play area, and adventure barn. Take a stroll on the pollinator trail and indulge in apple cider, donuts, and wines made from grapes on the farm.
Cost: $11 online, $14 at the gate
330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 924-2310
Evening on the Farm at Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm
Friday and Saturday evenings in September from 6 PM – 9 PM
Enjoy a family night out on the farm at this fall festival in South Jersey with live music, food trucks, and delicious food. Take an evening walk around the grounds, play some lawn games, stop by their late farm market or ice cream window for a treat, or take a hayride to the sunflower field. And don’t miss out on the Tomasello Wine available for purchase. Reservations are required, so be sure to book ahead of time on their website.
Cost: $9.95 per ticket
2691 Monmouth Rd., Jobstown, NJ 08041
(609) 353-9000
Argos Farm Fall Festival
Opening Day: September 18, and the hours vary per month.
With a ton of different fall-themed activities, your kiddos will have a blast getting into the spirit of the season with a corn maze, wagon rides, a double hay slide, corn hole, pick-your-own pumpkins, the new gauntlet obstacle course, plus so much more. After, indulge in yummy fall treats from their Farm Market. Make sure to purchase your tickets online before you go.
Cost: $12 on weekdays and $15 on weekends and holidays
1250 Lacey Rd., Forked River, NJ 08731
(609) 693-3513
Fright Fest at Six Flag Great Adventure
Now-October 31
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, but Six Flags transforms into a scarier Fright Fest once night falls.
Cost: Admission starts at around $30.99
Six Flags Great Adventure – 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 928-2000
Happy Day Farm Fall Harvest Festival
Open Saturdays and Sundays (Plus Fridays in October) from 10 AM – 5 PM, last entry at 4 PM
Now 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. Oh, and did we mention that their pumpkin patch and photo ops at Pumpkinville is open seven days a week with no admission, pay for what you pick? 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
Ort Farms Fall Fest
Now – October 31
Known as “the most spacious farm in Morris County,” Ort Farms offers its visitors so much in the way of 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
Somerville Summer Stage
Every Saturday, May 29 until October 2 from 6 PM-9 PM
Bring chairs to this concert series, with a new performance every Saturday.
Cost: Free
Division Street, Somerville, NJ 08876
(908) 524-0104
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
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