Hey, fall, we’re here for you, with lots of fun and seasonal activities to keep you busy all weekend. Be in awe of the creative carves at the Annual Amazing Pumpkin Carve in Titusville, dress up your pet for the Pet Costume Parade at Historic Smithville, meet the kooky Addams Family at AddamsFest Family Fun Day in Westfield, or watch Circus Stella perform acts at the Diggerfest Fall Festival at Diggerland USA in West Berlin. And for more stuff to do, check out our guide to fall activities in NJ. (featured photo credit: Diggerland USA and Circus Stella)
(Note: It’s always best to check ahead for in-person events)
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Running with the Devils 5K Run and Wellness Walk 2022
October 30 in-person 5K registration starts at 7 AM, or join October 1-30 virtually
RWJBarnabas Health and the New Jersey Devils are teaming up again this year at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex to honor RWJBarnabas Health’s 38,000 healthcare workers with the Running with the Devils 5K and Wellness Walk. Besides all the fun and NJ Devil players lending a hand, your family can feel good about participating—100% of the proceeds will benefit RWJBarnabas Healthcare Heros in their efforts to protect and build healthier communities. You can register here ahead of time for the in-person run, live walk, or virtual experience. All registered participants of both the run and walk receive FREE entry to Turtle Back Zoo on the event day.
Registration Fee: Registration starts at $30 for adults, $25 for RWJBarnabas employees, and children under 11 are free
Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex/Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange, NJ 07052
Annual Amazing Pumpkin Carve
October 12-16
See amazing carves and Jack O’Lanterns at this 8th annual event with 35 pumpkins that are 125 pounds and up, carved by local artists. Wednesday and Thursday will be walk-throughs with storytelling and firepits, while weekend nights are drive-throughs only.
Cost: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for kids under 18, and kids in strollers are free.
Woolsey Park, 221 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ 08560
Flip Circus
October 13-17
The circus is in town—bring the whole family out to see jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, and motorcycles inside the Globe of Steel.
Cost: $25 and up
Freehold Raceway Mall, 3710 US 9, Freehold, NJ 07728
Brite Nites 2022
Thursdays-Saturdays, October 13-29
Head to Warren for Wagner Farm Arboretum for a spook-ta-cular event, showcasing an elaborate display of creatively hand-carved and LED-lighted pumpkins. There will be options to walk or drive through the show.
197 Mountain Avenue, Warren, NJ 07059
Toms River Harvest Arts Festival
October 15 at 11 AM
Washington St. will be filled with food trucks, vendors, a beer and wine garden, and local artists selling and displaying their works as part of a juried art show. There will be free pumpkin painting for the kids and other kids’ activities. Live entertainment from local bands throughout the day.
Cost: Free
Washington Street, Toms River, NJ 08753
Fall Festival at G & G Stables
October 15, 22, 29, and 30 at 11 AM
Check out the stables, where the whole family can try everything from pony rides to hayrides, face painting, games, a petting zoo, and crafts.
Cost: $10 online and $12 in person for ages two and up
G&G Stables, 39 Driftway Rd, Howell, NJ 07731
New Jersey Oyster Festival
October 15 at 12 PM
Join local oyster purveyors and vote for your favorite bivalve for the People’s Choice Award. Local food trucks, a shucking contest, vendors, and live music will be at the festival too.
Cost: $25
2800 High Street, Port Norris, NJ 08349
Fall Fest at Windward Beach
October 15 at 1 PM
Spend the day at Windward Beach Park with food trucks, games, inflatables, rides, fire pits, beer and wine, a cornhole tournament, and ending with a fireworks display.
Cost: Free
Windward Beach Park, 260 Princeton Ave, Brick, NJ 08724
Historic Smithville’s Costume Pet Parade
October 15
Everyone, including your furry friends, will be ready for Halloween at this event. Enter the parade with your costumed pet, or view the parade to take in all the cuteness.
Cost: Free
615 East Moss Mill Road, Galloway, NJ 08205
Atlantic City Fall Bazaar
October 15-16
Bring the whole family out to enjoy the arts, shopping, and a bunch of family-friendly activities. Kids will love making arts and crafts and dancing to live music, and parents will love shopping with local makers, artisans, and collectors. There will also be an indoor Biergarten.
Cost: Free
Noyes Art Garage at Stockton University, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Chatsworth Cranberry Festival
October 15-16
Bring the family to peruse a juried craft show, shop from over 150 vendors, taste cranberry foods, and enjoy live music.
Cost: Free
3980 Main Street, Chatsworth, NJ 08019
AddamsFest Family Fun Day 2022
October 16, 10 AM – 5 PM
They’re creepy, and they’re kooky—it’s a day of Addams Family fun at Quimby Street in Downtown Westfield, including Addams Family character visits, live performances, incredible displays by the Maniac Pumpkin Carvers and OMG Bubbles, and more.
Quimby Street
Westfield, NJ 08205
Fair Lawn Street Fair and Craft Show
October 16 at 11 AM
See a variety of artists, crafters, and vendors. Plus, you won’t want to miss the rides and games, DJ, live music, and food.
Cost: Free entry
Fair Lawn Downtown Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
Thompson Park Day
October 16 at 11 AM
Enjoy everything from pumpkin painting to wagon rides, kids’ races, and entertainment. Don’t miss the corn ghost husks and apple cider demos. Some activities have a fee, but parking and admission are free.
805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738
Tenafly Street Fair and Craft Show
October 16 at 11 AM
Head downtown for a day of shopping from artists, crafters, and various vendors. Plus, you won’t want to miss the rides, live music, and food.
Cost: Free entry
Downtown Tenafly, NJ 07670
Ghostbusters NJ at Sunday Farmer’s Market
October 16 at 11 AM and 12 PM
Who you gonna call? Join members of the NJ Ghostbusters with their decked-out Ecto-1 to learn how to become a real Ghostbuster, and then shop at the Farmer’s Market.
Cost: Free
Westfield Garden State Plaza, One Garden State Plaza, Paramus, NJ 07652
Cherry Hill Township Harvest Festival
October 16 at 12 PM
Festival-goers will enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo, a craft fair, pumpkins, live music, food trucks, and a beer garden from Forgotten Boardwalk Brewery.
Cost: Free
Croft Farm, 100 Bortons Mill Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Great Fall Festival
October 16 at 1 PM
Nature walks, games, crafts, and the live birds of prey program too. BBQ lunch is included in your admission price.
Cost: $10 for adults, ages 6-17 are $5, children under 5 are free
Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, 443 Van Nostrand Ave Englewood, NJ 07631
Hispanic Culture Celebration
October 16 at 3 PM
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and don’t miss the 2-hour celebration of Hispanic culture. This event is perfect for children and families with Spanish Puppetry by Teatro Sea, Live Music with Eco Del Sur and Latin American Folk Music, a photo booth, and food and crafts.
Cost: Donations are suggested at $10 and up for ages 3-10
HudsonWay Immersion School Gym, 249 Bebout Avenue, Stirling, NJ 07980
Whippany Railway Museum
October 16, rain or shine
Climb aboard a train at the Whippany Railway Museum to admire the changing leaves. Littles can dress in their Halloween costumes as you all ride past the reds, yellows, and oranges. After the ride, kids can visit the pumpkin patch, pick out the perfect-sized pumpkin, and get a carving kit for free.
1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany, NJ 07981
Ongoing Events
Halloween Trick-or-Treat Train at DiDonato’s
Now-October 23
Take a train ride through a kid-friendly Halloween Town, try the Halloween corn maze, or pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. Don’t miss the giant slide, inflatable obstacle course, photo ops, and more.
Cost: $15.95 per person or $17.95 at the door
1151 S White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ 08037
Holland Ridge Fall Flower Festival
Now-October 23
Come for fall flower picking, pumpkin picking, and photo ops galore. Special weekends include a Food Truck Weekend, Fall Craft & Live Music Festival, and a Family Fun weekend.
Cost: $13 per person ages 3 and up
86 Rues Road, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514
Ort Farms Fall Festival
Now-October 23
It’s opening weekend to pick your own apples, take the sunflower trail, wander through the corn maze, and don’t miss the apple cannon.
Cost: $10 per person; 2 and under are free
25 Bartley Rd, Long Valley, NJ 07853
Snyder’s Farm Fall Kickoff and Fall Festival
Now-October 23
Step out this season to a corn maze, pumpkin picking, fire pits, comfort food, and even a horror movie at night (for older kids and adults).
Cost: $15 for the movie night, $18 for the fall festival, and under age 2 is free
586 South Middlebush Road, Somerset, NJ 08873H
Zeppelin Hall Oktoberfest
Now-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. On weekends, your whole family can relax and enjoy the live German bands that play from 2 PM to 7 PM (on both days) on stage.
88 Liberty View Dr., Jersey City, NJ 07302
Dinosaurs After Dark
Fridays and Saturdays, Now-October 29
Explore a mysterious prehistoric world while there is a T-Rex on the loose. Take a Tyrannosaurus Hunt down darkened trails and find surprises along the way. There’s also a nighttime offering of shows, games, songs, and s’mores.
3 Overpeck Park Driveway Leonia, NJ 07605
Terhune Orchards Fall Family Fun Weekends
Now-October 29-30
Get all the fall feels at Terhune with their adventure barn, live music, pony rides, pumpkin picking, duck races, and pick-your-own opportunities.
Cost: A variety of packages are available
330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
Argos Farm Festival
Now-October 30
Visit the pumpkin patch, Double Hay Slide, Bee Zip Line, Jumbo Jumper Air Pillow, Gauntlet Obstacle Course, Cow Train Rides, Peddle Carts, Ball Zone, Wall Ball, Checkers, Corn Hole, and so much more.
Cost: $13.95 and up during the week and $16.95 and up on weekends
1250 Lacey Rd, Forked River, NJ 08731
Happy Day Farm Fall Festival
Now-October 30
Spend the day at Happy Day, going from giant checkers to an inflatable corn maze, horse swings to pedal carts, and all of the fall fun you can imagine in one place during their annual fall festival.
Cost: $24 per person
106 Iron Ore Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726
Fall Festival Weekends at Von Thun Farms
Now-October 30
Two locations are full of fall fun for the whole family, with pumpkin picking, corn mazes, hayrides, corn cannons, and apple blasters. Events may vary by location.
Cost: $16.99-$17.99 and up, depending on location and package
505 Ridge Road, Dayton, NJ 08810
438 Route 57 West, Washington, NJ 07882
Sunflower September & Fall Festivals at Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm
Now-October 30
Sunflowers and fall fun will fill the weekends at Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm until the end of October.
Cost: $12.95
2691 Monmouth Road, Jobstown, NJ 08041
Donaldson Farms Fall Harvest Weekends
Now-October 30 and October 10
Head to the farm for apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, corn cannons, apple cider samples, and seasonal treats.
Cost: Free to enter
358 Allen Road, Hackettstown, NJ 07840
20th Anniversary Fall Festival
Now-October 30
It’s the 20th Anniversary, and it’s time to celebrate at the 10 Acre corn maze at Lentini Farms. There will be live bands and food trucks every weekend.
Cost: $3-$4 online or $4-$5 at the gate
251 High Street, Newton, NJ 07860
Haunted Wild West Fest
Now-October 30
Come during the day or dare to come at night for the Haunted Wild West Fest. Check out the live-action shows, explore museums in the town, view historical demonstrations, get a hole-in-one in miniature golf, and more.
Cost: $24.50 and up for the daytime and $18 online, and $20 at the gate for nighttime
50 Lackawanna Drive, Stanhope, NJ 07874
Diggerfest Fall Festival
Weekends in October
Pumpkins are all over Diggerland, USA. Enjoy hayrides, live music, carnival games, pumpkin decorating, fall parades, and more. This weekend, there’s a special event included in admission: Balance artist Dextre Tripp, aerial silk performer Rin Lepard and Circus Stella’s performing rescued dogs put on a comedy filled, family-friendly, acrobatic stunt show in their gorgeous one-ring circus stage for a second year.
Cost: $45.95
100 Pineadge Drive, West Berlin, NJ 08091
Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure
Now-October 31
Haunted Houses, Scare Zones, and Rides in the Dark can only mean one thing—Fright Fest is back. This spooky event will keep older kids and adults on their toes (recommended for ages 13 and over). Enter if you dare!
Cost: Starting at $34.99
1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527
Halloween Light Show at Demarest Farms
Now-October 31
See the largest light show in NJ on a guided drive-through tour of brilliant Halloween light displays. Stop by the farm to enjoy goodies from the market and warm up by the fire pits with make-your-own s’mores and hot cocoa.
244 Wierimus Road, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
Haunt O’Ween at Bell Works
Now-October 31, dates and times vary
Explore over 200,000 square feet at this interactive Halloween playground. Go trick-or-treating in the Town of Haunt O’ Ween, walk through thousands of pumpkins, play games, hop on rides, get your face painted, and enjoy food and drinks.
Cost: Tickets start at $40
101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Great Pumpkin Festival
Now-November 6
Head to Heaven Hill Farm for this fall-themed festival featuring the Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show, hayrides, farm animals, pedal carts, a 40th anniversary-themed corn maze, gem mining, apple cannons, and more fall fun.
Cost: $14.99-$22.99
451 State Route 94, Vernon, NJ 07462
Skylands Stadium Jack O’ Lantern Experience
Now-November 6
It’s Halloween fun for all when you see over 6000 impressive and intricately carved Jack O’Lanterns take over Skylands Stadium. Enjoy a 45-minute walk-through experience mixed with a family-friendly fall festival with rides, vendors, and food.
Cost: $19 and up
94 Championship Place, Augusta, NJ 07822
RWJBarnabas Health Events
Healthy Kids in Hannah’s Kitchen
October 18 at 4:30 PM
Come in person or join virtually for this hands-on cooking for ages 8-12. Your child will learn how to cook with nutritious ingredients, how to read a recipe, kitchen safety tips, measuring techniques, and learn knife skills.
Cost: Free
Online or Rev. Dr. Ronald B. Christian Community Health and Wellness Center at Newark Beth Israel
Medical Center, 208 Lyons Ave., Newark, NJ 07112
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