This weekend feast your eyes on over 30,000 jack o’lanterns at the Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns in Secaucus, celebrate Charles Addams and everyones favority spooky family at AddamsFest in Westfield, or enjoy a fall fest and watch dressed up doggos at the Fall Festival & Pooch Parade in Long Branch.
Psst! Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmom and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
featured image via Jenkinson’s Boardwalk
Here are 9 things to do this weekend around New Jersey:
Halloween at the Meadowlands
October 24, 5:30PM-8:30PM
Looking for a not-so-spooky night? Kids will have a blast at this family night out with reptiles, mad scientists, lab experiments and a monster mash dance party. Your lizard lovers will want to get up close and personal at the special hands-on learning experience (6:30-7:30) with invertebrate, mammal, reptile and amphibian animals.
Lyndhurst, NJ
Cost: $7.50
AddamsFest
October 26 – 27
They’re creepy and they’re cooky…mysterious and spooky…they’re all together ooky…and they were created by a local NJ artist Charles Addams. Celebrate his legacy and all things Addams Family in his hometown of Westfield with trunk or treat, a Halloween parade, art exhibits, a masquerade ball, and a family fun zone for all to enjoy. Stick around for the Monster Mash Dance party–you never know who’ll you’ll bump into (Pugsley anyone?).
Westfield, NJ
Cost: free
Boo at the Boardwalk
October 26 – 27
Head to the shore for the final weekend of Boo at the Boardwalk where you’ll find seasonal and non-spooky fun for the whole family. You can all come in costume (think of it as a dress rehearsal for the 31st) and go trick-or-treating, as well as join in for crafts, games, a pumpkin patch, a beach maze, watch an underwater pumpkin carve, race your decorated pumpkin in the derby and take a spin on the amusement rides.
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk
Point Pleasant, NJ
Cost: free
Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns
October 26 – 27
Are you ready to be wowed by thousands of glowing jack o’ lanterns?! Over 200 artists have carved 30,000 spooky and festive images on real pumpkins for a night you and your family won’t forget. Walk along the scenic path, as you all marvel at the unique creations, all illuminated to show off the Halloween spirit!
Meadowlands Expo Center
Secaucus, NJ
Cost: Adults $26, 3-17 $22, Kids under 2 free
Cape May Boo at the Zoo
October 26, 10AM-2PM
Dress up in your best costumes for this annual, fun-filled day of animals, trick-or-treating and plenty of entertainment for your fam. Dance to the sounds of Master DJ, watch the Cape May Dancers perform, play games and let the littles take the inflatable obstacle course challenge. Don’t forget to visit the pirate ship!
Cape May County Park & Zoo
Cape May, NJ
Cost: free
East Asian Autumn Festival
October 26, 1PM-5PM
Introduce your kids to the the unique Moon and Lantern Festivals of East Asia. Settle in to watch the narrated music and dance performances that feature traditional Korean dancing, Japanese drumming, Vietnamese costume dancing and musical performances with a zither and vocals. After, visit the “Art of Tea” station, while your littles play games and join in the hands-on demonstrations.
Millville, NJ
Cost: free
Long Branch Fall Festival & Pooch Parade
October 26, 11AM-4PM
This festive fair by the beach features arts and crafts, touch a truck, bouncy rides, a kids costume parade and a costumed pooch parade. That’s right, you don’t have to leave Fido home for this event, just make sure he has a costume! Dance to the DJ’s sweet tunes all day, visit characters in costume, and go trick or treating at the local Pier Village shops.
Long Branch, NJ
Cost: free
Frenchtown Zombie Crawl and Scavenger Hunt
October 26, 12PM-4PM
Ready to get transformed into the Living Dead? Head to Sunbeam Lenape Park to join in the ghoulish fun—come dressed in your deadly best or turn into a creature with the makeup pros on hand (services range from $5-15). You and your crew can then join in the town-wide scavenger hunt searching for brains and zombie fingers. After, admire the apocalyptic decor while you snack on zombie treats and peruse spooky vendors.
Frenchtown, NJ
Cost: Scavenger hunt/Zombie Contest $5 per person / $10 per family
Harvest Festival at Morven Museum & Garden
October 26, 1PM-4PM
Get a dose of history at this seasonal celebration that highlights apple orchards, heritage cooks and harvest time activities popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The whole family can watch cider making, distilling, and cooking, as well as learn how food was stored back then with pickling, preserving, and sweetmeats demos. Enjoy live music and dancing from that time period, while your kids make corn husk dolls and print with apples.
Morven Museum & Garden
Princeton, NJ
Cost: free
