This weekend we celebrate Father’s Day! What special something are you doing to celebrate pops? Maybe a day at New Jersey’s state fair. Or, perhaps taking dad to the Wheels & Wings Festival. Check out fireworks, go on a train ride or even make dad into a funny cartoon are all possibilities this weekend in New Jersey.
photo via State Fair Meadowlands
New Jersey State Fair [Featured Event]
Friday June 19th 5:00pm Opening Night
Enjoy 17 days of action-packed fun for the entire family from Opening Day on Friday, June 19 to closing on Sunday, July 5. Opening night features $2 parking, admission, rides, games and select food & drinks for $2. There is free entertainment all night long.
New Jersey State Fair at the Meadowlands Rutherford, NJ
1) Bonfire on the Beach
Friday June 19th 7:30
Find out about the legends of Sandy Hook while enjoying a bonfire and the beach with your family. Pack a picnic!
Lot E Beach Sandy Hook, NJ
Cost: Before 5pm parking is $15/car, FREE after 5pm
2) Wings & Wheels Expo
Saturday June 20 9:00am-5:00pm & Sunday June 21 9:00am-4:00pm
Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with a family event featuring WW2 airplanes, helicopters and other unique aircraft, military vehicles, car shows and live entertainment. A unique Father’s Day gift would be a ride in the B17 Yankee Lady.
Teterboro Airport 400 Fred Wehran Blvd Teterboro, NJ
Cost: $15/adults, $8/children, under 3 FREE
3) Beauty & the Beast
Saturday June 20th 11:00am & Sunday June 21 4:00pm
The classic tale of Beauty & the Beast is premiering this weekend at the Washington Crossing Open Air Theater. All seats are general admission.
355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road Titusville, NJ
Cost: $5/NJ Residents
4) Baymen’s Seafood & Music Festival
Saturday June 20 & Sunday June 21 11:00am-5:00pm
Enjoy delicious Jersey fresh clams, crabs, scallops and shrimp from the finest local seafood purveyors, plus a micro brew court. Crafters, vendors, music, food, refreshments, a ton family activities, demonstrations, boat rides, boat builders and decoy carvers. Speak with commercial fishermen to learn about occupations on the bay or take a clam shucking class. Selected as one of the Best Outdoor Festivals by NJ Monthly Magazine.
Tuckerton Seaport 120 West Main Street Tuckerton, NJ
Cost: $8/adult, $6/seniors, $5/children ages 5-12 and under 5 is free
5) Tea Party with Elsa
Saturday June 20 10:00am-11:30am
Sweet & Sassy of Old Bridge is hosting a Tea Party with Elsa! All guests will be transformed to receive an Elsa braid or a princess bun and glittery make up! Guests can walk the famous Sweet & Sassy runaway, dance and enjoy other fun activities. Refreshments will be served.
Sweet & Sassy Old Bridge 3877 Route 9 S Old Bridge, NJ
Cost: $30/per person
6) Children’s Art & Music Festival
Saturday June 20 11:00am-3:00pm
The Garden State Discovery Museum is celebrating their 21st birthday this weekend! Celebrate by paying their original 1994 price of $6.50! Featuring Two of a Kind, Mr. David C. Perry, Yosi Levin, Dave Fry, Janet Sclaroff and many more!
Garden State Discovery Museum 2040 Springdale Road Cherry Hill, NJ
Cost: $6.50
7) Lil Chef’s Event
Saturday June 20 1:00pm-3:00pm
The Quaker Bridge Mall’s Mini Chef event is this Saturday! Your kids will transform into top chefs as they chop and mix with the pros from the Chef It Up 2 Go team! Dishes like fresh fruit salsa, cinnamon pita chips and a Watermelon Magic drink will be whipped up to help encourage healthy eating. Crafts and chef hats will be created & decorated for extra fun!
150 Quakerbridge Road Lawrenceville, NJ
Cost: FREE
8) Family Art Adventure
Saturday June 20 2:00pm-3:00pm
The Montclair Art Museum will be hosting it’s last Family Art Adventure before summer break. This hour-long, drop-in gallery program is perfect for children ages 5 and up and will discuss works of art in the galleries and sculpture garden in engaging fun activities.
3 South Mountain Avenue Montclair, NJ
Cost: $15/family
9) School’s Out Camp Out
Saturday June 20th 4:00pm
Celebrate the end of school with a camp out at Chestnut Branch Park! Activities include crafts, treats, a campfire, an outdoor movie, flashlight walk, fun bus, a scavenger hunt and more! Dinner on Saturday night, a Father’s Day breakfast and snacks will be provided!
Chestnut Branch Park 401 Main Street Mantua, NJ
Cost: $30/family
10) Guardians of the Galaxy
Saturday June 20 7:30pm
Bring the family to watch Guardians of the Galaxy in Haddon Township Saturday night. Pack a picnic, bring your blankets and lawn chairs and have some fun. The movie will begin at dusk and refreshments will be served.
Turf Field at Recchino Sports Complex 350 West Crystal Lake Avenue Haddonfield, NJ
Cost: FREE
11) Fireworks
Saturday June 20 10:00pm
Come early to watch the Tropicana’s Multimedia Light & Sound Show on the Atlantic City boardwalk. The show is free and will include a mulittude of high energy themes set to music. Plus, every Saturday night through Labor Day enjoy a firework’s display!
South Brighton Avenue Atlantic City, NJ
Cost: FREE
12) Historic Children’s Tea Party
Sunday June 21 12:00pm-4:00pm
Go back to school this weekend at Allaire Village 1830’s style! Learn how the children of the Howell Iron Works learned and played at recess. There will be a tea party, games, puppet shows, demonstrations and much more!
Allaire Village 4623 Atlantic Avenue Farmingdale, NJ
Cost: $5/each
13) Spring Family Fun Day
Sunday June 21 12:00pm-4:00pm
The Hoboken Historical Museum is hosting a Spring Family Fun day on Sunday afternoon. Enjoy a day filled with hands-on learning, games, activities and food. The puppeteers from PuppetHeap will be on hand to give a behind-the-scenes look on how puppets work. Create hats, crazy glasses, patriotic wands, paper snakes and more!
1301 Hudson Street Hoboken, NJ
Cost: FREE
photo via Sunshine Sam Toy Store
14) Father’s Day Fun
Sunday June 21 1:00pm-3:00pm
Sunshine Sam’s is celebrating Father’s Day with a free event! A Caricature artist will be on hand to create on-the-spot cartoons, as well as other activities and fun! Be sure to enter their giveaway while you are there for a game of Corn Hole!
Sunshine Sam 40 West Passaic Ave Bloomfield, NJ
Cost: FREE
15) Father’s Day Train Ride
Sunday June 21 1:00pm-4:00pm
Go on an excursion train this weekend on the Whippany Railroad. The trains are a unique collection of restored, vintage cabooses from historic rail lines! The 45-minute round trip allows visitors to view the train and countryside as only Railroaders did for over 100 years.
Whippany Railroad 1 Railroad Plaza Whippany, NJ
Cost: $9-17/ticket
photo via Terhune Orchards
16) Firefly Festival
Sunday June 21 4:00pm-9:00pm
Celebrate the return of summer at Terhune Orchards this Sunday evening. Enjoy nature, music by Miss Amy, wagon rides, pony rides, face painting and much more. Craft kits will be available to purchase for a small fee of $5 and your child can create their own wings, bug boxes and antennae! Food will also be available to purchase.
Terhune Orchards 330 Cold Soil Road Princeton, NJ
Cost: FREE
For Moms & Dads Only
17) Moms are you looking for your next MNO destination? How about a night of Sangria, painting and prizes at Boozin’ Brushtroke?
18) Are you looking for some Summer Reading ideas? We have the top 50 books your child would love to read this summer.
19) Celebrate the end of school at one of our favorite Kid’s Eat Free locations.
20) Plan a day trip! We have 60+ Things to Do in New Jersey to give you some inspiration.
In search of more things to do this weekend in New Jersey? Visit NJ Mom’s event calender for more events happening around the state. Remember to use hashtag #NJMom this weekend for your chance to be featured.
