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Best of October: 20 Top Things To Do in New Jersey this Month

Six Flags Fright Fest offers plenty of kid-friendly fun during the daylight hours. Photo courtesy of Six Flags
Six Flags Fright Fest offers plenty of kid-friendly fun during the daylight hours. Photo courtesy of Six Flags
9/30/22 - By Laurie Rein

Halloween is the name of the game in October, which means New Jersey is alive with pumpkin patches, haunted houses, fall festivals, and of course trick-or-treating—so many opportunities to wear Halloween costumes!

Harvest and Halloween happenings provide an abundance of treats for a busy October. This month is jam-packed with fun fall activities and awesome things to do in New Jersey. Our top picks include harvest festivals throughout New Jersey. Find Halloween theme park excitement at Six Flags Great Adventure's Fright Fest and Storybook Land's Trick-or-Treat. Or, join local seasonal celebrations like Westfield's Addamsfest and Cranford's Scarecrow Stroll. Families can also gather goodies at trick-or-treat events like Boo at the Zoo.

Don't miss even more October fun with our New Jersey Fall Fun Guide, New Jersey Halloween Guide, and our constantly-updated Family Activity Calendar.

Get our picks for every weekend in your inbox—sign up for our newsletters.

As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses and times. And keep in mind: Really cool things to do with kids often book up quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.

 

 

 

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

The Disney Junior tour is back with an all-new show, <i>Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza!</i> Photo courtesy of Disney
The Disney Junior tour is back with an all-new show, Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza! Photo courtesy of Disney

Best Things To Do in New Jersey This October

Hayrides and Campfires

Mountainside
Fridays and Sundays, from Friday, October 2-Friday, October 28
Revel in the fall season at Union County's hayride and campfire events. Enjoy a hayride along with music, hot chocolate, and marshmallows to toast over a campfire. Tickets must be purchased online. READ MORE

LBI Fly International Kite Festival

Long Beach Island–FREE
Friday, October 7-Sunday, October 9
Don't miss a sky full of spectacular kites on Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day weekend. This eighth annual festival features brilliant, colorful, artist-designed kites, fun flying giant inflatable kites, and the amazing show of sport kiting on the beautiful island. READ MORE

South Jersey Pumpkin Show

Woodstown
Saturday, October 8-Sunday, October 9
The 19th annual South Jersey Pumpkin festival returns to the Salem County Fairgrounds. Festivalgoers enjoy pumpkin desserts, vendor booths, a fall home show, contests, giveaways, wine sampling, a food court, amusement rides, a haunted barn, pony rides, and hayrides. READ MORE

Dunellen HarvestFest

Dunellen–FREE
Sunday, October 9
The 10th annual Dunellen HarvestFest features artists and crafters from around the Garden State, local nonprofits, activities for kids, food, music, dancing, and more. READ MORE

Annual Scarecrow Stroll

Cranford–FREE
Daily from Friday, October 14-Monday, October 31
Cranford hosts its Annual Scarecrow Stroll and promises the event is the biggest and best yet. Gawk at more than 100 wild and crazy scarecrows on display throughout downtown Cranford. Register online to create your own scarecrow and enter to win prizes.  READ MORE

Chatsworth Cranberry Festival

Chatsworth–FREE
Saturday, October 15-Sunday, October 16
Considered one of the best festivals in the Mid-Atlantic region, the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival is a colorful and fun-filled celebration of the fall cranberry harvest. Enjoy delicious cranberry delights, hundreds of vendors, and non-stop musical entertainment. READ MORE

Thompson Park Day

Lincroft–FREE
Sunday, October 16
Drop by Thompson Park for a fall day full of family fun. Pumpkin painting, wagon rides, a scarecrow contest, and more make for a festive fall day. READ MORE

Peppa Pig’s Adventure

Morristown
Sunday, October 16
Come join Peppa on an exciting camping trip in the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, and Gerald Giraffe. READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat Weekends at Storybook Land

Egg Harbor Township
Saturdays and Sundays from Saturday, October 22-Sunday, October 30
Families visiting Storybook Land can climb aboard the Happy Hayride to pick a pumpkin, and decorate it just in time for Halloween. Then, find your way through Elmer’s Haymazin’ Maze, and pick up treat bags. READ MORE

Boo at the Boardwalk

Point Pleasant–FREE
Saturdays and Sundays from Saturday, October 22-Sunday, October 30
Celebrate Halloween at Jenkinson's Boardwalk with two weekends of family fun including trick-or-treating, crafts, face/arm painting, and entertainment. READ MORE

New Jersey Children & Youth Walk for Immigrant Children

West Orange
Sunday, October 23
Join NJCIC for its first ever Youth Walk, a walk by young people for young people and the communities that support them.The track around the pond at Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex is 1.7 miles. Participants are invited to walk, stroll, or roll. READ MORE

Boo at the Zoo

Cape May–FREE
Saturday, October 29
Visitors of all ages should come in costume to this annual Halloween event sponsored by the Cape May County Board of Commissioners. Enjoy kid-friendly fun, candy, entertainment, plenty of animals, an inflatable obstacle course, and more.  READ MORE

Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza

Morristown
Saturday, October 29
The Disney Junior tour is back with an all-new show, Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza! This show brings beloved Disney Junior characters and favorite Marvel superheroes together on stage for a jam-packed, concert-style show with singing, dancing, acrobatics, and more. READ MORE

Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest & Kid's Boo Fest

Jackson
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, October 30
Six Flags Great Adventure’s Fright Fest returns with its iconic, family-friendly “thrills by day” and “fright by night."  Experience 13 haunted houses, scare zones, the Trick-or-Treat Trail, live shows, haunted mazes, and more.  READ MORE

Addamsfest 2022

Westfield
Daily through Monday, October 31
In honor of Westfield's own Charles Addams, this creepy and kooky celebration provides a safe environment for Addams-themed fun, including movies, exhibits, and more. READ MORE

Brick-or-Treat at Legoland

East Rutherford
Daily through Monday, October 31
Join the LEGO Monsters at their Brick-or-Treat Monster Party this Halloween to celebrate the release of their brand new 4D Movie, The Great Monster Chase. Halloween activities include creative workshop builds, finding the missing monsters, taking selfies and more. READ MORE

Halloween Light Show at Demarest Farms

Hillsdale
Daily through Monday, October 31
Take a drive through the largest Halloween light show in New Jersey at Demarest Farms. A guided tour passes through 32 acres of brilliant Halloween light displays. READ MORE

Haunt O'Ween

Holmdel
Select dates through Monday, October 31
Take a haunting walk through a tunnel of glowing jack-o’lanterns and nine “worlds” to explore across 200,000 square feet. The frightening fun includes games, rides, face painting, a carving station, and more. READ MORE

2022 Skylands Stadium Jack-o’-Lantern Experience

Augusta
Select dates through Friday, November 4
This festive 30-day event guarantees thrills and chills for the whole family! Enjoy seasonal food and drinks, carnival rides, pumpkin picking/painting, and a stroll through over 6,000 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns in the crisp fall air with family and friends. READ MORE

Great Pumpkin Festival

Vernon
Select dates through Sunday, November 6
The largest fall festival in northern New Jersey features 40+ themed activities including farm animals, a spider web crawl, a stunt dog show, an anniversary-themed corn maze, an obstacle course, farm animals, duck racing and more. READ MORE

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About the Author

Laurie R
Laurie Rein is thrilled to have made a career of digging up activities (especially free ones!) for her twin daughters. Prior to working with Mommy Poppins NJ, Laurie wore many hats in the television industry including gigs as an NBC page, NBC copywriter, affiliate liaison for The Rosie O'Donnell Show and research manager for CBS. She is currently the Events Editor for Mommy Poppins NJ and can be reached at njevents@mommypoppins.com
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