If you’re looking to get your fill of all things Halloween (and pumpkin!), Jersey doesn’t disappoint this weekend! Take the kiddos down the shore in costume to Jenkinson’s Boo at the Boardwalk, roll up your sleeves for a Halloween Monster Craft at Appel Farm Arts & Music Center or brave a Haunted Halloween Hayride at Allaire Village. And for classic fall fun in northern Jersey, head to Heaven Hill Farm’s Great Pumpkin Festival or if you’re down south, check out the annual Pumpkin Festival at the Historic Cold Spring Village in Cape May. And remember, you can check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

All Weekend

Chatsworth Cranberry Festival (Chatsworth, NJ)
Celebrate 31 years of the mighty cranberry and its lovely home, the bog. NJ's cranberry harvest is the 3rd largest in the country and thus, there is a celebration with music, crafts, artisans, food (of course), a quilt display, a classic auto show, and all things cranberry.

Haunted Halloween Hayrides (Farmingdale, NJ)
Allaire Village is getting spooky for Halloween! On weekend evenings through October, hop aboard one of their fun and haunted hayrides (leaving every 15 minutes) and enjoy ghost hunting and storytelling in their Spooky Village.

Boo at the Boardwalk (Point Pleasant, NJ)
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk isn’t just for summer! Dress the kiddos up in costume and stroll along the popular seaside stretch for trick-or-treating, face painting, arts & crafts, family-friendly entertainment and of course, lots of sweet treats from taffy to ice cream.

Saturday, October 18th

The Great Pumpkin Festival (Vernon, NJ)
How about some good old fashioned pumpkin fun in northern NJ at the lovely Heaven Hill Farm? The fest runs Wednesdays thru Sundays until the end of October, but check the website for details, as some of the activities only take place on weekends and cost an extra fee, such as the pig races, pony rides, face painting and amusement park rides.

Pumpkin Fest at Cold Spring Village (Cape May, NJ)
And for pumpkin fun to put you in the autumn spirit down south, check out Pumpkin Fest in Cape May at the Historic Cold Spring Village. Get your fill of fall family fun with craft and food vendors, face painting, pumpkin painting, hayrides, a haunted barn, games, activities and more.

Author Story Time (Montclair, NJ)
Meet author Daniel Kirk during ‘Meet the Author Story Time’ at Watchung Booksellers. Kirk is the successful writer and illustrator of numerous children's books, including You Are Not My Friend, But I Miss You. When two friends get into an argument during playtime, Sock Monkey learns that friendship is a two way street in this warm and thoughtful book for the preschooler and toddler set.

Halloween Pinch Pot Monsters (Elmer, NJ)
Get crafty at Appel Farm Arts & Music Center by creating your own clay pinch pot monster ‘scare team.’ Your team could include a one-eyed, lime green monster like Monsters Inc.’s Mike Wazowski and his pal, the lovable & blue Sully, or use your imagination to create your own frightening team of Halloween monsters!
 
Sunday, October 19th

Monsters Alive (Jersey City, NJ)
After traveling to Egypt, Transylvania and the Black Lagoon, Liberty Science Center has proof that Hollywood’s most famous monsters are real. They’ve been captured and are ready to be displayed at Liberty Science Center. Join renowned monster hunter Carl Denham in this humorous, kid-friendly, live-action spectacle.

Story Time at NJ State Museum (Trenton, NJ)
Chilly temps are upon us and if you’re looking for an educational indoor activity, head to the NJ State Museum’s monthly weekend story time. In honor of Earth Science Week, kids will learn what it takes to display a dinosaur, from paleontologists to conservationists to curators. Then visit the museum’s working Paleo Lab and make a dino craft to take home.

Check out our GO NJ List, with our top picks of awesome things to do for kids in the upcoming month; GO OCTOBER is full of family fun!

And don't forget: We have additional activity listings in our Event Calendar. And if you are heading into NYC for the weekend make sure you visit the New York City Mommy Poppins events calendar to get the latest on all the fun to be had NYC-style.