All Weekend

The Chatsworth Cranberry Festival (Chatsworth, NJ)
Fall isn’t just about apples! Celebrate 32 years of the mighty cranberry and its lovely home, the bog. NJ's cranberry harvest is the third largest in the country and you can join in on the festivities with music, crafts, artisans, food (of course), a quilt display, a classic auto show and all things cranberry.

BrickFair LEGO Expo (Somerset, NJ)
BrickFair brings LEGO models, displays and winding trains sprawled out over 58,000 square feet at the Garden State Expo Center. Adult LEGO builders from all over the US (and some other countries too) show off intricate projects to share their passion for the awesome toy known as LEGOs.

Brite Nites (Warren, NJ)
Bring the whole family to Wagner Farm too see hundreds of uniquely carved pumpkins as they light up the night. Older kids and adults can also check out the spooky haunted house! End your night with a stop at the Black Hat Cafe for a special treat or refreshment.

Fall Family Fun Weekends (Princeton, NJ)
Autumn is a perfect time to visit Terhune Orchards, a winery and farm that’s a Mommy Poppins favorite. Do the classic fall thing and pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, snap pics of the kids on a pony ride or running through the corn maze, feed the barn animals and fill up with warming soups, cider donuts and homemade chili.

Saturday, October 17th

Boo at the Zoo (Cape May, NJ)
A visit to the lovely Cape May Zoo makes for a great outing - especially during Halloween time during their annual Boo at the Zoo. Check out face painting, craft stations, a costume contest, an obstacle course and lots of candy – not to mention the 500 animals that call the zoo home!

Wildlife Sanctuary Hide & Seek Celebration (Bernardsville, NJ)
Families are invited to the 50th anniversary celebration of the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary. This afternoon event will feature an interactive, outdoor ‘hide & seek’ adventure and five Stop & Study nature stations, where kids will learn a nature lesson and take part in a themed craft.

Halloween Story Time with Monster! (Maplewood, NJ)
Monster & Me author Paul Czajak reads Monster Needs a Costume to celebrate Halloween at Words Bookstore during this FREE event. And as a special treat, Paul will also read his brand new book Monster Needs Your Vote! Kids are welcome to come in costume.

Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny (Wayne, NJ)
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents a stage adaptation of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s beloved bedtime classics, Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. This lively show brings the popular books to life through the visual magic of glow-in-the-dark puppetry.

Sunday, October 18th

Halloween Hullabaloo (Basking Ridge, NJ)
Head to the Basking Ridge Environmental Education Center for a wild afternoon rumpus! Rizzo's Reptile Discovery will present a live reptile show where kids can meet some of nature's creepiest creatures. After the program, enjoy fun carnival-like games, refreshments and music.

Family Woodland Hike (Ringwood, NJ)
For a peaceful afternoon, take an easy, kid-friendly hike at the beautiful NJ Botanical Gardens. Learn all about the plants and animals that call Jersey home in the autumn, as an experienced guide tailors the hike to the ages and interests of your group.

Thompson Park Day (Lincroft, NJ)
Enjoy a wonderful day of family fun at Thompson Park’s autumn festival. Take your pick of seasonal activities including pumpkin painting, wagon rides, canoeing, entertainment, food and more. And if you want to indulge your competitive side, check out the "Strut your Mutt" dog costume contest, scarecrow contest and pie-eating contest for both children and adults!

Check out our NJ GoList featuring our top picks for the entire month of October. 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 check out the New York City Mommy Poppins Event Calendar to get the latest on all the fun to be had Big Apple-style.