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20 Best Things To Do in New Jersey with Kids September 2024

The Warren County Hot Air Festival takes flight in late September. Photo courtesy of the event
The Warren County Hot Air Festival takes flight in late September. Photo courtesy of the event
8/30/24 - By Laurie Rein

Labor Day kicks off September activities, launching New Jersey's season of apple picking, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes.

Fall is in the air this September with the arrival of seasonal family-friendly events like Riverdale's Annual Labor Day Street Fair. And get a sneak preview of Halloween at Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest Extreme and DiDonato's Trick-or-Treat Train.

We've got more seasonal picks in our Fall Fun Guide, and you can find even more great things to do in our 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.

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There's plenty of hands-on fun at Bridgewater Community Day, including a touch-a-truck festival. Photo courtesy of the event
There's plenty of hands-on fun at Bridgewater Community Day, including a touch-a-truck festival. Photo courtesy of the event

Best Things To Do in New Jersey This September

Wildwood Block Party & Music Festival

Wildwood–FREE
Sunday, September 1, 2024
Crafts, games, rides, great food, and continuous live entertainment are all on tap at this end-of-summer festival. READ MORE

Riverdale's Annual Labor Day Street Fair

Riverdale–FREE
Monday, September 2, 2024
Riverdale’s Annual Labor Day Street Fair is hosted by the Borough of Riverdale and held along the Newark Pompton Turnpike. The street is closed to vehicle traffic and transformed into a giant block party. The fun includes music, shopping, food, and more. READ MORE

St. Demetrios Greek Festival

Union
Thursday, September 5-Sunday, September 8, 2024
Enjoy the foods, sights, and sounds of Greece at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church’s annual Greek Festival. Indulge in homemade, authentic Greek food while enjoying the sounds of Greece with live music and authentic folk dancing—plus rides and games for the kids. READ MORE

Arts in the Park in Highland Park

Highland Park–FREE
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Join Main Street Highland Park for the 16th annual Arts in the Park street festival, juried art show, and arts and crafts sale. The festival invites the community to enjoy artistic offerings, live music, food from local restaurants, children's activities, promotional booths, and more. READ MORE

Six Flags Great Adventure's Fright Fest Extreme

Jackson
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and select weekdays Friday, September 13-Sunday, November 3, 2024
Six Flags Great Adventure’s Fright Fest goes extreme this year, presenting a world of nightmarish creatures inspired by legendary horror brands–including SAW and Stranger Things–brought to life. The themed experiences, scare zones, and harrowing creatures deliver extreme frights and surprises. READ MORE

Annual Oktoberfest Fun at Morey’s Piers

Wildwood
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Friday, September 13-Sunday, October 13, 2024
This fall, Oktoberfest takes over Morey’s Piers for four consecutive weekends of German-themed revelry, live entertainment, a kids activity area, and much more. READ MORE

The Downbeach Seafood Festival

Ventnor
Saturday, September 14-Sunday, September 15, 2024
Now spanning two days, this annual festival features delicious food, children's activities, live music, competitions, chef demonstrations, and more. READ MORE

Great Pumpkin Festival at Heaven Hill Farm

Vernon
Select days, Saturday, September 14-Sunday, November 3, 2024
The largest fall festival in northern New Jersey features 35+ themed activities, including farm animals, a spider web crawl, a stunt dog show, the Big Top-themed corn maze, an obstacle course, pig races, and more. READ MORE

Wind & Sea Festival at Bayshore Waterfront Park

Port Monmouth–FREE
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Head over to Bayshore Waterfront Park for a celebration of all things water. Visitors can enjoy a variety of coastal activities, including kayaking, fishing, kite flying, crafts and more. READ MORE

Elmwood Park's Community Day with Fireworks

Elmwood Park–FREE
Saturday, September 14, 2024
This giant block party features outdoor shopping, crafts, live entertainment, kiddie rides, games, and food, topped off with a fireworks show at 7pm. READ MORE

Holland Ridge Farms Fall Flower Festival

Cream Ridge
Saturday, September 14-Monday, October 14, 2024
Prepare for a day filled with activities that ignite your passion for all things floral. Admire millions of rainbow blooms including sunflowers, gladiolus, dahlias, calla lilies, and mums. Plus, enjoy up to 30 delicious food options and over 100 artisanal vendors. READ MORE

Bridgewater Community Day Featuring Touch-a-Truck

Bridgewater–FREE
Sunday, September 15, 2024
This touch-a-truck event is free, open to the entire community, and includes music, crafts, inflatables, and more.  READ MORE

Bergen County Fall Harvest Festival

Ridgefield Park
Friday, September 20-Sunday, September 22, 2024
Enjoy some family fun at the annual Bergen County Fall Harvest Festival, featuring a craft fair, carnival rides, a farmers market, animals, live music, food trucks and much more.  READ MORE

All About Downtown Street Fair

Jersey City–FREE
Saturday, September 21, 2024
The annual All About Downtown Street Fair returns to Jersey City for its 13th year with more than 100 vendors and more than 10 food and mobile fashion trucks. This event features a day full of fun for the entire family. READ MORE

Warren County Hot Air Balloon Festival

Washington
Saturday, September 21-Sunday, September 22, 2024
Head over to Warren Community College for two days of family fun at this hot air balloon festival. Gates open at 3pm each day with vendors, food trucks, and family entertainment.  READ MORE

Italian Festival at Historic Smithville

Galloway–FREE
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Come join the excitement at this Italian Festival, featuring an Italian market with a spectacular variety of wares and food. The day is filled with live Italian music, bocce ball, folk dancing, kids’ activities, and more. READ MORE

DiDonato's Trick-or-Treat Train

Hammonton
Saturdays and Sundays, Saturday, September 28-Sunday, October 27, 2024
This outdoor Halloween train takes you on a ride through goblin-friendly Halloween Town. Tricks and treats include a hay maze, a new inflatable obstacle course, a pumpkin patch, a giant racing slide, photo-ops with a witch, and more.  READ MORE

Asbury Park Fall Bazaar 2024

Asbury Park–FREE
Saturday, September 28-Sunday, September 29, 2024
Asbury Park Fall Bazaar features local vendors, kids’ activities, fall photo walls, music, workshops, delicious food, libations, and entertainment. The event is family-friendly, pet-friendly, and free. READ MORE

Harvest Home Festival at Historic Longstreet Farm

Holmdel–FREE
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Harvest Home Festival is an old-fashioned country fair reminiscent of the 1890s. It takes visitors back in time to when neighbors gathered to help with the harvest, spent time socializing and enjoying each other's company.  READ MORE

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About the Author

Laurie Rein
Laurie Rein is passionate about finding fun (especially free!) activities for her twin daughters. Before joining Mommy Poppins New Jersey, Laurie worked in the television industry, with roles as an NBC page, copywriter, affiliate liaison for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and research manager for CBS.
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