25th Annual  Hooked on the Hudson (Fort Lee)
Break out the fishing poles !  Today Ross Dock at the Palisades Park is hosting their annual Hooked on Hudson day with fishing, displays and exhibits, music and more (including a great playground and view of NYC!).  There will be free bait and poles that you can borrow if you don’t have your own.  Saturday from 8am to 2pm.  FREE.  Parking is $5. 

Hoboken Arts & Music Festival (Hoboken)
This annual street fair features tons of artists, crafters, and food but the highlight is the kids area off 3rd and Washington Street.  There will be live kids music, magic shows, face painting, rides, a puppet show, crafts and more.  Sunday from 11am to 6pm.  FREE, but bring extra money to pay for rides and crafts.  This is a busy and crowded event, so get there early!

Dinosaur Day at Newark Museum (Newark)
Dinosaur fans can get there fill of everything dinosaur this Sunday at the Newark Museum.  In addition to fun dinosaur exhibits and movies in the planetarium, there will be a fossil dig for shark teeth (that you can take home), sluicing for gems, tons of dinosaur crafts, and live reptile presentations.  Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm.  FREE with admission, which is $10 for adults, $6 for children.

The Mine Train to Susquehanna Mine (Philipsburg)
The Newark Museum is not the only place where kids can dig up fossils today.  Hop on an old fashioned steam train and take a ride to a real mine where your guide will tell you about the tale of Sylas Smith, how he discovered the mine, and his tragic death.  Then kids can dig for fossils and take part in gem stone panning for amethysts, rubies, rose quartz, arrowheads, and crystals.    Saturday at 11am, 12:30, 2pm and 3pm and Sunday at 11am, 12:30, and 2pm.  Fares are $11 per child, $18 per adult and includes steam train ride, mine history, instructions, and one bag of mining ore guaranteed to contain 4-5 oz of gem stones.

Build a Rope Bridge at Washington Crossing State Park (Titusville)
Looking to spend an afternoon of adventure outdoors on Saturday?  Kids ages 8 and up are invited to build a real rope bridge.  Participants will learn about basic knots and rope rigging and then use their skills to create a functioning suspended bridge across one of the park’s stream ravines.  Saturday from 1pm to 3:30.  FREE.  Preregistration required by calling (609) 737-0609.

Sheep Shearing at Howell Living Historical Farm (Lambertville)
Try your own hand at sheep shearing, the old fashioned way, with hand shears at Howell Living Historical Farm.  Kids can handle 1900 “automatic shears” or just watch professional shearers do their work defleecing the sheep.  After touring the farm, kids can also make their own corncob sheep craft.  Saturday from 10am to 4pm.  FREE.  A $2 fee materials fee is charged for the craft.

Free Comic Book Day (various locations)
Free Comic Book Day falls on the first Saturday in May, when participating stores in the United States give away free comic books!  Check out your favorite comic book heroes and pick up a free comic book at any one of these locations (we recommend calling in advance and getting there early).
Collingswood Public Library (Collingswood)
Comic Book Market (Bloomfield)
West Orange Public Library (West Orange)
Traders of Babylon (Hoboken)
Nutley Public Library (Nutley)