Saturday, January 28


Winter Festival (Lambertville)

Bring your family out to the Lambertville Winter festival to enjoy a day filled with great live music and theatrical performances, including a Glee inspired show choir (AWESOME!)  In the middle of the day, celebrate winter with an outdoor parade through town.  It's sure to be fun for children of all ages. Free. 10AM – 3PM. For more information: (215) 862-5067

Colonial Cooking Contest (Madison)

Nom nom nom. The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts will be cooking (literally) from 10am – 2pm during their Colonial Cooking Contest.  Although it's too late to enter the contest (deadline was Jan 25th), your family will still be able to enjoy seeing all the interesting and tasty recipes from historic times, and perhaps get some inspiration to recreate a few at home (19th century mac ‘n’ cheese, anyone?).  Free with museum admission of $5 adults/$3 children.  For more information: 973-377-2982 x14

BabyFest  (Paramus)

For those families with babies or babies on the way, head on over to Whole Foods in Paramus from 10am  -1pm for their FREE annual BabyFest event. You'll enjoy giveaways & raffles; complimentary consulations with local pre-natal professionals; chair massage; cooking demos; nutrition services; and the opportunity to see and learn about products and services needed for mom and baby. For more information: 201-291-6151.


Winter Festival (Sussex)

This free indoor/outdoor festival at High Point State Park from 12pm - 3pm will get you and your family into the winter spirit and in touch with the beauty of nature. Enjoy some winter themed crafts, a decorate-your-own cookie and cupcake station, hot cocoa by the fire, and more. Snowshoeing and ice-fishing demonstrations will also be offered (snow and ice conditions permitting) For more information call (973) 702-1222  

Ice Harvesting Festival (Lambertville)

Hopewell Living Historical Farm recreates an important winter job each year during their Ice Harvesting Festival.  By cutting ice in January or February and storing it in an ice house, farmers would be supplied with ice throughout the year.  This free event runs from 11am – 3pm and visitors can help farmers cut, chop and shave ice, fill an ice house, and make ice cream. There's also a drop-in ice candle making craft for a $3 fee. Conditions permitting, visitors can also join the harvest crew on the frozen pond and take a turn using an "ice saw", and at 1pm and 3pm visitors can make and sample ice treats such as old fashioned snow cones and ice cream. Brrrr, I mean, YUM!  For additional information: 609-737-3299

Fire & Ice Festival  (Mount Holly)

If the process of actually harvesting ice isn't your thing, you'll definitely love watching 40+ ice artists form their amazing ice creations at the annual Fire and Ice festival in downtown Mount Holly.  Yes, it's a hike for us northern New Jersey folks, but this unusual festival will surely entertain your whole family.  Additional activities taking place throughout the historic downtown include a chili contest and tasting (that's the “fire” part of the Fire & Ice festival!), a food decorating contest, dog sled demonstrations, fire engine rides, animals from the Philadelphia zoo, K9 Search and Rescue demonstration and some Scotia Acres alpacas for good measure, too. 10am to 4pm.  For more information: 609-937-5700

Sunday, January 29


Wassailing the Apple Trees  (Princeton)

Wassailing anyone? I'll admit that I only recently learned of this old English tradition where people gathered in the apple orchard and performed rituals to drive away the evil spirits and ensure a successful apple crop the following year.  However, now that I am in the know, I'm pretty thrilled to head over to Terhune Orchards from 1-4pm to see what all the excitement is about. Their free Wassailing party's activities include singing, dancing and playing of primitive instruments, toasts of hot cider and placing gifts of cider-soaked bread in the tree branches while chanting the lively words of praise and New Year.  Of course there is also a bonfire with marshmallow roasting, wagon rides and live music to keep the whole family entertained. For more information: 609-924-2310

Sing-A-Long Sound of Music in HD  (New Brunswick)

Come see the Sound of Music movie on a 46' HD screen at the State Theater at 3pm with a theater filled with several hundred other assorted nuns, Von Trapp family members, and Julie Andrews look-a-likes!  Costumes are not required but they are highly recommended and of course bring your singing voice.  Tickets are $18 - 22.  For more information: 732-246-7469

Know the Bear Facts (Basking Ridge)

Stop by the Environmental Education Center in Basking Ridge at 2pm to get the skinny on New Jersey's largest land mammal, the black bear. This free family program has fun bear activities for children and important facts for adults.  For more info: 908-766-2489

Hunterdon Art Museum 60th Anniversary Celebration (Clinton)

Get in touch with your creative side at the Hunterdon Art Museum from 3-5pm for their free 60th Anniversary event. There will be some great art projects for kids, 1950s era vintage Looney Tunes cartoons, family games, birthday cake and more! A perfect way to end a wintery weekend with your family.  Call 908-735-8415 for additional information.

Don't forget to check out additional activity listings in our Events Calendar.

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