Best New Jersey Family
Festivals, Attractions, and Events

Your Guide to The Best 2024 New Jersey Family Festivals: Features NJ Family Oriented Music, Food, Entertainment and Fun Activities

Family festivals and events in New Jersey feature a robust offering of entertainment, food, and fun activities..

From talented artisans crafting unique pieces, and performers captivating the audiences to enjoyable activities and a wide range of food options, there is something for everyone, especially for families with kids.

Especially notable is they feature festivals and themed events with a large variety of kids activities.

To cap it all, every festival further sparks interest by providing a distinct theme that differentiates it from the rest, making these festivals not only a fun-filled experience but also one-of-a-kind!

Multi-Date, North Jersey Family Festivals and Events

Open Cockpit Weekends
September 14, October 13, November 9, 2024: 10:30 AM to 4 PM
New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame
400 Fred Wehran Dr,
Teterboro, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Cost: $15.00 Adults, $12.00 Seniors 65+ and Children 3 to 12. Children 2 years old and under are free.
The museum features unique aviation exhibits including the rocket engine that propelled the X-15, the first American hovercraft invented by Charles Fletcher, and more. There are a variety of aircraft, helicopters, and the custom-built "Fundamentals of Flight" interactive aerodynamics exhibit.

L.E.A.D. Summerfest Carnival at Westfield Garden State Plaza
Thursday, July 18 - Sunday, July 28, 2024
Westfield Garden State Plaza
One Garden State Plaza Pkwy
Paramus, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Event Cost: $5 per ticket
This event features carnival rides, food, shows, and much more.
Hosted by L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence), a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence.

Halsley Festival
Septenber 14, November 25, 2024
Halsley Street
Newark, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
This family event features a Newark neighborhood festival with a delicious array of food options, exciting programming, and special performances from local DJs and arts organizations.

July 2024 Northern Jersey Family Festivals and Events

Water Lantern Festival
Friday, Saturday, July 19-20, 2024; 4pm - 9pm
Liberty State Park (by the Columbus Monument)
1 Audrey Zapp Dr
Jersey City, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
This celebration is filled with fun, happiness, hope, and great memories that you'll cherish for a lifetime.
This is a family friendly event that can be shared by everyone. Friends, families, neighbors, and lots of people that you haven't met can come together to create a peaceful, memorable experience. Attendees will get to enjoy Food Trucks, Live Music, Designing your Lantern, and the Lantern Launch.
Water Lantern Festival allows you to Light The Water in a way you'll never forget.
This is a sustainable event. All lanterns will be cleaned up after the event. The lanterns are made from rice paper and wood so they are as eco-friendly as possible and we reuse and recycle the LED candles.

Morris County 4-H Fair
July 26 - 28, 2024
High View Farms
416 Sand Shore Rd Mt
Olive, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
This annual family event features 4-H animals, Hands-on family activities, quiz bowls, Hay ride, a hay maze Exhibit of art, crafts, Entertainment stage, Amusement rides, and more.

Warren County Farmers Fair
July 27 - August 3, 2024
1350 Strykers Road
Phillipsburg, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
This annual family event features a Balloon Festival, Main Arena Events, Free Concerts, a stunt car show, and more.
Activities include The Open Horse Show, pony rides, baking & canning exhibits, 4-H/FFA exhibits, Rodeo, Demolition Derbies, old cars, antique cars and fast cars, truck and tractor pulls --- and planty of kids activities including Rodeo roundup, and a Kids Corral with Shows, crafts, educational presenters, daily contests and clowning around with Balloons The Clown.

August 2024 Northern Jersey Family Festivals and Events

The New Jersey State Fair
Friday thru Saturday, August 2 - 10, 2024: Open rain or shine!
Sussex County Fairgrounds
37 Plains Road
Augusta, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Cost: Available at the gate or online!) Adults (13-59)- $15.00 Veterans/Active Military - $7.00 Child (6-12) - $5.00 Seniors (60+) - $10.00
Parking is free!
Thias event features carnival rides, live entertainment, family attractions and events, a horse show, monster truck Rrdes, and More!

Newark African Food and Music Festival - Restaurant Week
Tuesday, Wednesday, August 6, 7, 2024
Bisrate Gebriel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
1046 South Orange Avenue
Newark, NJ
This event is a celebration of food and culture from African/Black Diaspora (African-inspired) inspired menus.
For Information and participating restaurants

La Festa Itialiana
August 7-11, 2024; 5pm - 11pm
344 Sixth Street
Jersey City, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
La Festa Italiana celebrates Italian heritage, spirituality and is an evening of music, dance and authentic Italian foods. It's fun filled with games, an hourly 50/50, and terminates with the Super 50/50 raffle drawing. The festival will honor the Veneration of Our Lady of the Assumption and Saint Rocco. Each night Live Bands perform on the Mainstage.

Passaic County Fair
August 15th-18th, 2024
Garret Mountain Reservation
385 Rifle Camp Road
Woodland Park, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Cost: Entrance to the fair is free, parking at the Passaic County Fair is $5.00 per car.
The fair features four days of acvities for all to enjoy from games and rides to art activities and environmental excursions. The four-day celebration will also feature three fireworks displays on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The County Fair stage will offer a variety of local musicians, complimented with a beer garden and some of the best food from around Passaic County.

Fiesta In America
Saturday, Sunday, August 17, 18, 2024: 10:00am - 7:30pm
American Dream Mall
1 American Dream Way
East Rutherford, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Free admission. Open to the public
The largest Philipine indoor event on the east coast. This event features free daylong events of Latino concerts, entertainment, multi-cultural dancers, philipine food and products.
The 8 hour program will also include arnis demenstrations (Filipino Martial Arts), coloful ethnic dances, and glimpses of Phillippine village life.

Canal Day Music & Craft Festival
Saturday, August 24, 2024; 10am - 5pm (Rain or Shine)
Hugh Force Canal Park
180 West Central Ave.
Wharton, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Admission is Free
This family event celebrates the Morris Canal and its contributions to the development of the communities along its banks. It includes a day family fun featuring a craft show, great food, educational events, Fireworks, and enjoy a day of listening to a wide variety of musical entertainers.

Annual Mendham Labor Day Carnival, Parade, Concert, & Fireworks
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, & Monday, August 30th until September 1, 2, 2024
Bourough Park
Mendham, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Admission: Free
This annual family four day holiday event features a carnival with rides, games, food, and a 50/50 raffle, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening 6pm - 10pm.
On Labor Day, Monday, the parade will kickoff @ 10:00am, beginning on 72 E Main St, and ending at the Borough Park Gazebo. Later in the evening at Borough Park, beginning @6pm, there will be a live concert followed by the spectacular fireworks display at dusk.

September 2024 Northern Jersey Family Festivals and Events

Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri - The Hoboken Italian Festival
September 5, 6, 7, 8, 2024
Sinatra Park
on the historic waterfront of Hoboken, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
The Hoboken Italian Festival, the premier Italian-American festival in New Jersey is over 80 years old, and is derived from a festival in Italy that is over 600 years old. The Festival is a four day celebration of music food and fun from Thursday through Sunday. On Saturday they celebrate their "Feast" day, when the 800lb statue of Madonna Dei Martiri or Madonna of the Martyrs is carried through the streets of Hoboken.This includes a reenactment of the Blessing of the Fleet in the Hudson River, culminating with a fireworks show over Sinatra Park.

Annual NJ Taco Festival
Saturday, September 7, 2024; 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM
The Sussex County Fairgrounds
37 Plains Road
Augusta, NJ
Cost: $7.50 to $75
Visit their site to learn more
This event features over 50 of the Tri-State Area's Best Taco Producers alongside a variety of Craft Beer and Specialty Cocktails. Their main stage has a full day of Live Music and Culinary Inspired Competition. This is a family friendly event with a Kids Zone featuring inflatables, face painting and more.

Newark Puerto Rican Day Parade
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Newark, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
The parade takes place at noon on Broadway/Avenida Puerto Rico to Lake Street along Bloomfield Avenue in Newark in honor of the millions of inhabitants of Puerto Rico and more than five million people living in the United States.

Hot Air Balloons, Fun & Games Festival
Saturday, September 21st and Sunday, September 22nd, 2024
Warren County Community College
475 Route 57 West
Washington NJ
Visit their site to learn more
This fun family event features food trucks, vendors, entertainment and hot air balloon tethered rides, balloon launch, and more!

Roseland Greek Fest
September 27, 28, 29, 2024
Ss. Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church
80 Laurel Ave.
Roseland, NJ
Visit their site to learn more
Live Greek music, Greek dancing. gyros, souvlaki, home made pastries and more. They will feature the best of new and traditional Greek music including Hellenic Dancers.