Best Central Jersey Christmas Events

Your Guide to the top 2020 Central Jersey Christmas Events Including Tree Lighting Celebrations, Festivals, Parades, and more

Experience Holiday and Christmas events and attractions in New Jersey, whether it's jingle bells, Christmas tree lighting, carol singing, or just reenactments of past New Jersey Christmas events, The attractions during the Christmas season in NJ are always festive. Many of these events begin the day after Thanksgiving with the traditional start of the Christmas Holiday season
Stay tuned --- we will be updating this list as the event sponsors confirm this year's events. 

Multi-date 2020 Central Jersey Christmas Events

Magic of Lights at PNC Bank Arts Center
November 13th - January 2nd, 2021: Sunday - Thursday 5pm - 10 pm. Friday - Saturday 5pm - 11pm.
PNC Bank Arts Center
Exit 116
Garden State Parkway
Holmdel, NJ
Website/Tickets
Cost: $25-$35, standard vehicle
This popular Holiday event features more than a mile of festival and vibrant light displays celebrating the joy of the holidays. Experience the drive-through from the comfort of your car! At every turn, and in every direction, the magical route is overflowing with spectacular light displays and animations. Multiple holiday themes come to life with hundreds of sparking lights.

Six Flags Great Adventure Holiday in the Park
Begining November 14 and runs weekends and select days through January 3, 2021
1 Six Flags Blvd.
Jackson, NJ 08527.
Website
This winter, the Santa tracker leads right to this all-new holiday extravaganza with Millions of glittering lights, dazzling holiday entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, Santa's village and many popular rides magically transform the summer thrill destination into a winter wonderland.
Stunning light shows, illuminated, towering trees, the iconic smell of fresh pine and crisp peppermint filling the air and festive street vendors off er sweet and savory treats providing a multi-sensory journey of winter delights. Kids can join Santa in his workshop for a fun photo opportunity. Regardless of the weather forecast, a touch of magic ensures that snowflakes fall gently every evening. Holiday in the Park also features nearly 30 thrilling rides such as SkyScreamer, Carousel, Big Wheel and Tea Cups. Children can enjoy pint-sized thrills in the Adventure Seaport and Bugs Bunny National Park areas. Coaster fans can challenge world-class rides like Nitro, BATMAN™ The Ride, THE GREEN LANTERN and SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight, WONDER WOMAN Lasso of Truth, THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster and Skull Mountain, weather permitting.

A Christmas Themed Pop-Up Bar
From November 17 to January 3, 2021
iPlay America
Miracle at Game Time Bar and Grill
110 Schanck Road
Freehold, NJ
Website
For the ultimate nostalgic holiday experience, sure to get even the grouchiest Grinch in the holiday spirit!
This holiday themed venue features a pop-up bar with over the top decor for indoor & outdoor dining with holiday inspired cocktails.

The Winter Wonderlights Spectacular Drive-Thru
December 1, 2020 - Sunday Jan 3, 2021;5:00pm to 10:00pm (Park will be open 7 days a week).

Middlesex County Fairgrounds
655 Cranbury Road
East Brunswick, NJ
Website/Tickets
Cost: :$27 per car (tickets sold on-line)
This drive-thru Christmas event features over 1.5 million lights animated to some of your favorite holiday tunes.
Join in on a 1/2 mile journey of Winter Wonder Lights.

this year, featuring half a mile of lights dancing to music.

Festival of Trees
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 through Sunday, January 10, 2021; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, closed from 1:00p.m. to 1:30p.m. for cleaning
Morven Museum & Garden
55 Stockton Street
Princeton, New Jersey
Website/tickets Timed admission tickets are available for purchase on-line by clicking below and will be given priority.
Cost: General Admission: $10 Seniors & Students: $8 Friends of Morven and children under 6: Free, Active Military: Free
Festival of Trees is an annual highlight of the holiday season showcasing a juried collection of trees and mantles displayed throughout the museum's galleries, upstairs and down. Area designers, artists, garden clubs, businesses, and non-profit organizations will adorn all of the Museum's galleries, including the second floor, with exquisite and whimsical holiday decorations. Docents will be available to answer questions, No reservations are required. Museum ticket must be purchased to enter museum. Walk up admission tickets will be by availability in our museum shop. Please be prepared for possible museum entrance delays in observance of CDC guidelines ensuring reduced crowd sizes.

Polar Express
Trips run November 27,28,29 December 4,5,6,11,12,13,18,19,20 Friday 6 & 8 pm, Saturday 2,4,6,& 8 pm, Sunday 2,4,6 pm
Lehigh Junction
99 Elizabeth St.
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
877-872-4674
Website
Cost: Child $32.00 ( ages 2 to 12), Adult $42.00
Train Ride departs from Lehigh Junction located in the Historic Main Street area of Phillipsburg. On the train you will re-live the experience of the little boy in The Polar Express. The story focuses on a little boy who has been told by his friends that there is no Santa Claus. Unwilling to believe this, he lies awake in his bed on Christmas Eve, waiting for the sound of Santa's sleigh. Instead, he hears the hissing steam and squeaking metal of the Polar Express as it stops outside his window, ready to take him and other children to the North Pole. During your ride you will listen to this wonderful story, every child will be served hot chocolate and cookies Families are encouraged to wear their pajamas for the ride and join in on the magic of Christmas.
They will be selling only 50% of our capacity to increase social distancing Should requirements be relaxed, we may issue more tickets, this will come from government guidance. SHOULD TRIPS NOT OPERATE DUE TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AMID AN EXTENDED COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ALL POLAR EXPRESS TRIPS WILL BE REFUNDABLE

Cook's Christmas Lights Show
November 28, 2020 - Jananuary 1, 2021: Nightly from 6pm -10pm Sunday - Thursday, and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday.
1 Carlson Ct.
Jackson, NJ
Facebook page
Free event - Donations gratefully accepted to support Multiple Sclerosis
The Cook's Christmas Lights display returns for its fifth year. This year's show is better than ever, featuring over 30,000 LED lights, a 1,008 bulb pixel matrix and 4 singing Christmas trees, synchronized to music. Tune your radio to 100.9FM and enjoy the show.

Christmas Wonderlands
Beginning Friday, November 27, until end of 2020 holiday season
Mapleleaf Farms
525 Route 9 South
Manalapan, NJ
(732) 484-5119
Tickets are sold at the door, kids $9, adults $11
Mon & Tues- closed, Wed & Thurs- 12-5, Friday- 12-6, Saturday- 10-6 , Sunday- 10-5
Recommended for all ages
his walkthrough features vintage figures from the 1950s-70s. Numerous different scenes that change every year, from the traditional Nativity Scene to new-age, like Olaf and Anna. Santa will be visiting Christmas Wonderlands every day during this holiday season! Come out and take a walk through our beautiful display of various different, vintage Christmas scenes from the early 1950's and 60's, Mickey and Minnie, Olaf and Elsa, and so much more!

Christmas at Allaire
December 6, 13, 20, 2020 @ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
The Historic Village at Allaire
4263 Atlantic Avenue
Farmingdale, NJ
Website
AdmissionL $9.95 General Admission (3 & Up)
This event is a celebration of the joys of Christmas past.  Warm up on the open hearth, help make Christmas treats, listen to the musicians, storytelling, preparing the Allaire Mansion for a French Christmas, Gingerbread House Contest, and much more! Drop off your holiday cards at the Allaire Village Post Office inside the General Store. Also keep your eyes out for Santa, a great photo opportunity! All the village buildings will be spectacularly decorated for the Season! Historic sleds and various outdoor Christmas trees (with English, German, and French elements) will be on display.

The Gress House Holiday Light Spectacular
14 Johnson Ave (off Broadway)
Union Beach, NJ
Please park on Broadway and walk up. There is NO driving, stopping, or parking on Johnson Avenue.
Website
Donations are accepted on behalf of the Children's Miracle Network, Mountainside, New Jersey.
This annual event features at the Gress family home features over 250,000 dazzling holiday lights, more than 400 blow mold figures, airblown inflatables, and wonderful special effects.
Visitors are required to wear a mask and practice Social Distancing.

 2020 Central Jersey Christmas Events

Dickens' Days
November 27th - 29th, 2020
Main St.
Clinton, NJ
908-730-8800
Website
This annual family event will transform Clinton into a Victorian Village. Take a trip back in time to Victorian Clinton and celebrate the season with Clinton's festive activities including horse and carriage rides, carolers, and more! There is no better place to experience the magic of the season than downtown Clinton during Dickens Days!

Red Mill - 11th Annual Festival of Trees
Friday, November 27th through Sunday, November 29th, 2020 from 10am - 4pm
Red Mill Museum Village
56 Main Street
Clinton, NJ
908.735.4101
Tickets - $10
This event features Christmas trees, designed and decorated by community members, local businesses and organizations, will be displayed on the grounds of the Red Mill Museum Village. The kick-off begins on Thanksgiving weekend (Friday, November 27th through Sunday, November 29th from 10am -4pm).
The opening weekend coincides with the very popular Winter Village, an outdoor holiday market hosted by Marketspace Vendors with over 40 unique vendors. The display of trees placed outdoors among the historical buildings will continue to be on view Saturdays and Sundays, December 5th – 20th from 12-6pm.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the Red Mill Museum Village, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization

Downtown Toms River Tree Lighting
Friday, December 4, 2020; 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Town Hall Courtyard
Washington Street
Toms River, NJ
732-341-8738
Website
Annual Tree Lighting and the arrival of Santa Clause! Ceremony. Live holiday musical entertainment, reading of "A Christmas Carol" by Mrs. Claus, Santa arrives on fire truck at 7:00pm to light the town tree. Photos with Santa after tree lighting. Hot chocolate and cookies for sale by Fire Co. #1

Ocean Grove Holiday Craft Festival
Saturday, December 5, 2020; 10pm - 4pm (Rain or Shine)
Downtown
Main Ave
Ocean Grove, NJ
Website
732-774-1391
Free admission
This event features artisans & makers, with live music by the Band of Strays
Masks required

More New Jersey Christmas Events

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