Best New Jersey Fall Activities, Festivals, and Events

Experience the many 2018 NJ fall activities, attractions, and festivals.

This is an exciting time of the year to experience the many fall activities, attractions, and festivals.

It's also an ideal time of the year to get out and see the beautiful fall foliage and the many harvest end of the growing season celebrations that occur throughout the State of NJ.

Note: This information is provided by event sponsors as a service to our viewers. Sometimes conditions require cancellations or changes of dates, times and location which are not reflected in the original schedule. Before planning a trip to visit one of the listed events, it is suggested that you call the event sponsor to confirm the event schedule or for additional information on the event.

Northern NJ Fall Activities

The Corn Maze Train
Trips run late August to October 20, 2018
The Delaware River Railroad Excursions
99 Elizabeth St.
Phillipsburg, NJ
877-872-4674
Website
Ride the train to the beautiful century old Snyder farm. At the farm the fun begins! There are two games we can play in the maze. While visiting the farm� feel free to use our beautiful picnic grove and return on any train during the day!

Learn How to Make Apple Cider
Hacklebarney Farm Cider Mill
104 State Park Rd.
Chester, NJ 07930
(908) 879-6593
Face book
September, October, November, Thursdays - Sundays: 10am - 5pm
The historic cider mill built in 1860, is the centerpiece of a farm of 23 varieties of apples. This is a popular place to see the cider making process in action Please call ahead during our hours of operation for cider pressing demonstration times. The demonstration times do vary slightly each weekend. Also, in mid-September thru October pumpkin picking is available, along with a corn maze for kids to get lost in.

Great Pumpkin Festival
Weekends and Columbus Day: Sept 15, 2018 – Nov 4, 2018; 10am – 6pm
Heaven Hill Farm
Rt. 94N
Vernon, NJ
973-764-5144
Website
$14 per person (under 2 free) FREE PARKING…
Their Pumpkin Land Fall Festival features a variety of country-style family entertainment for all ages. Enjoy Pumpkin Picking, Indian Corn & Gourds, Farm Animals, Boo Barn, an old-fashioned hayride, Corn Maze, Hay Maze, Pig Races, Carnival Rides, Gem Mining, Pony Rides, Face Painting, and Sand Art. Weekend & Holidays

Fosterfield's Fall Harvest Fest
Sunday, September 16, 2018; noon - 5pm
Fosterfields Living History Farm
73 Kahdena Road
Morris Township, NJ
Website
973-326-7645
Admission $8 per adult, $7 per senior (65+), $6 per child age 4 -16, $4 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child under age 2. Friends members are half price with a current membership card.
This family evebnt features wagon rides, live music, food trucks, farm animals, exhibits, old fashioned games, and hands on helping churning butter and pressing apples into cider.

Annual Peters Valley Fall Craft Fair
September 29 & 30, 2018 Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm�
Sussex County Fairgrounds
37 Plains Road
Augusta, NJ
Website
Admission: $10 one day pass or $15 two day pass Children under 12: Free
This annual event showcases beautiful American Craft made by 150+ exhibiting artists from across the country. Come & discover the pleasure of living with handmade objects and the beauty they bring to your life. Browse five buildings of amazing artwork, meet the makers, watch an array of artist demonstrations and find the perfect gift for yourself or someone special. There are also ongoing artist demonstrations, live music, great food and kid's art activities.

18th Annual Pumpkin Festival
Sunday, October 7, 2018; 12:00 - 5:00 PM (Rain or Shine)
Whippany Railway Museum
1 Railroad plaza
Whippany, NJ 07981
Website
Celebrate the Fall Harvest and the Season of the Witch with train rides and a Halloween crafts/vendor fair. Autumn is a Season of Family Fun, and the Pumpkin, the reassuring signal of seasonal passage, never fails to bring forth the image of cool nights, bright harvest moons, crackling fires, and the warmth of family and friends. And when pumpkins appear, they take on a playful appearance, alerting everyone that the special magic of Halloween, with its goblins, ghouls, and witches lies just around the corner. On-line ticket are is available for this event up to 2 hours before departure.

Great Pumpkin Train
Weekends; September 29,30 October 6,7,13,14,20,21,27.28, 2018
The Delaware River Railroad Excursions
99 Elizabeth St.
Phillipsburg, NJ
877-872-4674
Website
Climb aboard the steam train and travel through the beautiful fall landscape of Western New Jersey. Take the train to the pumpkin patch located in a little glade in front of the historic Carpentersville Lime Kilns dating from the 1700's. Once we arrive at the Pumpkin Patch� everyone is welcome to get� off the� train and� every child can pick their own pumpkin for FREE.

Ralston Cider Mill Museun Tours
September: Sundays 1pm -5pm (last 2 weeks) & October Sat & Sun 1pm-5pm (every weekend)
336 Mendham Road West
Mendham, NJ
Website
Admission: $5.00, Children 7 & under FREE
This is the only operational cider mill in New Jersey functioning as a privately funded museum and educational experience for students of all ages. Built in 1848 with massive stone walls anda heavy timber structure, visitors can discover the hidden still that allowed this distillery to operate through prohibition.

Lenape Day
Saturday, October 13, 2018: 12 PM - 4 PM
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center
247 Southern Blvd.
Chatham Township, NJ
973.635.6629
Website
Cost: $5 per person age 3 & up
This popular annual family event celebrates the Lenape people with dancing, drums, vendors, and historical talks by the Ramapough Lenape People. Enjoy games, crafts, touring a replica wigwam, and more! Great fun for the entire family

9th Annual Sussex County Harvest Honey and Garlic Festival
October 13, 2018; 10am - 4pm
Sussex County Fairgrounds
37 Plains Road
Branchville, NJ
Free event
Website
This family festival is a celebration of agritourism, ecotourism and arts & heritage tourism. The County of Sussex, the Sussex County Beekeepers Association and the Garden State Garlic Growers are joining with the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show to showcase New Jersey's great northwest. There will be a farmers market where you can buy fresh, local Sussex County and Jersey Fresh products including fruit, vegetables, flowers and wine. The Sussex County Beekeepers Association will have educational displays and materials along with an array of honey products

West Milford Autumn Lights Festival
October 13, 2018; 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Temporary 2018 Location. Due to construction on the Marshall Hill Bridge, take Ridge Rd to the Firehouse
714 Ridge Rd
West Milford, NJ
Website
The Autumn Lights Festival first started 20 years ago as a celebration to West Milford for getting its first traffic light! In the beginning it was just the town gathering on the lawn of Town Hall.
Today it has grown to a street fair that has over 300 vendors, live music, child activities, games and rides. With about 20,000 'ALFers' that visit throughout the day.

Annual New Jersey Botanical Gardens Harvest Fest and Craft Fair
October 13, 14, 2018; (Saturday-Sunday), 10 am-5 pm – rain or shine
New Jersey Botanical Gardens
2 Morris Road
Ringwood, N.J. 07456
Website
Free parking & admission.
This family friendly, fun event features Hayrides and pumpkin games, face painting, applesauce making, tasty food, music and dancing, great photo ops, free Garden tours, booths, exhibits, an autumn Plant Sale and lots more!

Chester's 35th Annual Harvest Celebration
October 13, 14, 2018; 11am - 5pm
Historic Downtown Chester
Main Street
Chester, NJ 07930
Website
Contact: Toni Perry, Phone: 973-223-2665, Email: toni@twdirection.com
Event Cost: FREE
This family friendly fall celebration features:
NBC Celebrity “Produce Pete” Pete Napolitano – Taking the mystery out of fruits and vegetables for over 50 years.
Special Musical Guest; The American Revolution's Fife and Drum as performed by New Jersey's own "Colonial Musketeers Junior Fife and Drum Corp"
Other Harvest Celebration activities include:
Antique Apple Press Demo, Blacksmith Demo, Clown Performance, Face Painting, Ford V-8 Antique Car Show, Guess the Pumpkin Weight, Pumpkin Carving Demo, Pumpkin Painting, and a Wood Carving Demo

Kayak the Monksville Reservoir
October 20, 2018
Kayak East
Ringwood, NJ
(973) 962-7031)
Website/Tour info
Near Ringwood State Park, the undeveloped shores of this lake create a peaceful location for paddlers looking to get away from it all. In the northwest corner of the reservoir you can float through flooded standing timber, and experience in the now-weathered trunks. This horseshoe shaped reservoir with steep forested banks isolates you from the outside world as you paddle and enjoy the beautiful natural settings all around.
It's especially scenic in the autumn when great walls of color make it especially beautiful.

Lord Stirling Fall Festival
Saturday, October 27, 2018; 11:30am-4:30pm
Lord Stirling Stable
256 South Maple Avenue,
Basking Ridge, NJ
908-766-2489
Website
They will be offering pony rides, halloween themed games and activities, fall themed food, and fun, event filled hayrides on our trails! Costumes are accepted and encouraged!

Central NJ Fall Activities

19th Century Fall Festival
September 22, 2018; 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Historic Allaire Village
4263 Atlantic Avenue
Farmingdale, NJ
732-919-3500
Website
Admission: $5 Adults, $3 Ages 5 -12
This fall family event features all things special about the fall season including a chill in the air along with the aroma of apples, pumpkin, cinnamon and woodsmoke. The coming of winter means slowing down of outdoor jobs and time to start to relax. Join the workers of the Howell Iron Works as they celebrate the end of summer and beginning of fall with Childrenقs games, Hearth Cooking, Cider Pressing, Puppet Shows, Music, Dancing, Apple snapping, Town ball, Militia Recruitment and Demonstrations! Horse and Wagon rides separate from admission.

Pumpkin Train
Every Saturday and Sunday from September 29 to October 28, 2018; 3 times a day
Black River & Western Railroad Flemington Station
80 Stangl Road
Flemington, NJ 08822
Website
Contact: Diana Cerne, Email: diana@blackriverrailroad.com
Cost: $19 for Adults, $14 for Children (3-11), train ticket includes round-trip train ride and these activities at Everitt Farms, Children under 3 and parking are free!
Price includes:
Entry to 6 acre corn maze.
Tractor-pulled wagon ride.
Petting zoo (additional charge to feed the animals).
Kids' corn box play area.
Hay bale maze for smaller children.
Music / DJ and games.
Aadditional purchase required for:
Pick-your-own pumpkins, cash only.
Concession stand with seasonal treats.
Local produce and seasonal decor for sale.

Annual Fall Forestry Festival
Saturday, October 6, 2018: 10am - 3pm
The Forest Resource Education Center
495 Don Connor Blvd
Jackson, NJ
(732) 928-2360
Website
Free parking, and admission! There is no reservation or fee for programs or activities
This annual Fall family friendly event features over 40 nature themed exhibits, hikes, programs, and activities. Explore the pinelands forest and discover unique plants and creatures on interpreter led hikes. Get crafty and paint a pumpkin or make a wooden Smokey helicopter. Use your detective skills to find the cause of a wildfire. See foresters turn logs into lumber on sawmill and basket makers, chainsaw carvers, and traditional wood carvers demonstrate artistic uses for wood. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring insect repellant. Refreshments and forest products such as NJ pure Maple Syrup will be available to purchase.

4th Annual Amazing Pumpkin Carve
October 10 - 14, 2018
Woosley Park
221 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road
Hopewell Township, New Jersey
(609) 281-5887
Website
Admission: Adults $10 Ages 11-18 $5 Under 10 Free Seniors (65 & over) $8 Return Visits: $5 for Adults – kids under 18 Free
This event features giant pumpkins carved by local artists, Electrified Pumpkins, Scarecrows decorated by local non-profits & local artists, Pumpkins for sale at the Pumpkin Patch, Paint-a-Pumpkin craft tent, Evenings at the fire pits with s'more kits, Humongous hay bale playground , Slice-of-Art show & sale, Halloween-Themed Photo Ops, Food vendors • and much more
Weekend Special Events:include Dance & vocal performances by The Pennington Studio for Dance & Creative Arts, Slice of Art Show and Sale, Storytellers at the community fire pits, Live music, and a Pet costume parade.

Southern NJ Fall Activities

Margate Fall FunFest by the Bay
September 22. 23, 2018: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m
Amherst Avenue between Decatur and Coolidge Avenues
Margate, NJ
Website
The event will feature food, live music from a dozen bands, educational exhibits, nature tours, crafters and vendors. This years featured entertainer will be Magician Joe Holiday will perform on the 95.1 WAYV kids stage and the Margate Police Department will staff a dunk-a-cop attraction to benefit Gilda’s Club.

Glocester County 4H Fall Festival
Saturday, September 29, 2018; 4 - 9pm (rain date: September 30th)
Bridgeton Pike
Mullica Hill, NJ
Website
This family event features some great fall activities including: a slingshot pumpkin chunkin, hayrides, a haunted house, games, activities, and more.

15th Annual Woodstown Fall Festival
Saturday, September 29, 2018; 10AM-4PM (Rain or shine)
downtown shopping district
Woodstown, NJ
Website
Woodstown's historic district comes alive; scarecrows by the dozens keep watch along the streets; historic houses are decorated in their fall best; and vendors, crafters and local shops line their food and wares along Main Street. Local South Jersey wineries bring out their best wines for tasting in the wine tasting tents. Woodstown's own Auburn Road Vineyards & Winery is always a favorite at the festival, offering tastes of their award-winning wines produced by grapes grown right on their vineyard here in Salem County.

Annual Cranberry Harvest Tour
Tours run the month of October. Tours begin at 9:00 am
Pine Barrens Native Fruits
1 Pasadena Road
Browns Mills, NJ 08015
609-500-1074
Website & Tour Booking
Expect to spend approximately 3 hours experiencing everything cranberry!
Learn about the native agriculture difference and how the cranberry industry preserved the Pine Barrens, the largest wilderness area between Boston and Richmond. Learn about the local history and cranberry culture through personal stories and entertaining, but little-known facts.Then it is out to the bogs on a specially designed bus. Every seat is a window seat with panoramic views. Unlike demonstration farms, your experience will take you right into the heart of a working cranberry farm. See the crews picking and gathering the fruit as they work in a sea of floating cranberries. The narrated tour guide will explain everything that is happening as the crew works to water harvest the cranberries … it's even better than the two guys from the commercials! And a trip to the farm just wouldn't be complete without the opportunity to eat some cranberries!! Enjoy a cooking demonstration that will include family recipes as well as those from Brenda's own kitchen. Learn about the health benefits as you get to see and taste cranberries prepared in a variety of ways. Throughout the presentation lots of easy serving and gifting ideas will be shared and all participants get a free recipe booklet.

20th Annual WheatonArts Festival of Fine Craft
October 6, 7, 2018
WheatonArts & Cultural Center
1501 Glasstown Road
Millville, NJ 08332
Website
This two day family event features an art and shopping experience for the entire family with over 150 artists and craftspeople that will present and sell traditional and contemporary works. A highlight is the WheatonArts Annual Glass Pumpkin Patch with over 7,000 Glass pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors on display and available for purchase. Other things to experience include live music, a beer and wine garden, and children's activities
The WheatonArts Center, with a history dating back to 1888, began as a glass factory making pharmaceutical bottles, and later in 1970 as a glass museum when the first buildings at opened to the public. Today the complex of 18 buidings is spread over 45 acres. The Museum of American Glass houses over 22,000 objects, both historic and contemporary. The fully operational Glass Studio presents daily, interpretive demonstrations for the public with artists showing traditional and contemporary glassblowing techniques. In the Artist Studios, artists demonstrate the traditional southern New Jersey crafts of pottery and flameworking.

27th Annual Blackwood Pumpkin Festival
Sunday, October 7, 2018; 11am - 4pm (raindate: Oct. 14th)
The Studio at Mainstage
27 South Black Horse Pike
Blackwood, NJ
Website
This annual festival features food, games, live music, and crafters, including four stages of entertainment, amusement rides, hayrides, pumpkin painting and carving, scarecrow making, a costume contest, and more.

Annual Deerfield Township Harvest Festival
October 4, 5, 6, 7, 2018
Website (Information, entertainment schedule, reserved seats and more)
This family festival features live music entertainment, amusement rides,children's activities, food, crafts, a fireworks display, and more.
Featuring headliners Phil Vassar on Sat., Oct. 6 & Eric Paslay on Sun., Oct. 7
Sunday Evening will end with the grand finale fireworks at 9:30pm.

29th Annual Cranberry Fest
October 6, 7, 2018
Downtown Bordentown, Farnsworth Ave.
Bordentown, NJ
609-414-0828
Website
This family event features live music. a beer garden. "Family Friendly" Kids Zone, and over 150 artists and artisans, crafters and makers in offering one of a kind, handmade, vintage, and upcycled treats to nourish both the heart and the home.

Lima Bean Festival
Saturday, October 6, 2018; 9am-5pm (rain date Oct 7th)
Wilbraham Park
Perry Street
West Cape May, NJ
609-884-9325
Website
The lowly legume takes center stage delighting locals and visitors alike with her vast array of recipes, crafts and products available. Come out and celebrate West Cape May's farming heritage with lima bean soup, tacos, salad, jewelry, T-shirts and more! Enjoy great food, quality vendors, antiques, entertainment and fun.

South Jersey Pumpkin Show Festival
October 12, 13 , 1 4, 2018; Friday 5pm-10, Sat. & Sun. 10am to 6pm
Salem County Fairgrounds
760 Harding Hwy. Rte. 40,
Woodstown, NJ
856-765-0118
Website
This festival features three- days of family fu. with the Headless Horsemen, 100+ craftsmen, wine sampling, live bands, Fall Home Show, Pumpkin Pageant, Dog Show, Hayrides, pony rides, Amusement Rides, Scarecrows, Pumpkin Pyramid, Fall Decorations for Sale, Food Trucks & Concessions, Halloween Costume Contest & so much more.

Annual Pine Barrens Jamboree at Wells Mills Park
October 13th, 2018; 11am - 4pm (rain or shine)
Wells Mills County Park
Rt. 532
Waretown, NJ
Website
Parking and admission FREE
This annual event features a fun filled day of music of the pines, cultural demonstrations, traditional crafts, nature and history programs. Attendees will sit under the big tent and enjoy a fun filled day of county, bluegrass and traditional music presented by the musicians from Albert Music Hall.

Family Fall Float Festival
Sunday, October 14, 2018 9am - 2pm
Historic Smilville Park
803 Smithville Road
East Hampton, NJ
Website/Registration
This event features a variety of family fun activities including:Canoe/Kayak on the Rancocas Creek or Smithville Lake and see the fall foliage as you float along. Launching takes place at Historic Smithville Park. Paddlers will be shuttled back to Smithville Park for food, entertainment and activities for all ages. Enjoy the park on a fun-filled Autumn day!

Chatsworth Cranberry Festival
October 20, 21, 2018; 9am to 4pm
Downtown, Chatsworth NJ
Website
The Cranberry Festival is a celebration of New Jersey's cranberry harvest, the 3rd largest in the United States, and offers a tribute to the Pine Barrens & Local Culture. This family event features live entertainment many artists & craftsmen demonstrating their crafts and offering them for sales.
Admission is FREE. Parking is available at the school. Signs will be posted and traffic will be directed.