Family-Friendly Fall Activities Near Basking Ridge 2026

Monmouth Junction 23 mi $$

West Orange 15 mi $

Trick-or-treating across the zoo with candy stations and stilt walkers.

Illustration of costumed children and two witches on a lawn with pumpkins, a small tent and orange autumn trees (Edison’s “Fall Family Spectacular” Street Fair & Food Truck Fest 2026)

Edison’s “Fall Family Spectacular” Street Fair & Food Truck Fest 2026

Sat, Oct 17

Edison 16 mi

Eight blocks of food trucks, crafters, live music, and pro wrestling.

Illustration of costumed figures near striped booths and pumpkin displays on a grassy town square with orange autumn trees (Fall Festival Weekends at Von Thun Farms)

Fall Festival Weekends at Von Thun Farms

Sep 19 – Nov 8

Features a six-acre corn maze, hayrides, and over 30 fall activities.

Illustration of a pumpkin patch with orange pumpkins, a red wheelbarrow, a wooden farm stand and two scarecrow figures (Whippany Railway Museum Pumpkin Patch Train)

Whippany Railway Museum Pumpkin Patch Train

Oct 4 – Oct 11

Whippany 11 mi $$

Round-trip heritage train excursion with pumpkin picking and decorating for children.

Illustration of a corn maze path with tall golden cornstalks, small costumed figures, a flag, pumpkins and a red barn (Donaldson Farms Fall Harvest Weekends)

Donaldson Farms Fall Harvest Weekends

Sep 26 – Oct 31

Hackettstown 18 mi $

Nine-acre maze donating one dollar from every ticket to LocalShare

Boooo-mfield 5K

Bloomfield 19 mi $$$

Halloween-themed 5K race and block party supporting local student-athletes and parks.

Spookfest Market 3.0

Piscataway 10 mi Free

Community Halloween market with trick-or-treating, costume contests, and local vendors.

Illustration of striped booths with pumpkins and costumed figures on a town street with orange autumn trees (Jersey Cares Halloween Costume Drive)

Jersey Cares Halloween Costume Drive

Sep 2 – Oct 19

Livingston 13 mi

Collects new and gently used Halloween costumes for New Jersey children.

Illustration of a fall festival in a town square with a red roofed gazebo, striped booths, pumpkins and orange trees (Strut Your Mutt: Canine Halloween Costume Contest)

Strut Your Mutt: Canine Halloween Costume Contest

Montclair 21 mi Free

Annual canine costume contest and parade with prizes.

Halloween Trunk or Treat

Martinsville 7 mi Free

Free community trick-or-treating from creatively decorated car trunks.

Illustration of cars with open trunks decorated with pumpkins and balloons, with a child figure beside an orange car at dusk (Bridgewater United Methodist Church Community Trunk or Treat)

Bridgewater United Methodist Church Community Trunk or Treat

Sun, Oct 25

Bridgewater 9 mi Free

Community trunk or treat featuring costumes, games, and candy.

Illustration of clay figures walking past striped market stalls and pumpkins on a paved square with orange autumn trees (Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat)

Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat

Sparta 24 mi Free

Costume celebration featuring food, games, and activities for families.

Illustration of a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a small tent, a witch and costumed children under orange trees (Monster Puppets - Family)

Monster Puppets - Family

Tue, Oct 13

Edison 13 mi

Craft a monster puppet using paper, googly eyes, and markers.

Illustration of small costumed figures and a witch playing on a sunny lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a tent and orange trees (Not-so-Spooky Scavenger Hunt)

Not-so-Spooky Scavenger Hunt

Wed, Oct 14

Edison 15 mi

Hunt for hidden creatures around the library to redeem a prize.

Illustration of two small costumed children and a witch among pumpkins, hay bales and autumn trees on a sunny lawn (Mini Pumpkin Painting - Ages 12-14)

Mini Pumpkin Painting - Ages 12-14

Wed, Oct 28

Edison 15 mi

Paint and take home a one-of-a-kind mini pumpkin craft.

Jug Jackolanterns

Wed, Oct 21

Edison 15 mi

Kids transform water jugs into glowing jack-o'-lantern crafts.

Paper Ghosts - Family

Tue, Oct 20

Edison 13 mi

Family-friendly DIY craft session making cute paper ghosts for Halloween.

Illustration of tiny clay musicians playing on a hay stage among pumpkins, bunting and striped booths in autumn (HoBOOken 5K Race - USATF Certified Course)

HoBOOken 5K Race - USATF Certified Course

Sun, Oct 25

Hoboken 27 mi $$$

USATF-certified 5K race benefiting The Hoboken Shelter.

Illustration of costumed figures mingling among striped festival booths, pumpkins, and orange autumn trees at dusk (Governors Island Pumpkin Point)

Governors Island Pumpkin Point

Oct 24 – Oct 25

New York 28 mi

Annual pumpkin patch and fall festival with trick-or-treating in Nolan Park.

Illustration of a pumpkin patch with many orange pumpkins, a scarecrow, a wheelbarrow, a fence and a red barn at sunset (Fall Family Fun Weekends at Terhune Orchards)

Fall Family Fun Weekends at Terhune Orchards

Sep 12 – Nov 1

Princeton 27 mi $$

Over 30 farm activities, corn mazes, live music, and pumpkin picking.

Hudson County Fall Fest

Jersey City 25 mi Free

Fall festival featuring trick-or-treating, train rides, live music, and costume contests.

Halloween Family Bash

Jersey City 27 mi

Features a corn maze, bouncy house, games, face-painting, and candy.

Illustration of three costumed clay children and little ghosts at a table with pumpkins and decorated cookies in autumn light (Halloween Paper Crafts and Letterpress Printing)

Halloween Paper Crafts and Letterpress Printing

Sun, Oct 11

New York 29 mi Free

Print broadside posters using a historic 19th-century working printing press.

Bay Ridge Halloween Fest

Brooklyn 28 mi Free

Car-free block party featuring puppet shows, pumpkin decorating, and haunted trucks.

Illustration of a Halloween parade on a street with a smiling pumpkin float, costumed children and orange balloons overhead (Washington Market Park Halloween Parade & Concert)

Washington Market Park Halloween Parade & Concert

Sun, Oct 25

Costume parade through Tribeca led by The Queer Big Apple Corps.

Pumpkin Chunkin!

Oct 17 – Nov 1

Ringwood 28 mi $$

Carve or decorate a pumpkin and launch it from a trebuchet.

Illustration of clay figures in costumes mingling among striped market tents and pumpkin displays under orange autumn trees (High Line Halloween: Gnome-topia)

High Line Halloween: Gnome-topia

Gnome-themed games, cardboard installations, face painting, and candy prizes.

Illustration of a town square fall festival with striped pumpkin booths, costumed figures, and orange autumn trees (Back to School Fall Fest @ Pier 57)

Back to School Fall Fest @ Pier 57

Sun, Sep 20

Pequannock Township 22 mi $

Features games, live performances, and princess lessons for kids.

Ort Farms Fall Festival

26 mi $$

Visitors can test their aim with five shots at the Apple Cannon.

Illustration of two tiny costumed figures near a flag among tall golden cornstalks, with small farm houses and pumpkins (Alstede Farms Fall Festival and Corn Maze)

Alstede Farms Fall Festival and Corn Maze

Chester 10 mi $$

Expansive corn maze and 'Pick Your Own' farm experiences.

Illustration of costumed children and a cat walking a leafy sidewalk past glowing jack-o'-lanterns and cozy houses at dusk (Trick-Or-Treating At The Museum)

Trick-Or-Treating At The Museum

Staten Island 24 mi $$

Family-friendly trick-or-treating event for children

Illustration of clay figures clinking foamy beer steins at wooden tables under a striped tent with pretzels and pumpkins (Ort Farms Fall Festival)

Ort Farms Fall Festival

Long Valley 12 mi $

Pick-your-own apples and pumpkins at the Fall Festival

Illustration of a ghost and two costumed kids trick or treating past glowing houses with pumpkins and autumn leaves at dusk (Halloween Costume Distribution Party)

Halloween Costume Distribution Party

New Brunswick 16 mi Free

Free costume distribution for attendees.

Ort Farms Fall Festival

Extensive fall activities with pick-your-own options

Illustration of kids in costumes at a table with pumpkins, bowls of treats, and paper bats and bunting overhead (Halloween Boo Bash at Randall's Island)

Halloween Boo Bash at Randall's Island

New York 24 mi Free

Free, family-friendly Halloween celebration in a park.

Illustration of a row of cars with open trunks decorated for Halloween at sunset with balloons, pumpkins and costumed kids (Edison Chamber of Commerce Trunk or Treat)

Edison Chamber of Commerce Trunk or Treat

Edison 16 mi $

Community trunk-or-treat with decorated car trunks

Illustration of a small clay figure on a path between tall golden cornstalks, with a red flag, pumpkins and a tiny cottage (Tranquillity Farms Fall Fest)

Tranquillity Farms Fall Fest

Green Township 21 mi $$

U-Pick pumpkins and scenic hayrides.

Illustration of a giant grinning jack-o'-lantern float and costumed marchers parading along a tree-lined park path at dusk (Westfield Halloween Family Fun & Parade)

Westfield Halloween Family Fun & Parade

Westfield 11 mi $

Family Halloween fun with 'Cops & Goblins' and a parade

Illustration of glowing jack-o'-lanterns, candles, pumpkin seeds and small figures on a wooden table under string lights (McLoone's Boathouse Pumpkin Carving Party)

McLoone's Boathouse Pumpkin Carving Party

West Orange 14 mi $

Choose and carve your own pumpkin

Staten Island Zoo Spooktacular

Staten Island 23 mi $$

Spooky zoo experience with animal exhibits after dark

Illustration of striped market booths and pumpkin displays on a street with small clay figures under orange autumn trees (Trick or Streets Festival on 5th Avenue)

Trick or Streets Festival on 5th Avenue

Brooklyn 29 mi Free

Community street festival with trick-or-treating

Boo-tastic Sensory Party

Jersey City 25 mi Free

Spooktacular sensory party with creepy cauldron surprises.

Halloween in Harlem