Family-Friendly Fall Activities Near Union 2026

Brooklyn 15 mi

Annual costumed parade with brass bands and puppets to an Archway party.

Illustration of striped market booths and pumpkin displays on a street with small clay figures under orange autumn trees (Alstede Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch)

Alstede Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

Tue, Sep 29

Chester 24 mi $$

Corn maze and pumpkin picking with hay wagon rides included.

Addams Family Fun Day

Sun, Oct 18

Westfield

Family street festival with pumpkin carving, themed slimes, and character visits.

Howl-O-Ween at Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange $

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 12 mi

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

Harvest Moon Nights

Oct 2 – Oct 30

Chester 24 mi $$

Nighttime corn maze, moonlit hayrides, campfires, live music, and hard cider.

Boooo-mfield 5K

Bloomfield 7 mi $$$

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

Hudson County Fall Fest

Jersey City 11 mi Free

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

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 12 mi $$

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

Halloween Family Bash

Jersey City 12 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

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

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.

Bay Ridge Halloween Fest

Brooklyn 14 mi Free

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

Harvest Festival

Sun, Oct 18

New York 18 mi Free

Pumpkin picking, decorating, a Spooky Trail, and a live family concert.

Illustration of costumed figures near striped booths and pumpkin displays on a grassy town square with orange autumn trees (Spookfest Market 3.0)

Spookfest Market 3.0

Piscataway 12 mi Free

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

Pumpkin Smash

Sun, Nov 1

Astoria 23 mi Free

Smash your leftover pumpkins to turn them into compost for local soil.

Illustration of a town square fall festival with striped pumpkin booths, costumed figures, and orange autumn trees (Jersey Cares Halloween Costume Drive)

Jersey Cares Halloween Costume Drive

Sep 2 – Oct 19

Livingston 8 mi

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

Illustration of tiny clay musicians playing on a hay stage among pumpkins, bunting and striped booths in autumn (Strut Your Mutt: Canine Halloween Costume Contest)

Strut Your Mutt: Canine Halloween Costume Contest

Montclair 10 mi Free

Annual canine costume contest and parade with prizes.

Illustration of clay figures walking past striped market stalls and pumpkins on a paved square with orange autumn trees (High Line Halloween: Gnome-topia)

High Line Halloween: Gnome-topia

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

Monster Puppets - Family

Tue, Oct 13

Edison 10 mi

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

Illustration of clay figures in costumes mingling among striped market tents and pumpkin displays under orange autumn trees (Back to School Fall Fest @ Pier 57)

Back to School Fall Fest @ Pier 57

Sun, Sep 20

Monmouth Junction 26 mi $$

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

Not-so-Spooky Scavenger Hunt

Wed, Oct 14

Edison 14 mi

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

Mini Pumpkin Painting - Ages 12-14

Wed, Oct 28

Edison 14 mi

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

Jug Jackolanterns

Wed, Oct 21

Edison 14 mi

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

Paper Ghosts - Family

Tue, Oct 20

Edison 10 mi

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

Ort Farms Fall Festival

12 mi $$

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

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 small costumed children and a witch on a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales and orange trees (Revolutionary Harvest Festival)

Revolutionary Harvest Festival

Sat, Sep 19

Yonkers 25 mi Free

Free American Revolution festival featuring living history reenactors, music, and colonial games.

Illustration of two costumed trick or treaters with candy buckets on a dusk street of glowing houses and carved pumpkins (Trick or Treating at Ridge Hill)

Trick or Treating at Ridge Hill