View more New Jersey Festivals, Fairs and Parades.
Colorful leaves dancing in the breeze, apples ripening, pumpkins to be picked—these are the telltale signs of fall. And with fall comes an ample amount of spirited festivals. Celebrate the harvest with apple picking, hay rides, and pumpkin patch exploring at New Jersey’s wonderful fall festivals. Here are our favorites.
Held in October, the Hoboken Fall Arts and Musical festival offers visitors an abundance of fall fun with hay rides, a maze, and pony rides. Geared towards family activities, there will also be face painting, crafts, and balloon art. Food vendors will also be present for snacks and meals during the festivities.
Whether or not you have Scandinavian heritage, come enjoy the annual Scandinavian Festival held in Budd Lake. This excellent festival celebrates the culture and heritage of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden with traditional foods, handicrafts, talks, and entertainment for children. Special events for children include story times; particularly exciting is a story time presenting Hans Christian Andersen’s tales. The festival is held each year on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, so be sure to mark it on your calendar for next year if you’ve missed it this year.
Held at St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Flemington in early September, this annual festival celebrates Greek heritage, culture, and cuisine. During the event, guests can savor homemade Greek food and pastries, visit a taverna, and partake in Greek dancing. There will also be pony rides, carnival games, and vendors. This event is rain or shine, with events occurring both indoors and outdoors.
Cape May doesn’t shut down for the season once the summertime tourists have packed up their beach umbrellas. In fact, Cape May hosts a variety of fun events throughout the year including the annual Cape May Wine & Music Fest held in early October. Held at the Hawk and Haven Vineyard, guests will get to sample local wines and craft beers while listening to live music. Street food vendors, such as Empanada Mama, Mermaid Mutineer, and Taco Shop, are also on-site. Do be sure to buy your tickets in advance!
Held every weekend from mid-September through early November, Haven Hill Farms Great Pumpkin Festival is the largest of its kind in northern New Jersey. At the event, you and your family can enjoy pig racing, a hay maze, monster sling shots, an obstacle course, a giant sand box, and so much more. On-site, there is also a very large corn maze with a pirate theme and a simpler corn maze for younger children. If that isn’t enough, there are also carnival rides, a pumpkin patch, and face painting.
Travel back to the 19th century at the Allaire Fall Festival held at the Historic Village at Allaire. This living, open-air historic village offers a taste of the past with their fall festival in late September. Here, you’ll get to experience cider pressing, old fashioned games, dancing, and crafts. Demonstrations of blacksmithing, carpentry, and more will also be held throughout the day.
One of the largest cranberry festivals in the United States, the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival promises a full day of fun. Held on the third full weekend in October, the Cranberry Festival features local artisans and craft makers selling their wares. Entry to the festival is entirely free and any proceeds will go towards the upkeep of the historic White Horse Inn.
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Come celebrate the harvest at the annual Harvest, Honey, and Garlic Festival this October. Events at this free festival include a farmers’ market, educational displays, and yummy food. This event is held rain or shine, so take in the beautiful surroundings while sampling the local harvest.