Pinto Carpentry's Guide to the Best Things to Do During Halloween Weekend 2026 in New Jersey (Family Friendly, Non-Scary Options Included!)
It’s finally the best time of the year: Halloween season is upon us. Here at Pinto Carpentry we really love celebrating all things creepy, crawly, ooky, and spooky! We’ve rounded up some great entertainment for Halloweekend so you can make the most of it with your friends and family. We live, work, and play here just like you do, and supporting local businesses and events is important to all of us. From parades to fall festivals to scary science experiments to haunted houses, you’ll find no shortage of thrills, chills and excitement all around the great garden state. You’ll find something for folks of all ages and thrill levels on today’s blog as we round up the best things to do during Halloween Weekend 2026 in New Jersey!
What to do on Halloween Weekend 2026 in New Jersey - Family Friendly Halloween Fun, Scariest New Jersey Haunted Houses, Halloween Costume Parades and more!
On October 24th at 1PM, head on over to the Hamilton Stage parking lot in downtown Rahway. The town is hosting the annual Rahway Halloween Parade and Spooktacular that winds all the way down from Irving Street to the Train Station Plaza. There will be carnival-style games, stilt walkers and performers, face painting, goody bags, character meet and greets, and much more Halloween themed music and entertainment! Festivities continue til 4PM. Costumes welcomed and encouraged!
October 24th Downtown Metuchen is hosting their “Haunted Downtown” event with a parde, stilt walkers, dance and music, character photo ops, and more! Event starts at 11AM at Station Plaza in Metuchen. Costumes encouraged!
October 24th is Scary Hours Skatenight at BBP Skating in Newark. Enjoy halloween fun with a costume theme night from 7PM to 10PM! Minors 17 and under require an adult chaperone to attend the event. Costumes are welcomed for the skate night and skate rentals are available.
South Orange-Maplewood Adult School and the Brand New Steadys are presenting the Monster Bawl on Saturday October 24th from 7:30-10:30PM at the Baird Center. This event will feature live music, dancing, festive drinks, snacks, and a costume contest! Admissions restricted to 21+.
The infamous Lunar Faire is hosting its Halloweekend Spectacle on October 24th at the Sussex County Fairgrounds starting at 3PM on Saturday. Tickets recommended to purchase in advance. Dress in costume (always)! Enjoy an afternoon of shopping local artisan made goods, delicious food and beverages, themed walk-around performers, drag queens, fireeaters and more!
Enjoy a very kid-friendly haunted house walkthrough at the Brookdale Haunted Theater in Lincroft for their “Lights On, Scares Off” event on October 24th with no pop-up horrors or frightening experiences. Friendly actors appear throughout the attraction to tell you all about the theater!
HalloWheaton is coming to Millville on October 24th at the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center from 1PM to 4PM. Enjoy trick-or-treating in a walk-around campus event with traditional character costumes played by Mystic Realms. This local family tradition will have games, booths, vendors, meet and greets, photo opps, games, and much more! Perfect for kids with families. Tickets recommended in advance. All-ages welcome at the event. Free parking!
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk is hosting its annual fall event “Boo at the Boardwalk” on October 24th and 25th in Point Pleasant. Enjoy kiddie friendly rides, trick-or-treating, underwater pumpkin carving, magic shows, costumed characters, slime making and so much more! Costumes encouraged to get into the festivities!
On October 25th, enjoy the Freehold Spooktacular Costume Parade starting at 1PM. Check-in early at about 12PM to enter the costume contest and show off your best seasonal duds! Winners of the contest will win a secret prize. All welcome to attend in costume and join the fun; light refreshments after the parade at the Hall of Records parking lot.
Storybook Land is hosting its last weekend of Fall into Fun Festival with haybales, non-scary halloween fun, cornstalks and more. There’s a happy hayride tour of the park, pumpkin decorating, family rides and attractions, and more. Wear a costume and come out for the closing event on October 25th in Egg Harbor Township!
It’s the annual Smithville Witches Day Out on October 25th from 12PM to 5PM at the Smithville Inn. Register in front of Fred and Ethel’s by 2PM to enter to win one of the “best of” categories in the costume contest. There will be a classic carousel, train rides, paddle boating, and much more to enjoy throughout the ay. Come in costume and wear your witch hat to enjoy discounts at local businesses and vendors!
Middle Township’s Halloween Parade on October 25th welcomes guests and onlookers to line up at 6PM, and the festivities kick off at 7PM. This event is family friendly and all are encouraged to dress up and join the merriment.
The Ocean City Halloween Parade is rolling through town on October 29th starting at 6:30 Lineup with 7PM kickoff time. Enter the local costume contest or float contest to win a prize in each competitive division.
Enjoy some goofy horror movie fun with Chew&View as they present FreddyVs Jason on October 29th and Halloween H20 on October 30th. Doors open at 7PM, Movie plays at 7:30PM. Enjoy Halloween H20 themed food, cocktails, and interactive games and surprises all served in sync with the movie. Tickets required in advance and selling FAST. Hosted at 538 Market Street in Newark.
Jersey City is hosting its October 31st Halloween Family Bash in the Historic Downtown area from 12PM to 8PM at the Pedestrian Mall at Newark Ave & Grove Street. Enjoy a corn maze, bouncy castles, face painting, candy collection, and so much more. This event is also rain or shine and family friendly. Costumes are always welcomed and encouraged for all participants!
Turtle Back Zoo is once again hosting its safe space trick or treating event with its Howl-O-Ween festivities! Enjoy candy stations, live entertainment, and seasonal fun for the local zoo animals. Come dressed in your most charming costumes and enjoy the community fun!
The 77th annual Dunellen Recreation Dept’s Annual Halloween Parade is back kicking off the fun at 12PM in the library parking lot on October 31st! Show up in your seasonal finery to enjoy all the family friendly festivities!
The Haunted House Halloween Party is haunting its way through the Jersey Shore and setting up shop in Asbury Park at House of Independents on October 31st! Doors open at 9PM. Costume contest, live DJs and more. 21+
It’s a Halloween party at Rock N Air in East Brunswick starting at 11AM on October 31st. Kick off the holiday with your family and arrive incostume for a Halloween trick or treat around the park, raffles and giveaways, crafts and activities for kids, and more!
The Annual Halloween Spectacular is back again for a free family-friendly event at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton! Enjoy the annual halloween parade on the front lawn, trick or treating, family friendly games, craft making stations, and enjoy a Boo Hunt around the museum!
Get your thrills and chills with some of the best things to do on Halloween Weekend here in New Jersey with these incredible haunted house and immersive experiences!
Looking for haunted house experiences open for Halloween 2026 in New Jersey? We’ve got you covered! Check each listing individually for age limits, ticket requirements, and scare warnings. Not all events are suitable for children. Not all events offer tickets at the gate.
Brighton Asylum is open in Passaic with tickets available online or on-site at the gate.
13th Hour Haunted House is back in Wharton with three different movie-quality haunted sets to explore plus multiple escape rooms and hatchet throwing; tickets available online, event open rain or shine.
Field of Terror in East Windsor offers four distinct experiences across the Kyle Family Farm property including a haunted hayride and corn maze option!
Scare Farm at Norz Hill Farm in Hillsborough returns to creep again with multiple levels of scare options including Creepy Hollow, Paranoia, and the Slay Ride paired with massive pumpkin patches to pick your own fun!
Farm of Horrors at Schaefer Farms reigns supreme in Flemington with their Hay Ride of Horror, Trail of Terror, Massacre Maze, and the Carnevil of Chaos!
C Casola Farms Haunted Attractions in Marlboro offers 4 terrifying experiences at one location!
The Screamline Haunted Car Wash in Rockaway is a one-of-a-kind haunted house car wash experience through the haunted tunnel!
Nightmare at Gravity Hill is not for the faint of heart! This Jackson Township event returns once again to thrill and chill the bravest of visitors.
The Beechwood Haunted House is a labor of love in Middlesex where volunteer scarers put together a fun little haunted house for FREE!
Nights of the Jacklantern display in Matawan is a not-so-scary Halloween event featuring over 200 handcarved pumpkins and animated displays for all to enjoy! Suitable for all ages.
Halloween is time for thrills, chills, and scares, but finding a stair carpenter or handrail installer doesn’t have to be! Let us help guide you through your project with ease. Pinto Carpentry is a locally owned and family-operated New Jersey carpentry company specializing in indoor handrail installations and custom wooden stair builds. We have more than 20 years of industry experience crafting custom railings and indoor staircases for both residential and commercial projects. We offer free consultations and provide all clients with a customized estimate for their budget and style choices. If you’re looking to repair or replace your indoor handrail, replace your indoor stairs or tread replacements, or need a carpentry contractor for new construction, we’re here to help! Our books are full for 2026, but later in the season we’ll be opening our books for 2027. Be sure to follow us online at @PintocarpentryNJ on Instagram and Facebook
Pinto Carpentry operates out of a private shop in Plainfield, New Jersey. Shop not open to the public. We service most regions of New Jersey for residential and commercial work. Just ask!
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