Banish “I’m Bored!” With
50+ Free Things To Do In NJ With Kids In September!
Looking for things to do in New Jersey with kids that won’t bust your budget? Look no further – we’ve come up with more than FIFTY free things to do in New Jersey with kids in September that your kids – and you – will LOVE!
Do you know of other fun and free things to do in New Jersey with kids this month? Comment below and let us know about it!
50+ Free Things To Do In New Jersey With Kids In September
1. Penny’s Storytime at the Hoboken Historical Museum
Every Thursday | 10am & 11am
Penny’s Storytime at the Hoboken Historical Museum features stories, rhymes and sing-alongs for children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers. Registration is required.
2. Family Fun Nights at the Berlin Farmers Market
Every Friday night | 5pm – 7pm
Family Fun Nights at the Berlin Farmers Market feature free family friendly activities including face painting, balloon characters, airbrush or glitter tattoos.
3. Musket Firing at Washington Crossing State Park
Every Saturday in September | 2pm
Join a Park Historian for a musket firing demonstration at Washington Crossing State Park. The event will feature an interpretive talk about some of the weapons used during the American Revolution and their use during the Battle of Trenton.
4. Princeton University Art Museum Highlights Tour
Every Saturday & Sunday | 2pm
Discover the Art Museum’s premier collections spanning antiquity to contemporary in a Princeton University Art Museum Highlights Tour, offered free of charge.
5. Allamuchy Country Fair
September 7 -9 2018
The Allamuchy Country Fair will bring back the “Old Country Fair” feeling to those who visit through carnival rides, live music, entertainment, country fair games, food and vendors. Don’t miss the Friday night fireworks!
6. Hoboken Italian Festival
September 6 – 9 2018
Come on out to the Hoboken Italian Festival and enjoy international foods, music, a fantastic fireworks display, amusement rides, picturesque landscapes, and a unique “blessing of the feet”!
7. Ridgewood Car Show
September 7 2018 | 6pm – 9pm
View over 400 old and new cars from all over the world at the Ridgewood Car Show!
8. Barnegat Pirates Day
September 8 2018 | 9am – 4pm
Enjoy a pirate costume contest, treasure hunt, pirate re-enactors, free inflatable children’s rides and trackless train food, vendors, and entertainment for all ages at Barnegat Pirates Day!
9. SailFest 2018
September 8 2018 | 10am – 10pm
Come on out to SailFest 2018 and enjoy family friendly fun all day! There will be sailboat races, shopping with crafters and vendors, great food vendors, inflatable kiddie rides, and all-day live entertainment.
10. New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo
September 8 & 9 2018 | 10am – 5pm
Discover new ways to enjoy New Jersey’s great outdoors at the New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo! At this fun-filled family-friendly event, participants can try outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, shooting sports, hiking, rock climbing, camping skills, wildlife watching, and zip-lining. Enjoy programs on fish and wildlife conservation, reptiles and raptors, sporting dogs, & much more! Admission is free as are most activities.
11. Beach Plum Festival
September 9 2018 | 9am – 4pm
Come on out to the Beach Plum Festival at Island Beach State Park and enjoy a day of games and activities, music, great food (including tasty treats made from beach plums), crafters, and displays from local environmental and non-profit groups. Free admission to park / Suggested donation of $8 per car to support Friends of Island Beach State Park.
12. Burlington County Arts in the Park Festival
September 9 2018 | 10:30pm – 4pm
The Burlington County Arts in the Park Festival features family friendly fun for all ages! Come on out and enjoy live entertainment on three stages, including music, dance, theater and storytelling. There will be an Annual Juried Art Exhibit, fine art vendors, artisan crafters, and free interactive art activities.
13. South Mountain International Blues Festival
September 9 2018 | 12pm – 8pm
The South Mountain International Blues Festival features six different blues acts and is the largest free blues festival in northern New Jersey!
14. Autumn Amble at Freneau Woods Park
September 12 2018 | 10am – 11:30am
Explore the trails with a park naturalist and discover all kinds of plants and animals in the woods.
15. Boots at the Beach Country Festival
September 14 -16 2018
The Boots at the Beach Country Festival is the largest country festival in South Jersey featuring live country music, country vendors, crafts, DJ’s, and great food.
16. Historic Smithville Car Cruise
September 14 2018 | 5pm – 8pm
Come to the Historic Smithville Car Cruise to see some spectacular classic cars!
17. Sea Isle City Fall Family Festival
September 15 & 16 2018 | 9am – 4pm
The Sea Isle City Fall Family Festival features two days of family-friendly activities and entertainment. Enjoy live music, amusement rides, a DJ dance party, an antique auto show, guided trolley tours, and a variety of free family activities, including a photo booth, a moon bounce, face-painters, “Waxy Hands” and more!
18. Ocean City Airport Festival
September 15 2018 | 10am – 3pm
The Ocean City Airport Festival includes a ground display of unusual aircraft ranging from World War II planes to classics and warbirds. The event will also feature a parachute jump from Team Fastrax.
19. Ridgefield Park Street Fair
September 15 2018 | 10am – 5pm
The Ridgefield Park Street Fair features live entertainment, delicious food, local merchants and civic organizations, and lots of activities for children such as face painting, sand art, climbing wall, mechanical rides and temporary tattoos.
20. Small Explorers at the NJ State Museum
September 15 2018 | 10am & 1pm
Small Explorers at the New Jersey State Museum is an opportunity to explore the museum with your baby, toddler or preschooler! Each month the Small Explorers series explores a different theme through stories, crafts, and play. The theme for September is “Art Exploration”! The program is FREE, but advance registration is encouraged.
21. Open Space Pace Festival of Horses
September 15 2018 | 10:30am
The Open Space Pace Festival of Horses celebrates New Jersey’s official state animal and promotes Open Space in New Jersey. This unique New Jersey event features a parade of horses, equine demonstrations, live music, live racing, food trucks, contests, and lots more!
22. Belmar Feast of San Gennaro
September 15 & 16 2018 | 11am – 6pm
The Belmar Feast of San Gennaro will feature authentic Italian foods, live entertainment, dancing, and a pasta and cannoli eating contest, crafters, kids activities, and much more.
23. Wind and Sea Festival
September 15 2018 | 11am – 5pm
Come on out to the Wind and Sea Festival and enjoy a celebration of all things water! Visitors will be able to enjoy many coastal activities, including kayaking, sailing, fishing, kite flying, crabbing, a selfie scavenger hunt, sand castle building, seining, shelling, sand casting, a children’s craft show, naturalist activities, and much more!
24. Downtown Summit Art Festival
September 16 2018 | 10am – 4pm
The Downtown Summit Art Festival is an outdoor, juried art show that takes place in cooperation with the Summit Police Athletic League’s Classic Car Show. The event, playfully titled “Arts + Cars,” will feature work for sale by more than 25 artists, hundreds of classic cars on display, live music, fun children’s activities, and more.
25. Fanny Wood Day Street Festival
September 16 2018 | 10am – 5pm
The Fanny Wood Day Street Festival is a full day of non-stop music and entertainment along with family fun attractions. There will be over 100 exhibitors, a car show, kiddie rides & a climbing wall, face painters, amusements, a pet parade, and more.
26. Hackettstown Street Fair and Craft Show
September 16 2018 | 11am – 5pm
The Hackettstown Street Fair and Craft Show will feature over 200 vendors, live music, family fun, entertainment, food, and activities for all ages!
27. Music Fest Princeton
September 16 2018 | 11am – 6:30pm
Music Fest Princeton is an all-day, family friendly open-air music festival featuring an eclectic musical lineup from exceptional bands from across the tri-state area. Enjoy folk bands, Irish bands, jazz ensembles, country sets and rock & roll! There will be activity tables for the kids and incredible food and beverage offerings from Palmer Square vendors!
28. Ridgewood Fall Craft and Art Street Fair
September 16 2018 | 12pm – 5pm
The Ridgewood Fall Craft and Art Street Fair features 175 exhibitors with arts, crafts and photography, a large food court, all day music and a ‘Kidz Zone” featuring inflatables, games and pony rides.
29. Boardwalk Aerobatic Air Show
September 16 2018 | 1pm – 5pm
Come on out to Ocean City for the Boardwalk Aerobatic Air Show over the ocean! Thrill to some of the best stunt pilots and aerobatic champions in the world plus military demonstrations!
30. Wildwood Irish Fall Festival
September 21 – 23 2018
The Irish Fall Festival is the largest Irish festival on the East Coast celebrating Irish heritage and features Irish music all weekend, free Irish dance lessons, a 5K run and 1 mile walk, a pipe band exhibition, a Sunday afternoon parade, and much more.
31. Museum Day Live in New Jersey
September 22 2018
Museum Day Live is a one-day event in which participating museums and cultural institutions across the country provide free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. This year, 22 Garden State museums will be participating in Museum Day Live in New Jersey!
32. Barrier Island Classic Pro Surf Contest
September 22 2018 | 9am – 1pm
The Third Annual Barrier Island Classic Pro Surf Contest takes place in Island Beach State Park and features three divisions: Men’s Longboard, Men’s Shortboard, and Women’s Open.
33. Wildwood Crest Seafarers Celebration
September 22 2018 | 9am – 9:30pm
The Wildwood Crest Seafarers Celebration features live music, craft vendors, great food, family entertainment, and children’s activities including magic shows, interactive games, roving street performers, pie-eating contests, bounce houses, face painting and more. The event wraps up with a spectacular fireworks show at Centennial Park.
34. Edison Fall Family Spectacular
September 22 2018 | 11am – 11pm
The Edison Fall Family Spectacular features two stages of live music and entertainment, pony rides and a petting zoo, kiddie rides, a trackless train, games, face painting, sand art, pro wrestling ring, remote control car track and much more!
35. Festival in the Borough
September 22 2018 | 11am – 10pm
Festival in the Borough is Northwest New Jersey’s largest music and street festival. Enjoy 3 stages of music, vendors, children’s activities, food, a beer garden, shopping, and more.
36. Margate Fall FunFest
September 22 & 23 2018
Celebrate the start of fall with two full days of amusements, entertainment, crafts and food at the Margate Fall FunFest by the Bay! This family-friendly fall festival will feature amusements rides, a drag race challenge, fitness demonstrations, original crafters, food trucks & stalls, a character parade, and much more!
37. Whippany Ukrainian Festival
September 22 2018 | 11:30am – 7pm
The Whippany Ukrainian Festival will feature two fabulous stage shows with 7 sensational Ukrainian dance ensembles and over 200 dancers, singers, and musicians. Children will be entertained by a magician, arts and crafts tables, and demonstrations. Sample delicious ethnic foods such as varenyky (peirogies), stuffed cabbage, kovbasa with sauerkraut, and much more.
38. Franklin Day Festival
September 22 2018 | 12pm – 5pm
The Franklin Day Festival is a community-wide celebration which features live entertainment, an art show, a classic car show, over 120 exhibitor tables, as well as a host of free attractions for children in a beautiful park setting.
39. Milford Alive Fall Festival
September 22 2018 | 12pm – 8:30pm
Milford Alive Fall Festival is a free, family-friendly community celebration featuring street music, art, food, crafts, a wacky “bed race” and fireworks!
40. Rahway Culture Crawl Festival
September 22 2018 | 1pm – 6pm
The Rahway Culture Crawl Festival is a one day explosion of arts, culture, and music featuring live performances, interactive art, sculpture, video, audio installations, music, and unique vendors. It’s an opportunity for artists, musicians, and performers to create and present new work, and offers a chance for festival attendees of all ages to experience and engage with the arts in a unique and innovative way.
41. Mount Laurel Fall Festival
September 22 2018 | 11am – 4pm
Come on out and celebrate the beginning of the fall season at the Mount Laurel Fall Festival! This fun, family-friendly event will feature games, crafts, music, great food, and much more!
42. Hammonton Green Day Festival
September 23 2018 | 12pm – 4pm
The Hammonton Green Day Festival is a fun event focused on the local environment and the sustainability of Hammonton NJ. This great family-friendly event features local food, music, eco-friendly vendors, free kids activities, and more.
43. Evesham Harvest Fest
September 29 2018 | 10am – 4:30pm
Enjoy a day of fall fun at the Evesham Harvest Fest! There will be over 90 handcrafters and artists, new food vendors as well as old favorites, live music, and much more!
44. Historic Soldiers Weekend
September 29 & 20 2018 | 10am – 3pm
Journey back in time and see, hear and touch real history through the life of a typical soldier during the French & Indian War, Civil, World Wars and beyond at the Historic Soldiers Weekend at Fort Mott State Park. Reenactment units will be encamped at Historic Fort Mott for the entire weekend, living as their ancestors did.
45. Passaic County Art in the Park Festival
September 29 & 30 2018
The Passaic County Art in the Park Festival is a family-friendly two-day event which features fine artists, crafters, musicians, food vendors, and fun activities for all ages.
46. Sea Isle City Harborfest
September 29 2018 | 11am – 4pm
The Sea Isle City Harborfest is a bay-side festival honoring Sea Isle City’s fishing industry. The event includes a variety of craft and specialty vendors, nautical displays, family-friendly entertainment throughout the day and – of course – all of the area’s finest and freshest seafood.
47. Raritan Township Community Day
September 29 2018 | 12pm – 5pm
Come on out to Raritan Township Community Day and enjoy great food from local food trucks, live music and shows, games, contests, tethered balloon rides and walkabout balloon, dunk tank, tug of war and hula hoop contests, fire & rescue demonstrations, a cornhole tournament, and much more!
48. Boonton Day Fall Festival
September 30 2018 | 10am – 4pm
The Boonton Day Fall Festival is a free, family-friendly event featuring historic walking tours of the Morris Canal, live music, great food, children’s activities, exhibits by local business and organizations, a historic scavenger hunt, and much more!
49. Springfield Festival and Car Show
September 30 2018 | 11am – 5pm
The Springfield Festival and Car Show will feature fun for all ages! See classic cars and military vehicles! Take pictures with comic book characters, visit the interactive robotics tent, enjoy rides, craft vendors, a race track with radio controlled stock cars, an obstacle course, trackless train, horse and buggy rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, and more!
50. Harvest Home Festival
September 30 2018 | 11am – 5pm
The Harvest Home Festival at Historic Longstreet Farm is an old-fashioned country fair reminiscent of the 1890s. Experience old-fashioned fun as it was a century ago with activities like wagon rides, games, a corn husking competition, pie eating contests, live entertainment, craft demonstrations, and much more!
51. Hoboken Arts and Music Festival
September 30 2018 | 11am – 6pm
The Hoboken Arts and Music Festival will feature live music on three stages (one stage is devoted exclusively to children’s entertainment). Hundreds of artists, crafters, and photographers will be on hand to display and sell their work. There will be fun activities for children all day including games, rides, creative activities, sand art, face painting, and more!
52. Morristown Fall Festival
September 30 2018 | 12pm – 5pm
The Morristown Fall Festival features non-stop live entertainment on up to 4 different stages, great food, lots of children’s amusements, and much more!
Still looking for free things to do in New Jersey with kids in September?
Check out our Calendar of New Jersey Events for more great events!
Featured Photo: © Can Stock Photo / deyangeorgiev
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018