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46 Fun and Free Things To Do in New Jersey with Kids September 2025

Take to the water during Port Monmouth's Wind & Sea Festival. Photo courtesy of the Monmouth County Park System
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9/2/25 - By Laurie Rein

Our roundup of FREE September events and activities in New Jersey is the perfect remedy for end-of-summer blues.

September is off to a promising start with local neighborhood fairs throughout the state, like Bridgewater Community Day Featuring Touch-a-Truck.

As summer transitions to fall, get in the autumn spirit at admission-free seasonal events, including Ridgewood Fall Craft Street Fair and Harvest Home Festival.

For more free and low-cost fun, check out our Event Calendar. 

Subscribe to our newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox. 

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Free Things To Do in September 2025

Riverdale's Annual Labor Day Street Fair

Riverdale
Monday, September 1, 2025
Riverdale’s Annual Labor Day Street Fair is hosted by the Borough of Riverdale and held along the Newark Pompton Turnpike. The street is closed to vehicle traffic and transformed into a giant block party. The fun includes music, shopping, food, and more. READ MORE

The Wood Street Fair in Downtown Burlington

Burlington
Saturday, September 6, 2025
The 54th annual Wood Street Fair fills downtown Burlington and the surrounding waterfront area with a day of fun. Peruse craft tables from 175 vendors, indulge in festival eats, hear live music and tour the historical Revell House with a young Benjamin Franklin. READ MORE

Cranbury Day on Main Street

Cranbury
Saturday, September 6, 2025
This 47th annual festival boasts food trucks, pony rides, vendors, a petting zoo, car show, face painting, live music, and more.  READ MORE

Insect Festival at Mercer Educational Gardens

Pennington
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Spend a fun day exploring the lives of insects, featuring a variety of activities focused on bugs, bees, and plants.  READ MORE

Elmwood Park's Community Day Festival

Elmwood Park
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Market Street is transformed into a giant block party, with quality exhibitors, a special arts and crafts section, live entertainment, kiddie rides and games, great festival foods, food trucks, and so much more.  READ MORE

Hazlet Day

Hazlet
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Hazlet's biggest annual celebration features live family entertainment, delicious eats from local food trucks, and unique finds from dozens of vendor booths. READ MORE

CANCELED- Red Bank Fall Street Fair & Craft Show

Red Bank
Sunday, September 7, 2025
(canceled due to weather) Swing by downtown Red Bank for a street celebration with vendors, food, rides, crafts, and plenty of fall fun. READ MORE

Marlboro Day

Marlboro
Sunday, September 7, 2025
(new date) Marlboro Township Recreation hosts a day of free activities, with inflatables, vendors, food, entertainment, pony rides, a petting zoo and more.  READ MORE

JCPenney Kids Zone

Various locations
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Stop by New Jersey JCPenney stores on the second Saturday of every month for free and fun crafts. Children receive a lanyard and collector's pin. Six pins earn a Project Master Medallion. READ MORE

Career Carnival for Kids at Library of the Chathams

Chatham
Saturday, September 13, 2025
So many fascinating professions use science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) to make our world a better place. From architects to aviation experts, engineers, entomologists, and more, Career Carnival for Kids brings a team of outstanding career guides to the Library of the Chathams. READ MORE

Sea Isle City Fall Family Festival

Sea Isle City
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Do some shopping at the Shore during this craft market, featuring free rides, face painting, a photo booth, music, crafts, balloon art, and more. Kids love the FREE inflatable attractions in Excursion Park. READ MORE

Hudson West Music Festival 2025

Jersey City
Sunday, September 13, 2025
The much-loved Hudson West Music Festival returns in 2025 with expanded offerings, featuring 10 musical performers and three music-based workshops. An outdoor street fair includes local artisans, dancing, children's activities, and music by The American Family Jamboree. READ MORE

Haddon Township Fall Festival

Haddon Township
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Fall fun awaits at this annual town fair, with food trucks, fire trucks, a car show, live entertainment, a dunk tank, a pie contest, strolling entertainment, local artisans, and more. READ MORE

Highland Park Arts in the Park Street Fair

Highland Park
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Join Main Street Highland Park for the 19th annual Arts in the Park street fair and arts festival. Enjoy artistic offerings, live music, and other entertainment, plus food from local restaurants and producers, children's activities, promotional booths, and more.  READ MORE

Ridgewood Fall Craft Street Fair

Ridgewood
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Be prepared for a day of artistry and a family fun day at the annual Ridgewood Fall Craft & Art Street Fair. A variety of exhibitors highlight arts, crafts, and photography along with a large food court set up in front of the park featuring delicious festival foods.    READ MORE

Fanny Wood Day Street Fair

Fanwood
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Experience shopping, family-friendly rides and games, contests, delicious food, and live music.  READ MORE

Fit Fest in Califon

Califon
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Looking for a fun, healthy way to spend the day outdoors? Join Fit Fest 2025, a high-energy health and fitness festival for all ages and activity levels. Set against the scenic backdrop of Memorial Park, this free community event brings together the best of local fitness, wellness, nutrition, and movement in one action-packed day. READ MORE

Bridgewater Community Day Featuring Touch-a-Truck

Bridgewater
Sunday, September 14, 2025
This touch-a-truck event is free, open to the entire community, and includes music, crafts, inflatables, and more.  READ MORE

Wind & Sea Festival at Bayshore Waterfront Park

Port Monmouth
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Head over to Bayshore Waterfront Park for a celebration of all things water. Visitors can enjoy a variety of coastal activities, including kayaking, fishing, kite flying, crafts and more. READ MORE

BARKtoberfest at Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Meet adoptable dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens while supporting local animal shelters and rescue groups at BARKtoberfest. The event features a pet costume contest, vendor booths, food trucks, and more. READ MORE

All About Downtown Street Fair

Jersey City
Saturday, September 20, 2025
The annual All About Downtown Street Fair returns to Jersey City for its 13th year with more than 100 vendors and more than 10 food and mobile fashion trucks. This event features a day full of fun for the entire family. READ MORE

Festival in the Borough 2025

Washington
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Festival in the Borough returns to Downtown Washington with three stages of music and entertainment, ranging from local favorites to national, touring artists. Streets are lined with vendors, plus there's a children's fun zone, a climbing wall, a photo booth, food, and local shopping to round out the fun. READ MORE

Art Festival and Classic Car Show in Summit

Summit
Sunday, September 21, 2025
This family-friendly event is designed to celebrate the vibrant arts community and the timeless appeal of classic cars. Guests can expect a day filled with great food, live music, children’s entertainment, art and wares, classic cars, and more in downtown Summit. READ MORE

Glen Rock Street Fair & Craft Show

Glen Rock
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Experience original and interesting arts and crafts, shopping, live music, kids' games, and great food in Glen Rock. READ MORE

Westfield FestiFall

Westfield
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Welcome the fall season at this bustling annual festival, featuring entertainment, fantastic food, more than 300 vendors, and more. A special KidZone houses rides, games, and activities just for children. READ MORE

Fall Family Festival at Bright Horizons

Various NJ locations
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Bright Horizons is bringing fun, friends, and family together at its fall festival. Meet other families, get to know the Bright Horizons community, and participate in hands-on fall activities. Everyone is welcome. READ MORE

Deptford Mall Kid's Mini Theater Show

Deptford
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Beloved story characters take the stage at Deptford Mall for FREE monthly shows. Enjoy singing, dancing, story time, fun giveaways, and a meet-and-greet with the character. Registration is required.  READ MORE

Bergen County Fall Harvest Festival

Ridgefield Park
Friday, September 26-Sunday, September 28, 2025
Enjoy some family fun at the annual Bergen County Fall Harvest Festival, featuring a craft fair, carnival rides, a farmers market, animals, live music, food trucks and much more.  READ MORE

Edison's Fall Family Spectacular Street Fair

Edison
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Bring the kids to this family event for kiddie rides, games, face painting, sand art, a pro wrestling ring, a remote-controlled car track, and much more. There is something for everyone to do in Edison at the Spectacular, with over eight blocks of food, crafts, exhibitors, and a wine and beer garden. READ MORE

Asbury Park Fall Bazaar 2025

Asbury Park
Saturday, September 27-Sunday, September 28, 2025
Asbury Park Fall Bazaar features local vendors, kids’ activities, fall photo walls, music, workshops, delicious food, libations, an Oktoberfest celebration and entertainment. The event is family-friendly, pet-friendly, and free. READ MORE

Delaware River Festival

Camden
Saturday, September 27, 2025
This annual event brings people together and features a day of family-friendly fun, educational activities, and water-centered learning on the Camden and Philadelphia waterfronts. The Delaware River Festival offers something for the whole family: free ferry rides, museum visits, pedal boats, face painting, a scavenger hunt, crafts, and so much more! READ MORE

Dunellen Street Fair & Craft Show

Dunellen
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Head to downtown Dunellen for a festival featuring interesting arts and crafts, shopping, live music, kids' games, and great food. READ MORE

Harvest Home Festival at Historic Longstreet Farm

Holmdel
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Harvest Home Festival is an old-fashioned country fair reminiscent of the 1890s. It takes visitors back in time to when neighbors gathered to help with the harvest, spent time socializing, and enjoyed each other's company.  READ MORE

Ongoing Free Things To Do in September 2025

Barnes & Noble Storytime in Bridgewater

Bridgewater
Every Monday
Bring the little ones to Barnes & Noble in Bridgewater every Monday morning for stories and fun. READ MORE

Preschool Storytime at Bridgewater Library

Bridgewater
Every Monday
Swing by the library on Mondays with the little ones for books, songs, and activities. READ MORE

Bookscape Babies at Cotsen Children's Library

Princeton
Every Tuesday beginning September 9
Cotsen’s youngest patrons get active, social, and build their vocabularies in a special play space in the Bookscape gallery. Soft ramps, tunnels, and plush alphabet letters await. READ MORE

Barnes & Noble Storytime in Livingston

Livingston
Every Tuesday and Thursday
Enjoy childhood classics and new favorites at Barnes & Noble in Livingston on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  READ MORE

Music & Movement at Johnson Public Library

Hackensack
Every Tuesday
Children and caregivers are invited to sing and dance at this library music and movement time. The program takes place in the auditorium. READ MORE

Play Cafe at Ramsey Free Public Library

Ramsey
Every Wednesday
Pop in for playtime with lots of toys and fun guaranteed. Parents can relax with a warm cup of coffee. READ MORE

Barnes & Noble Storytime in Brick

Brick
Every Wednesday
Head over to Barnes & Noble every Wednesday for children's stories and fun. READ MORE

Atlantic Highlands Baby Storytime

Atlantic Highlands
Every Wednesday
Bring the babies to Atlantic Highlands library for stories, rhymes, songs and fingerplay. No registration required. READ MORE

Tiger Tales at Cotsen Children's Library

Princeton
Every Friday beginning September 13
Join the staff at Cotsen Library for a special interactive weekly storytime. Tiger Tales begins with a story and ends with a hands-on project to take home. READ MORE

Toms River Downtown Night Out

Toms River
Every Friday and Saturday
Spend Friday and Saturday nights exploring downtown Toms River. Restaurants and businesses are open for dining, shopping, and entertainment. A section of Washington Street is closed for outdoor dining. READ MORE

Scotch Plains Farmers' Market

Scotch Plains
Every Saturday
The annual farmers' market returns every Saturday morning for its 33rd season, featuring fresh produce, baked goods, gifts, entertainment and more.  READ MORE

Live Animal Talks at Jakes Branch County Park

Beechwood
Every Sunday
Head over to Jakes Branch County Park Nature Center every Sunday for an up-close look at the park's inhabitants. Visitors learn about the various species that call the Nature Center home. Talks last about 20 minutes. READ MORE

Cattus Island Nature Walks

Toms River
Every Saturday and Sunday
Join a park naturalist for a 40-year Ocean County tradition. Discover the fascinating and diverse wonders of the natural world. No registration is required. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Downtown Cranbury
Intersection of Mola Boulevard & Market Street
Marlboro Municipal Complex
Intersection of South Ave. & Martine Ave.
Lebanon Township Memorial Park
Cotsen Children's Library at Princeton University Library
Cotsen Library at Princeton University
Municipal Parking Lot
Jake Branch County Park Nature Center

About the Author

Laurie Rein
Laurie Rein is passionate about finding fun (especially free!) activities for her twin daughters. Before joining Mommy Poppins New Jersey, Laurie worked in the television industry, with roles as an NBC page, copywriter, affiliate liaison for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and research manager for CBS.
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