Things to Do in New Jersey in November 2026 — Fall Festivals, Holiday Lights & Thanksgiving Weekend

November in New Jersey is the bridge month: the last fall festivals are still running, the first holiday lights switch on, and Thanksgiving weekend packs in parades, train shows, and farm fun. If you are a Bergen County parent wondering what to do with the kids this month, this guide pulls the best family-friendly November 2026 events into one plan. Dates and details can change, so check the official listing before you go — especially for outdoor events.

🍂 Early November: Last Call for Fall Fun

The Great Pumpkin Festival at Heaven Hill Farm (451 State Route 94, Vernon, NJ) runs through November 8, with pumpkin picking, hayrides, a corn maze, barnyard animals, and live entertainment. It is your last chance for full pumpkin-season energy before the farm world turns to Christmas trees.

On Sunday, November 1, the Arts Council of Princeton hosts a Day of the Dead Community Festival at the Princeton Shopping Center (301 N Harrison St, Princeton) from 1 to 3 PM, with a mariachi band, sugar skull decorating, folk arts and crafts, and traditional dance — a free, genuinely cultural family outing.

Also starting in early November: free photos with Santa at Bass Pro Shops in Atlantic City, running daily from November 8 through December 24 (reservations required online).

🎉 November 7: A Big Saturday for Families

Saturday, November 7 is stacked. The Cow Parade at Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville is a free, wonderfully New Jersey event: after milking, cows decorated with garlands, bells, and flowers parade from the milking parlor around the field, with hay rides, face painting, kids' games, food, and music. Parking is $20.

In Flemington, a free Touch-a-Truck event lets kids climb aboard dump trucks, fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, and military jeeps — more than 25 vehicles in one place. In Mountainside, the Trailside Nature and Science Center hosts a gem, mineral, and fossil show November 7–8, with more than 15 vendors and children's activities.

And for the grown-ups' inner kid: the Jersey City Mac & Cheese Festival on November 7 is a food crawl around Jersey City, with a sample of each restaurant's featured mac and cheese included in the ticket.

✨ Mid-November: The Holidays Start to Glow

On Saturday, November 14 at 4:30 PM, the Annual C. Edward McCracken Festival of Lights at Newton Medical Center (175 High Street, Newton) gathers patients, families, and neighbors to usher in the festive season — a sweet, low-key community tradition.

Holiday light displays start opening around the region in the third week of November, including the Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights (from November 21) and the lights at Peddler's Village in Lahaska, PA (Grand Illumination on November 20 — see our Peddler's Village day trip guide). If your kids are counting down to Christmas, mid-to-late November is when the season visibly begins.

🦃 Thanksgiving Weekend: November 26–29

Thanksgiving itself (Thursday, November 26) is for family tables and naps. The weekend after is for getting out again. On Saturday, November 28, Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township hosts Corn Picking & Thanksgiving Hayrides, with festive hayrides, hands-on corn picking, and a chance to donate non-perishable food or new toys for Toys for Tots.

The same weekend, Greenberg's Great Train & Toy Show takes over the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison (November 28–29), with hundreds of tables of trains for sale, huge operating model train displays, free workshops, and a test track — kids 11 and under are free. Collect-A-Con, a pop-culture celebration with anime merch, Funko POPs, vintage toys, and trading cards, runs November 21–22 at the same venue.

Holiday parades close out the month: the Collingswood Holiday Parade on Saturday, November 28, and the Totowa and West Paterson Fire Department Holiday Parade the same evening at 5 PM.

👶 Toddler Tips for November Outings

- Layer up and bring a backup: November weather swings fast, and a warm hat plus mittens turns a cranky kid into a happy one.

- Go early to the big free events — Touch-a-Truck and the Cow Parade fill up fast.

- Keep one indoor backup in your pocket for every outdoor plan: a museum, an indoor play space, or a cozy cafe with hot chocolate (see our Bergen County hot chocolate guide).

- Book Santa photos and timed tickets as soon as you decide — the free ones go first.

November rewards families who plan just a little ahead: the fall fun is still here, the holiday magic is switching on, and the crowds are smaller than December. Pick one event per weekend, and the whole month feels festive without feeling frantic.