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New Jersey Guide Newsletter - November 2021 edition
October 30, 2021

New Jersey Leisure Guide Monthly Newsletter
November 2021

The month of November is the beginning of the winter holiday season with Thanksgiving, and the holiday festivals and events that begin as early as the Friday after Thanksgiving

This Edition's Contents...

  • Popular November Events & Things To Do
  • Seasonal Frequently Asked Question
  • This Month's Featured Restaurant

    Note: Sometimes conditions require cancellations or changes of dates, times and location which are not reflected in the original schedule. Before planning a trip to visit one of the listed events, it is suggested that you call the event sponsor to confirm the event schedule or for additional information on the event.


November 2021 Events & Things To Do .

Jack O' Lantern Experience
Now thru November 7th, 2021
Skylands Stadium
94 Championship Place
Augusta, NJ 07822
Website/Tickets
Cost: $19-$24, or $36 for VIP Access
For 6 weeks of Pure Halloween Madness, Skylands Stadium will be decorated with over 6,000+ Jack-O-Lanterns throughout the stadium, on a 45-minute walk. The property and surrounding corn fields will be set ablaze with some of the most spectacular visuals you'll ever see. Perfect for families of all ages, date nights, and all lovers of Halloween Spirit.


Heaven Hill Farm's The Great Pumpkin Festival
Now until through Sunday, November 7, 2021
Heaven Hill Farm
451 State Route 94
Vernon, NJ 07462
Web Site
Contact:Phone: 973-764-5144, or Email: info@heavenhillfarm.com
The Great Pumpkin Festival is one of the largest fall festivals in Northern NJ. Your admission includes over 40 fun-filled
activities: Pig Racing, Hay Maze, Spider Web Crawl, Maggie The Milking Cow, Monster Sling Shots, Barnyard Sports Ball-cade, Post Pounders, Hay Crawl, Corn Boxes, Bee Barn with Glass Bee Hive, Farm Animals, Boo Barn, Chicken Little Show, Chick Barn, Dancing Robot Show, Duck Racing, Vortex Tunnel, Obstacle course, Tether ball, Poly Pong, Lincoln Log Cabin builder, Giant Sand Box and the “Pirate Treasure Corn Maze Adventure” and the Fabulous Finger find maze game for your young corn maze adventurers. --- plus for additional nominal fees: Carnival Rides, Food, Pony Rides, Face Painting, Gem Mining and more.


Beers on the Boards
Saturday, November 6th, 2021
Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk
308 Boardwalk
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Website/Tickets
732-899-2424
Cost: All beer and all food is included in the ticket price and at $60
2 Sessions – 12:30PM-4:00PM | 6:00PM-9:30PM
This event features Craft beer from over 30 breweries! Gourmet all-you-can-eat buffet!


DiDonato's Magical Holiday Express
November 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, December 1-23, 2021; Hours: 4:45 pm - 9:00 pm
DiDonato's Family Fun Center
1151 S White Horse Pike
Hammonton, NJ
Website/Tickets
Cost: $10.95 per person online/ $12.95 at the door, Children 12 months and younger are free.
This holiday event features a ride on an exciting train through millions of Christmas lights. The fun includes meeting Santa, a gift from Santa, a holiday movie, cookies, and a walk through the Holiday Village.


Holiday Craft Show @ The Historic Village at Allaire
Saturday, November 13, 2021; 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM 
The Historic Village at Allaire State Park
4263 Atlantic Avenue
Farmingdale, NJ
Website/Tickets
Admission is $5 per person 6 years old and up. All proceeds of the day to benefit the educational programming at the Historic Village at Allaire!
This Christmas and Holiday Craft Show with Historic Demonstrations throughout the village will feature local artists demonstrating their work. Paintings, pottery, textiles, and more! There will be craft demonstrations at the Carpenter, Blacksmith, and Tinsmith shops! General Store, Bakery, Food Truck - Pilsen Gourmet will be open throughout the day!
It includes over 80 crafters, Allaire artisans, floral exhibits, historic demonstrations, and more.


Holiday Wine Fest
November 13 & 14, 2021
Six Flags Great Adventure
1 Six Flags Blvd.
Jackson, NJ
Tickets - All tickets MUST be pre-purchased online
This event features a sampling from 14 New Jersey wineries, get a head start on your holiday shopping and enjoy a tasty treat from our Holiday Feast!
Holiday Wine Fest event ticket plus a Theme Park Admission or Season Pass/Membership is required by all guests to access the festival.


Magic of Lights at PNC Bank Arts Center
November 13th - January 2nd, 2022; Sunday - Thursday 5pm - 10 pm. Friday - Saturday 5pm - 11pm.m.
PNC Bank Arts Center
Exit 116
Garden State Parkway
Holmdel, NJ
Website/Tickets
This popular Holiday event features more than a mile of festival and vibrant light displays celebrating the joy of the holidays. Experience the drive-through from the comfort of your car! At every turn, and in every direction, the magical route is overflowing with spectacular light displays and animations. Multiple holiday themes come to life with hundreds of sparking lights.


New Jersey Vegan Food Festival
Saturday & Sunday Nov 13, 14, 2021
Meadowlands Exposition Center
355 Plaza Drive
Secaucus, NJ
Tickets
Cost: $15 – $30, Kids 13 & under are free
This event features a two-day celebration with yummy vegan and plant-based meals from local chefs, as well as vegan products, plant-based fashion, live music and good times. All welcome!
Bring a printed copy of your Vaccine Card, Vaccine Record, or Negative COVID-19 test along with your ID


Thanksgiving Celebration- Big House Ceremony
November 17, 2021: 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Schiff Nature Preserve
339 Pleasant Valley Rd
Mendham, NJ
973-543-6004
Website/Registration
Cost: $10 – $15
This event features an afternoon filled with fun, friendships and adventure as we walk the steps of the indigenous people who lived here long ago whose culture and customs closely followed the rhythms of nature, and they too celebrated this post-harvest time of year with a "Big House Ceremony" which had several characteristics very similar to our Thanksgiving traditions!
Visit the LENAPE! Shelter building, animal tracking, making coil clay pots and playing games Lenape children played are just a few of the many things children will enjoy as we discover the Lenape way of life! This is a drop-off program for children ages 5-10 (K-4th)


South Jersey Holiday Lights Show
Selected nights from November 18 until December 30, 2021; Opens at 5pm
Bridgeport Speedway
83 Flood Gate Rd
Swedesboro, NJ 08085
(856) 213-2838
Website
The South Jersey Holiday Light Show is the only drive-through holiday light spectacular in Southern New Jersey! Featuring dozens of dazzling, larger-than-life holiday themed displays to delight the entire family! Visitors are welcomed to bundle up in their car, pack a favorite snack or beverage and tune their radio to enjoy the synced light performance as they travel the more than 1 mile route through the holiday light show!
The show is approximately 20-25 minutes long.


An Old Fashioned Christmas in Cape May
November 19, 2021 – January 2, 2022 (Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas )
Cape May, NJ
Website
This seaside town is transformed into a Dickens village for the holidays with garlands of fragrant greens and twinkling gaslights. Wrap yourself in the warmth of holiday spirit and sample a variety of fun tours and events.


Smithville Holiday Light Show On The Lake
From Thanksgiving, every Thursday-Sunday until in January 6th, 2022; 5:30pm- 8:30pm (Free event)
Historical Smithville
615 E. Moss Mill Rd.
Smithville, NJ 08205
Website
609-748-8999
Over 120 Christmas Trees made from over 50,000 Christmas lights, magically float on Lake Meone in the center of Historic Smithville. The moment darkness falls, an orchestrated show of lights and music is played out across the lake. The lights seem to dance and chase each other to the music all the while reflecting of the water's surface. This show can be seen from either side of the village as well as the bridge.


Skylands Christmas Light Show & Christmas Village
November 24th until January 9th, 2022
Skylands Stadium
94 Championship Pl.
Augusta, NJ 07822
Website
973-383-7644
Cost:
Light Show: $29 per carload (all tickets to be purchased at drive-thru entrance or box office, there are no online ticket sales) Save $3! Buy Advance Sale tickets at the box office (Monday–Thursday, 9–2 PM)
Outdoor Village: FREE admission
With more than two million dazzling lights on a mile-long drive-through course PLUS a new outdoor village, it's a must-see holiday attraction for your whole family.
Christmas Joy is coming back to Sussex County…Bigger, and Better than Ever. This Winter, Skylands Stadium will be Dazzled with Lights on a Mile Long Drive-Thru course that now goes ON THE FIELD. Plus a NEW & EXPANDED Outdoor Village & Winter Carnival. It's a Must-See Holiday Attraction for the Whole Family. The event is Safe, Spacious, and Distanced.


Annual Beach Bonfire Beach
Friday, November 26, 2021 - 6:00pm to 9:00pm
On the Beach
Bradley Beach, NJ
Website
Always such a great time filled with friends and community!


Dickens' Days
November 26th - 28th, 2021
Main St.
Clinton, NJ
908-730-8800
Website
This annual family event will transform Clinton into a Victorian Village. Take a trip back in time to Victorian Clinton and celebrate the season with Clinton's festive activities including horse and carriage rides, carolers, and more! There is no better place to experience the magic of the season than downtown Clinton during Dickens Days!


Polar Express
Trips run November 26, 27,28 December 3,4,5,10,11,12,13,17,18,19, 2021: Friday 6 & 8 pm, Saturday 2,4,6, & 8 pm, Sunday 2,4,6 pm
Lehigh Junction
99 Elizabeth St.
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
877-872-4674
Website
Cost: Child $32.00 ( ages 2 to 12), Adult $42.00
Train Ride departs from Lehigh Junction located in the Historic Main Street area of Phillipsburg. On the train you will re-live the experience of the little boy in The Polar Express. The story focuses on a little boy who has been told by his friends that there is no Santa Claus. Unwilling to believe this, he lies awake in his bed on Christmas Eve, waiting for the sound of Santa's sleigh. Instead, he hears the hissing steam and squeaking metal of the Polar Express as it stops outside his window, ready to take him and other children to the North Pole. During your ride you will listen to this wonderful story, every child will be served hot chocolate and cookies Families are encouraged to wear their pajamas for the ride and join in on the magic of Christmas.


Greenberg's Great Train & Toy Show
November 27-28, 2021; 10am-4pm
New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center
97 Sunfield Ave
Edison, NJ
Website
Adult Admission is $11 Saturday or $10 Sunday (on-site ticket sales cash only) Kids 11 and under are admitted free 
This show Features Hundreds of Tables of Trains for Sale Exhibitors from Across the Country Huge Operating Model Train Displays Including: Free Workshops and Demonstrations Free Test Track – Test Run Your Trains at the Show On-Site Train Repairs Free Door Prize Giveaways Plus Much More! Adult Admission is $11 Saturday or $10 Sunday (on-site ticket sales cash only)


 

Seasonal Frequently Asked Question:

Question: We need to be in Atlantic City for a business trade show during the winter off season and since we are not Casino people, we would like to take the kids with us. Are there activities or things for kids to do the AC?

Answer: Atlantic City is becoming a family destination with plenty of year round activities and things to do for kids. Some of the popular Winter kids things to do are:
Atlantic City Aquarium - Get to see  more than 100 species of fish and other marine creatures.
The Marine Mammal Center - Located in neighboring Brigantine. They are an organization that rescues, rehabilitates and releases sick and injured marine mammals and sea turtles that wash ashore on NJ beaches.
Haunted Tales - On the Boardwalk. This is a  ghostly Adventure with a special effects theatre where people can get to hear about the Jersey Devil and  pirates who still haunt the Jersey shore.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! - Located on the  Boardwalk. Exhibits a collection of weird and unusual relics and rare treasures.
IMAX Theater. Located at the Tropicana.  Has a 5-1/2 story screen with the newest  Hollywood  films and IMAX 3D releases.
Family Fun Station - Located in the Tropicana. An arcade with lots of games and prizes.
Placade Amusements. Located on the Boardwalk. Open daily, year round.  An arcade with a huge selection of games and prizes.
Skate Zone - Located on North Albany Ave. Offers public ice skating and rental skates
Rainforest Café - Located in the trump Plaza hotel. It’s a great place to eat with kids. A tropical rain forest with cascading waterfalls, lush vegetation,  animated wildlife and live tropical fish. They have a kids menu with a special treat for dessert!
For More information, visit Atlantic City Kids Activities


This Months Featured Restaurant

Faubourg
Montclair, NJ
Website
One of the best French Restaurants in New Jersey. Faubourg is a trendy, Bi-Level French Brasserie with a NYC vibe, and an executive chef and management team with impressive credentials.
Read Review


Top Ten Things To Do in November - The popular NJ seasonal outdoor and indoor activities, events, attractions, and points of interest for people of all ages.

The Best Thanksgiving Themed Events in New Jersey - Your guide to Thanksgiving in New Jersey: Popular Holiday celebrations and things to do

Your Guide To The Best Holiday Dining Restaurants In New Jersey- Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years


Monthly Events - This page has links to events that appear in future months, usually 3-4 months in advance. The Monthly newsletter that you are receiving includes many of the events found on the pages

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