Weekend Family Fun: Carnival, Scavenger Hunts, Dog Show, Scandinavian Festival

Labor Day Weekend! It’s the unofficial end to summer, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. There’s still plenty to do before the kiddos head back to school (and we don’t just mean gathering those sharpened #2 pencils!). Check out some of the family-friendly activities going on around town and beyond.

The Boonton Fire Department will host a Labor Day Carnival this weekend at Boonton High School (306 Lathrop Avenue, Boonton). Hours are 6:00 PM to 11:59 PM on Friday and 3:00 PM to 11:59 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy live music, rides, games, and food all weekend long. There will also be fireworks on Sunday at 10:00 PM. Ride wristbands are available on Friday and Sunday. On Saturday at 1:30 PM, the Department will celebrate their 127^th anniversary with a parade along Main Street.

On Sunday, the 34^th Annual Scandinavian Festival will be held at Vasa Park (1 Wolfe Road, Budd Lake) from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Celebrate Scandinavian culture with food, music, and games. There will also be face painting, crafts, and other activities for children. Tickets are $11 if purchased in advance online and $14 on site. Admission is free for those in authentic folk dress and children under age 12.

Barnes & Noble at Clifton Commons (395 Route 3 East, Clifton) will host Storytime and Activities Featuring Pig the Fibber on Saturday at 11:00 AM. Pig the Pug gets Trevor the dog in trouble so he can enjoy the snacks on his own, but then gets more than he bargained for when a bowling ball rolls in. Stop in for storytime and get a coupon from the Café for a grilled cheese sandwich with milk or juice for $4! Activities to follow.

Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit) will host free Saturday Tours of the Arboretum at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult and strollers are not allowed. Tours begin at the Visitors Center. No reservation is required but they are first come-first served, and group size is limited.

Also on Saturday, Michaels of Clifton (348 Route 3 West, Riverfront Center, Clifton) will host a Kids Club Adorable Hedgehog workshop from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Children between the ages of 3 and 8 can make a quick project. Sign up in store or online, or just drop in. Parent or guardian must remain on premises. Cost is $2 per child and includes supplies. A similar workshop is available for children ages 6 and up at the same time, with a cost of $5 per person.  )

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morris Twp.) will host two events on Saturday. First up is Hitch a Ride from 10:15 PM to 12:00 PM on Saturday. Enjoy a leisurely open-air wagon ride around the historic farm and visit the animals, too! Cost is $6 per adult, $5 per senior, $4 per child age 4-16, $2 per child age 2-3, and free for children under age 2. Next is Go With the Flow at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Venture into the woods to learn how streams are important to the farm. See what amazing aquatic life calls streams home. Cost is $6 per adult, $5 per senior, $4 per child age 4-16, $2 per child age 2-3, and free for children under age 2.

From 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Sunday at Pyramid Mountain (472 Boonton Avenue, Intersection of Mars Court and Boonton Avenue, Montville), enjoy Nature Adventures. View monarch butterflies in the native plant garden and take a walk in search of wildlife. Cost is $3 per person. Preregistration is required by calling 973.334.3130. This activity is for children ages 6 and up.

On both Saturday and Sunday, Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp) will host Family Photo Scavenger Hunts. Families are welcome to participate any time between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Grab a camera or a phone and stop by the Hagerty Education Center for a nature photo scavenger hunt and win a prize. Scavenger lists change every month and September’s theme is “Mellow Yellow” Cost is $10 per family; cash only. Exact change requested.

On Sunday, Historic Speedwell (333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown) will host Scavenger Hunt Sunday: Communication: Staying in the Loop from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Follow the clues around the site and discover how our abilities to get information to one another have changed over the last 150 years. Cost is $5 per adult, $4 per senior, $3 per child age 4-16, and free for children under age 4.

The Sussex Hills Kennel Club will host an all-breed dog show on Sunday at the Mennen Sports Arena (161 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp.) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This is a junior showmanship event and handlers are between the ages of 9 and 18, making this a fun event for children! Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children.

The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Blvd, Chatham Twp.) will host Trail Treasure Hunt on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Enjoy a seasonal nature scavenger hunt where families work together to follow clues and find the answers to nature riddles along the trails. Cost is $2 per person ages 3 and up. Preregistration is required by calling 973.635.6629.

Sundays are for families at the Rubin Museum (150 West 17^th Street, NYC). Drop into the Education Center between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM for some art-making, enjoy the 2:00 PM family exhibition tour, and go on your own thematic gallery search. August’s theme is Future Figures. Dive into artist Chitra Ganesh’s fantastical exhibitions Face of the Future and The Scorpion Gesture by creating a poster of movable, futuristic figures. Ganesh reimagines how science fiction, mythology, and storytelling intersect. Inspired by the artist’s brilliant color palette and graphic animation style, bring to life the characters in your imagination by animating them with movable joints.

For more upcoming events, check out Baristanet Calendar.