Happy Father’s Day Weekend! This is the perfect time to celebrate Dad and all the dad figures out there. Whether you’re hanging with Pop or just looking for something fun to do with the kiddos, we’ve got you covered! Check out these family-friendly events.
Prudential Center (25 Lafayette Street, Newark) will present Cirque Du Soleil Corteo this weekend. Performances will be Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 1:00 PM. Corteo, the most enchanting arena production from Cirque du Soleil is back in New Jersey and heading to Newark, set to charm audiences for the very first time. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, first premiered in Montreal under the Big Top in April 2005. Since its creation, the show has amazed over 10 million spectators, in 20 countries, on 4 continents. Tickets start at $65.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morristown) will host Sensory Friendly Saturday on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Visit Fosterfields for the new Sensory Friendly Saturdays. This event is designed to be less overwhelming to those with sensory sensitivities. This hour-long program allows families to come to the farm and enjoy the open, quiet spaces with no crowds. The cost is $5 per person. Register online.
Macculloch Hall (45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown) will host At Your Own Pace: A Sensory-Friendly Tour on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. For families and care partners with neurodiverse children and teens – experience the historic house with plenty to touch and time for questions and explore the new garden sensory pathway through sight, sound, touch, and smell. This activity is free to members and with museum admission. No appointment is needed.
City Green (171 Grove Street, Clifton) will host Open Saturday at the Farm Eco-Center on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. City Green will be open to the public for visitation and passive recreation. Visit the animals, explore the farm and gardens, or stop by the Learning Farm for educational activities. This is not a formal event, just an opportunity to visit the farm. This month’s theme will be “All About Insects.” Open activities will include nature crafts, scavenger hunts, and environmental activities that will look at the world of bugs on the City Green Farm. RSVP online.
Newark Museum of Art (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host June Family Saturdays on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Enjoy a day of fun science activities for the whole family. Activities include a MakerSPACE, Planetarium shows, Creative Play, a Science Drop-In, and a Family Drop-In. Visit the website for a full schedule and descriptions of each session. Reserve tickets online. This event is free with general admission.
The Glen Ridge Public Library (240 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge) will host a LEGO Day on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. They have the LEGOs, so you just need to bring your creativity. Duplos for younger children are also provided.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Kids in the Wild: Leave No Trace on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Get into the woods, learn different outdoor skills, meet other like-minded kids, and build confidence. In this session, participants will discover ways we can travel lightly on the trails and make little impact while hiking and camping. The cost is $10 per child. Preregistration is required.
The Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey (400 Fred Wehran Drive, Teterboro) will host Open Cockpit Day on Saturday from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Visitors will have the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a very rare Lockheed Bushmaster plane, a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter, and a M*A*S*H Bell 47 Helicopter. There will be various other aircraft and vehicles to see as well. Admission is $20 for adults, $12 for seniors 65+ and children 3-11. Children 2 and under are free.
Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit) will host Free Saturday Tours at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. Free guided tours of the Arboretum take place Saturdays at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm from May 6 through October 7. Tours begin at the Visitors Center. No reservations are required, and tours are on a first-come, first-served basis for individuals who would like to learn more about the current season’s highlights. Limit of 10 people per tour. Anyone under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No groups. Tours last approximately 30 minutes.
The Cooper Gristmill (66 Route 24, Chester) will host Industrial Crafts Day on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Enjoy early industrial crafts demonstrations by a tinsmith, tin piercers, a blacksmith, weavers, and spinners. Crafters will have items for sale. The last admission is 3:00 PM. The cost is $5 per person.
Mayo Performing Arts Center (100 South Street, Morristown) will present Disney Junior Live Costume Palooza on Saturday at 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM. The three-time Pollstar nominated Disney Junior tour is back with Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza! This show brings beloved Disney Junior characters and favorite Marvel Super Heroes live on stage for a jam-packed, concert-style show with singing, dancing, acrobatics, and more. It will feature favorite songs from hit Disney Junior series, as well as new original music. Mickey, Minnie, and their pals are getting ready to throw a huge costume party, but mysterious green rain, wind, and smoke keeps interrupting the fun. Can Spidey and his Amazing Friends help save the Costume Palooza? Come join the party and see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Doc McStuffins, the Puppy Dog Pals, Bo from Firebuds, Ginny from SuperKitties, and Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends LIVE on stage! Tickets are $39-$194.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Pond Life Exploration on Saturday from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Come explore the amazing creatures that live in the pond mud! The focus will be on the bugs, snails, and worms that often get overlooked, and participants will dig in the mud and take a closer look at them. This activity is for children ages 5-9. The cost is $7 per child. Preregistration is required.
Bloomfield Public Library (90 Broad Street, Bloomfield) will host a Free Outdoor Concert: Trop Rock with Gary P on Saturday from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Gary P: Singer/musician Gary began performing at the age of 6. He began his music career playing with various rock bands in the 60’s and 70’s in the Tri-State. Gary has performed with many top artists including Harry Chapin, Ben E King, Darlene Love, Jason Mraz, Rob Thomas and Don McLean. He has performed in the U.S. from New England to Key West on such stages as The Count Basie Theater & NJPac and in Ireland, Scotland & Italy on tour. Gary plays all genres of music but is known for playing a style known as Trop Rock, a combination of Rock, Southern Rock, and Country music all with a Tropical feel, he covers numerous artists from the 1950s-through current artists with an engaging voice along with charming stage presence. This concert is in the courtyard. Please bring your own seating.
Newark Museum of Art (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host June Family Sundays on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Enjoy a day of fun activities for the whole family at Newark Museum of Art. Activities include MakerSpace and Family Drop-In: Bleep, Bloop Beep, where kids can design a cardboard robot. Visit the website for timing and descriptions. This activity is included with general admission.
Montclair History Center will host a Guided House Tour: Eyewitness to Black History on Sunday from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Crane House & Historic YWCA (110 Orange Road, Montclair). Explore 200 years of Black history in Montclair and New Jersey through rare first-hand accounts, primary and secondary source documents at the Crane House & Historic YWCA. Artifacts include a bill of sale for an enslaved person in the household, an 1800s newspaper, an 1840s New York Knickerbocker magazine, census data, personal letters, oral histories, and mid-century Jet and Ebony magazines. These artifacts provide a springboard for discussion about race both in the past and in the present day. Tours begin at 12:00pm, 1:00pm, and 2:00 PM at the little red Nathaniel Crane House & Visitor Center located at the back of the parking lot. No reservations are needed. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors with ID, $8 for children 2 and up. Children under 2 and MHC members are free.
The Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association (523 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood) will host Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The free event will feature historical reenactors, musical performances, and children’s activities such as face painting, crafts, and storytelling. Pre-registration is appreciated.
Turtle Back Zoo (560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange) will host Tycoon Dog on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Tycoon Dog is an eclectic NYC-based band that blends memorable original tunes with improv, touching on a wide variety of vibes from rock to blues, hillbilly country to funk, jazz to reggae, and world music to sonic landscapes. Featuring musicians Scott Bailey (vocals & guitar), Tanya Holt and Kimara Lovelace (vocals & percussion), Joe Piteo (drums), Nate Stevens (bass), and Ken Sidotti (keys), the band has earned excellent press and radio play in numerous markets (see below), and has years of experience pleasing crowds of nearly every age and demographic group. This all-ages concert is included with zoo admission.
State Theatre New Jersey (15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick) will present Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour on Sunday at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Blippi is coming to New Brunswick for the ultimate curiosity adventure in Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour! So, come on! Dance, sing, and learn with Blippi and special guest Meekah as they discover what makes different cities unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready to shake those wiggles out and OJ Twist your way through this brand-new musical party! Tickets are $29-$79.
New Jersey Botanical Garden will host Family Woodland Hike on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Join NJBG hike leaders on an easy, child-friendly hike in the Garden’s woodlands, where you’ll learn a bit about the plants and animals around you in a hike designed to fit the group. This activity is free.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Father’s Day Geocaching on Sunday from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM for children ages 7 and up with an adult. Geocaching is a great outdoor activity for families. Learn how to use a GPS unit or geocaching app along with a map to locate hidden treasures, called “caches” along the trails. All materials are provided. The cost is $12 per person. Preregistration is required.
Field Station: Dinosaurs is back for another season at Overpeck Park (3 Overpeck Driveway, Leonia). The attraction is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM every weekend through June 25. It will also be open on Memorial Day. Field Station: Dinosaurs is a world-class family attraction that combines cutting-edge science with the creative minds of great artists to create a one-of-a-kind experience that’s thrilling, educational, and fun. Explore scenic trails, featuring over 30 moving and roaring life-size animatronic dinosaurs! Discover the story and science of Dinosaurs with live shows, games, and activities every day. Laugh with our fearless dinosaur wranglers and come face to face with The Mighty T-Rex.
Morris Museum (6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown) will host Spark!Lab on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Spark!Lab offers any child ages 5-12 (and accompanied by an adult), a new informal approach to hands-on learning. Created by the Smithsonian, Spark!Lab ignites kids’ ingenuity with fun, hands-on challenges. Instead of following instructions, kids tap into their natural creativity to tackle engineering and design challenges in Spark!Lab’s projects stations. Specially designed for our youngest inventors (Ages 1-4), Spark!Lab’s new Young Inventor Space features a train and an exploration table filled with unique tools to spark creativity and learning.