5 Festivals That Celebrate Harvest Season In Bergen County

Enjoy seasonal crops, kids’ activities and more fall fun at these October harvest festivals.

It’s harvest season here in New Jersey, when autumn crops like squash, potatoes and apples are in full bloom and ripe for the picking. But you don’t need to be a literal farmer to take part in harvesting. Here in Bergen County, there are a handful of harvest festivals that the whole family can enjoy which focus on the bountiful produce available to us in October, but also celebrate the season as a whole.

Here’s a list of a few coming up that are worth adding to your family’s busy fall calendar:

Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fair Lawn. See how New Jerseyans celebrated harvest season in the 1800s at Garretson Forge & Farm’s Fall Festival. This free event will feature costume reenactments, a cooking demo, kids’ crafts, a tour of the gardens and produce available for purchase.

Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Demarest. Located at the Duck Pond in Demarest, the Oktoberfest Fall Festival has it all—food, drinks, canoe rides, birdhouse building, square dancing, as well as local crafters and farmers. Proceeds from some of the booths will support the Demarest Nature Center.

Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Ringwood. Just outside Bergen County (in Passaic County) is Ringwood, home to the New Jersey Botanical Garden (NJBG). The NJBG Harvest Fest features pumpkin painting, kids’ games, craft vendors, walking tours of the gardens and live music. The ‘harvest’ part of the festival comes in with applesauce-making, as well as shopping opportunities for autumn flowers and plants. Admission is free; parking is $5.

Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Woodcliff Lake. Tice’s Corner will be bustling with activity at their Fall Harvest Festival, which will be packed with activities such as trick-or-treating, a costume contest, a bounce house, balloon artists and seasonal treats such as apple cider. General admission is free.

Oct. 21-22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Montvale. Join The Farm at The Shoppes at DePiero’s Farm for their Fall Harvest Festival 2023, a tradeshow hosted by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association. Enjoy dozens of booths and crafters with homemade food and goodies. Admission is free.

Which harvest festival is on your radar this month? Tell us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.