Halloween Fun All Day Long

Make the most of this spooky Saturday with these happenings for kids, grown-ups and everyone in between.

Halloween on a Saturday? Now that’s a treat! With the holiday falling on a weekend this year, there’s no need to squeeze all the fun into a few hours after school or work. From daytime festivities and family-friendly activities to spooky nighttime adventures and scary-good houses, there are plenty of ways to make Oct. 31 a full day of Halloween excitement.

Whether you’re planning a costume-filled outing with the kids, gathering your friends for a festive night out or simply looking for an excuse to embrace the spooky season, Bergen has you covered. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening around the county on Halloween:

Daytime fun

• Celebrate Halloween at Abma’s Farm, where you can take a scenic hayride to the pumpkin patch, greet the animals at the petting zoo, sip cider and plenty more. Tickets are required for a fall hayride and can be purchased online.
• Alfred Hitchcock might’ve made us suspicious of crows, but the corvids actually are smart, loyal birds. See them as well as many migrating sparrows, warblers, raptors and other feathered friends at New Jersey Audubon’s Halloween Bird Walk. Register for the free event, scheduled for 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Celery Farm in Allendale. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing and bring your Halloween spirit.
• Don your favorite costume and a pair of running sneakers and line up for the NJ Halloween Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, all taking place at Overpeck Park in Ridgefield Park. Register online or in person at the event. The half kicks off at 9:30 a.m., following by the 10K at 9:40 and the 5K at 9:45.
• Dress up and do the Monster Mash at Bergen Town Center’s Halloween Party, taking place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Paramus mall. Start your Halloween with face painting, balloon artists, arts and crafts and plenty of trick-or-treating.
• Bergenfield is holding its Halloween Children’s Costume Parade down Washington Avenue at 11:30 a.m. (register your child by 11 a.m.). The festivities will be followed by trunk-or-treating from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
• Head to American Dream in East Rutherford for the annual Halloween Party – Parade & Costume Contest. The festivities take place from 3 to 6 p.m.; come dressed in your favorite costume and prepare for an afternoon of fun, photos, trick-or-treating and the “Characters of the Dream” costume parade.

Evening attractions 

• After a day of trick-or-treating, head over to Demarest Farms in Hillsdale for the final night of its Halloween Light Show. The program features 32 acres of drive-through Halloween light displays. Remember to stop by the farm store for sweet treats before or after the drive. Book your timeslot online.
• Test your wits at the Ridgewood Halloween Maze, a free outdoor attraction at 124 Sheridan Ter. in Ridgewood. For more than 20 years, this backyard maze has provided Halloween thrills, chills and laughs for all its visitors.
• For a little big screen scare, head over to the Williams Center in Rutheford, which is holding a 5:15 p.m. showing of Night of the Living Dead. The classic 1968 horror flick tells the story of a group of strangers that barricades itself inside a farmhouse as a herd of undead beings starts walking again. Tickets are available online.
• If you enjoy spooky stories, check out Tales of the Macabre at the Kearney House in Palisades Interstate Park. Stop by from 8 to 10 p.m. and listen to works by Edgar Allan Poe while you sip cider and sample donuts. Reservations can be made online, or tickets can be purchased at the door (cash only).
• Five Dimes Brewery in Westwood goes all out with its Halloween Costume Party. Starting at 7:30 p.m., you’ll enjoy live music by The Exits, a costume contest (complete with prizes), great beer and better vibes.
• For an outdoor scare-fest, check out Pantophobia’s Haunted Attraction, The Wrath of Cyrus Grain: Terror on the Trail. The Halloween trail is a 1-mile walking path at Darlington Park in Mahwah that includes live actors and scream-worthy scene. Timeslots begin at 8 p.m.
• Rock out and show off your Halloween costume during a Halloween Party with Rubber Duckie Riot at Mahwah’s Mason Jar. The fun starts at 8 p.m. with the costume contest (prizes in four categories), which will be followed by a performance featuring Rubber Duckie Riot.
• Looking for laughs and plot twists? The Bergen County Players is staging Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors at 8 p.m. The story includes a flamboyant vampire, over-the-top tunes and mile-a-minute jokes that will have you rolling in the aisles. If you can’t make in on Halloween night, don’t fret—BCP is performing the show through Nov. 14.

Share your favorite Halloween photos with us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.