12 Fun Events That’ll Get You Outdoors

Enjoy the fresh air and festivities at these family-friendly events.

After what feels like a long stretch of hot-then-cold-then-hot-again weather, we’re finally ready for a weekend that gets us outdoors—for good. The first full weekend of June is packed with open-air fun, from community festivals and 5Ks to live music and family activities.

Whether you’re looking for a laid-back afternoon stroll, a lively neighborhood celebration or something new to explore with the kids, there’s no shortage of reasons to fill your calendar. Grab your sunglasses, charge your phone for photos and take advantage of one of the most event-filled weekends of the season.

June 5

• Bring blankets, chairs and all your friends to Old Tappan’s Stone Point Park for Movies Under the Stars. A special, free screening of Zootopia 2 will start at sunset. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.

June 6

• Start the day off with a good stretch in the morning air at Yoga for the Soul. The ongoing series takes place at 9 a.m. on the fifth level of the Bergen Town Center parking garage. The session is free—just bring your own yoga mat and water!
• Want to get out on the water for a little fun and exercise? Commemorate National Learn to Row Day at the Bergen County Rowing Center in Lyndhurst, where the Passaic River Rowing Association will be holding free programming from 9 a.m. to noon. Learn and master how to get in and out of a boat and then practice rowing on the water with instructors. Participants must be age 11 and older.
• Join the entire community for Ridgewood’s Pride Celebration & Marketplace, happening from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. The day will feature vendors, live performances and guest speakers as well as a flag-raising ceremony at 1 p.m. The free event is open to all. Click here to read about more Pride events in Bergen County.
• Meet Stew Leonard’s mascot Stewie the Duck at Family Fun Day at the Farm, a fund-raiser event at Demarest Farms in Hillsdale. Stop by from noon to 5 p.m. for barbecue, live music, a petting zoo, hay and pony rides, children’s games and activities and more. Proceeds will benefit the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, which provides free swim lessons for underprivileged children.
• Show off your soccer spirit at the NJ Eye and Ear Family Cup & Festival, scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. at the Henry Hoebel area of Overpeck Park in Leonia. The day will include free soccer tournaments for children and adults (register your team online), kids’ games and activities, prizes and raffles, food trucks and more. 
• Learn more about New Jersey’s native plants during Prickly and Poisonous: A Sinister Garden Walk at Lorrimer Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes. The guided tour to take visitors along the center’s trails, which are lined with plants like foxglove, bleeding heart, nightshade and others with toxic properties. The program starts at 1:30 p.m. and is intended for nature lovers of all ages. 
• The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford isn’t just about horses. Stop by at 6 p.m. for the annual Wiener Dog Derby and watch the cute and hilarious puppies run around the park. There will be 11 dog races total throughout the night (the pups run on a short grassy area), each scheduled around the harness horse races.

June 7

• Ditch the car and lace up your sneakers for the George Washington Bridge Challenge, a run across the GWB. There are 5K and 10K options. Both races begin at the GWB Administration Building in Fort Lee and end at the Ross Dock along the Hudson River. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. The 5K begins at 7:45, followed by the 10K at 8.
• Want to cross the finish line with your dog? The 28th annual Tenafly 5K Run and Dog Walk takes place at Tenafly Middle School and will also feature a dog parade, Tiger Cub races, a 1-mile fun run, awards and prizes and a Family Health & Fitness Fair. Proceeds benefit the Tenafly Education Foundation. Races will begin at 9 a.m.
• The annual Hasbrouck Heights Spring Fling Street Fair and Food Truck Fest takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Boulevard. The family-friendly festival will have more than 100 vendors, food trucks, live music, a kids’ zone, a beer garden and plenty of fun. 
• Find your next treasure at Crafts in the Park, a free event at Veterans Park in Westwood. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can browse the works by more than 125 arts and crafts exhibitors, enjoy festival food and play games and other activities. 

Share your favorite photos from the weekend with us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.