12 Fun Ways To Soak Up Summer

Before fall takes over the calendar, check out these family-friendly events and enjoy the best of the season.
Cheryl De Leon,
1 Soak Up Summer

The unofficial countdown to fall is on—but not so fast! Before backpacks are packed, calendars fill up and summer Fridays become a distant memory, Bergen County has one more weekend to make the most of the season.

So grab the crew, round up the kids, call your friends and squeeze a little more fun out of August. From music and markets to family-friendly outings and reasons to get outside, there’s still time to make a few more summer memories.

Consider this your nudge to say yes to one more adventure, one more late night and maybe one more ice cream run. Summer isn’t over just yet!

Aug. 28

  • Enjoy the talent of local musicians during downtown Ridgewood’s Music in the Night program, which starts around 7 p.m. Area artists will perform in spots along East Ridgewood Avenue as you and your crew stroll the sidewalks, browse shops and dine at restaurants. Be sure to stop at Memorial Park in Van Neste Square to soak up the evening’s ambience.
  • Make new friends, eat delicious food and enjoy two hours of play during Montclair Pickleball’s Pickleball & Pizza event. If you’re an advanced beginner/intermediate player, visit the organization’s center in Fair Lawn from 8 to 10 p.m. for rotating open play. Register online.

Aug. 28–30

  • For great food and lots of fun, head over to American Dream in East Rutherford for the Saborland Food Festival. New Jersey’s largest Latin cuisine festival will have more than 100 food vendors, rides, games, family entertainment, live music and more. Buy your tickets online.

Aug. 29

  • Start your morning with a stretch in the fresh air during a free Pilates mat class in Edgewater’s Veterans Field Park. The 9:30 a.m. session takes place in the park’s great lawn and is led by an instructor from Club Pilates in Edgewater. Attendees should bring their own mat.
  • Drive over to Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan for Cars & Coffee. From 10 a.m. to noon, the school lot will be filled with modern exotics, classics, trucks, motorcycles and more. Register your vehicle for $20, or stop by to see the cars for free.
  • Watch a classic on the big screen when the Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee presents All the President’s Men at 4 p.m. The 1976 film stars Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, who portray Washington Post reporters as they uncover the details of the Watergate scandal. Tickets are available online and at the box office.
  • Chow down on tasty barbecue and other foods during the BBQ Extravaganza at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford. Dozens of local barbecue vendors will be grilling, smoking and serving their best brisket, chicken, ribs and more while competing for prizes. The event takes place from 5 to 11 p.m. and is free to attend.
  • Dig your feet into the sand and listen to the sounds of Spare Roots, who’ll perform at Wyckoff YMCA’s Spring Lake at 6 p.m. Part of the Y’s Band on the Sand series, the free concert features Spare Roots’ original rock, folk and funk tunes. Bring your beach chairs, blankets, snacks and friends!

Aug. 30

  • A relaxing day awaits at the Tenafly Nature Center, which is holding paddle sessions on Pfister’s Pond. Visitors can take a 25-minute paddle along the pond and see turtles, fish, frogs and other wildlife from a different perspective. Reservations include one boat for up to four people as well as life jackets. Multiple times are available.
  • Immerse yourself in nature during the Bergen County Audubon Society’s Late August Walk through the Teaneck Creek Conservatory. Stop by at 10 a.m. for a two-hour guided walk to spot birds, insects and other wildlife. Birders of all levels are welcome. Registration is recommended, but the rain-or-shine event is free. Contact BCAS President Don Torino for more information.
  • Get ready to dance, dine and ogle cool cars at the annual Mahwah Food Truck Festival and Car Show. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., enjoy live music, family fun, amazing bites, a beer garden (for 21+) and memorable vehicles all in one place. Admission is free, food and drinks are extra.
  • Bergen County Parks Department continues its Music at the Barn series at 4 p.m., when Jonny Rosch & Friends perform at the Wortendyke Barn Museum in Park Ridge. The free concert spotlights the performers’ rock and soul music. Attendees should bring chairs, blankets, picnics and all their friends and family to the rain-or-shine show.

Where will you enjoy this weekend? Share your favorite photos with us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.

 

Categories: Bergen Health & Life