33 Free New Jersey Events for December 2021

Brace yourself, Winter is here! The holiday season is in full swing and we are sooooo excited!  Is your favorite four-letter word FREE? Of course, it is! Good thing there’s plenty of free, fun entertainment going on in NJ all month long in December. Be sure to put these free events on your calendar.

For more events throughout 2021, click here.

If you’d like to submit your event, click here.

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Bell Works Fresh Farmers & Makers Holiday Market
December 1, 4, 8 , 11, 15, 18, 22, Wednesdays 11AM – 4PM, Saturdays 4PM – 9PM
A farmers and makers market is always a great opportunity to bond with the kids and expose them to new things. Shop over 20 local farmers, artists, and food makers. Your littles will love to watch the food demos, play the many kids activities, and visit the animal rescue.
Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Holmdel, NJ

Smithville Village’s Holiday Light Show
Now – January 3, 2022 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM)
Watch in wonderment as over 100 Christmas trees magically float on lake Meone and light up to the music around you.  It is an orchestrated show of lights and music played out across the lake.
​​615 East Moss Mill Road, Galloway, NJ

South Orange Open-Air Holiday Market
December 2, 9, 16 & 23, 1PM – 6PM
South Orange Village Center Alliance and Investors Bank present an outdoor shopping experience this Holiday season featuring local SOMA retailers and many of the area’s finest local artisans and craftspeople selling finely crafted jewelry, apparel, accessories, art, and gift items. The market will feature holiday music and seasonal treats creating a festive & fun holiday experience in downtown South Orange.
Sloan Street Parking Lot, South Orange, NJ

Collingswood Menorah Lighting and Parade of Lights
December 2 and 3
On December 2, be a part of a Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration at the Lumberyard Garden and enjoy an evening of fun for the whole family with music, latkes, donuts, dreidels, and choco-gelt. The next day, the annual Parade of Lights will kick off with fire trucks and floats strung in glittering lights to usher in the holiday season.
Menorah Lighting – Collings and North Atlantic Avenues, Collingswood, NJ
Parade of Lights – Best viewing spot, Park Avenue, Collingswood, NJ

Downtown Toms River Tree Lighting
December 3, 5PM – 7PM
Live entertainment begins at 5pm. Santa arrives on the fire truck at 7pm to light the tree. Photos with Santa will follow the tree lighting in Town Hall. Hot Chocolate & cookies for sale to benefit Volunteer Toms River Fire Co. #1. Downtown restaurants and businesses will be open.
33 Washington St, Toms River, NJ

Holiday on Haddon Township Festival
December 3, 7PM
Santa Claus is coming to town during Haddon Township’s annual “Holiday on Haddon” celebration on Friday, December 3rd along Haddon Avenue.

The celebration kicks off at 7:00 p.m. with the “Parade of Lights,” sponsored by the Westmont Fire Company No. 1. Decorated fire trucks, bands, floats, holiday characters, and Santa will parade along Haddon Avenue to the Haddon Township Municipal Building where all of Santa’s helpers will be encouraged to help Santa light the tree.

Haddon Township will also be collecting unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items for the Annual Holiday Toy & Food Drive during the event.
Haddon Ave, Haddon Twp, NJ

Boro in Lights: Glassboro’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 3, 6PM – 9PM
Glassboro, in partnership with Kingsway Church, presents Boro in Lights, the annual holiday celebration and tree lighting, on Friday, December 6, 2019, from 6 to 9 pm in Downtown Glassboro and the Town Square. Ring in the holidays with:
Lighting of a 32 ft LED tree with over 19,000 lights
Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus + Grinch + Buddy the Elf
Horse and Carriage Rides
Live Nativity + Animals
Toys for Tots + Coat Drive
Live music and dance performances as the holidays come to life
Winter Ice Bar for adults over 21
Free Hot Cocoa, Coffee, and Pretzels
and MUCH MORE!
1 West High St, Glassboro, NJ

German Christmas Market
December 3 – 5
Sparkling Christmas lights and holiday music reaching across from every corner, surrounded by Christmas trees, authentic festive foods and vendors offering their trade to brighten your Holiday season. Join the fun at the Sussex County Fairgrounds Dec 3-5th 2021 to celebrate the 20th annual market. Bring your family, friends, and loved ones
Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ

New Brunswick’s Winter Wonderland
December 3 – January 3, 2022
New Brunswick City Center is YOUR Host for the Holidays! Starting with the annual Tree Lighting at Monument Square Park on Friday, December 3rd, and every day through until the New Year, the season will be filled with multiple activities celebrating the holidays creating a Winter Wonderland of festivities in New Brunswick!

Come out for activities such as Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, Live Ice Sculpture and Glass Blowing Demonstrations, Sip & Paint Nights, Holiday Themed Bars and Cocktail Specials, Date Nights, and Local Boutique Shopping!
Various Locations in New Brunswick, NJ

Turtle Back Zoo Holiday Lights
December 3 – 5, December 10 – 31 (closed Dec 24 & 25), 5PM – 9PM
About 50 animal and holiday-themed figures will light up the winter night in Turtle Back Zoo and the surrounding Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex. Over 100,000 lights will illuminate figures of bears, tigers and elephants, along with holiday lights designed to look like wooden soldiers, stars and winter scenes. Several animal exhibits will be open, including the Sea Lion Sound, Essex Farm, Tam-ring Gibbons Reserve, Tropical Currents Aquarium and the Reptile Building. Myrtle the Turtle, the mascot of Turtle Back Zoo, and several of his winter friends will be on hand to greet visitors at the Zoo. “Selfies” with Santa Claus and a mailbox where children can send letters to Santa Clause at the North Pole will be available each night until December 22nd.
Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange, NJ

Downtown Candlelight Shopping
December 3, 10, & 17, 6PM – 9PM, Last Minute Shopping Date on December 23
Candlelight Shopping features Santa, carriage rides, carolers and twinkling luminarias lining the quaint streets. With over 200 shops and restaurants offering distinctive gifts and friendly customer service, businesses along Kings Highway and Downtown Haddonfield’s charming side streets – which include Mechanic Street, Ellis Street, Tanner Street, Haddy Lane, Kings Court, and Haddon Avenue – welcome everyone to shop in their beautifully curated stores and find delightful holiday treasures. Discover an array of incredible gifts in distinctive shops, food/beverage establishments, and boutiques, while enjoying the festivities and town-wide twinkling décor.
Downtown Haddonfield, NJ

Ocean Grove Holiday Festival and Christmas in Ocean Grove
December 4, 10AM – 4PM
A Holiday Festival Arts & Crafts show! Come shop amazing crafter & artisan booths. It’s a day full of fun, food, and festivities. Local businesses offer a wide variety of unique and special gifts for everyone on your holiday list. Stick around for the choir, live nativity, a tree lighting with carols, Santa’s arrival, and a Christmas Celebration Concert.
Crafters, artisans, and live music- Main Ave., Ocean Grove, NJ
Choir, nativity, tree lighting, and Santa- Auditorium Square, Ocean Grove, NJ

Roxbury’s Annual Home For The Holidays Street Festival
December 4, 11AM – 3PM
Kick off the holiday season on Main Street in Succasunna for Roxbury Township’s Annual Home for the Holidays. You can shop, eat, meet Santa, listen to music and take a free carriage ride with jingle-belled horses! They’ll have food trucks, vendors selling unique gifts, and strolling carolers singing holiday songs. Explore “Santa Land” inside the Library from 1-4PM where you can get a photo with Santa, listen to holiday book readings, and do fun crafts. Enjoy hot drinks and homemade treats.
103 Main St, Succasunna, NJ

Pitman Winter Village
December 4, 11AM – 4PM
Visit Uptown Pitman for a special holiday shopping engagement! Find unique gifts in our stores and from more than 30 hand-craft vendors located on Ballard Avenue. Visit Santa at Ballard Park! Make a craft, play games, and listen to live music while you shop. Then grab a bite to eat at one of our fantastic restaurants! This event is rain or shine.
Ballard Ave & Park, Uptown Pitman, NJ

Verona Fair in the Square
December 4, 12PM – 5PM
The 24th annual festival for Verona and its surrounding communities celebrates the upcoming holiday season with crafters, vendors, entertainment and children’s activities. Food and beverages will be sold. Celebrations include the arrival of Santa and traditional tree lighting.
600 Bloomfield Ave, Verona, NJ

42nd Annual Ship Bottom Christmas Parade
December 4, 1PM – 3PM
The Borough of Ship Bottom and the Christmas Parade Committee is excited to announce the theme for 2021 parade is “Comfort & Joyful Christmas”. Antique vehicles, handmade floats and groups looking to march or perform are encouraged.
Ship Bottom, NJ

Medford Dickens Festival
December 4, 4:30PM – 9PM
Venture back to a simpler, magical time for children and grown-ups alike. This will be the 29th year that Main Street in Medford will be transformed into a quaint winter wonderland, featuring holiday festivities galore with an old-time flair. The festival is free and typically attracts more than 10,000 people from Medford and many surrounding communities. Locals never fail to catch up with old friends on the street; there’s something for everyone!
Downtown Medford, NJ

Westwood Home For The Holidays
December 4, 5PM
Get ready for the holiday season with the return of Westwood’s beloved Home For The Holidays celebration, which features a tree lighting, library storytime, live music, ice sculpting, and more. The event will kick off with performances from local dance troupes along Center Avenue at 5:00 p.m. Local marching bands, scout troops, service organizations and more will parade down Westwood Avenue to Veterans’ Memorial park. Following the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will assist in the lighting of the tree.
Downtown Westwood, NJ

Holiday Lights Parade 2021
December 4, 6PM – 10PM
Prizes given out for the best decorated fire and emergency vehicles, personal floats vehicle, and best decorated houses and/or businesses in Somerville,
Main St, Somerville, NJ

Atlantic City Holiday Bazaar
December 4 & 5
Celebrate your holidays at the Atlantic City Holiday Bazaar at the Arts Garage at Stockton College on Saturday & Sunday, December 4th & 5th from 12-5 pm! Enjoy shopping in beautiful art & crafts-focused event space in the heart of Atlantic City this holiday season. Plus photos with Santa, food, music, and libations.
The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ

Artist & Maker Market Happy Holiday Market
December 4, 5, 11, 12
The Artist & Maker Market is an open-air bazaar featuring locally created fine art and premium hand-crafted goods. Artist & Maker Market connects artists and artisans with the Jersey City & metro NYC community. Our mission is to support handmade goods as an alternative to mass-produced items and work to cultivate small businesses and entrepreneurship by providing a thriving place for them to sell.
Grove Street PATH Plaza and The Ashford Rooftop, Jersey City, NJ

Long Branch Holiday Bazaar
December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, & 19, 12PM – 5PM
There will be food, vendors, and more at this Bazaar, with live music, holiday photo stations, craft workshops, and beautiful holiday décor. The holiday market is inspired by the traditional “Weihnachtsmarkts” held in Germany. While you shop, enjoy delicious food and libations, and craft beers from Whitechapel Projects.
15 2nd Ave., Long Branch, NJ

Little Shop Of Holidays
December 5, 12, 19, 10AM – 4PM
Come hang out with me! Myself and other vendors will be at Joseph Varo’s Hairstylist for the Little Shop Of Holidays as we flip the Barber Shop into a Christmas Shop Every Sunday after Thanksgiving. There will be Carolers, Santa, and Local Crafters from the area.
169 Mercer St, Hightstown, NJ

Asbury Park Holiday Bazaar
December 5, 12, 19, 11AM – 6PM
Asbury Park Holiday Bazaar, hosted by Asbury Park Bazaar & Asbury Hotel, will feature a curated roster of the best local and regional artists, vendors, and shops selling the cutest and coolest vintage, handmade, art, jewelry, home goods, foodstuffs, and more. The event will feature also feature music, holiday photo stations, craft workshops, and beautiful décor. The holiday market is inspired by the traditional “Weihnachtsmarkts” held in Germany. While you shop, enjoy delicious food & libations from Asbury Hotel.The Asbury Hotel,  Asbury Park, NJ

New Egypt Flea Market Holiday Market
December 10 & 17, 5-8PM
Tis the season for some Sweet Pickin Holiday Shopping!!! The village will be filled with twinkling lights and Christmas cheer!!! Get some shopping done and a visit with Santa!!
933 Monmouth Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ

Bloomfield Center Holiday Hunt
December 11, 1PM – 4PM
The Bloomfield Center Alliance is welcoming shoppers to Bloomfield Center – to find holiday cheer in music, ice sculpture, and shopping! ​The day will kick-off with music, hot cocoa, and ice sculpture at the Six Points Plaza. Attendees will receive a Bloomfield Center Holiday Hunt Map upon arrival. The Map will show locations of Holiday Hunt Destinations.
Six Points Plaza, 574 Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, NJ

Christmas in Raritan
December 11, 1PM – 6PM
Join others for an afternoon of Merriment at the Christmas in Raritan Event.  The event will be held on December 11, 2021 from 1 pm to 6 pm in Downtown Raritan, New Jersey (Somerset Street).  There will be food, beverages, crafts, activities, carolers, lots of fun for all ages… and Santa Claus is coming to town!  Brought to you by The Raritan Economic Development Committee.
Somerset Street, Raritan, NJ

Holiday Artisan Hop and Shop
December 11 & 12
Join several Hightstown local businesses for a special, family-friendly time of shopping locally! Shops listed will be open 1-7 pm Saturday and 11 am-4 pm Sunday for walk-in shopping. Some will be offering special pricing or items just for the event and will be posting their offerings in this event as things roll out. Each shop will place an item into a basket that we will raffle off at the end of the evening to one lucky shopper!
Downtown Hightstown, NJ

Howell Farmers’ Market Winter Holiday Market 
December 12, 10AM – 3PM
Shop with local Makers, Crafters, and Foodies for those holiday gifts!!!
4567 Route 9 North, Howell, NJ

Bayshore Holiday Bazaar
December 12, 12PM – 5PM
Asbury Park Bazaar is excited to announce the official launch of Bayshore Bazaar co-hosted with Bayshore + Beyond! Come celebrate the 1st annual Bayshore Holiday Bazaar happening Sunday, Dec 12th, 12-5 pm, at 3BR Distillery located at 7 Main St. in Keyport, NJ!
The Bayshore Holiday Bazaar will feature
HOLIDAY SHOPPING: Grab perfect gifts from a curated selection of local vendors selling the cutest and coolest vintage, handmade, art, jewelry, home goods, and more. Check out the vendor list below.
RUSSIAN SANTA! Bring your kids and the whole family to enjoy a show with Father Frost aka Russian Santa who will be joined by a witch and a snow princess. Stay after to snap a photo with Santa by a beautiful holiday tree and photo station (1-2 PM)
HOLIDAY PHOTO WALL: Grab your friends and family and snap a photo at our Insta-worthy holiday photo wall designed by Lauren Michael Events.
FESTIVE HOLIDAY TUNES & SPIRITS: While you shop enjoy a curated holiday playlist and delicious libations and craft cocktails from 3BR (the only distillery in the world using 100% garden peas to make their spirits)! ⁠
7 Main Street, Keyport, NJ

Count Basie Center Holiday Market
December 12, 12PM – 5PM
Get ready for holiday shopping, drinks, and more at The Count Basie Center For The Arts. Get into a festive mood at a Winter Market in NJ.
The Count Basie Center For The Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ

Holiday Market in the Park in Hopatcong
December 12, 11AM – 3PM, Tree lighting – 6PM- 8PM
Last-minute holiday shopping? Join Hopatcong Marketplace for some last minute holiday shopping at their final market of the year. Later that day enjoy a tree lighting with a sighting from Santa.
Modick Park, 28 Hopatchung Road, Hopatcong, NJ

Handmade Holiday at The Woodland
December 19, 10AM – 4PM
Marketspace Vendor Events and The Township of Maplewood cordially invite you to the Handmade Holiday at The Woodland in bustling Maplewood, NJ. Admission is free, family-friendly, and open to the public.
The Woodland, 60 Woodland Rd, Maplewood, NJ