Top 20 New Jersey Events for Thanksgiving Weekend 2022
Due to the ongoing restrictions and safety regulations with Covid-19, please verify these events before attending in case of any last-minute cancellations. And always check the weather!
For more events throughout the year, be sure to check out our Event Guide.
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Bonus!!! Come see me! I will be having a massive SALE
Bell Works Fresh Wednesday Farmers and Makers Market
Wednesday, November 23, 11 AM – 4 PM
A weekly farmers & markets market season that runs on Wednesdays from March until November and features around 50 local artists, makers, farmers, and food purveyors. Located in Holmdel, NJ, Bell Works is a 2 million square foot metroburb featuring 5 floors of offices, a full restaurant and retail experience, and a rooftop bar.
101 Crawford’s Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ
Cost: Free
Asbury Fresh Porta Holiday Pop Up Markets
Sunday, November 27, 12PM – 4PM
A series of shopping events featuring a curated collection of 25 local handmade artists & makers coming together for a holiday celebration.
Porta Asbury Park 911 Kingsley Street Asbury Park, NJ
Cost: Free
Top Twenty Events November 23 – 27, 2022:
Christmas in Cape May
Now – January 1, 2023
What better place to get into the true spirit of Christmas than Victorian Cape May? This seaside town is transformed into a Dickens village for the holidays with garlands of fragrant greens and twinkling gaslights. Wrap yourself in the warmth of holiday spirit and sample a variety of fun tours and events.
Cape May, NJ
Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show & Village Opening Weekeend
November 23 – December 30
Christmas Oasis Features Drive-Thru Lightfest, Photos With Santa, Live Music, S’mores Station, Local Artisan Shops, and Seasonal Food & Drink. The event features a One Mile Long Drive Thru, with over 2 Million+ Lights. Plus Ride the Ferris Wheel & Carousel, Skate the Rink, Take a Family Photo, and stop by the Winter Beer Garden!
Skylands Stadium, Augusta, NJ
Cost: $29 – $79
Smithville Village’s Holiday Light Show
November 24 – January 6, 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
Cost: Free
Festival of Trees
November 25, 10AM
Cranford families and organizations are invited to decorate a tree for Downtown Cranford’s Festival of Trees. There are a limited number of trees, so they’ll be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Trees will be located inside the storefront window. We will contact you and let you know which business you’ll be partnered with, so you can arrange when you’ll be decorating the tree. All trees should be decorated and ready for display by Sunday, November 27. Businesses will provide the tree but you will provide the decorations!
Downtown Cranford 8 Springfield Ave. Cranford, NJ
Turtle Back Zoo Holiday Lights
November 25 – 27, 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
Cost: Free. Donations accpeted
Holiday Happenings in Red Bank
November 23 – December 24
THE MOST MAGICAL TIME OF YEAR IN RED BANK! During the months of November and December enjoy the annual Holiday Happenings around downtown! Elf Scavenger Hunt, Holiday Harmonies, Holiday mannequins, and more. Plus enjoy FREE HOLIDAY PARKING November 25-27
Downtown Red Bank, NJ
GSWGA’s Holiday Wine Trail Weekend
November 25 – 27
Beginning on Black Friday and continuing through the weekend, shoppers will have a few cozy and enjoyable stops to make before rushing home with their treasures. Winery tasting rooms from Sussex to Cape May will invite patrons to travel the New Jersey Wine Trail, with special tastings, entertainment, food pairings, discounts and sales. The Garden State Wine Growers Association’s annual Holiday Wine Trail Weekend is held at over 45 participating New Jersey wineries and vineyards statewide.
Participating Wineries and Vineyards
Cost: Varies Per Location
Winter Village at the Red Mill Museum
November 25 – 27, 10AM – 6PM
Marketspace Vendor Events joins The Red Mill Museum Village’s 12th annual Festival of Trees 2021 and Dicken’s Days to bring you the Winter Village at The Red Mill. This three-day outdoor, tented and heated, winter craft market in the heart of Clinton, New Jersey features over 40 local craft artisans, activities, and food trucks each day. The Red Mill Museum Village’s annual Festival of Trees is comprised of a decorated tree and wreath silent auction fundraiser benefiting the museum’s preservation. Guests are invited to tour 12 historic buildings on the beautifully decorated grounds of the museum while enjoying performances by Clinton’s ‘Dickens Days’ theatrical carolers.
The Red Mill, 56 Main St. Clinton, NJ
Cost: $10
Asbury Park Holiday Bazaar
November 25 – 27
Asbury Park Holiday Bazaar 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, kids activities, and beautiful décor. The holiday market is inspired by the traditional “Weihnachtsmarkts” held in Germany. While you shop, enjoy delicious food & libations!
Grand Arcade of Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ
Cost: Free
Downtown Candlelight Shopping
November 25, 6PM – 9PM
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
Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium
November 25 – December 24
See Santa in scuba gear swimming with sharks and the world’s tallest and smallest underwater Christmas trees. You’ll also want to check out the unique exhibits featuring touch tanks, penguins, hippos, and thousands of other aquatic animals. Reservations required
1 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ
Cost: Price of Admission
Dasher’s Lightshow Newark
November 25 – December 31
Ayana and Siree Morris, owners of Moonlight Cinema, are partnering with Dasher’s Lightshow, one of the fastest growing holiday light companies in the country, to bring an immersive “Drive-Thru Christmas Light Show” to Newark. Families can connect their vehicle’s radio to 97.5 FM to listen to their favorite holiday tunes and watch the hundreds of thousands of lights dance and blink in sync with the music. The light show is open seven days a week, starting at 5 p.m. with the latest entry at 10:30 p.m.
20 Orange St, Newark, NJ
Cost: $30+
Winter WonderLights
November 25 – January 1, 2023, 5:30PM – 10PM
Over 1.5 million lights are animated to some of your favorite holiday tunes. Guests are welcome to bundle up in their car, bring their snacks/beverages, and tune their radio to enjoy the show to give you an incredible experience.
655 Cranbury Rd East Brunswick, NJ
Cost: $30 per car, $125 season pass
Collingswood Holiday Parade
November 26, 10AM
Named Best Main Street Experience by South Jersey Magazine, the parade features lively seasonal entertainment, including marching bands, dancers, holiday characters, giants on stilts, floats, mummers, sports mascots and live music. The parade will begin at Zane Avenue at 10 am and continue to West Linden Avenue, through the heart of historic Collingswood.
Haddon Avenue, Downtown Collingswood NJ
Cost: Free
Newton Holiday Parade
November 26, 10AM
The parade includes themed floats hosted by local organizations, bands playing live music, and community groups marching in celebration of the holidays. The final act is the guest of honor himself — Santa arriving in Newton! After the parade, children are invited to visit with Santa and tell him their holiday wishes.
Spring Street, Newton, NJ
Cost: Free
Bloomfield Center Holiday Hunt
November 26, 1PM – 4PM
The Bloomfield business owners and the Bloomfield Center Alliance welcome shoppers to Bloomfield Center! An afternoon of holiday cheer, festive entertainment, giveaways and of course great local shopping awaits. Bloomfield Center’s 2022 Holiday Hunt takes place between 1PM and 4PM on Small Business Saturday – November 26th This FREE family-friendly event at Six Points Plaza will be filled with music, hot cocoa, ice sculpture and more. Attendees will receive a Bloomfield Center Holiday Hunt Map highlighting the various Holiday Hunt Destinations.
Six Points Plaza, 48 Washington Street, Bloomfield, NJ
Cost: Free
Annual Swedesboro Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
November 26, Parade at 1PM. Lighting at 6PM
Kings Highway will be alive with Christmas cheer as Swedesboro celebrates the start of the holiday season with its annual Christmas Parade at 1pm. The parade will take place on Kings Highway at Walter Hill School and will continue all the way through downtown where it will end at Church Street. The Parade will be concluded with an appearance by Santa. Immediately following the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting with children in the Woolwich Fire House until 4pm. The day’s events will wrap up at 6pm, with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and caroling at Borough Hall.
Swedesboro Borough Hall, 1500 Kings Highway, Swedesboro, NJ
Cost: Free
Laurita Veteran’s Last Food Truck of 2022
November 26 & 27| Saturday 11AM – 9PM and Sunday 11AM – 7PM
Food and wine lovers will converge at Laurita Winery in New Egypt for a Laurita Winery Gourmet Food Trucks and Fire Works weekend. Experience the trending Gourmet Food Truck offerings while sipping on wine and enjoying a seat to watch the Fireworks! Live music and good friends will make this day special!
Laurita Winery; 85 Archertown Rd, New Egypt, NJ
Cost: 20 and under Free, $12 in advance, $14 at the door
Long Branch Holiday Bazaar
November 26 & 27
Celebrate your holidays at the Long Branch Holiday Bazaar 2022! Enjoy shopping indoors and outside under a giant tent of beautiful art, food, and cultural venue in Long Branch, NJ this holiday season.
The Long Branch Holiday Bazaar 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 holiday décor. The holiday market is inspired by the traditional “Weihnachtsmarkts” held in Germany. While you shop, enjoy delicious food from WCP. Visit our Naughty or Nice bar for craft beers, wine, and specialty Cocktails including hot chocolate and hot toddies (you can choose from spiked or non-spiked).
Whitechapel Projects, 15 Second Ave, Long Branch, NJ
Cost: Free
Holiday Dickens Fest
November 26 & 27
Riddlesbrood Touring Theatre Company will bring the Spirit of Christmas back to Historic Smithville, when they return to present their two-day outdoor “Dickens Fest” featuring an original, musical adaptation of “A Christmas Carol”, Charles Dickens’ heartwarming, classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey from greed to redemption that will surely raise your spirits and warm the cockles of your heart as you travel through time with the Ghosts of Christmas and witness the ultimate transformation of this miserly skinflint into a jolly Father Christmas, himself!
615 East Moss Mill Road Galloway, NJ
Cost: Free
