Fall Events in Union County

Haunted Hayrides

October 27 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

October 28 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

October 29 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Rain Date October 30th

Rides are scheduled every half hour

Deserted Village of Feltville

Watchung Reservation

Cataract Hollow Road in Berkeley Heights

Warm clothes, walking shoes and a flashlight are suggested

Program experience lasts about one hour. The remainder involves walking on a footpath in the darkened forest.

$8 for a Union County resident

$16 for out-of-county residents.

  • Ticket purchases are limited to eight per person and are sold for rides at specific times.
  • No refunds or exchanges are permitted.
  • Adults and children age 6 and older are welcome to participate.
  • Some of this program occurs on a hayride.
  • Strollers cannot be accommodated.

The Great Pumpkin Sail

Wednesday, November 1st

Rain Date November 2nd

The fun all happens at Lower Echo Lake, right off of Springfield Avenue.

Session 1 5:15-6:30 PM
Session 2 6:45-8:00 PM
Session 3 8:15-9:30 PM

Tickets MUST be purchased in advance!

$12 Union County residents per family of 6

$16 non-residents per family of 6

Tickets go on sale October 3 at 9 am

Limit 2 tickets per person. Register early; advance purchase required. Space is limited. Tickets required for admission into gated program area.

  • Each ticket entitles a family to ONE (1) jack-o-lantern
  • Total weight after carving must be NO MORE THAN 8 POUNDS
  • Larger pumpkins will be placed around the dock for decoration
  • Upon arrival at gate, participants must turn in tickets for float numbers, assigned in order of arrival
  • Float numbers will be called in order.
  • As each boat number is called, participants bring their jack-o-lanterns to dock area for staff members to mount onto floats.

Hayrides and Campfires

Warinanco Park

Trailside Nature & Science Center

Sunday, October 8
3:30PM – 6:30PM

Friday, October 13
6:30PM – 9:30PM

Sunday, October 15
3:30PM – 6:30PM

Friday October 20
6:30PM – 9:30PM

Tickets MUST be purchased in advance!

$6 Union County residents

$12 Non-Residents

Tickets are not sold on site. No refunds or exchanges. Group sales are limited to 15 people

  • Please bring your tickets! When you arrive, go directly to the check-in table, where you’ll exchange your ticket for a hayride pass.
  • Each pass has a number which designates your scheduled ride. Passes are given on a first-come, first-serve basis.
    • For example, those with passes marked “hayride #2” will board the second hayride.
    • Hayrides run throughout the evening at approximately 20-minute intervals until each ticketholder (who checked in prior to 8pm for Friday rides or 5pm for Sunday rides) has been on one ride.
    • All Friday participants must check in prior to 8pm; Sunday participants must check in prior to 5pm.
  • Ticketholders not checked in by those times are not guaranteed a ride.
  • Rain Information
    • In case of rain on the day of a hayride, all ticketed participants will be rescheduled to either one of the remaining nights or an alternate date, as space allows.
    • For rain info regarding Friday rides, please call the Parks Dept. at 908-558-4079 after 3pm; for rain info regarding Sunday rides, please call Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670 after 1pm.

Fall Festival

Four Centuries in a Weekend

Free

Saturday, October 21st and Sunday October 22nd

Noon to 5pm

Visit ucnj.org/4fc for more information

Online

Visit ucnj.org/ticket

Review information above when tickets go on sale for each event and under the ‘More Information’ accordion under each column.

Trailside

Trailside Nature and Science Center

452 New Providence Road in Mountainside

Tuesday – Sunday 10 AM – 4 PM

908-789-3670

Reservation Desk

Union County Administration Building

10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth

Monday – Friday 9AM – 4PM

908-527-4900