10-19-2023 12:30am

Spooky and Silly Halloween fun in and Around Clifton

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With Halloween just around the corner, there's still time to dig into some ghoulish fun. Make the most of the season with the various events and activities taking place in and near Clifton.

1. Clifton's Annual Halloween Parade and Harvest Fest - Clifton, NJ - Sunday, Oct. 29

The Clifton Recreation Department comes through with another year of spooktacular festivities! The Halloween Parade features the Mustang Marching Band and will march from Van Houten Avenue to the City Hall municipal complex. Accompanying the parade is a community costume contest; no pre or online registration is required! In order to compete in any one category, participants should meet at their designated category corners between 11:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m. before the noon start.

This year's Harvest Fest features hayrides, carnival booths, bouncy houses, autumnal arts and crafts, rides, and plenty of food - all of which require tokens that must be purchased on-site with cash. Find this event between the hours of 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the City Hall municipal complex. For important information regarding costume categories, meeting corners, tokens, and more, visit the Clifton Recreation website.

2. Scarecrow Building Contest and Display - Clifton, NJ

Scarecrows displayed Monday, Oct. 23—Friday, Oct. 28, at the Clifton City Hall Municipal Complex.

Scarecrow enthusiasts, autumn is your time! This free-to-enter family activity is open to Clifton residents only, with a registration deadline of Friday, Oct. 20th. Afterward, participating families will receive an email designating where to drop off their scarecrows. Scarecrows would have to abide by the given criteria, like height limits and other prohibitions. Judging will take place on Oct. 29th during the HarvestFest at 2:00 p.m. If interested in registration, the contest rules, or other important information, visit the Clifton Recreation website.

3. CHS Halloween Extravaganza - Clifton, NJ - Wednesday, Oct. 25

Hosted by the CHS Student Council, clubs, activities, and Athletics Dpt - come and ¨Trick or Treat at CHS!¨ This event runs from 6:00—8:00 p.m. Come in costume with a trick-or-treating bag for an evening of games and activities! Enter through the main entrance. Contact cvansaders@cliftonschools.net with any questions.

4. Fairfield Farms - Fairfield, NJ (about 17 minutes from Clifton)

Fairfield Farms delivers some serious fall-farm fun with an array of family-friendly activities. Enjoy child-friendly corn mazes, ¨win-a-pumpkin¨ slingshot, pumpkin picking, Big Bale Mountain, rope maze, and more - all while taking swigs of some seasonal hot mulled cider. The site also offers Jersey-fresh produce, fresh apples, and snacks; it also sells plenty of seasonal decor, like blooming mums, bales of straw, large gourds, and corn stalks. With a reputation for being a “wonderful place to visit in the fall,” this is a place that prioritizes providing a definitive autumn experience.

This year the farm is proud to introduce its new nighttime ¨Spooky Trail¨ hayrides! These weekend-only hayrides are different from the regular daylight-hour hayrides, which are also offered at the farm. This spooky hayride takes only the most courageous on a journey around the woodlands surrounding the farm; a haunted wood the Bones family are said to call their domain (parental discretion is advised for children under ten). If interested in purchasing tickets for the Fall Festival or spooky Trail Night Hayride experiences, visit the Fairfield Farms website.

5. Halloween Glow Skate Party - Newark, NJ (about 19 minutes from Clifton) - Sunday, Oct. 29

If in search of some novel Halloween fun, Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Center is hosting a spooky glow-in-the-dark experience! Open to all ages, this event goes from 5:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance, with prices factoring in participant ages, if rental skates are needed, and if one chooses to only spectate. Adult guests are required to fill out a waiver. If interested, purchase tickets at eventbrite.com.

6. Little Falls Spooky Sprint - Paterson, NJ (about 11 minutes from Clifton) - Sunday, Oct. 22

A returning event, this spooky 5k is a fun and fit way to enjoy this Halloween season! This event welcomes participants of all ages, whether you're a walker or a runner, with the course's flat terrain ensuring that everyone has a fair shot. This event prioritizes community, there is no lagging behind in this festive assembly!

There are epic prizes to be won, including rewards for best costumes and top running times. When you register by Oct. 19th, you'll receive a T-shirt and a drawstring swag bag to commemorate the event. If you are interested in participating, signing up comes with a fee of $35. Registration, the course's map, and other details can be found at bikesignup.com.

7. Halloween House Paramus - Paramus, NJ (about 17 minutes from Clifton)

A true gem of a haunted house, Halloween House Paramus is New Jersey's #1 Halloween attraction! This attraction prides itself in its meticulously designed rooms, covering popular themes like The Nightmare Before Christmas, haunted hotels, Dracula's lair, and even Stranger Things, to name a few. What really sets it apart, however, is the complete absence of actors or jumpscares within the attraction. If you love Halloween but want to take on a haunted house without the uncomfortable factor of having actors jump out at you, Halloween House Paramus is your place! All treats, no tricks! If interested, be quick to purchase tickets at the Halloween House Paramus website as available spots fly quickly.

8. The Vampires vs Zombies Experience in Newark - Newark, NJ (about 19 minutes from Clifton)

Saturday, Oct. 28

Take to the streets of Newark for a solo or team-bodied Zombie vs Vampire outdoor escape-room style experience! Will you be Team Zombie or Team Vampire? And will you be able to relish the taste of victory? These are two imposing questions burning to be answered. This challenge allows you to choose to follow a team or take a more casual approach to maneuvering the clues, fun challenges, and interactive puzzles that stand in your way. Alongside this is an optional costume contest, and prizes ranging from $2,000 to a lifetime supply of garlic!

Team tickets for this event can include up to six people, with children being allowed to participate as long as they are a minimum of 12 years old and accompanied by an adult. If you choose to sign up, your designated location will be emailed to you prior to the event; the event begins any hour past 7 p.m. and lasts approximately 90 minutes. If this sounds like your kind of party, visit their registration website for more information.

9. House on Haunted Hill by Kismet PAT at The Clifton Arts Center - Clifton, NJ

Performances on these dates: Oct. 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, and 29th.

Join the Kismet Performing Artists Theatre in their world premiere of House on Haunted Hill, a fresh play by Michael Susko! Directed by Kathleen Kellaigh, it follows the stories of billionaire oddball Fredrick Loren and his five guests on the unraveling of that fateful night they were offered an invite to his ¨haunted house party.¨ A horror classic breathed new life, what better than a cold October night to enjoy the ardor of an actor telling a ghastly tale…

Posed as a joint fundraiser between the Clifton Arts Center and Kismet PAT, these performances mark the hours of Kismet PAT's inaugural production! The Clifton Arts Center has rung in the Halloween season with a momentous local event! Purchase your tickets at the Kismet Theatre website.