Halloween 2026 lands on a Saturday, and the two weekends before it are packed. This guide covers what is happening in top northern Bergen County towns: Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Hillsdale, Mahwah and Saddle River. Every event below was listed for 2026, with the date, time and place so you can plan your weekend.
Your 2026 Halloween Calendar
Date | Event | Town | When and where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Through Oct 31 | Ridgewood Halloween Maze | Ridgewood | 124 Sheridan Terrace; weekdays 4 to 9 p.m., weekends 1 to 9 p.m. | Free; weather permitting |
Fridays and Saturdays through Oct 31 | Ridgewood Halloween House | Ridgewood | 294 West End Avenue; Fridays 6:30 to 9 p.m., Saturdays 5:30 to 9 p.m. | Free; confirm hours on its Facebook page |
Select dates through Oct 31 | Halloween Light Show | Hillsdale | Demarest Farms, 244 Wierimus Road; 6:30 to 8 p.m. | Reservations required, one ticket per car |
Fri to Sun nights through Oct 31 | Pantophobia Haunted Trail | Mahwah | Darlington Lake, 600 Darlington Avenue; opens 8 p.m. | Ticketed; best for teens and adults |
Oct 18, 23, 24, 25 | Legends & Lore candlelit tour | Ho-Ho-Kus | The Hermitage, 335 N. Franklin Turnpike; 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. | Evening history and ghost-story tour |
Wed, Oct 21 | Halloween Scooptacular | Ridgewood | Ben & Jerry's, 104 to 106 Franklin Avenue; 3 to 8 p.m. | Free waffle cones, crafts and music |
Sat, Oct 24 | Pumpkin decorating | Glen Rock | The Annex; 9 to 11 a.m. | Ages 3 to 5; advance registration |
Sat, Oct 24 | Halloween in the Park (Haunted Harvest) | Ridgewood | Memorial Park at Van Neste Square; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Kids' parade at noon, pet parade at 1 p.m. |
Sat, Oct 24 | Holiday Observers Halloween Costume Parade | Allendale | Brookside School Auditorium, 100 Brookside Avenue; 5 to 7 p.m. | Annual community tradition |
Sun, Oct 25 | Halloween parade and trunk-or-treat | Glen Rock | Downtown Glen Rock; parade at 9:30 a.m. | Advance registration required |
Sun, Oct 25 | Halloween Spooktacular | Mahwah | Commodore Perry Field, 70 E. Ramapo Avenue; 2 to 4 p.m. | Township recreation event |
Fri, Oct 30 | Kids' Community Halloween Party | Ridgewood | Ridgewood YMCA; 10:30 a.m. | Costume parade, storytime, crafts; register ahead |
Sat, Oct 31 | Halloween night | Check each borough's trick-or-treat hours | Light show and Pantophobia are both open |
Halloween in Ho-Ho-Kus
Ho-Ho-Kus does Halloween with history. The Hermitage, the borough's historic Gothic Revival house museum at 335 N. Franklin Turnpike, is running its Legends & Lore candlelit tour at 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. on October 18, 23, 24 and 25. Expect eerie tales and stories passed down over generations, told by candlelight.
The borough's Halloween traditions, include a school parade, a trunk-or-treat and a resident house tour. Trunk or Treat takes place Saturday, October 24th 3-5pm at Ho-Ho-Kus Public School while the Halloween House Tour (Max Stokes Real Estate is a Platinum Sponsor) will be Wednesday, October 28th. Tickets required.
Halloween in Allendale
Allendale's signature event is the Holiday Observers' Annual Halloween Costume Parade on Saturday, October 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Brookside School Auditorium, 100 Brookside Avenue. The Holiday Observers are a resident volunteer group that has served Allendale since 1919, and the parade is one of their community traditions.
Insider tip: The Allendale parade is a late-afternoon event, so it pairs well with a morning or midday stop elsewhere on October 24. Glen Rock's pumpkin decorating and Ridgewood's park festival both wrap up by early afternoon.
Halloween in Glen Rock
Glen Rock keeps its celebration compact and early in the day, and both events require advance registration through the borough.
- Pumpkin decorating: Saturday, October 24, 9 to 11 a.m. at The Annex, for kids ages 3 to 5.
- Halloween parade and trunk-or-treat: Sunday, October 25. The parade steps off at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Glen Rock, followed by a community trunk-or-treat.
Insider tip: Register as soon as you can. The parade is a Sunday morning event, which leaves your afternoon free for the Mahwah Spooktacular at 2 p.m.
Halloween in Ridgewood
Ridgewood has the deepest Halloween lineup of the seven towns, from a downtown festival to two free home haunts.
Halloween in the Park (Haunted Harvest). The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce turns Memorial Park at Van Neste Square into a haunted graveyard and pumpkin patch on Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (weather permitting). The Kids' Parade steps off at noon, the Pet Parade follows at 1 p.m., and there is live music, games and treats all day.
Ridgewood Halloween Maze. At 124 Sheridan Terrace, a local family has turned its backyard into a free, roughly 1,000-square-foot maze of twists, dead ends and hidden passages, with animatronics and live clowns after dark. It is listed as open weekdays from 4 to 9 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 9 p.m. through October 31, weather permitting. Children who cannot read yet need an adult with them. It is a private home on a residential street, so please park considerately.
Ridgewood Halloween House. The walk-through display at 294 West End Avenue features an outdoor zombie cemetery, skeleton scenes and light shows. Admission is free. One 2026 listing has it open Fridays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 5:30 to 9 p.m. through October 31, while another had not seen hours posted, so check its Facebook page before you go.
Kids' Community Halloween Party. On Friday, October 30 at 10:30 a.m., the Ridgewood YMCA hosts a costume parade with treats, storytime, music, games and crafts. Costumes are encouraged and advance registration is recommended.
Halloween Scooptacular. On Wednesday, October 21 from 3 to 8 p.m., the Ben & Jerry's at 104 to 106 Franklin Avenue is offering free waffle cones, costumes, a potions activity, trick-or-treat bag decorating and live music.
Insider tips:
- Go to the maze in daylight if you have younger kids. It gets scarier after dark.
- On Saturday, October 24, you can do Haunted Harvest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the maze in the afternoon, and the Halloween House in the evening.
Halloween in Hillsdale: The Demarest Farms Light Show
Hillsdale's big draw is the Halloween Light Show at Demarest Farms, 244 Wierimus Road. You stay in your own vehicle for a guided drive of about 30 minutes through 32 acres of Halloween light displays, then browse the farm's retail market on the way out.
Times are 6:30 to 8 p.m. on select dates through October 31, and current listings show nightly shows from October 15 through Halloween. Some listings say the season runs through November 1, so check the farm's schedule. Reservations are required, it is one ticket per car, and tickets are not sold at the farm market.
Insider tip: Book your time slot online before you drive over, and aim for a weeknight if you can, since popular time slots go first.
Halloween in Mahwah
Mahwah is where the county goes for scares and for a classic community afternoon.
Pantophobia Haunted Trail. This one-mile outdoor trail at Darlington Lake, 600 Darlington Avenue, takes about 35 to 40 minutes to walk. It runs Friday and Saturday nights through October 31, plus Sundays. The trail opens at 8 p.m. and closes at 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 10 p.m. on Sundays. General admission is $33, and it is $36 on premium nights (October 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31). Parking is free, and group rates are available for 15 or more. It is built to scare, so it is best for teens and adults.
Mahwah Halloween Spooktacular. Mahwah Recreation's annual event is Sunday, October 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Commodore Perry Field, 70 E. Ramapo Avenue. Check the township's event page for the full 2026 lineup.
Insider tip: To avoid premium pricing, go on Sunday night, October 25, right after the Spooktacular.
Thinking About Calling Northern Bergen County Home?
Halloween is one of the best days to see a town in action. Notice how downtown feels, where you would park and how events are run, and which blocks you could picture yourself on. Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Hillsdale and Mahwah each have their own character, which is why a local guide helps.
If you want to compare towns, neighborhoods, commute times or what your budget can buy, we would be glad to help.
