Princeton NJ Events

Halloween 5K Run, 1 Mile Walk, Preschooler 100 Yard Pumpkin Dash, HomeFront

Saturday October 25, 2025
9:00 AM

Join us Saturday, October 25! – HomeFront Halloween-themed 5K and 1 mile Run/Walk, Kids TRUNK or TREAT, and Preschooler Pumpkin Dash – Register for these fun, Halloween-themed events and even more fun kids activities and live music at runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Princeton/HomeFront5K. No registration required to see the decorated Halloween Trunk or Treat cars which will give out candy.

Event is at 502 Carnegie Center, Princeton. Saturday, October 25, 2025. Parking access closes at 9:30am. All events begin at 10:00am except the Pumpkin Dash which will start at 9:00am and run in phases throughout the morning. All proceeds benefit HomeFront's year-round children's programming for local children experiencing homelessness and poverty. Questions, email homefront@homefrontnj.org.

West Windsor Community Farmers' Market

Saturday October 25, 2025
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

877 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction

Up to 50 farms and other vendors on site selling fresh produce, meat, sweets, beer, tea, bread, pickles, and more. Live music and other special events weekly.

Click here for more information

'Tour de Towpath' - Annual Bike Ride, D&R Canal State Park

Saturday October 25, 2025
10:00 AM

The second annual Tour de Towpath event will return to Central New Jersey on October 25 offering residents an opportunity to bicycle, run, or walk up to 50 miles through the D&R Canal State Park. Produced for the second time by the D&R Canal Watch, the Tour de Towpath will be hosted by the City of Trenton in Cadwalader Park, where one of New Jersey's great city parks connects with a great state-owned park. 

The Tour de Towpath will feature a flagship 48-mile bicycle round trip to the historic village of Blackwells Mills in Franklin Township, as well as a 23-mile cycling route to Turning Basin Park in Princeton. In addition, there is a non-competitive half-marathon run/walk to Washington Crossing State Park in Hopewell and a 5k fun run/walk. A canal festival at the City of Trenton's Cadwalader Park will greet participants upon their return with music, food, and a community village featuring local nonprofits, such as the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and D&R Canal Watch.

Click here for more information

Pumpkin Palooza at the Arts Council of Princeton

Saturday October 25, 2025
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Pumpkin Palooza, our annual art + science bonanza, is back! Learn all about the science of hot glass with Pezz Glasswork artists Jarryd and Gywn. They’ll show you how they manipulate 2,000-degree molten glass to create all kinds of fun glass pumpkins! Plus, shop their glass pumpkin patch of all colors and sizes. The sciency-fun continues with the Princeton University Molecular Biology Outreach Program, who will teach you how to extract DNA from pumpkins in a hands-on, all-ages experiment.

Click here for more information

Stylebook Clothing Swap, Arts Council of Princeton

Saturday October 25, 2025
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

We all have a piece of nice clothing that just didn’t work out for whatever reason. It might not fit your size, your life, or maybe your style has just evolved. Whatever the reason, special clothes don’t have to be stuffed in the back of the closet or wind up in a landfill. Why not swap them for something new and see if your piece could become someone else’s wardrobe staple? Sign-up here.

 

Origins of Halloween Hike, The Watershed Institute

Saturday October 25, 2025
6:00 PM

Multiple Hours: 7 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – 8 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. 

Step onto a lantern-lit trail and journey through an ancient Irish folktale! Along the path, you’ll meet live characters who bring to life the story of Stingy Jack — the clever trickster who inspired the very first Jack O’Lantern.

Not Too Scary — Just the Right Kind of Spooky! Since 1987, families have delighted in this original outdoor drama. It’s the perfect fall tradition for kids, parents, and anyone who loves a good story under the stars.

Register NOW

Cafe Improv, Arts Council of Princeton

Saturday October 25, 2025
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

For the past 30 years, Café Improv has connected beginning and professional performers in the Arts Council of Princeton’s Solley Theater. Serving as a vibrant musical oasis for the Princeton community, Café Improv is a gathering place to share artistic ideas and provide inspiration to others. Attendees can expect an evening of exciting local music, poetry, comedy, and more! Café Improv is easily accessible to the public through affordable admission rates of $1 for ACP Members and $2 General Admission. Learn more.


 

'Oh God…Beautiful Machine', Patriots Theater at Trenton’s War Memorial

Saturday October 25, 2025
7:30 PM

The Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey (CPNJ) proudly presents the world premiere of Oh God…Beautiful Machine, a monumental symphonic jazz work which wrestles with the conundrum of loving the earth in a time of climate change. The collaboration features text composed by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa and music composed by Princeton University Composer-in-Residence, Vince di Mura.

Combining a full orchestra, jazz ensemble, traditional Chinese instrumentalists, and a women’s chorus, Oh God…Beautiful Machine is a genre-defying musical odyssey spanning ten movements and nearly 90 minutes. Featuring lyrics in multiple languages and influences from jazz, blues, samba, gospel, and folk traditions from around the world, this ambitious work bridges cultural and musical landscapes in a profound meditation on the environment, gratitude, and the human experience.

The evening will begin with a festival style event starting at 6:00 PM with a pre-concert performance, visual works by local artists, vendors and a lecture by the composer starting at 6:45 PM. The concert will be followed by a VIP reception open to Capital Philharmonic season subscribers, advertisers and sponsors.

Tickets and Information: www.capitalphilharmonic.org