North Bergen's two biggest Halloween parties for young children are held at the township's two Recreation Centers and are limited to residents. Getting in takes a recent utility bill and a birth certificate, and you register at a Recreation Center counter before the night. Registration opened Monday, Oct. 19. That leaves just over a week before the first party on Friday, Oct. 30, and a few days less if you want to register early.
The rest of the week follows the same pattern. Township events are planned around who lives here, and the private events at restaurants and venues fill the nights the township leaves open. Spread across the calendar, Halloween in North Bergen runs nine days, from a masquerade on River Road this Friday to a late show on Kennedy Boulevard on Halloween night.
Do the paperwork before the costume shopping
The North Bergen Recreation Department is hosting its annual Halloween parties at two locations. Both are for resident children age nine and younger.
- Friday, Oct. 30, 5 to 8 p.m.: North Bergen Recreation Center & Library, 1231 Kennedy Boulevard
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 to 5 p.m.: North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Avenue
According to the township's announcement, you can register at either Recreation Center, and you need to bring a recent utility bill and a birth certificate. If you live on the downtown end of town, the Kennedy Boulevard building is the closer counter. If you're north, near Meadowview Avenue, register at that building and go to the Saturday party the same afternoon.
The Meadowview party ends at 5 p.m., before dark, which leaves the evening open for trick-or-treating on your own block.
The weekend before Halloween
Friday, Oct. 23. Waterside Restaurant and Catering at 7800 River Road is hosting The Mythical Masquerade from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. The Eventbrite listing describes a 21-and-over costume fundraiser with dinner, an open bar, DJs, a silent auction and prizes for best costume. It's the first adult costume night of the week, and the only one on the River Road waterfront.
Saturday, Oct. 24. The Learning Experience at 7108 John F. Kennedy Boulevard has listed a free family Trunk-or-Treat from 3 to 5 p.m., with costumes, treats and games. The listing doesn't mention a residency requirement, so this is the Halloween event on the calendar for families who haven't registered with the township.
Sunday, Oct. 25. The township's October calendar lists Doggie Howl-O-Ween at 6 p.m. The 2026 listing gives only the title and time, so check the township calendar for the location before you put the dog in a costume. In past years, the event was held at the dog run in James J. Braddock Park. The 2024 announcement described a costume party running 6 to 8 p.m. with prizes for best costume, giveaways and donations collected for the NJ Humane Society. The 2025 listing called it a Dog Costume Contest at the Braddock Park Dog Run, also from 6 to 8 p.m.
Midweek, the history and the civic calendar
Tuesday, Oct. 27. The library's Halloween program is a history talk. "Ladies of History: Eliza Blackheart" runs from 6 to 7 p.m. in the conference room of the Sai Rao Public Library, 8411 Bergenline Avenue. According to the North Bergen Free Public Library's event listing, it covers witchcraft and Halloween, costumes are encouraged, the program is open to all, and registration is available through the listing.
The talk follows another local-history program from earlier this month. On Oct. 14, town historian Michael Maring led a walking tour from the Braddock statue in Braddock Park. The township's announcement described it as a look back at forgotten 1892 newspaper reports of a "wild beast" frightening the community. North Bergen's October programming keeps coming back to the town's own folklore.
Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Board of Commissioners meeting first scheduled for Oct. 21 has been moved to Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Nicholas J. Sacco Junior High School, 2000 85th Street. The township has announced that the swearing-in of North Bergen's next mayor will take place at that meeting and that all residents are welcome. The township also notes that parking is ample.
Halloween Saturday, hour by hour
On Saturday, Oct. 31, events run from noon to 1 a.m., and the audience gets older as the day goes on.
| Time |
Event |
Where |
Who it's for |
| Noon |
Trunk or Treat, per the township calendar |
Location to be confirmed on the township calendar |
Families |
| 2 to 5 p.m. |
Recreation Department Halloween party |
North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Avenue |
Registered resident children age nine and younger |
| 8 p.m. doors, 10 p.m. show |
Rey Tony & Helabusador |
The Boulevard, 3167 John F. Kennedy Boulevard |
18 and over |
| 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
Halloween After Dark |
Fuego Steakhouse & Bar, 921 John F. Kennedy Boulevard |
Adults, $75 per person |
For Trunk or Treat, the 2026 calendar shows only a noon start. Last year's version shows the usual format. The 2025 announcement put it at the Recreation Center baseball field on 64th Street between Cottage Avenue and Durham Avenue, from noon to 2 p.m. Residents decorated their cars and handed out candy, and the North Bergen Police Department sponsored a free pumpkin patch. In 2025, only the people decorating cars had to register, by calling 201-392-2157. Children could attend without registering but needed proof of residency. Those are last year's details. Check the 2026 location and rules on the township calendar before you decorate your trunk.
If the 2026 Trunk or Treat stays near the Meadowview building, a family registered for the Saturday party could go from the trunks at noon to the 2 p.m. party without moving the car.
The evening events are on Kennedy Boulevard. Tickeri's listing for The Boulevard shows doors at 8 p.m., the show at 10 p.m. and admission for 18 and over. Fuego Steakhouse & Bar's Halloween After Dark, listed on OpenTable, includes DJ Alex Pro, a photo booth, a costume contest, late-night bites and a welcome drink.
Braddock Park in late October
Braddock Park comes up again and again this month, with the dog costume event in past years, the Wild Beast walking tour, and a veterans' Patriot's Path dedication at the Veterans Memorial near the 90th Street entrance on Bergenline Avenue on Oct. 19. Hudson County describes the park as 167 acres, with athletic facilities, nature trails, a dog run and eight miles of walkways.
The park will look different in future Octobers. In February, Hudson County View reported that the county commissioners awarded a $91,440 contract to Negila Engineering for early work on a Braddock Park nature trail. The proposed trail includes lighting, observation platforms, interpretive signs, seating, native plantings, Wi-Fi and an emergency call system. County Executive Guy said the work is meant to improve connections between the park and River Road. The project is still in planning and not yet open. Separately, the county's May 2026 bond plan set aside $4.046 million for Braddock Park work, including picnic-area remediation, a sports-lighting retrofit and pickleball fencing, according to Hudson County View.
For now, the Halloween-week plan is simple. Bring a utility bill and a birth certificate to either Recreation Center if you have a child nine or younger. Check the township calendar on Sunday for the Howl-O-Ween location, and book Kennedy Boulevard tickets before Saturday.
Our team at the Andrew Botticelli Team follows North Bergen block by block, from the Recreation Center calendar to what's planned for Braddock Park. If you're weighing a move within town or nearby and want to know how a particular street fits your routine, Contact Us.
