Need Father's Day plans? Take Dad to one of these North Jersey events
Mother's Day is easy to plan for: a nice meal, flowers and a gift for mom. But, sometimes planning a day out for dad on Father's Day can be a bit more tricky.
Thankfully, there are lots of ways to celebrate dad on June 16 across North Jersey. Whether he enjoys tasting new craft beers, practicing his golf swing, taking in some unique artwork or even sitting back and relaxing at a comedy show, you're sure to find something that peaks his interest.
We've compiled some of these options into a list to give you some inspiration. Here are six ways to celebrate Father's Day in North Jersey:
Stop by the Berries and Brews Festival at Ort Farms in Long Valley
Is your dad a fan of craft beer on tap? Does he like trying menu items from different food vendors? Is he a fan of seasonal activities like fruit picking? If you said yes to any of these questions, then take dad to the Berries and Brew Festival at Ort Farms on Father's Day.
The "season finale" event will be held on Saturday and Sunday of Father's Day weekend, and will feature the final two days of strawberry picking offered at Ort Farms. Plus, there will be craft beer on tap from Jersey Girl Brewery, live music from performers like Matt Pietrucha, Kickstart, John Lepre and The Tones, as well as an abundance of food trucks and vendors with an assortment of eating options. Apart from the festival, the 400-acre farm also has friendly farm animals, children's play sets, a cow train, an apple cannon, pony rides and carriage rides for guests to enjoy.
There are three admission tickets levels, which can be purchased online for a discount or on-site for full price: bronze tier ($7), silver tier ($15) and gold tier ($23). Attractions like the cow train, apple cannon, pony rides and carriage rides require an additional ticket.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Go: 25 Bartley Road, Long Valley; 908-876-3351, ortfarms.com.
Enjoy rides and carnival food at the Tri-County Fair in Rockaway
If dad is looking for a casual night out with the family, then the 10th annual Tri-County Fair is the perfect spot. From Thursday through Sunday during Father's Day weekend, the sprawling 107 acres of Christ Church in Rockaway will be transformed into a family-friendly carnival, filled with rides like the Ferris Wheel, the Polar Express and the Sky Hawk, as well as kiddie rides, games of chance and pony rides. There will also be classic fair foods like Cold Stone ice cream, handmade zeppole, friend Oreos, tacos, empanadas, sausage and peppers, homemade lemonade and more. The event will also feature music, a fireworks show, an old-time car show complete with 50s music, monster truck rides and an illusion and escape show with Josh Knotts.
Admission to the fair is free and parking is $5 per vehicle. Ride credits can be purchased online for a discount, or on-site for regular price. Ride all day wrist bands are also available for $30, and specialty attractions like pony rides and monster truck rides are $10 per person.
Hours: 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday; 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Go: 140 Green Pond Road, Rockaway; 973-783-1010, tricountyfair.org.
Take some swings at 21 Golf Range in Palisades Park
21 Golf Range in Palisades Park is the perfect spot to take dad if he's a big golf fan but doesn't want to commit to 18 holes on Father's Day. He can get in some practice swings while spending time with family.
The state-of-the-art golf driving range features a fully automatic ball tee-up system and 54 climate controlled private multi-tiered bays with overhead heaters and fans. There is also a button to customize the tee height and mosquito zappers in each driving range stall. Plus, other features of the facility include a free putting area, 3 large golf zone simulator rooms, locker rentals, an indoor golf learning center, café and a proshop.
Guests can purchase time slots of 30 minutes ($13), 45 minutes ($17) and 60 minutes ($20) for the driving range, which includes unlimited balls. And, from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Friday, guests can get an additional 10, 15 or 20 minutes added to each timeslot for the same price.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Go: 1 U.S. Highway 46 West, Palisades Park; 201-941-4455, 21golfrange.com.
Cats in the Garden Jaguar Show at Van Vleck House and Gardens in Montclair
The Van Vleck House and Gardens will be hosting its 17th annual Cats in the Garden Jaguar car show on Father's Day. Members of the Jaguar Touring Club will travel from all over to fill the grounds with a wide array of classic and modern Jaguar cars for visitors to explore.
The event also acts as a competition, with representatives of the Van Vleck House and Gardens, as well as various sponsors, will vote for the car they like most. So, get in on all the fun and celebrate dad with a day full of classic cars.
Tickets are $10 cash per person, and kids under 10 are free.
Hours: Noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Go: 21 Van Vleck St., Montclair; 973-744-4752, montclairfoundation.org.
Explore American paintings at the Montclair Art Museum
If you and your dad share a love of art, take him to see the new exhibit at Montclair Art Museum, "A Shared Love: Treasures of American Painting (1878-1919) from the Carol and Terry Wall Collection."
The exhibit features a curated and comprehensive selection of paintings by several prominent American painters of the late 19th and early 20th century, including John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, William Merritt Chase and Mary Cassatt. All of the pieces are from the collection of Carol and Terry Wall, and acts as a testament to the leadership and generosity of Carol Wall, who was a longtime Montclair Art Museum trustee and co-chair who died in 2022.
Tickets to the museum are $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults and free for members of the museum. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Go: 3 S. Mountain Ave., Montclair; 973-746-5555, montclairartmuseum.org.
Have a laugh at Earthquake's Father's Day Comedy Show at the NJPAC
Every year, Earthquake — who appeared on Bet's "Comic View," HBO's "Def Comedy Jam" and Shaq's "All-Star Comedy Jam" — holds an annual Father' Day comedy special at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. In addition to Earthquake, this year's event will feature comedians Nate Jackson, Jay Pharoah, Tony Rock and Tacarra Williams.
The show begins at 7 p.m. on Father's Day, and tickets currently range from $55.50 to $155.50 per person depending on the seat.
Go: 1 Center St., Newark; 888-466-5722, njpac.org.
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Father's Day things to do in North Jersey in 2024