October is somehow already more than halfway over.
But if you haven’t made it to a pumpkin patch, walked through a Halloween event, or done much of anything particularly fall-ish yet, you’re not too late.
In fact, some of Ocean County’s biggest Halloween events haven’t happened yet.
From Downtown Toms River and Point Pleasant Beach to Forked River, Waretown, Tuckerton and Barnegat, the last two weeks of October are packed with community events, trick-or-treating, pumpkin activities, boardwalk fun and one enormous Halloween parade.
So if you’re looking at the calendar and thinking, Did we miss fall?
Nope.
Here’s what’s still ahead around Ocean County as of Monday, October 19, 2026.
If You’re Reading This Today: Toms River Trunk or Treat Is Tonight
We’re starting with this one because the timing couldn’t be better.
Toms River Township’s Trunk or Treat is happening Monday, October 19 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Riverwood Park Soccer Field.
Families can walk among decorated vehicles, collect candy and check out the competition for the best-decorated trunks. A rain date is scheduled for October 20 if needed. oceancountytourism.com
So yes, if you’re reading this blog the day it was published, you can actually use it tonight.
Where: Riverwood Park, Toms River
When: October 19, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
If you’re spending more time around town, our [**How to Spend a Day in Toms River, NJ**](/how-to-spend-a-day-toms-river-nj) guide has plenty of ideas for turning a local event into a fuller day out.
Walk Downtown Toms River’s Scarecrow Display Before Halloween
Don’t wait until October 31 to get into Halloween mode downtown.
The 2026 Downtown Toms River Scarecrow Walk remains on display through Halloween. Visitors can walk through downtown to see the entries, while People’s Choice voting remains open through October 23. The scarecrows may stay up for the Halloween Parade on October 31. Downtown Toms River
This is one of those easy seasonal activities that doesn’t require tickets, reservations or an all-day commitment.
Grab coffee.
Walk downtown.
See which scarecrow gets your vote.
And while you’re there, take another look at a part of Toms River that many people only experience from behind the wheel.
Haunted Downtown Takes Over Toms River on October 24
Downtown isn’t finished after the Scarecrow Walk.
On Saturday, October 24, Toms River’s October programming continues with Haunted Downtown, scheduled from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.
The event turns Downtown Toms River into a Halloween-themed evening with costumes and seasonal activity throughout the district. oceancountytourism.com
It’s a good warm-up for what happens exactly one week later.
More on that parade in a minute.
Trick-or-Treat Around Tuckerton Seaport
If you want Halloween with a distinctly Jersey Shore backdrop, head south.
Tuckerton Seaport is hosting a free community Trick or Treat event on Saturday, October 24 from noon to 2:00 p.m., with trick-or-treating around its boardwalk. oceancountytourism.com
That’s what makes this one a little different.
Instead of a shopping center or parking lot, you’re celebrating Halloween inside a destination built around the maritime history and culture of the Jersey Shore.
If you’ve never explored Tuckerton Seaport itself, this is an easy excuse to finally stop.
Spend Saturday at Long Beach Township’s Harvest Hayride
Halloween isn’t the only thing left on the October calendar.
Long Beach Township’s Harvest Hayride & a Slice of Fall Fun takes place at Bayview Park Pavilion on Saturday, October 24 from noon to 4:00 p.m.
The event includes hayrides, live music, a pumpkin patch, children’s activities and a pizza-focused food component. oceancountytourism.com
This one fits nicely if you want an autumn outing without making the entire day about Halloween.
And LBI after the peak summer rush?
That’s not exactly a punishment.
Let the Dogs Have Halloween Too at FurFest
Apparently humans don’t get to have all the good costumes.
The Ocean County Health Department’s 18th Annual FurFest & Halloween Pet Parade is scheduled for Saturday, October 24 at the Southern Ocean County Animal Facility in Manahawkin.
Registration begins at 1:00 p.m., with the pet parade and costume judging starting at 1:30. The event combines Halloween festivities with the chance to meet animals available through the county facility. Ocean County Health Department
If you’ve ever thought your dog has been waiting all year for an excuse to wear a costume in public, this may be the moment.
Argos Farm Still Has Two Weekends Left
We keep mentioning Argos Farm in these local guides for one simple reason:
It’s very hard to write about fall around Forked River without it.
The 2026 Argos Farm Fall Festival continues on select dates through November 1, so there is still time for pumpkin picking, the corn maze, wagon rides, farm activities, live music and all the other classic fall-farm things you promised yourself you’d do this year. Argos Farm
The farm’s remaining live-music dates include October 24, 25 and 31, along with November 1. Argos Farm
Argos is located at 1250 Lacey Road in Forked River. Its October Fall Festival hours are currently Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Argos Farm
For more ideas nearby, take a look at our [**Forked River, NJ local guide**](/forked-river-nj-local-guide).
Boo at the Boardwalk Brings Halloween to Point Pleasant Beach
A Jersey Shore Halloween list probably needs at least one boardwalk.
Boo at the Boardwalk returns to Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach on Sunday, October 25 from noon to 4:00 p.m.
The event includes trick-or-treating, live entertainment, character appearances, Halloween activities and a limited selection of amusement rides. oceancountytourism.com
It may be late October, but apparently nobody told the boardwalk season it had to disappear entirely.
This is a particularly good option for families who want Halloween activities with that unmistakable Point Pleasant Beach backdrop.
Waretown Has Its Own Halloween Parade on October 25
You don’t have to wait for Toms River to see a community parade.
The Waretown Volunteer Fire Company Annual Halloween Parade takes place on Sunday, October 25.
Participants line up in costume near the Ocean County Library’s Waretown Branch, with the parade scheduled to step off at 1:00 p.m. and continue toward the Waretown firehouse. oceancountytourism.com
It’s exactly the sort of smaller local event that makes these town-by-town guides fun to create.
The huge events get the headlines.
The smaller traditions tell you something about the community.
And Then There’s the Toms River Halloween Parade
If you only put one event on your calendar, this is the big one.
The 87th Toms River Halloween Parade steps off in Downtown Toms River at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. oceancountytourism.com
The parade traces its beginnings to 1937 and has grown into one of the best-known Halloween traditions in the region. The Rotary of Toms River describes it as the world’s second-largest Halloween parade, with crowds historically reaching well into the tens of thousands. Rotary of Toms River
The 2026 edition has an extra twist.
This year’s parade also incorporates a patriotic theme recognizing America’s 250th anniversary, and Ex-Chief Albert McDaniel is serving as Grand Marshal after more than 50 years of volunteer service. TomsRiver.org
The route is scheduled to begin near Main Street and Highland Parkway, travel down Main Street and turn onto Washington Street before ending near Hooper Avenue. Jersey Shore Online
If you’re planning to watch, this is not the event where I’d suggest showing up at 6:58 and casually looking for a parking spot.
Give yourself time.
A lot of time.
Want Something After Dark? Jacks & Lights Runs Through Halloween Weekend
Argos Farm’s daytime Fall Festival isn’t the farm’s only October experience.
Jacks & Lights brings a nighttime version of fall to Forked River with a lighted pumpkin trail, flashlight corn maze, pumpkin patch and photo opportunities.
The experience continues through Halloween weekend, including October 31, with Ocean County Tourism listing the Halloween-night event from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. oceancountytourism.com
Obviously, if you’re committed to the Toms River Halloween Parade at 7:00, doing both that night would be ambitious.
But there are additional Jacks & Lights operating nights before Halloween, making it an alternative for anyone who prefers pumpkins and glowing trails to parade crowds.
So, What’s the Best Halloween Event in Ocean County?
It depends entirely on what kind of October you’re after.
For young kids and straightforward trick-or-treating, Boo at the Boardwalk, Tuckerton Seaport and the community trunk-or-treat events are easy picks.
If you want traditional fall rather than spooky Halloween, Argos Farm or Long Beach Township’s Harvest Hayride fits better.
For pets, FurFest wins by default.
And if you want the event that feels most like a full-blown Ocean County tradition, the Toms River Halloween Parade is in a category of its own.
That’s why I’d resist trying to rank them.
The better question is:
How many October weekends do you have left?
Is Ocean County Worth Visiting in Late October?
Absolutely.
Actually, our recent [**Jersey Shore After Summer guide**](/jersey-shore-after-summer-fall-ocean-county) makes the argument that this can be one of the most enjoyable times of year around the Shore.
The summer crowds have thinned, but community calendars haven’t gone quiet.
You still have boardwalk events, farm festivals, downtown programming, waterfront restaurants, parks and outdoor destinations. Add Halloween traditions on top of that and late October has a personality all its own.
For a wider list beyond seasonal events, our [**Best Things to Do in Ocean County, NJ**](/best-things-to-do-ocean-county-nj) guide is still the place to start.
Don’t Wait Until October 30 to Decide You Wanted an October
That’s really the point of this list.
There are less than two weeks left in the month.
But they’re a pretty busy two weeks.
Tonight there’s a trunk-or-treat in Toms River.
This weekend brings Halloween events to downtowns, farms, the boardwalk, Tuckerton, Waretown, Long Beach Township and Manahawkin.
Then everything builds toward Halloween night and one of Toms River’s biggest traditions of the year.
So no, you haven’t missed fall.
But maybe don’t wait another two weeks to start enjoying it.
Keep Exploring the Jersey Shore
Our local library now includes [**Toms River**](/how-to-spend-a-day-toms-river-nj), [**Forked River**](/forked-river-nj-local-guide), [**Bayville**](/bayville-nj-local-guide), [**waterfront restaurants around Barnegat Bay**](/best-waterfront-restaurants-barnegat-bay), and our broader [**Ocean County guide**](/best-things-to-do-ocean-county-nj).
We also dug into some of the history behind familiar local names in [**Why Is It Called Barnegat Bay?**](/jersey-shore-town-name-history-barnegat-bay).
The idea is simple: keep finding new reasons to know this part of New Jersey a little better.
About Michael Tumminelli
Michael Tumminelli is a Broker Associate serving Ocean and Monmouth Counties and regularly shares local events, restaurants, history, attractions and places worth knowing throughout the Jersey Shore.
Michael Tumminelli | Broker Associate
📞 848-333-3420
📞 732-473-1700
📧 michaeltumminellirealtor@gmail.com