Weekend Family Fun: The Goonies, State Fair, Unicorns, Salamanders and More

Catch an outdoor screening of The Goonies, go to the State Fair or have a very unicorn moment – it’s all happening this weekend. Check out all the family-friendly events happening in and around town.

The New Jersey State Fair at the Sussex County Fair Grounds (37 Plains Road, Augusta) will run through August 12. The fair opens at 5:00 PM on Friday and 10:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday. It closes at 10:00 PM each night. It features rides, performances, exhibits, an agriculture area, 4-H, a horse show, vendors, and more. Visit the website for a full list and schedule of activities.

Unicorn World Secaucus will be held this weekend at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus). Check out this event with life-sized unicorns, a magical forest, and a fun-filled day of unicorn activities plus rides for the whole family. At Unicorn World, you’ll be immersed in the magical world of unicorns, from meeting unique, animatronic unicorns to exploring the enchanted forest and unicorn-themed arts and crafts and much, much more! Unicorn World will be like nothing you have experienced before! Unicorn World will be open on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM and on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Tickets are $39 and can be purchased online. Children under the age of two are free.

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morristown) will host Sensory Friendly Saturday on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. This event is designed to be less overwhelming to those with sensory sensitivities. This hour-long program allows families to come to the farm and enjoy the open, quiet spaces with no crowds. Preregistration is required, and the cost is $5 per person.

Newark Museum of Art (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host Summer Family Fun! On Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Enjoy a day of fun activities for the whole family. There will be a MakerSPACE for kids of all ages, planetarium shows, and a Science Drop-In. Saturday’s Science Drop-In will be Impacts! Explore the impacts of asteroids and comets on a planet or moon by dropping marbles into a tub and making observations of the craters that form. Visit the website for a full schedule.

Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit) will host a Free Saturday Tour at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. Free guided tours of the Arboretum take place Saturdays at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm from May 6 through October 7. Tours begin at the Visitors Center. No reservations are required, and tours are on a first-come, first-served basis for individuals who would like to learn more about the current season’s highlights. Limit of 10 people per tour. Anyone under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No groups. Tours last approximately 30 minutes.

Montclair Public Library (50 S. Fullerton Avenue, Montclair) will host Frozen in Summer on Saturday from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Chill out and watch the movie that taught us to “let it go,” Frozen. Registration is recommended.

Montclair Public Library (50 S. Fullerton Avenue, Montclair) will host Summer Reading Movie Screening Double Feature: Pitch Perfect 2 & 3 on Saturday from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Enjoy a free double feature at the library. Both movies are rated PG-13.

Turtleback Zoo (560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange) will host Family Nature Club: Salamander Sunday on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Family Nature Club (FNC) is all about discovering the world and playing WITH nature, not just IN nature. Experience the sounds, smells, and sights of the outdoors with FNC as we explore the natural heritage within Essex County’s parks. The cost for this activity is $5 per person, and it is best suited for children ages six and up.

The Morris Museum (6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown) will host a Free Family Sunday on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Unwind with a FREE family day that highlights mentorship and the exhibition Each One Teach One. Entertain and engage your kids with sidewalk chalk drawing, artist-led tours for families provided by artist Kern Bruce, special Spark!Lab updates, and more! RSVP online.

Montclair Public Library (50 S. Fullerton Avenue, Montclair) will host Threats to the Amazon: A Zoophoria NJ Presentation on Sunday from 2:00 PM to 2:45 PM for children ages 7-11. Learn about obstacles animals of the Amazon River are facing, then meet some Amazonian animals. This immersive lecture is led by Samantha Slevens, a Zoologist and owner of the wildlife education company Zoophoria NJ who lived in the Amazon rainforest for over four months researching animals. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to meet and interact with various animals native to the Amazon rainforest, including a cane toad, iguana, and red-tailed boa constrictor. In addition to learning about these animals’ fascinating biology and behavior, the lecture also highlights the various threats the Amazon rainforest and its inhabitants face, like logging, commercial fishing, river damming, poaching, and pollution. Enjoy this fun-filled event and learn about the changes that must be made to keep the Amazon rainforest thriving for generations to come. Register online.

Montclair Film will present a free outdoor screening of The Goonies on Sunday at Essex County Anderson Park (Bellevue Avenue and North Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair). The venue will open at 7:00 PM, and the movie will begin at sundown. Adapted by Chris Columbus from a story by Steven Spielberg, THE GOONIES follows a group of misfit kids (including such second-generation Hollywoodites as Josh Brolin and Sean Astin) as they search for buried treasure in a subterranean cavern. Here they cross the path of lady criminal Mama Fratelli and her outlaw brood. Fortunately, the kids manage to befriend Fratelli’s hideously deformed but soft-hearted son, who comes to their rescue. The Spielberg influence is most pronounced in the film’s prologue and epilogue when the viewer is advised that the film’s real villains are a group of “Evil Land Developers.” Registration is recommended.

Field Station: Dinosaurs is back for another season at Overpeck Park (3 Overpeck Driveway, Leonia). The attraction is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM through September 3. Field Station: Dinosaurs is a world-class family attraction that combines cutting-edge science with the creative minds of great artists to create a one-of-a-kind experience that’s thrilling, educational, and fun. Explore scenic trails, featuring over 30 moving and roaring life-size animatronic dinosaurs! Discover the story and science of Dinosaurs with live shows, games, and activities every day. Laugh with our fearless dinosaur wranglers and come face to face with The Mighty T-Rex. This Saturday, children are invited to examine fossils of native New Jersey residents from twelve thousand to over one billion years ago with Marc Rogoff. Marc will also have props and scientific instruments from 1823-1891. This is a hands-on activity that will allow participants to identify (and keep) the fossils they find. This event is free with Day Pass Admission.

Morris Museum (6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown) will host Spark!Lab on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Spark!Lab offers any child ages 5-12 (and accompanied by an adult), a new informal approach to hands-on learning. Created by the Smithsonian, Spark!Lab ignites kids’ ingenuity with fun, hands-on challenges. Instead of following instructions, kids tap into their natural creativity to tackle engineering and design challenges in Spark!Lab’s projects stations. Specially designed for our youngest inventors (Ages 1-4), Spark!Lab’s new Young Inventor Space features a train and an exploration table filled with unique tools to spark creativity and learning.

The Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp) continues to host the Family Photo Scavenger Hunt. Held daily from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, bring your camera or phone for this month’s hunt. The theme for August is “90 Degrees.” Grab your family and your camera and test your finding skills on this photo scavenger hunt that will take you to the coolest — and the shadiest — parts of the Arboretum. The cost is $10 per family or group of 6 or fewer. Preregistration is required.