The ultimate guide to Bergen County 2025 holiday events!
If you’re looking for information about things to do in the Bergen County, New Jersey area this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place. Mybergen.com is the ultimate online resource for holiday events happening in the Bergen County area!
In this regularly updated feature, you’ll find events that reflect the wide variety of things to do and places to go in the Bergen County area this holiday season.
Featured Bergen County Holiday Events You Should Know About!
The following list features the latest mybergen.com recommended holiday events for the 2025 season, all selected from the mybergen.com Events Calendar. You’ll find hundreds of additional events, updated daily, on the mybergen.com Events Calendar!
Let it Glow! Holiday Lantern Spectacular: November 6-January 11
Don’t miss this must-see, one-of-a-kind Bergen County holiday tradition at the Bergen County Zoo! Stroll through the zoo after dark and enjoy more than 30 dazzling, larger-than-life animal-themed lantern displays that transform the zoo into a glowing wonderland.
Your ticket includes a festive train ride through the illuminated displays, offering a whole new view of the zoo. For more cozy fun, fire pits will be set up throughout the zoo grounds, and s’mores kits are available for purchase in the zoo’s gift shop.
Let It Glow! runs on Thursdays and Sundays from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, November 6, 2025-January 11, 2026.
Find more information and purchase tickets here. The Bergen County Zoo is located at 216 Forest Avenue in Paramus, New Jersey.
Winter Wonderland is back at Van Saun Park in Paramus beginning Friday, November 28, and running through Sunday, January 4. This amazing event features open-air ice skating, ice bumper cars, a heated hospitality tent, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, carousel and train rides, menorah, kinara, and tree lighting ceremonies, live music, a crafts market village, visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, plenty of holiday fun, and more!
Winter Wonderland takes place at Van Saun Park, 216 Forest Avenue in Paramus, New Jersey. Read more about Winter Wonderland on mybergen.com.
Celebrate Westwood will host its seventh annual Westwood (Early) New Year’s Eve Celebration on Wednesday, December 31, from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at Veterans Park in Westwood.
The early evening celebration features a high-energy DJ, and festive “snow” flurries created by professional snow machines. As the event builds toward its finale, snow squall conditions are expected just in time for the countdown and glowing ball drop.
Children can take part in snowball-toss games around the bandstand, collecting ingredients to create their own hot cocoa while supplies last. At 6:00 pm, the crowd will gather for a lively countdown and illuminated “ball drop,” lowered from the Westwood Fire Department’s bucket truck to ring in the new year early.
Be sure to visit Westwood’s downtown shops and restaurants before or after the celebration, keeping holiday hours and reservations in mind.
Visit Celebrate Westwood on Facebook or Instagram to to find more information.
New Year’s Eve Kids’ Party at Shannon Rose Pub in Ramsey: Wednesday, December 31, 4:00 pm-7:00 pm
Families looking for an early New Year’s Eve celebration can enjoy a festive afternoon designed especially for kids. The event features a dance party, a sparkling cider toast, and a special 7:00 pm “Dublin Ball Drop” countdown so kids can celebrate the arrival of the New Year without staying up late.
Reservations are required and this event typically sells out, so early registration is recommended. Find more information here. Call 201-962-7602 to make a reservation. Shannon Rose Pub is located at 1200 Route 17 in Ramsey, New Jersey.
Comedian Josh Firestine at Bananas Comedy Club in Rutherford: Wednesday, December 31, at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm
Looking for a fun, easygoing way to ring in the new year? Comedian Josh Firestine headlines a special New Year’s Eve Comedy Show at Bananas Comedy Club with two sets at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm.
Josh Firestine is a stand-up comedian, writer, and on-air talent for Louder with Crowder, one of the most-watched conservative comedy and commentary shows, reaching millions of viewers daily. A retired Army Ranger, Josh brings his unique perspective to the stage, blending sharp wit with self-deprecating humor, hilarious observations on marriage, parenting, and the absurdities of everyday life.
Find more information and purchase tickets here. Bananas Comedy Club is located at 801 Rutherford Avenue in Rutherford, New Jersey.
FirstDay5K and 1-Mile Walk in Fair Lawn: January 1, 11:00 am
The Fair Lawn Sunrise Rotary will host its annual 1stDay5K Run and 1 Mile Walk on New Year’s Day, offering a healthy and fun way to kick off 2026. The event features chip timed net results for runners, along with a relaxed one mile walk option.
Proceeds support Rotary charities and both local and international service projects. The event starts at Memorial Middle School, 12-00 1st Street in Fair Lawn, at 11:00 am. Find more information and register here.
First Day at Fort Lee Historic Park: January 1, 12:00 pm-2:00 pm
Celebrate New Year’s Day outdoors with a warm, family friendly gathering at Fort Lee Historic Park.
Visitors are invited to stop by the encampment area any time from noon to 2:00 pm to enjoy hot chocolate and s’mores by a crackling fire, along with live music by Thaddeus MacGregor, and more. The event is open to all ages and designed as a relaxed way to welcome the new year in a historic setting.
A $5 suggested donation per participant is appreciated. In the event of inclement or unusually cold weather, a modified version of the program will be held indoors at the Visitor Center. Free parking is available, with metered parking suspended for New Year’s Day.
Find more information here. Fort Lee Historic Park is located on Hudson Terrace in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
First Day Hike at NJ Botanical Garden in Ringwood, January 1, 1:00 pm-3:30 pm
Welcome the New Year with a First Day Hike through the state park woodlands at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden. This self guided, family friendly hike is part of the annual New Jersey State Parks First Day Hike program, which takes place at parks across the state.
Hikers may choose between a route that includes a climb to the Mount Defiance overlook, weather permitting, or an alternate option without a climb. Sturdy footwear and weather appropriate clothing are recommended, and small children may need to be carried in some areas. Participation is free.
Check in at the Carriage House Visitor Center between 1:00 and 2:00 pm to pick up a map and directions. The hike typically takes about 90 minutes.
More experienced hikers can join a guided hike at 1:30 pm led by Don Weise, director of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. This hike is approximately two miles with a 600 foot vertical climb, with the option to extend to a longer scenic loop if conditions allow. The guided hike may be canceled in the event of snow or extreme cold.
Find more information here. The NJ Botanical Garden is located on Morris Road in Ringwood, New Jersey.
New Year’s Day Nature Walk at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst: January 1, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
The Bergen County Audubon Society will host a New Year’s Day Nature Walk at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst. Start the year surrounded by fresh air, open space, and the natural beauty of the Meadowlands. It’s a relaxing and scenic way to welcome 2026.
Meet outside the Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. Visit the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to find more information.
New Year’s Day Walking Tour at Historic New Bridge Landing: January 1, at 1:00 pm
Welcome the New Year with a guided outdoor walk at Historic New Bridge Landing. Meet at the meadow to explore the grounds, learn about the history of the site, and hear insights connected to the Bergen County Historical Society collections. The walk concludes at the Steuben House with tour and a sparkling cider toast to the year ahead.
This event is presented by the Bergen County Historical Society, a nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 1902. The tour will be led by BCHS Past President and Historic New Bridge Landing State Park Commissioner Deborah Powell.
The walk is weather dependent, and will be canceled if temperatures fall below 40 degrees. Dress warmly and be prepared for outdoor conditions. Find more information here. Historic New Bridge Landing is located at 1201 Main Street in River Edge, New Jersey.
New Year’s Day Nature Walk at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst: January 1, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Start the New Year with a guided nature walk at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst on Thursday, January 1, from 10:00 am to noon.
The Bergen County Audubon Society will lead this New Year’s Day walk, offering a chance to explore the park’s trails, observe winter wildlife, and enjoy the Meadowlands landscape.
Meet outside the Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. Find more information here.
Local Bergen County Menorah, Kinara, and Tree Lightings
- Bergen County Christmas Tree Lighting: December 3, at 3:30 pm
- Teaneck Christmas Tree Lighting: December 4, at 6:00 pm
- Ridgewood 40th Annual Downtown for the Holidays & Tree Lighting: December 5, at 6:00 pm
- River Edge Holiday Tree & Menorah Lighting Ceremony: December 6, 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
- The Hermitage Museum Annual Tree Lighting Celebration: December 6, 4:30 pm
- Winter Wonderland Tree Lighting: December 6, at 6:00 pm
- Waldwick Annual Menorah Lighting: December 14, 4:30 pm
- Hanukkah Lighting Ceremony at Westfield Garden State Plaza: December 15, 4:00 pm
- Community Menorah Lighting and Celebration in Fair Lawn: December 15, at 7:00 pm
- Teaneck Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration: December 18, at 5:30 pm
- Bergenfield Menorah Lighting: December 16, at 5:30 pm
- Bergen County Hanukkah and Menorah Lighting Ceremony: December 16, at 12:00 pm
- Winter Wonderland Menorah Lighting: December 20, at 7:00 pm
- Winter Wonderland Kinara Lighting: December 28, at 5:30 pm
- Teaneck Kwanzaa Observance: December 28, at 4:00 pm
- Bergen County Kwanzaa Ceremony: December 29, at 3:30 pm
We’ll be adding more 2025 holiday events happening in the Bergen County area, so check back often!
Have a holiday event you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a line at [email protected].
This 2025 Bergen County area holiday events feature is presented by Down to Earth Living!
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