Tenafly, NJ: October Events, Halloween Happenings and Community Updates
October is Tenafly at its best. The leaves turn over nearly 400 acres of preserve, the borough's Fall Festival moves to a Thursday night for the first time, and the Nature Center's Haunted Forest brings nocturnal wildlife out for Halloween week. This is what is happening this October.
Halloween in Tenafly
Haunted Forest at the Tenafly Nature Center
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time: Sessions every 30 minutes from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Location: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Avenue
A not-so-spooky guided walk through the forest focused on the animals of the night, with close encounters with owls, snakes and other nocturnal creatures, plus games, crafts, campfire treats and photo spots. Educational rather than frightening, and open to all ages with children accompanied by an adult. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Members receive a seasonal discount code.
Parking note: the main lot is closed that day. A free shuttle runs from the Borough Hall and Public Library lot downtown from 12:45 PM to 6:30 PM.
Local Events in October 2026
Celebrate Autumn Camp
Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
Location: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Avenue
A one-day camp for Pre-K through sixth grade. Campers explore the woods and trails, make crafts, share stories and play games while learning about the environment. Junior counselor spots are open for seventh and eighth graders. Registration through the Nature Center.
Tenafly Fall Festival
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Location: Downtown Tenafly and Huyler Park
Rain date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Note the format change. The festival ran as a Sunday afternoon event in prior years and moves to a Thursday evening this year, with rides, live music, food vendors, a beer garden and an LED screen for college and NFL football. It is the single largest gathering on the Tenafly calendar and worth planning a visit around if you are evaluating the town.
Waterfowl at Pfister's Pond
Dates: Early October
Location: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Avenue
The half hour before dusk at Pfister's Pond is the time to be there this time of year. Sit quietly and you may see herons, kingfishers and hundreds of waterfowl, mostly wood ducks, mallards and Canada geese. Free, no registration, and one of the better half hours in Bergen County in the fall.
Family Forest School and Afternoon Forest School
Dates: Continuing through early December
Location: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Avenue
The fall Forest School sessions continue through the season: 90-minute morning sessions for children 18 months to 3.5 years with a caregiver, and play-based afternoon sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays. Check with the Nature Center for any open spots.
Tenafly Public Library Programming
Dates: Throughout October
Location: Tenafly Public Library, 100 Riveredge Road
The library's fall slate of storytimes, workshops, reading groups and community lectures continues. Check the library calendar for dates and registration.
Borough Recreation Fall Season
Dates: Throughout October
Location: Various borough facilities
The borough's fall session of sports, enrichment classes and adult programs is in full swing. Registration runs through Community Pass on the borough site. Tennis and pickleball stay in heavy use while the weather holds.
Ongoing and Seasonal Highlights
Tenafly Nature Center Trails and Hours
The preserve covers nearly 400 acres of hardwood forest and wetland, combining the Nature Center's own land with the borough's Lost Brook Preserve, with more than seven miles of trails. Trails are open daily from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset, and the Visitor Center is open daily from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Trail admission is a suggested donation of two dollars per person or ten dollars per household. Mid to late October is peak color on the trails, and the best weeks of the year to walk them. Apple Maps users should enter the street address to reach the correct parking entrance.
Downtown Tenafly and the Parks
Roosevelt Common, Huyler Park and the downtown commercial core stay in steady everyday use through the fall. The borough's walkability is hard to appreciate from a listing photo and obvious within ten minutes of walking it. Fall Festival night is the best time to see the whole downtown at once.
Community and Local Government Updates
Borough Meetings and Planning
Tenafly's boards and commissions are on their full fall schedule. If you are evaluating the town seriously, the Planning Board, Historic Preservation Commission and Recreation Board agendas and minutes are public and worth reading. Historic preservation in particular affects what you can and cannot do to a property here, and it is far better understood before you are under contract than after.
Fall Real Estate Activity
October is the second half of the fall market. The post-Labor Day wave of listings has had a month to meet buyers, which means the well-priced homes have gone under contract and the ones still sitting are telling you something about price or condition. For buyers, that makes October a good month to look closely at what has not sold. For sellers thinking about listing before the holidays, the window runs through mid-November, when activity slows until the new year. Inventory in the borough has stayed tight, and well-priced listings continue to draw competitive interest. If you want current pricing and recent comparable sales for a specific street or price band, I can pull those for you. You can also start with a valuation here: https://sellecksellsnj.com/home-valuation
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Tenafly?
Tenafly remains one of Bergen County's most established boroughs, valued for its low-density residential streets, its open space, its walkable downtown and its proximity to Manhattan. If you are considering buying or selling here or elsewhere in Bergen County, local knowledge is what separates a well-timed move from an expensive one. Scott Selleck helps clients evaluate Bergen County neighborhoods and pricing trends, read inventory and days-on-market conditions street by street, and time a transaction against a long-term plan. Current listings are here: https://sellecksellsnj.com/home-search/listings
Call or text: 201-970-3960
Plan Your Next Move in Three Steps
Start with the assessment, explore the community guides, then dig into the advisory site.
Step 1. Take the Seven-Question Assessment
Seven quick questions, about 90 seconds, and a clear read on where you stand and what your next move should be.
https://quiz.sellecksellsnj.com/
Step 2. Explore the Northern New Jersey Community Guides
Compare Bergen and Hudson County towns with interactive local guides. The Tenafly guide is here:
https://northernnj.sellecksellsnj.com/towns/tenafly/
Step 3. Visit the Real Estate Advisory Site
Go deeper on strategy, timing and the full picture.
https://scott.sellecksellsnj.com
Ready to talk it through? Schedule a conversation: https://tidycal.com/slselleck
Scott Selleck, REALTOR, Broker / Sales Associate
The Selleck Group | KW City Views Realty
SRES, e-PRO | Licensed since 1993
2200 Fletcher Avenue, Suite 502, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Cell or text: 201-970-3960 | Office: 201-592-8900
[email protected] | SelleckSellsNJ.com
Schedule a conversation: tidycal.com/slselleck
AI Assistant: https://www.delphi.ai/scottselleck
NJ Real Estate Broker / Sales Associate License #9236275
Keller Williams City Views Realty. Each office is independently owned and operated.
Equal Housing Opportunity
https://sellecksellsnj.com/blog/equal-housing-opportunity-scott-selleck-and-the-selleck-group-at-kw-city-views-realty
Event details are from the Tenafly Nature Center and the Borough of Tenafly as of September 28, 2026 and may change. Confirm times and registration with each organizer before you go.
