This article is sponsored by the The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District.
It’s just about that time for pumpkin + apple picking, putting up Halloween decorations, buying apple cider doughnuts, and participating in all of the must-do fall activities like corn mazes and hayrides. With October in full swing, Halloween is just a few short weeks away and the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District (HDSID) is celebrating with its annual Halloween Family Bash in Jersey City. This year’s family-friendly event will take place on Thursday, October 31st from 3PM-8PM at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall + Grove Street in downtown JC and include a corn maze, live music, trick-or-treating, and so much more — as well as a new Terror Tavern for adults and a Taylor Swift impersonator. Read on for more about the 2024 HDSID Halloween Family Bash, a spooky and fun-filled event happening in Jersey City on October 31st.
About the Halloween Family Bash + New Terror Tavern
Hosted by The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District, the 2024 Halloween Family Bash will be a ghoulishly good time with vendors the whole family will enjoy. With delicious eats, spooky games, thrilling rides, and more, this kid-friendly event is free to attend.
The Halloween Bash will take place rain or shine and will feature a number of different events and activations including a corn maze, live music, live animals, photo opportunities, trick-or-treating, and more, as well as face painting and bouncy house activities for the little ones. The Halloween event will include live music from Rock-It Docket and a DJ throughout the afternoon — including a Taylor Swift impersonator performing at 5PM at 160 Newark Avenue.
A new addition to this year’s event is the Terror Tavern at Left Bank Burger Bar, which will have adult beverages for those 21+, located at the corner of Jersey Avenue and Newark Avenue.
Local Vendors
In addition to the spooktacular events taking place, a number of local vendors will also be out and about at the Halloween Bash including:
The Cupcake Carriage — chic mobile confectionary that specializes in cupcakes, cakes, and cookies.
Hayley’s Donut — woman-owned Hoboken-based bakery that serves gluten, wheat, peanut, tree nut, soy, + sesame-free doughnuts.
Maggie’s Munchies — popular dessert, banana pudding, + cake in a jar.
NW Lovely Styles — handmade crafts including crochet projects, jewelry, + more.
Stella’s Empanadas — with over 30 flavors of empanadas, they’re known to have something for everyone.
Be sure to stop by and support these local vendors and see what fall and spooky-themed goods they have planned for the Halloween Bash.
Families can grab a bite and trick-or-treat at the nearby restaurants. To ride all of the fun rides at the Halloween Bash this year, it is $12, and face painting is $8 (cash only). Ride tickets can be purchased at the HDSID Tent, on the Corner of Grove Street and Newark Avenue.
If you want to learn more about these vendors before the event, keep an eye out for vendor spotlights on the HDSID social media channels.
About The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District
The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District (HDSID) is a public-private partnership, 501(C) which allows local business owners to directly impact the neighborhoods in Historic Downtown Jersey City. The non-profit expanded to include 26 more businesses this spring and works with local businesses, property owners, and neighborhood associations in partnership with the city government. HDSID also has a clean team on duty seven days a week from 5AM-7PM to ensure the cleanliness of the downtown area.
HDSID also hosts a variety of events throughout the year and hosts some of Chilltown’s favorite farmers’ markets + handmade markets as well as happenings like the Halloween Family Bash + All About Downtown Street Fair. Other family-friendly events include live music, holiday celebrations, and more.
The HDSID Halloween Family Bash will take place on Thursday, October 31st, 2024 from 3PM to 8PM at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall + Grove Street in downtown Jersey City. The Halloween event will take place rain or shine.
The Cafe at Journal Squared: Jersey City’s Newest Coffee Shop
When chilly season strikes in Hudson County there are two things we know help the winter blues: warm beverages and cozy gatherings. Enter The Cafe at Journal Squared, presented by Almost Home — a brand-new coffee shop located at 595 Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City that's focused on a community-centric feel for the ultimate coffee hang-out. Read on for everything we know about the Journal Square neighborhood’s latest addition.
Photo Credit: Christian Harder
The Cafe at Journal Squared
The Café at Journal Squared is a new coffee shop presented by Almost Home, a New Jersey-based company known for its uniquely designed cafes, coffeehouses, and coffee carts which all gained a massive following after opening its first location in Lincroft, New Jersey. Locals may know the team’s coffee cart located inside Hudson House at 315 15th Street in Jersey City. Entrepreneur and dedicated founder Robert Doran has been working behind the scenes to bring Almost Home’s latest venture to life and create a space for locals to gather. He is looking forward to the new cafe being “a beacon for the community—a place to relax and connect” according to a press release. The Cafe at Journal Squared is one of 11 of the brand’s locations throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Photo Credit: Christian Harder
Read More: MOJO Coffee Opening Jersey City Location
The Cafe at Journal Squared is located in the lobby of the third tower of Journal Squared. Conveniently settled above the Journal Square PATH Station, this new endeavor was designed to create vibrant and community-centric spaces within the neighborhood. The space can seat 50+ guests and features cozy seating arrangements and playful swinging chairs. The well-lit lobby is flooded with natural light and creates a warm and inviting ambiance for coffee lovers, work-from-homers, or those who just need a moment of peace and relaxation.
The Menu
While the vibes alone are with all the hype, the coffee creations at The Cafe at Journal Squared will also have an Insta-worthy edge. Robert has thoughtfully crafted a lively menu with high-quality coffee, baked goods, wraps, baked goods, matcha, and salads. Aside from the usual coffee drinks, Robert has taken things to the next level to incorporate a bit of nostalgic flare, nodding to his childhood. Fun-filled drinks like the Cereal Latte and the Dirty Yoo-hoo, a rich, chocolatey espresso served in a Yoo-hoo bottle, are sure to be favorites. Other drinks of interest have to be the Pistachio Milk Matcha, made with Nekohama Matcha or the Monochrome, a latte with activated charcoal and vanilla.
Photo Credit: Christian Harder
Robert said via a press release “We have these fun drinks based on the things I grew up enjoying, but at the same time we do the basics really well. Every season we are sourcing some of the best single-origin coffees from around the world, and we are constantly changing our offerings based on what is in harvest. We take a lot of pride in our espresso-based options and our pour-overs, so we try to find a nice balance that includes both serious, high-quality coffee and fun, Instagram-worthy creations.”
Visiting The Cafe at Journal Squared
The Cafe at Journal Squared is open daily from 7AM-4PM. Menu items are also available for delivery or pick up via Toast here. To keep up with all things Almost Home follow along on Instagram or check out the website.
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