Middletown has two free fall festivals on the same Sunday, October 18. Each one starts and ends at different times, so they don't compete for the whole day. Thompson Park Day opens in Lincroft at 11 a.m., and its most popular contests start in the first hour. Middletown Day doesn't open at Croydon Hall in Leonardo until 1 p.m., and its live music runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m., after Thompson Park has closed. Put those hours side by side and you can spend the morning in the south of the township and the evening in the north. The following Saturday, Poricy Park sets up the same kind of day with a costume trail run that leads straight into the Halloween Hullabaloo.
Here is how Sunday lines up.
| Time | Thompson Park, Lincroft | Croydon Hall, Leonardo |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m. | Gates open; Dog Parade & Costume Contest begins | Not yet open |
| 11:30 a.m. | Jack O' Lantern Contest opens | Not yet open |
| 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. | Youth and adult pie-eating contests | Not yet open |
| 1:00 p.m. | Races, shows and contests continue | Festival opens |
| 2:30 to 3:00 p.m. | Pumpkin and scarecrow contests close | Festival running |
| 5:00 p.m. | Park event ends | Live music begins |
| 6:30 p.m. | Closed | Music ends |
Lincroft Owns the Morning
Thompson Park Day runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Road. The Monmouth County Park System hosts it, and both admission and parking are free. According to Patch's October 9 preview, the day has no rain date, so whatever the weather does on October 18 is the only shot this year.
The event that sets the morning's pace is new this year. The Dog Parade & Costume Contest, run with Monmouth County 4-H, starts at 11 a.m. sharp, and the costume judging follows immediately after. The park system lists it from 11 a.m. to noon. There are three categories: Most Creative Costume, Best Pet & Human Duo, and Cutest Costume. Entry costs $10 per dog, you have to preregister, and each dog can enter only one category. If you have a dog in this one, you're in Lincroft at 11, not 1.
The two craft contests open early and close in mid-afternoon:
- Scarecrow Contest, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park supplies the frame and stuffing, and you bring the decorations. It costs $10 per frame, and you take your scarecrow home.
- Spooktacular Jack O' Lantern Contest, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pumpkins, carving tools and decorations are provided for $10 per pumpkin.
- Pie-eating contests, 12:30 p.m. for children and 12:45 p.m. for adults.
For the scarecrow and jack-o'-lantern contests, preregistering on the Monmouth County Parks site guarantees a spot. You can also sign up on site for the scarecrow and jack-o'-lantern contests while supplies last. The sources don't list a registration cutoff, so signing up this week takes the guesswork out of it.
The Middle Hours Reward Families Who Stay Put
Both festivals are open from 1 to 5 p.m., and that's when Thompson Park has the most scheduled. The Theater Barn has Pete Magic's Harvest Hocus Pocus at noon, Yosi's Dino Kids Rock Concert at 2 p.m., and Tricks, Treats and Beats at 4 p.m. Strolling performers include Funny Factory Balloon Twisterz from noon to 4, Itsy BIGSY Spider and Haystack Hank from 1:30 to 2:30, and Poppy Bubbles the Fall Fairy from 2 to 4.
The kids' races are split by age and run in waves until almost closing time.
| Race | Ages | Start times |
|---|---|---|
| Diaper Derby | Crawlers | 2:00, 4:00 |
| Tot Trot | Walkers to 17 months | 11:45, 2:45, 3:45 |
| Tot Trot | 18 to 23 months | 11:30, 1:30, 3:30 |
| Tot Trot | Ages 2 to 3 | 2:15, 3:15, 4:15 |
| Pee Wee Run | Ages 4 to 6 | 1:15, 2:30, 4:30 |
| Sack Race | Ages 7 to 8 | 3:00 |
| Sack Race | Ages 9 to 10 | 1:45, 4:45 |
Admission is free, but the bigger attractions aren't. Tickets cost $1 each or $20 for a sheet of 25, and a wristband costs $10 per person. Archery, the climbing wall, inflatables and mechanical rides each take two tickets or a wristband. Pumpkin painting takes four tickets, ceramics at the Creative Arts Center takes two, and the Pumpkin Toss Game and Three Barns Toss take one each. For a child who wants the climbing wall, archery and two rides, the $10 wristband covers what would otherwise be eight tickets.
So the overlap is a real choice. A family with a toddler racing in the 3:30 Tot Trot will probably stay in Lincroft. A family whose kids are done after the pie-eating contest has a clean window to head north.
Leonardo Takes the Late Afternoon and the Evening
Middletown Day runs at Croydon Hall, 900 Leonardville Road, with the festival from 1 to 5 p.m. and live music from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. The township describes a Business and Community Showcase, a food court, first-responder demonstrations, live entertainment and family activities.
The township hasn't named a performer, released a vendor count, or posted parking details. The event listing was last updated October 1. Expect the layout to come together on the day itself.
For a two-stop day, though, the music slot matters most. Thompson Park closes at 5, and Croydon Hall's live music starts at 5. Arrive in Leonardo after the county park shuts down and you still get 90 minutes of the evening program. Middletown Day is the only one of the two events still running after 5.
One Early Stop Before Either Gate Opens
Both festivals open late in the morning, so there's plenty of time for coffee first. LeGrand Coffee House opened in July at 1500 Route 35, Unit 17, in Kings Commons, serving coffee, tea, sandwiches, pastries and baked goods. Patch visited in September and reported the shop open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's in the former Booskerdoo Coffee space near Nicholas Creamery and Rosie's Pizza. NJBIZ reported that Eric LeGrand founded the café and owns the Middletown location in partnership with the Kapsales family. With a 7 a.m. opening, there's room for a stop before the 11 a.m. dog parade.
Saturday the 24th Runs the Same Relay in One Park
Poricy Park, 345 Oak Hill Road, stacks two township events back to back on Saturday, October 24. Both have a Sunday, October 25 rain date.
- 3:00 p.m. 5K Fitness Walk, $20.
- 3:30 p.m. 1-mile family Fun Run, $25.
- 3:45 p.m. 5K Race, $30.
- 5:00 p.m. Halloween Hullabaloo opens.
- 6:00 p.m. Costume contest, which the township says starts "sharp."
- 8:00 p.m. Hullabaloo ends.
The Mayor's Challenge 5K + 1 Mile Costume Run is in its eighth year and benefits 180 Turning Lives Around. The course is a trail run through the Poricy woods with single track, bridges and repeated hills, the trails aren't paved, and it isn't suitable for strollers. Runners are encouraged to wear run-safe Halloween costumes. Along with the 5K overall and age-group awards, there are best-costume prizes in group, unique, and America 250 themed categories. The listing ends by inviting runners to stay for the Hullabaloo.
The Halloween Hullabaloo brings a costume parade and contest, black-light cartooning with the Doodle Dude and Miss Fish, bounce houses, hayrides, food trucks, and firepits. The first 300 children get trick-or-treat bags. The township's description says "Free for residents!" while the calendar's cost field says only "FREE!", so nonresident guests should confirm with the township before coming.
Parking matters most on this day. The township warns that parking at Poricy Park is very limited. There's a drop-off zone, plus extra parking and a shuttle from Fairview Fields. Someone running the 3:45 race who plans to stay for the 6 p.m. contest will be in the park for more than two hours. Parking at Fairview Fields keeps a car off Poricy's limited parking for that whole stretch.
Croydon Hall's Next Date Starts With a November Meeting
After Halloween, the next date at Croydon Hall is the 17th annual Dodgeball Tournament and Holiday Drive. The captains' meeting is November 12, practice runs November 16 to 20, and tournament week is November 30 to December 4 at Croydon Hall Gym, 900 Leonardville Road. Teams forming now have until the November 12 meeting to get organized.
At The Tully Group, we track Middletown's calendar the same way we track its streets, block by block and hour by hour. If you're thinking about what your home in Lincroft, Leonardo or anywhere in between is worth this fall, ask for a free home valuation and market plan built on what we know about your section of town.
