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Five nights of rides, games, and fair food are heading back to Riverdale. The Borough of Riverdale Carnival returns to the National Guard Complex at 107 Newark Pompton Turnpike from Wednesday, September 23 through Sunday, September 27, 2026. Admission is free, and the midway runs every evening before a Sunday afternoon session closes out the week.
When to go
The carnival is open Wednesday through Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m., then shifts to family-friendly hours of 1 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 27. Those earlier Sunday hours make the final day the easiest one for younger kids and anyone who would rather beat the after-dark crowd.
Rides, games, and fair food
The midway is run by Campy’s Amusements, with a mix of spinning thrill rides, gentler kiddie rides, and the classic games that line the lot every fall. The food is pure carnival too, from pizza by the slice to funnel cake and sausage and peppers. If the kids plan to ride all night, a pay-one-price ride wristband is the smart buy, and picking one up online ahead of time has run cheaper than the gate price in recent years. You can check current wristband pricing and buy in advance through Campy’s ticket page.
A fall twist on the fairgrounds
This year’s carnival leans into the season. Alongside the rides and games, there is a pumpkin patch with pumpkin painting for the kids and live music on the grounds. It is an easy, low-key way to kick off fall in a town that does not always land on the Morris County event map.
If you go
The National Guard Complex sits right on Newark Pompton Turnpike in Riverdale, a short hop off Route 23 and Interstate 287. It is the same stretch of town that hosts Riverdale’s annual Labor Day street fair, so regulars already know the way.
Planning the rest of your fall? The Riverdale Carnival is one of several fairs still on the calendar. See our full guide to carnivals and firemen’s fairs in Morris County and our roundup of things to do in Morris County this September for more ways to fill the weekends.
Featured image: official 2026 Riverdale Carnival flyer, courtesy of the Borough of Riverdale.
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