August is the last big stretch of summer in Morris County, and the calendar is packed. Between late-summer festivals, town fairs, free concerts winding down, and the first apples coming into season on our local farms, there is something to do almost every weekend before school starts. Here is our guide to the best things to do across Morris County in August 2026.
We have gathered the events worth planning around, with dates, addresses, times, and prices, plus links to our full coverage so you can dig into any one of them.
Late-Summer Festivals and Fairs
The Kinnelon Carnival opens the month at Kinnelon High School, 121 Kinnelon Road, running Friday, August 7 through Monday, August 10, from 6 to 10 p.m. each night. Rides come from Campy’s Amusements, and a $40 unlimited-ride armband is good for any one day.
On Saturday, August 8, the Chester Food Truck and Music Festival, known as Just Jersey Fest, takes over Chester Municipal Field at 134 Main Street from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $5, kids under 5 are free, and the day brings food trucks, three live bands, and a drink garden that benefits the Chester First Aid Squad.
One of the most beloved traditions of the month is Netcong’s Feast of the Assumption, which returns to Arbolino Park in Netcong on Saturday, August 15 with a daytime procession, food, and fireworks. Read the full rundown in our story on the Netcong Feast of the Assumption.
The following weekend brings two big festivals on the same day. Wharton Canal Day fills Hugh Force Canal Park on West Central Avenue on Saturday, August 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., a free celebration of the historic Morris Canal with live music, food trucks, and free canal walking tours. That same evening, the Mount Olive Food Truck and Fireworks Festival lights up Turkey Brook Park at 30 Flanders Road in Budd Lake from 4 to 10 p.m., with fireworks around 9 p.m. Admission is $10 for ages 18 and up, $5 for ages 13 to 17, and free for children 12 and under.
Community Nights and National Night Out
National Night Out lands on Tuesday, August 4 this year, and towns across the county host free family events with first responders. Our roundup of where to celebrate National Night Out across Morris County covers the biggest gatherings. In Pequannock, the township’s National Night Out runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Pequannock Township Municipal Building, 530 Newark-Pompton Turnpike in Pompton Plains, with food trucks, games, and a dunk tank, all free.
A few days later, Lincoln Park Night Out returns to Lanes Field at 196 Ryerson Road on Friday, August 7 from 5 to 8 p.m., a free evening of rides, food trucks, and first responder vehicles. On Saturday, August 8, Randolph’s free Stars and Stripes Summer Social brings a foam party, mini golf, Touch-A-Truck, and live music to Veterans Community Park.
Free Summer Concerts Wind Down
Morris County’s free town concert series play their final notes in August, so this is your last chance to catch live music on the lawn. For the full schedule town by town, see our guide to free summer concerts in Morris County.
A few finales to circle: Long Hill Township’s Dog Days of Summer series wraps Thursday, August 13; Florham Park’s Gazebo series closes with a Journey tribute on Sunday, August 9; Mendham Borough ends with a Grateful Dead tribute on Sunday, August 23; Wharton’s Betty Poyer Field series finishes on Friday, August 28; Montville plays its last Wednesday show on August 26; Parsippany runs through August 27; and Rockaway Township keeps its Sunday gazebo shows going through August 30.
Arts and Culture
The Morristown Jazz and Blues Festival returns to the Morristown Green on Saturday, August 15 from noon to 10 p.m., free to attend, with Grammy winner Christone Kingfish Ingram headlining. Two days earlier, on Thursday, August 13, Morris Arts presents Art on the Lawn, a free outdoor evening of art on the grounds of the Morristown and Morris Township Library at 1 Miller Road.
Time is running out on one of the summer’s standout exhibitions. Henri Matisse: Beyond Color at the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown, closes on Sunday, August 9, so catch the rare drawings before they come down.
Orchard and Farm Season Kicks Off
August is when Morris County’s farms turn toward fall. At Alstede Farms, 1 Alstede Farms Lane in Chester, apple picking season opens in August and runs into November, while the Blooming Giants Sunflower Trail keeps blooming into mid-September and pick-your-own vegetables are ready for the picking. Alstede kicks off the month with its Peach and Summer Harvest Festival Weekend beginning Saturday, August 1. If you want a preview of the sunflower fields, see our story on the Alstede Farms Sunflower Sunset Social.
Over in Morristown, Wightman’s Farms at 1111 Mount Kemble Avenue keeps its farm market and bakery humming through late summer, with apple picking, hayrides, and the corn maze ramping up as the season shifts into fall. Both farms make an easy, low-cost family outing before the school year begins.
Back to School and Where to Eat
Late August is the sweet spot for one last family day out before backpacks and bus stops take over. Pair a festival or a farm visit with a meal, and you have a full day. If you are heading downtown, start with our guide to the best restaurants in Morristown, and if your day takes you toward Route 46, check our picks for the best restaurants in Parsippany.
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