AddamsFest: Westfield Celebrates Charles Addams

09/18/2026

October is getting closer, and we have lots of details to share — ticket and registration reminders, new additions, and everything else that's taking shape for our favorite time of year.

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09/14/2026

🍺 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐄’𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍: 𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎 & 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒

It’s almost time to snag tickets to the party of the season! The first round of Charlie’s Ale Garden tickets goes on sale Wednesday (of course!), September 16, at 7:00 PM, exclusively for Westfield residents.

This year's event takes place on October 17, from 6:00 - 11:00.

It's also time for our annual Ale Garden ticket pep talk.

We know the drill: Tickets usually sell out in mere minutes, followed quickly by the comments, DMs and emails. So, before the frenzy begins, a few friendly reminders:

🖤 The Armory is the largest indoor venue in town, and demand still far exceeds capacity.

🎟️ Ticket purchases are once again limited to two per transaction to give more people a shot at getting in.

📅 A second round of tickets, open to everyone, goes on sale Sunday, September 27 at 7:00 PM.

🌤️ If the weather cooperates, we hope to expand the party outdoors and release additional tickets closer to the event, as we’ve done in previous years.

🔄 Plans change! Every year, ticket holders who can no longer attend look to sell their tickets in the days leading up to the event.

We love that you all love Charlie’s Ale Garden — truly. We’d happily make room for every AddamsFester if we could.

Quick fun fact/reminder: While attending Westfield High School, Charles Addams’ nickname was "Chill.” Let's all channel that energy as we do our best to accommodate this thirsty crowd!

09/10/2026

🏚️👻 𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍!

It's time to show us what’s been lurking in your attics, hiding in your basements, and waiting all year to take over your front yards. OurHaunt Your House: Day & Night contest is back — and the competition gets stiffer every year. 💀

Will this be the year your house earns neighborhood bragging rights?

Registration is limited to the first 25 homes in each category (Daytime Haunts and Nighttime Haunts) at addamsfest.com/haunt-your-house-2026.

🗓️ 𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒
🏚️ Registration: OPEN NOW
🎃 Oct 7: Decorating ends + photo submissions due
🗺️ Oct 11: Community voting + haunted driving map go live
🗳️ Oct 30: Voting closes

Need a little inspiration? Check out some of last year’s top haunts below — then start plotting your own.

🖤 A big thank you to The Mavins Group for once again helping Westfield show off its spooky side!

09/10/2026

🎭 A beloved AddamsFest tradition is back — with our friends at The James Ward Mansion Westfield taking the reins!

This year’s Masquerade Ball joins our new Friends of AddamsFest lineup, bringing independently produced events from local businesses and organizations into the October festivities.

The masks come out Friday, October 2. 🖤
Tickets go on sale tonight at 7:00 -- full details below!

TOTALITY: An Eclipse Masquerade When darkness meets desire. An Official Friends of AddamsFest Event This October 2nd, there’s a very special night coming to The James Ward Mansion. Join us for TOTALITY: An Eclipse Masquerade — an evening of fabulous food and cocktails, music, dancing, enter

09/09/2026

𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗦𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗨𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘

AddamsFesters, we’ve missed you! 🖤
We've been lurking quiety while everyone summered and got their Wednesdays and Pugsleys back to school -- and now the countdown is underway to our favorite month of the year!

Our 2026 line up is officially live! For one wonderfully offbeat month, we’ll celebrate the legacy of Westfield native Charles Addams with art, history, music, family fun, cocktails, community traditions, and plenty of surprises along the way.

Here’s what we’ve summoned for 2026:

🎨 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁
Rialto Center for Creativity | Weekends, Oct 9–25

🏮 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀
140 Mountain Ave | Oct 10, 11 & 17

👣 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀
Downtown Westfield | Oct 10, 17 & 24

🏚️ 𝗛𝗮𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲: 𝗗𝗮𝘆 & 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁
Community voting | Oct 11–30
⚠️ Registration opens TONIGHT at 7 PM!

🍺 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲’𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻
The Westfield Armory | Oct 17

📚 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀: 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀
Westfield Memorial Library | Oct 18

🕷️ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆
Downtown Westfield | Oct 18

🎬 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
Foundation Park | Oct 23

🍸 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀
Downtown Westfield | Oct 28

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥:
🪟 𝗪𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱
🏠 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗻𝗱
🧙 𝗕𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽
🎨 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀-𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀

🖤𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗦𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧
New this year, local businesses and organizations are getting in on the fun with independently produced events that bring even more Addams-inspired entertainment and activities to October:

🎭 Masquerade Ball | Oct 2
📖 Wednesday Addams’ Creepy Garden Kids Storytime | Oct 14
🍪 Addams Family Cookie Decorating | Oct 23
🎃 Jack O’Lantern Trail at Brightwood Park | Oct 24
👻 Halloween Family Fun & Parade | Oct 25

And because Wednesday is always our favorite day of the week, look for 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 throughout Downtown Westfield every Wednesday in October, with themed specials, treats, giveaways and other surprises from participating businesses.

More details soon! 🕸🕷

Town-Wide Festival Honoring Westfield's Charles Addams Returns for its Eighth Year.

08/31/2026

The Wicked Windows of Westfield are a beloved favorite in our annual October festivities, as our local artists and businesses owners partner to create incredible seasonal displays for residents and visitors to enjoy throughout AddamsFest!

Looking to participate this year? Register by September 4!
🎨Artists: addamsfest.com/wicked-windows-artists
🪟Businesses: addamsfest.com/wicked-windows-of-westfield

08/03/2026

We know you're soaking up summer, but we've got October on our minds. 🖤

AddamsFest 2026 is taking shape, and we're looking for the artists, musicians, and creative minds who will help make this year's festivities unforgettable.

🎨 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒
This year's art exhibit, 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒔𝑭𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒂, celebrates America250 through an Addams-inspired lens. Show us an Americana that's familiar, fantastically strange, witty, nostalgic, and delightfully unexpected. Works selected for the exhibit will be displayed alongside original Charles Addams pieces. Learn more and apply by August 21 at bit.ly/addamsfest-americana

🎸 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒
We're looking for bands to perform at Charlie's Ale Garden! If your band would like to be considered for a 50-minute set on Saturday, October 17 (between 7–9 PM), send a video featuring three songs (3–5 minutes total) to [email protected], no later than August 21.

🪟 𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒
Our Wicked Windows displays are an annual highlight and true community endeavor, pairing local artists with downtown businesses to transform Westfield's storefronts into delightful seasonal displays. Sign up by September 4 at addamsfest.com/wicked-windows-artists.

🕸 𝑨 𝑺𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝑷𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓
🖼️ AddamsFest Americana Art Exhibit: Weekends, October 9–25
🍺Charlie's Ale Garden: Saturday, October 17
🎪 Addams Family Fun Day: Sunday, October 18
👣 Charles Addams Heritage Trail Tours: Saturday, October 10, 17, and 24
🕷 Wednesday Night Crawlers: Wednesday, October 28
🛍 NEW! Wednesday's Finds throughout Downtown Westfield

Plus, the return of The Addams House on Mindowaskin Pond, the Haunt Your House Contest, and plenty more surprises are still lurking in the shadows.

📅 The full 2026 lineup drops in early September.
Until then, savor the summer. October has plans for you. 🖤🌙

05/19/2026

It may be 95 degrees outside, but Team AddamsFest already has crisp October nights on the brain. 🖤

We’re looking for local bands to join the lineup at Charlie’s Ale Garden during AddamsFest 2026! If your band would like to be considered for a 50-minute set on Saturday, October 17 (between 7–9 PM), send a video featuring three songs (3–5 minutes total) to [email protected] by June 26.

Preference will be given to bands that haven’t previously performed at the event, and selected bands will receive a small stipend.

October + Westfield: We cant' wait! 🎶

03/11/2026

Before they were Broadway’s favorite spooky family, they were the imagination of Westfield’s own Charles Addams.🖤

Now, Roosevelt Intermediate School students are bringing that hometown legacy to the stage in The Addams Family — and we couldn’t love it more. *Snap snap* 🫰🫰

Roosevelt Intermediate School Presents: The Addams Family Musical young@part March 12-14th. Order tickets at: https://wpsvpa.booktix.com/dept/RIST

01/07/2026

Charles Addams was born on this date in 1912 here in Westfield, NJ, where we look forward to celebrating his artistic and cultural legacy each year through AddamsFest!

If you can’t wait until October to find out more about Addams’ ties to Westfield, don’t miss the Charles Addams Heritage Trail Self-Guided Tour at bit.ly/addams-tour-selfguided.