The Centennial Display on Speedwell Avenue Will Be Built From Residents' Pumpkins

How does a borough light up more than 100 jack-o'-lanterns for its 100th birthday? Downtown Morris Plains is asking residents and visitors to bring them. On Friday, October 30, the group wants carved pumpkins brought to the Merchant Block. The goal is a glowing display of more than 100 pumpkins to mark the borough's 100th birthday, as Morris Focus reported earlier this month.

The display grows one porch pumpkin at a time, and the days leading up to it works like a relay. Three different groups each run one leg, and the same pumpkin can pass through all three.

This Saturday, the Recreation Commission Hands Out the Raw Material

The first leg is this Saturday, October 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. That's the Community Bonfire, run by the Morris Plains Recreation Commission. If the weather turns, the rain date is Sunday, October 25, same hours. The evening has hayrides, music, refreshments, glitter tattoos and marshmallow roasting. Pumpkins are on hand for decorating while supplies last, so families who want one should arrive early.

That pumpkin can do more than sit on a front step. Shop Morris County calls the October 30 illumination "a nice follow-up for anyone who decorated a pumpkin at the bonfire." The illumination asks for carved pumpkins, so a bonfire pumpkin needs a knife and a few evenings at home before it makes the trip to Speedwell Avenue.

As of this week, the published 2026 listings don't name a bonfire location. Last year the bonfire was held at the Morris Plains Community Center, 51 Jim Fear Drive, according to TAPinto Morristown. The borough's Community Bonfire page has the official flyer and will post any switch to the rain date. Questions go to Morris Plains Recreation at 973-538-3544 or [email protected].

On October 30, Downtown Morris Plains Asks for Them Back

The second leg is the fourth annual Pumpkin Illumination on Friday, October 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. It takes place at the Morris Plains Merchant Block, which Downtown Morris Plains and Morris Focus list at 771 Speedwell Avenue.

"Fourth annual" carries some weight here. Downtown Morris Plains is a volunteer-driven, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) founded in 2023, so the illumination has run every year the group has existed. Morris Focus says the event was created to shine a light on Morris Plains businesses. This year it also carries the centennial count.

Here's how a household pumpkin joins the display:

1. Carve it at home. The call is for carved pumpkins. You don't need to bring a light, because the organizers provide pumpkin lighting.
2. Get it to the Merchant Block by 6 p.m. That's the deadline on the event page.
3. Collect a raffle ticket. Everyone who brings a pumpkin is entered in a raffle for prizes.
4. Come back for the glow. The display goes up as the evening's centerpiece. If you didn't get to carve, Downtown Morris Plains suggests stopping by for a selfie at the grand pumpkin display.

Businesses work on a parallel schedule. Registered Morris Plains businesses can enter the Business Pumpkin Carving Contest by dropping off entries between 4 and 6 p.m. that Friday. Visitors vote onsite until 8 p.m., and trophies go to the top three. Local businesses can also host a vendor table at no charge.

Admission is free. There's no rain date. According to the event FAQ, the illumination will go on in light rain, and any weather cancellation will be posted on Downtown Morris Plains' social media.

What the Jack O-Tavern Pays For

New this year, guests can get bites and brews at an onsite Jack O-Tavern. Downtown Morris Plains will be selling draft beer from Autodidact Beer, a brewery with a full taproom at 1745 Route 10 here in Morris Plains. Beer sales are 21+ and cash only, and the proceeds go to Downtown Morris Plains. So a pint that night helps fund the volunteer group that runs the event. Bring cash.

The rest of the evening includes live music, live carving by a master carver, tarot card readings and offerings from local vendors. The vendor list hadn't been posted as of this week. The band has a centennial connection too. The Morris Plains Centennial Committee is sponsoring it, a follow-up to the committee's Music on Merch mini festival on the Merchant Block on September 26. The committee's members and advisors are listed on the borough's centennial page.

According to the FAQ, the Morris Plains Model Train Museum is free and open to the public during the event. The FAQ also says many local restaurants and businesses will be open that night for dinner, dessert or a quick bite, and that Downtown Morris Plains will share a list of businesses running Halloween weekend promotions.

Along Speedwell Avenue, the Downtown Morris Plains business directory lists:

• The Plaza Cafe and Diner, 746 Speedwell Avenue
• Taylor's Consigners, 752 Speedwell Avenue
• The Messy Smock, 764 Speedwell Avenue
• 4 U Nails, 770 Speedwell Avenue
• Monrroy Floral Design, 724 Speedwell Avenue
• Chocolatine, 688 Speedwell Avenue, plus Carmel Haifa at 682 and Time for A Bagel at 680

Halloween Afternoon, the Borough Takes the Last Leg

Less than a day after the display goes dark, the third group takes over. According to TAPinto Morristown, the borough's annual Halloween Parade & Party starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, at Roberts Garden. Costumed children and families gather there, then walk to Simon's Park, with refreshments after the parade. It happens rain or shine. New Jersey Hills places Roberts Garden on Glenbrook Road, and the borough parks page lists Simon's Park on Mountain Way.

So the three events run on three different sets of rules. The bonfire has a rain date. The illumination goes on in light rain and has no backup night. The parade happens in any weather. For a family that wants all three, the forecast for Friday, October 30, matters most, because a washout that night can't be made up.

The borough's last Halloween safety guidance on its website is from October 2024. It covers flame-resistant, easy-to-see costumes, soft and flexible props, patch-testing makeup, and caution with decorative contact lenses. Check the borough site in case it posts an update before the parade.

The Merchant Block's Next Two Dates

After Halloween, downtown gatherings move indoors and up the calendar, with two dates already set:

• Winter Market, Saturday, November 21, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The borough's 2026 farmers market page lists this one-day market. An older Downtown Morris Plains page still shows last year's November 29 date, so go by the borough listing.
• Community Tree Lighting, Sunday, December 13, 6 to 9 p.m. The Morris Plains Rotary hosts it at the Merchants Block, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will kick off the Christmas season.

Between now and then, the busiest night on Speedwell Avenue is October 30. The size of the display depends on how many households carve a pumpkin and drop it off by 6 p.m.

If you're out at the bonfire or on the Merchant Block on October 30, I'd love to hear how many pumpkins the display reaches in Morris Plains' 100th year. Tyler Pontier Properties lives and works right here in Morris Plains, and I'm always happy to talk about what's happening around town. Let's Connect.