FAQs
Q: Is the event free?
A: There is no entrance fee, and refreshments are free (hot chocolate and marshmallows for toasting around our campfire) - but this is also a fundraising event to support The New Weis Center! We will be selling second-hand items, Weis merchandise (tshirts, reusable water bottles, notecards and cookbooks), and accepting donations, and hope you will be as generous as you are able.
Q: What forms of payment are accepted if I want to purchase a second hand item or make a donation?
A: We accept cash, check, and Venmo.
Q: Can I bring my dog?
A: We welcome furry friends! However, dogs must be leashed and all pet waste must be picked up and properly disposed when you leave.
Q: Where can I park?
A: Free parking is available in the outer lot on Snake Den Road, near our sign. If that lot is full, a staff member will direct you to our overflow parking area. We encourage carpooling whenever possible!
Q: Are there bathrooms on-site?
A: YES, restrooms in our main building will be open throughout the event, including a handicap/gender neutral bathroom on the main floor and multiple restroom facilities on our lower level.
Q: Is the event handicap accessible?
A: While many of our paths are rocky and uneven, we do have a new electric utility vehicle (generously donated by our Trustee Annie Darling!) to transport people to and from our parking lot, and to the cabin and firecircle area as needed.
Celebrate the Season!
- We will have a cozy campfire going all afternoon, with rustic benches and picnic tables to sit and socialize.
- Warm up and grab a free cup of hot chocolate, tea, snacks, or toast a marshmallow over the fire.
- Drop off donations for 3 wonderful nonprofits: Toys for Tots, BASS Animal Shelter, and Highlands Family Success Center. Read below for details about items they need and will accept.
- Get creative and make a seasonal nature craft with our Weis educators!
- Visit the Sustainable Ringwood Green Team's cabin for a fun nature art activity, and see all the entries and winners of their 2024 nature photo contest.
- Gift wrap station! Bring your gifts (or pick some up from the Weis cabin or second hand market) and for a small donation (you choose the amount) we will wrap it for you with recycled and natural wrap.
- Bring your family and friends and take a picture in front of our festive winter backdrop - or have our staff take one for you (your phone or camera). Don't forget to tag us on social media!
- Facebook: @newweiscenter
- Instagram: @thenewweiscenter
- Facebook: @newweiscenter
- Keep reading for full details...
The New Weis Center is hosting its first ever 'Weis Winter Wonderland' event, as part of our sustainability initiative. We will transform our cabin area into a festive winter village for visitors to explore. Relax by a cozy campfire, enjoy some free hot chocolate and refreshments, make a nature craft, browse our cabins for second-hand gifts, take a holiday photo, and get your gifts wrapped. Our mission is not only to give back to the environment, but to give back to the community as well, so we will also have a drop-off station setup to collect donations for Toys for Tots, BASS Animal Rescue, and the Highlands Family Success Center (details below)!
The Weis Winter Wonderland is a FREE event for all ages. No registration necessary... just drop by!
Support The New Weis Center!
As a small private 501(c)3 nonprofit, we rely on donations, membership fees and program income from supporters and visitors to keep our Center going! Here are some ways you can show your support:
- Visit our Weis fundraiser merchandise shop and purchase a fundraiser item, including: t-shirts, reusable water bottles, cookbooks and notecards.
- Make a donation via cash, check or Venmo.
- Join or renew your membership! In addition to supporting Weis, membership at every level has some great benefits too!
Sustainable Holiday Gifting
Finding the right gifts each year can be stressful and troublesome from an environmental perspective. As many as 1 out of 5 unwanted gifts end up in a landfill each year, so regifting and upcycling are great ways to combat holiday waste. Our cabins will be filled with furniture, appliances, office supplies, toys, books, and other miscellaneous items. These second-hand items might not be of use to us, but we believe they can be repurposed and rehomed. Pick up some gifts... or a treat for yourself!
- The money we raise will go towards supporting our organization’s mission and our staff.
- We encourage you to bring your own reusable bags to carry your treasures home!
Out of gift bags and wrapping paper at home? There will be a sustainable wrapping station set up in one of our cabins! For a small donation, you can have your gifts wrapped with natural, sustainable or recycled gift wrap.
Support the Community
There will be a designated cabin area to DROP OFF YOUR DONATIONS for the following organizations: Toys for Tots, BASS Animal Rescue, and the Highlands Family Success Center.
- Toys for Tots accepts any new, unwrapped toys or gently loved stuffed animals.
- BASS Animal Rescue accepts supplies for cats and dogs. High priority items include wet and dry cat food, paper towels, laundry detergent, and bleach. For more information regarding preferred brands and other specifications, check out their wish list.
- The Highlands Family Success Center accepts non-perishable, unexpired pantry foods such as pasta, cereal, canned goods, etc.
Are you in search of affordable family fun to celebrate the holiday season? Look no further!
Weis Winter Wonderland!
Sunday, December 15, 1:00-4:30pm
The New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Recreation | 150 Snake Den Road, Ringwood, NJ 07456 | 973-835-2160
Owned and operated by the Highlands Nature Friends, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization