October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and whether you love to shop, attend events, walk or run, there are tons of different ways to support the cause. Check out the list below of opportunities to go pink in the Watchung area and beyond:

Pig Roast BBQ For the Cure
When: Saturday, Oct. 6, 3pm
Where: Stirling Elks Lodge, 1138 Valley Road, Stirling.
Pricing: $25 at the door

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
When: Sunday, Oct. 28, 9am
Where: New Jersey Convention & Expo Center at Raritan Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
When: Sunday, Oct. 21, 8am
Where: Lincoln Park, Lincoln Park & West Side Ave, Jersey City

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
When: Sunday, Oct. 21, 8 am
Where: Military Park, Park Place Newark

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
When: Sunday, Oct. 21, 8am
Where: Mack-Cali Business Campus, 1 Campus Dr., Parsippany

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
When: Sunday, Oct. 21, 9am
Where: The NEW Overpeck County Park, 199 Challenger Road, Ridgefield

Salons For A Cure Walk
When: Sunday, Oct. 21, 10 am
Where: Verona Park, Verona

Paint The Mall Pink
When: Kickoff Oct. 6, 11 am, extends through the month
Where: Menlo Park Mall, 55 Parsonage Road, Edison

Brunch for Breast Cancer Awareness
When: Sunday, Oct. 28, 10am
Where: W Hotel, 225 River St. Hoboken
Cost: $50

2012 TREK Breast Cancer Awareness Ride
When: Saturday, Oct. 12 at 10 am
Where: Ridegwood Cycle, 35 North Broad Street, Ridgewood

Paterson Mustangs Breast Cancer Awareness Walk
When: Saturday, Oct. 6, 7am to 5pm
Where: 155 Market St., Paterson

Party In Pink
When: Saturday, Oct. 13, 2 to 5 pm
Where: Just Dance, 321 Changebridge Road, Pine Brook

Go Pink! 5K Run/Walk
When: Sunday, Oct. 14, 9:30 am to 4 pm
Where: Glen Avenue & Brookside Drive, Millburn

Second Annual Hope to Heal Dinner
When: Friday, Oct. 26 7:30 to 11:30 pm
Where: Encore Event Center, Freehold, NJ

New York City for the 2012 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
When: Sunday, Oct. 20 to Monday, Oct. 21
Where: The two-day 39 mile walk spans Manhattan neighborhoods Chelsea, Greenwich, and Soho, across into Brooklyn before crossing back to Manhattan and spending the night at Randall's Island before returning to Hudson River Park's Pier 84 on Sunday.

In addition to these local events, New Jersey residents can participate in the following:

• Susan G. Komen Tie A Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign throughout October. Volunteers can eight-foot hot pink ribbons throughout your community as a special way to honor and remember loved ones affected by breast cancer.

• On Oct. 12, dine with Esposito's in Matawan and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to the Karen Mullen Breast Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity that funds research, as part of the annual, nationwide Slice of Hope fundraiser.

• D'Bella Salon, located on Matawan Road in the Townsquare Shopping Center, is offering hair cuts for $20 for both ladies and gents on Sunday, Oct. 14. All of the money raised during the event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. 
• On Oct. 2, Keyport's 32 West Salon will have free donuts and coffee in the morning and wine and cheese in the afternoon. Come by and get for a $10 PINK Hair Extension or a $1 Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet. All of the proceeds will be donated to the cause. 32 West is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will offer hair extensions and bracelets throughout the month. Find them on Facebook here.

Other ways to help support a cure for breast cancer:

• The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, (BCRF) has partnered with Barnes & Noble, which is offering a pink leather Nook cover with a stitched ribbon for about $35, with $5 going to the foundation.
• Susan G. Komen for the Cure sells its own official merchandise on its website. It has pink leather business card holders for $15 each, as well as candles, coasters, neckties and car accessories.
• Hard Rock will celebrate its thirteenth season of Pinktober with a variety of merchandise, including a pink honeycomb robe for $80. 75 percent of the profits from each item sold goes to the Caron Keating Foundation.
• 074ATE1 Cooks for a Cure in Wyckoff released a cookbook this month with proceeds going to breast cancer prevention.  
• The U.S. Postal Service has been selling a stamp commemorating breast cancer awareness for the past 15 years. The agency has raised $75 million so far for research programs at the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.

Is there a special event you participate in to support breast cancer research? Share your stories and thoughts with us by adding them to the comments sections of this article. Also, be sure to add photos of you and your friends supporting the cause to the photo gallery above.