Frenchtown’s ArtYard Presents “Shelter Is”

Image Sources: https://artyard.org

ArtYard now presents “Shelter Is,” an exhibition that brings together the work of nine artists whose practices consider the physical and psychological function of shelter, its construction, and its improvisational nature. The works on view also explore questions of who seeks shelter, and for what reasons – political, socioeconomic, or environmental. At a time when people around the globe are being asked to “shelter in place,” the concepts of home, safety, security, and residence take on special meaning. more

Join Peddler’s Village for Thanksgiving Dinner

This year, Peddler’s Village in Bucks County, Pa., presents a safely served buffet with multiple stations and socially distanced tables at the Cock ‘n Bull as well as a la carte Thanksgiving specials at Earl’s New American (Buttonwood Grill will be open for breakfast only). Online reservations are encouraged. You can also make reservations by calling the restaurants directly. more

Virtual “Hocus Pocus” Event with Kathy Najimy, Oct. 24

Get into the spooktacular spirit with a live, online conversation with Kathy Najimy, star of the Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus,on Saturday, October 24 at 8 p.m. Tune in via Zoom for a wonderfully witchy discussion and Q&A hosted by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, including stories of behind the scenes hijinks with Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume for the Zoom presentation in what promises to be a fun celebration for all ages. The Hocus Pocus film is available to stream on the following platforms: Freeform, Disney +, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, iTunes, Google Play, and FandangoNow. more

Annual Trinity Turkey Trot 5K

Don’t let the quarantine keep you from all of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions! Join Trinity Church in Princeton for the 13thannual Trinity Turkey Trot. This year’s race will be virtual, which means that friends and family from around the country can participate. One hundred percent of proceeds from this year’s race will go to charities that work on behalf of food, housing, and youth support services in central New Jersey. more

Purnell School Welcomes Six New Faculty and Staff

Purnell School, the only college preparatory boarding and day school for motivated girls in grades 9-12 who learn differently, announced six appointments to its faculty and staff. The additions officially joined Purnell at the start of its in-person fall 2020 semester.

“We are ready and excited for a healthy and safe start to the new school year,” said Anne M. Glass, Ed.M., head of school, Purnell School. “Joining our returning faculty, our newest team of dedicated professional educators will help us take Purnell’s proprietary Learning and Wellness approach to the next level, ensuring each student has access to rigorous academics and support with social emotional wellness.” more

Virtual Event “Dissimilar Similitudes: Devotional Objects in Late Medieval Europe,” Oct. 27

Two eminent scholars with a shared interest in women’s history and the history of materiality, Caroline Bynum and Brooke Holmes, will be discussing holy objects on Tuesday, October 27 at 6 p.m. for a virtual audience. This event is presented by Labyrinth Books of Princeton in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Study and the Princeton University Humanities Council. more

Soles for the Harvest Virtual 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk

The Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey invites runners and walkers to the upcoming Virtual 5K and Fun 1 Mile Run/Walk on November 7.

Did you know that New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the nation, yet hunger is a daily occurrence for many members of the community? Hunger and food scarcity may strike one of your child’s classmates, a coworker, an elderly neighbor, and people in your own family. The realities of COVID-19 have resulted in lost jobs, lost wages, and often, an inability to provide for oneself. All proceeds of the Soles for Harvest race will benefit programs dedicated to fighting hunger in New Jersey. more

Morven Hosts Art of Cross Stitch Virtual Workshops

Thursdays, November 12 and 19, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and/or Saturday, November 14, 2 to 4 p.m.

Cross stitch, a form of embroidery that uses X-shaped stitches to form a picture, has been a popular pastime for centuries and several of Morven’s residents enjoyed needlework.

Join Morven Museum for virtual cross stitch sessions with local needleworker Marisa Simon. Learn to stitch either a Morven ornament (which can be finished as a pillow or sachet) or frame-worthy sampler, just in time for holiday gift-giving. more

AddamsFest Returns to Westfield in October

The town-wide festival honoring Westfield’s Charles Addams is reimagined for a year like no other

If isolation and social distancing were an art, The Addams Family would be the masters. This year, their dynamic is on-brand as the popular AddamsFest returns for a third year – this time, in a pandemic-friendly manner, and, once again, transforming Westfield with a unique celebration honoring its own Charles Addams and his penchant for the macabre.

Dubbed “Alt AddamsFest” for the 2020 pandemic, the festivities will be shaped by creative approaches to gatherings that provide a safe environment while maintaining the initial spirit of the celebration. more

Celebrate Day of the Dead with the Arts Council of Princeton

Celebrate el Dia de los Muertos with the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) for socially distanced outdoor workshops beginning October 10. The public is also invited to view and display their Day of the Dead artwork in the ACP’s Taplin Gallery from November 1-14. more

Virtual Look at 17th-Century Dutch Paintings, Oct. 8

Paulus Moreelse (Dutch, 1571-1638), “Shepherdess,” 1633. Oil on canvas. Princeton University Art Museum. Museum purchase.

Join Ronni Baer, Allen R. Adler, Class of 1967, Distinguished Curator and Lecturer, for a virtual visit to the planned installation of 17th-century Dutch paintings at the Princeton University Art Museum that was canceled due to COVID-19. Baer will introduce you to works that haven’t often been on view, place familiar paintings into new contexts, share discoveries resulting from ongoing research, and explore a recent acquisition or two. more

Princeton Adult School Presents “Innovation: Making the Culture Thrive”

An Eight Part Lecture Series with Noted Princeton Scholars

Beginning on Tuesday, October 20 at 8 p.m., Princeton Adult School will be offerings an eight-part lecture series centered around the experiences and opinions of eight noted Princeton scholars on the subject of “Innovation: Making Culture Thrive.” more

The 2020 Head of the Schuylkill Regatta Goes Virtual

Join the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (HOSR) virtually on October 18-24, 2020. Compete on your favorite indoor rowing machine or body of water by self-submitting times and distances traveled during October 18-23. Live racing will be held on October 24. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the famed Philadelphia race that typically draw rowers from around the world. Registration is now open on Regatta Central (https://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/?job_id=6266). more

Zimmerli Announces Virtual Programs in October

Erik Bulatov’s “Krasikov Street,” 1977. Oil on canvas. Collection Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers. Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union.

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers offers a variety of virtual programs in October, from longtime favorites to new ways of engaging with art lovers. Please note that the museum building remains closed to the public and in-person programs are suspended until further notice. more

PU Public Lectures Welcomes Anthony Jack, Sept. 30

Join Princeton University for a free Zoom lecture with Anthony Jack, assistant professor of education at Harvard University and author of The Privileged Poor. Jack will be joined in conversation by Cecilia Rouse, dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the Katzman-Ernst Professor in Economics and Education. Their conversation will consider the campus lives of lower-income students, the “unwritten rules” or “hidden curriculum” of elite colleges, and the difference between “access” and “inclusion” at elite institutions. Jack will describe how class divides on campus create barriers to academic success – and share what schools can do to level the playing field. more

Community Options Appoints Ashlee DiPisa as Director of Recruitment

Community Options, Inc. has announced the promotion of Ashlee DiPisa to director of recruitment.

Community Options is a national nonprofit that provides housing and employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Community Options employs over 5,000 people across ten states to provide services to over 3,400 people with disabilities. more

Montclair Film Festival Announces 2020 Special Event Screenings

The 9th Annual Montclair Film Festival (MFF) has announced its initial slate of Special Event screenings. Presented by Investors Bank, the festival will take place October 16-25 in Montclair, N.J. The Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing Films will screen at the Montclair Film Festival’s Carpool Theater drive-in, with the Virtual Centerpiece screening on Montclair Film’s new Virtual Cinema platform, powered by Eventive. more

Kindbody Opens New Clinic in Princeton

Full-Service Health and Fertility Company Increases Access in the Northeast

Kindbody, a fast-growing health and fertility company, recently announced the opening of a new clinic in Princeton at 16 Chambers Street. With the new opening, Kindbody continues to fulfill its mission of reimagining fertility care by delivering an exceptional patient experience that is accessible and affordable for all.  more

Washington Irving’s Sunnyside

A charming, romantic Hudson River estate

America’s “Founding Father of Literature” created a picturesque estate nestled along the Hudson riverbank. The enchanted landscape of Washington Irving’s much-loved Sunnyside has been charming guests for generations. Visitors today hear about Irving’s storied past and how he came to be America’s first internationally famous author. His characters, from the Headless Horseman to Rip Van Winkle, are global icons, and Irving’s legacy lives on at his whimsical estate.  more

Delaware River Railroad Excursions Presents the Corn Maze Train

Play the game where getting lost is half the fun!

The Great Corn Maze Train departs Phillipsburg, N.J. from now through October 27 at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. (3:30 p.m. trips will be added in the month of October on Saturdays). At the cost of $5 add on to any train ticket, the Corn Maze Train is a 1 hour and 30 minute trip that winds through Hunterdon County including stops at the Ol’ Susquehanna Mine, picnic groves, century-old Snyder Farm, two corn mazes to explore, and miles of trails. more

Shakespeare Book Club: Reading the Bard Aloud, Virtually and In-Person

The Shakespeare Book Club unites Bard-ophiles and Shakespeare novices via fun, social, thought-provoking, and informative exploration of his plays. This fall, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey has announced that the Shakespeare Book Club can now be experienced in-person at its Kean Theatre Factory or through Zoom for participants who wish to engage remotely. more

Soul Sweet Boutique Confectionary, Bakery, and Café Rises to the Top

It’s no surprise the best Brazilian desserts north of the equator come from Soul Sweet Boutique – the cozy, welcoming bakery and eatery nestled in the Ironbound section of Newark, the heart of the Brasileiro population in the Garden State. more

Voting in New Jersey for the 2020 Presidential Election

One of the biggest barriers in this year’s election may be confusion about the voting process. COVID-19 has caused changes in absentee voting procedures and the availability of in-person registration and voting locations. If you plan on voting in person, double-check your polling place well in advance. Even if you believe you’re registered, be sure to verify your voter registration details at elections.nj.gov. Finally, if you plan on registering to vote in the November election, request an application now and mail everything back as soon as you receive it due to possible delays with the United States Postal Service. more

Get Your Pod Together for a Private Art Class

Classes available daily from 2 to 4 p.m. for up to eight peas.

It’s a summer like no other and many people are forming pods or extended bubbles with friends and neighbors to help keep their elementary and middle schoolers busy. In connection with this new trend, the Arts Council is now offering Private Pod Classes. more

Rubin Museum of Art Will Reopen on September 12

Safety protocols protect staff and visitors, enabling a contemplative, intimate Museum experience

Free admission extended to all health care providers

The Rubin Museum of Art has announced its reopening to the public on September 12, with exclusive member preview days of September 10 and 11. more

BrainStorm Tutoring & Arts Provides Expert Academic Help

Feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of the coming school year? You’re not alone. 

With an elite network of academic mentors and performance coaches, BrainStorm Tutoring helps to equip students to perform at their best when the stakes are high – and to thrive emotionally during the process.  more

Welcome Back Guidelines at Grounds for Sculpture

Photo Credit: Grounds for Sculpture

Grounds for Sculpture is happy to welcome back guests and visitors to their outdoor gardens and exhibits via timed entry tickets, which must be purchased in advance. All buildings and indoor exhibitions will remain closed. The outdoor grounds will be open Thursdays-Mondays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. more

Fall Harvest Festival Coming Soon at Happy Day Farm

Fall on the farm is always a thrill, and Happy Day Farm at 106 Iron Ore Road in Manalapan has announced that the theme for its 2020 corn maze is superhero! Get lost in the twists and turns of this maze and try to find your way out by searching for squares in the Maize-O-Poly board game. The Fall Festival also includes Hay Mountain, Pumpkinville, tractor rides, pig races, life-sized board games, tilt a’ whirl, pumpkin painting, fall food, and more. more

Outdoor Dining is in Full Swing at Bernardsville’s Osteria Morini and Nicoletta Pizzeria

Like so many restaurants, Osteria Morini and the casual, collocated Nicoletta Pizzeria have had to be nimble in adapting to the state’s dining restrictions.  more

Annual 9/11 Tribute in Light Will Return in 2020

The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum announced last week that the annual Tribute in Light memorial would not be happening this year, but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that state funding would be provided to make sure that the remembrance would indeed take place.  more