Another week has come and gone, and that means the weekend is here! Ready for some fun? We sure are. We’ve rounded up some fun and family-friendly things to do in and around town, so check ‘em out!
Watchung Booksellers (54 Fairfield Street, Watchung Plaza, Montclair) will host Laura Fitzgerald: Wild for Winnie Storytime at 4:00 PM on Friday. Winnie is the new kid at school, and sometimes she acts kind of wild. Her teacher says to her classmates, “Maybe Winnie feels the world differently than most of us. Why don’t we give her world a try?” So that week, when Winnie can’t stop monkeying around, the class joins her on the jungle gym. And when she’s acting squirrelly, they all go nuts on an obstacle course. When Winnie is being a bit of a bear, the whole class burrows into a cozy den for storytime. Soon, with the guidance of their loving teacher, Winnie’s classmates realize that sometimes we all feel the world differently, and that’s more than okay. Bring a blanket and enjoy this afterschool storytime and activity on the Watchung Plaza Green.
The Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp) continues to host the Family Photo Scavenger Hunt. Held daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, bring your camera or phone for this month’s hunt. There is a new theme each month, and May’s theme is “The Nose Knows.” Grab your camera and follow your nose. Use your senses to find all kinds of scents and smells around the gardens. The cost is $10 per family or group of 6 or fewer. Preregistration is required.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morristown) will host Born to Be Shorn on Saturday, from with sessions throughout the day from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, for children of all ages. It’s time for a haircut! Visit Fosterfields and watch master shearer, Margaret Quinn, demonstrate how to properly shear a sheep, the old-fashioned way. Preregistration is required. Cost is $10 per person ages 4 and up.
Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit) hosts Discovery Weekends on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays anytime between 9am-3pm for this self-guided program for families and children 3 and older. Borrow a magnifying glass (please remember to return it once you’re done), grab an interactive activity guide, and head out to see what wonders big and small await. There may be a surprise or two, a clue to follow, a mystery to solve, a chance to create, and always an engaging nature activity. Each week is a new discovery! The program is free, but donations are requested.
Also at Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit), enjoy Free Tour Saturday. Free guided tours of the Arboretum take place at 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. No reservations are required, but space is limited, and tours are given on a first come, first served basis.
On Saturday, Nishuane PTA will present Mayfair Celebration 2022 at Nishuane Elementary School (32 Cedar Avenue, Montclair). After a two-year break, Nishuane’s Mayfair event is back!! It’s time to give our kids some well-deserved outdoor fun!! This day long festival serves up an absolutely good time – there will be kids rides, an inflatable obstacle course, arts & crafts, games, prizes, delicious food and yummy treats! Cost is $10 per child over the age of 2 years. Admission is free for adults. Food tickets will be sold separately. Tickets are available online.
Friends of Anderson Park (288 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair) celebrates the 200th Birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted on Saturday from 1-4 p.m. with children’s activities, live music, vintage bicycles and more at this free event. Rain date Sunday.
On Saturday, City Green Eco-Center at Schultheis Farm (171 Grove Street, Clifton) will host For the Birds! This hands-on educational workshop is for children ages 5-12 and will run from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Learn all about the importance of birds for our gardens at City Green’s “For the Birds!” family program! Cost is $8 per person.
The Fairy & Pirate Festival will be held at Turkey Brook Park (30 Flanders Road, Budd Lake) on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The wee fae folk and swashbuckling buccaneers are returning to Turkey Brook Park again this spring turning it into a magical wonderland! Princesses & Knights from other realms will be joining us in games, pony rides, inflatables & many vendors. DJ Nicole will keep the festivities moving. Performances by Theater Dance & Valhalla Fencing will help with the magic. Michelle’s Bistro will be onsite with food along with Marty’s ice cream & Philly Pretzel. All are encouraged to dress in costume.
Montclair Public Library (50 S. Fullerton Avenue, Montclair) will host Afternoon Hula: Kahiko and ‘Auana Styles with Na Pua Mai Ka Lani Nuioka on Saturday from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM. Na Pua Mai Ka Lani Nuioka performs and teaches hula in the hopes to perpetuate the culture of Hawaii and the spirit of aloha. Attendees will enjoy and learn about ancient kahiko hula which can use hand percussion and woodwind instruments, and the contemporary ‘auana hula which usually incorporates instruments introduced by the western world, such as the ukulele. Na Pua Mai Ka Lani Nuioka connects you with the land of Aloha and brings the beautiful traditions of Hawaiian music, song, spirituality, and dance to life.
State Theatre NJ (15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick) will present Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Roald Dahl’s amazing tale is the golden ticket that is touring the imagi-nation! It’s the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray. Get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator, and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper. Tickets are $40-$98.
The Growing Stage (7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong) will present Go, Dog, Go! GO, DOG, GO! brings P.D. Eastman’s classic children’s book to life on stage in a rollicking free-for-all of chicanine-ery. A big and little musical world of doggy fun. Like a pop-up book that comes to life and never stops. Performances will be held on Saturday at 4:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets start at $18.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center will present New Jersey Symphony: Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert at 8:00 PM on Saturday. Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy, as he leaves his home planet, battles the evil Empire and learns the ways of the Force. Don’t miss Star Wars: A New Hope in concert, with the New Jersey Symphony performing John Williams’ Oscar-winning score live to the complete film. Tickets are $35-$110.
Mayo Performing Arts Center (100 South Street, Morristown) will present The Laurie Berkner Band Live on Sunday at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Tickets are $19-$39. Children’s music superstar Laurie Berkner returns for an all-new music and dance party featuring the favorites your family has enjoyed for years. In concert, Laurie is joined by her longtime collaborators Susie Lampert, Bob Golden, and Brady Rymer — the “band” — in old and new “greatest hits,” including songs from Laurie’s albums Waiting for the Elevator, Superhero, The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band, The Ultimate Laurie Berkner Band Collection, Laurie Berkner’s Favorite Classic Kids’ Songs, and more!
Morris Museum (6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown) hosts Spark!Lab on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Spark!Lab offers any child (ages 5-12 years old and accompanied by an adult), a new informal approach to hands-on learning. Instead of following step-by-step instructions, young inventors will be empowered to problem-solve and overcome real-world obstacles. Spark!Lab offers many unique, project-specific stations, where inventors can engage directly with engineering and design challenges. There is also a newly created space with a train and exploration table filled with unique tools to help spark creativity, thinking, and learning for children ages 1-4). The cost is included in admission, which is $12 for adults, $8 for children 3-17, and free for children under 3.
On Sunday, Newark Museum of Art (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host Family Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Enjoy a day of fun activities for the whole family at The Newark Museum of Art. Enjoy MakerSPACE and Family Drop-In: Mini Keepsake. You can find the entire schedule online. This program is included with Museum admission.
Montclair Art Museum (3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair) will host Sunday Studio on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, with sessions beginning on the hour. Join in each Sunday for a fun family art-making activity inspired by our current exhibitions. Explore materials, learn new techniques, and meet other community members while enjoying creative time with your family. Each week features a different project designed by MAM Teaching Artists to spark the imagination and encourage conversation in response to artworks on view in museum galleries. Inspired by the upcoming exhibition Art in Bloom, families will have fun using a variety of recycled materials to create their own wearable flower brooch. This program is aimed at families with children ages 5–12, but all are welcome. This event is free with admission and registration is required. This event is free with Museum admission, but you must register separately.
On Sunday at 4:00 PM, at The Manhattan Center – Grand Ballroom (311 West 34th Street, NYC), Story Pirates will present “Cats Sit On You” Benefit Performance. The Story Pirates will be live on stage, featuring Lee and Peter from the Story Pirates Podcast, songs you love, and ideas from kids in the audience brought to life before your eyes! This performance is a benefit for Story Pirates Changemakers, our non-profit arm that is committed to making Story Pirates programs accessible to under-resourced kids and families. Tickets are $35.
Axelrod Performing Arts Center (100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park) will host The Addams Family on Saturday at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM. The Axelrod Performing Arts Academy presents The Addams Family, the new musical by Andrew Lippa with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. America’s favorite “creepy and kooky” family, The Addams Family was a hit TV series in the 1960s and the subject of five Hollywood films. The musical is based on Charles Addams’ original single-panel cartoons and the musical focuses on an 18-year-old Wednesday who has fallen in love with a “normal” teenager from Ohio and the chaos that ensues as the Addams face the possibility of changing their traditional macabre ways. The Addams Family is directed by Michael LaFleur with music direction by Michael Gilch. Tickets are $28 for adults and $24 for students.
Liberty Science Center (222 Jersey City Blvd, Jersey City) continues to present Minecraft: The Exhibition. This is a 6,000-sq.-ft. multimedia experience that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, whether they play Minecraft or not. The exhibition features an immersive experience that includes blocky scenes and characters from the game. Minecraft: The Exhibition will be open through September 5, 2022. Liberty Science Center is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Cost is the price of general admission, plus an additional fee. Visit the website for details.