Common calendar, Packet papers, February 5

Princeton University Concerts (PUC) is expanding its digital offerings for the remainder of the 2020-21 season to replace planned in-person concerts, many of which will be rescheduled to future seasons.

The university’s performing arts series has recast all of its virtual programming to directly address socially relevant topics. This includes: a new podcast series, Breathe in Music, bringing PUC’s popular Live Music Meditation series to a digital format; a new series of conversations with musicians and prominent arts thinkers about the impact of COVID-19 on the performing arts hosted by multidisciplinary artist and WNYC host Helga Davis; the release of new video episodes of mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato’s Sing for Today, in which the opera star responds to current events through the lens of song and conversations; and virtual performances and live Q&As with world-renowned musicians to continue PUC’s Watch Party series.

Most of this digital content will be available to the public at no charge.

For more information about Princeton University Concerts, contact Dasha Koltunyuk at dkoltuny@princeton.edu or 609-258-6024.

The Princeton Adult School is offering predominately online and a few in-person COVID-safe classes for the spring, presenting a selection of 152 courses, including:

• Lecture series on Africa, “Up Close and Personal: Africa;”

• History courses, such as “Nineteenth Century America Through the Prism of Five Extraordinary Elections” and closer to home “From Village to Town: The Transformation of Princeton between 1890 and 1910;”

• Writing skills for a variety of personal and professional reasons;

• Making objects with the hands – doodling, knitting, jewelry making, woodworking, photography;

• Making music by one’s voice, harmonica, ukulele, piano, mandolin;

• Playing games (bridge, MahJong, chess;

• Improving business and workplace skills;

• “Spring Wildflowers,” “Therapy Walks,” “Nature Walk” and “Name That Tree.”

To participate, visit www.princetonadultschool.org to register for classes. For assistance, call the office at 609-683-1101.

 

 

 

“Performing Healing: Rituals & Repetition,” an exhibition by Diana Chen, presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Visual Arts, will be viewable online at 185nassau.art through May.

The Princeton University senior will exhibit new work exploring the therapeutic role of rituals and repetition during times of crisis and change. Using found objects, personal items and other memorabilia, the work depicts healing as an alchemical performance in which we re-live, re-tell and re-enact through simple repetitions of movement. Drawing inspiration from Buddhism, Jungian psychology and creation myths, the work seeks to re-trace the symbolic journey from distress and fragmentation to healing and wholeness.

Free and available to the public.

For more information, visit https://arts.princeton.edu/events/healing-narratives-senior-thesis-exhibition-diana-chen/

 

Princeton Dance Festival Reimagined, presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Dance, will be viewable online through May.

The virtual edition of the annual Princeton Dance Festival recorded in December features diverse, professional choreographers bringing their aesthetics to the question of dance in the COVID era working with Princeton dance students.

In works led by Peter Chu, Francesca Harper, Rebecca Lazier, Dean Moss, Silas Riener and Olivier Tarpaga, students explored the intersections of dance and multimedia performance, digital animation, filmmaking, site-based work and music.

Each evening is a completely different and unique experience followed by a recorded question-and-answer session with the choreographers.

Free and available to the public.

Video content is closed captioned.

To view the recordings, visit https://arts.princeton.edu/academics/dance/past-events/2020-21/princeton-dance-festival-reimagined-2020/

 

 

 

“All Her Power: 50th Anniversary of Princeton Undergraduate Coeducation Theater Project,” presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater, will be held virtually online through May.

The first undergraduate co-ed class arrived at Princeton University in the fall of 1969. In celebration of this milestone in 2019, the Program in Theater facilitated journalistic research by three generations of Princeton women – current students, professional artist alumnae, and the first generation of graduating women – to culminate in a theatrical event exploring the experiences of women at the University. Students were paired with professional artist alumnae to research and create new, short performances about women who graduated from Princeton in the first few years of co-education at Princeton.

The process, led by Program in Theater Director Jane Cox and Lecturer in Theater and Princeton alumna Suzanne Agins ’97 working with student-alumnae pairs, culminates in this filmed archive of the work in collaboration with theater and visual arts alumna Milan Eldridge ’20.

Free and available to the public.

The film is closed captioned.

To view the film on demand and read more about the project, visit allherpower.princeton.edu

 

 

 

The Nassau Film Festival (NFF) screens short films and music videos (30 seconds to 20 minutes) in the categories of fiction, documentary, animation, student fiction, horror, music videos, trailers, and episodic. 

It will be held virtually this year from May 15-23, instead of at the Princeton Garden Theater.

Best of Festival Awards are given in each of the categories and attendees have a chance to network with actors, actresses, directors, writers, producers and directors of photography at a special festival event. Audience members will also have the opportunity to participate virtually in question and answer panel discussions with filmmakers whose films are selected to screen at the festival.  

Over the years, NFF has earmarked funds donated from patrons and sponsors each year to assist various non-profit organizations. Buy a festival pass or make a donation to Feeding America’s Community Food Bank of New Jersey, which has a COVID-19 Response Fund that is helping to ensure local food banks can feed those in need right now, including children who rely on school meals to eat.

For more information, visit nassaufilmfestival.org

 

French American School Princeton (FASP) is accepting enrollment.

At FASP, students in preschool (3 years old) through grade 8 benefit from a rigorous bilingual curriculum accredited by the Middle State Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools and the French Ministry of Education; personalized attention thanks to small class sizes; and a multicultural community with more than 30 nationalities represented.

FAPS is located at 75 Mapleton Road, Princeton.

Visit ecoleprinceton.org, call 609-430-3001 or email admissions@ecoleprinceton.org.

 

 

 

The East Windsor Regional School District has opened Kindergarten registration for the 2021-22 school year.

Any child who will be 5 years old on or before Oct. 1 is eligible for full-day kindergarten. A birth certificate or passport must be presented to verify the date of birth.

Families will also be required to submit proof of residence.

To register, visit https://genesis.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/genesis/openReg?screen=welcomeScreen&action=form

For registration requirements and a registration packet, visit www.ewrsd.org or call the Office of Community Services at 609-443-2881, ext. 6800.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

First and third Saturdays, through April

Every first and third Saturday through April, the West Windsor Community Farmers Market is held outdoors, rain, snow or shine, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MarketFair on Route 1 in West Windsor/Princeton.

Available is fresh produce, coastal seafood, farm fresh eggs, artisan cheese, fresh pasta and sauces, soups and chili, pastured meats and poultry, gluten-free baked goods, alpaca fiber wear, and more.

Yes We Can! food drive volunteers are set up at the outdoor market, where they collect cash donations from visitors to buy fresh produce from the farmers.

The dates are Feb. 6 and 20, March 6 and 20, and April 3 and 17.

Enter the market from the Meadow Road side parking lot in front of the AMC Theater.

For more information about the market, visit westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.

For information or to volunteer for Yes We CAN! Food Drives, visit https://arminarm.org/yeswecanfooddrives/.

 

 

Throughout February

February is Give Kids a Smile Month. This national initiative helps underserved children get the dental care they need for free.

Rowan College at Burlington County’s Dental Hygiene Clinic will offer free dental care to children ages 13 and under during February. Services include screenings, cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants to protect permanent teeth.

To schedule an appointment, call 856-291-4215.

For more information, visit rcbc.edu/dental.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, Feb. 5

“Irish Hobo, Buddhist Monk, Anti-colonial Celebrity: The Strange Story of U Dhammaloka/Laurence Carroll,” a lecture by Dr. Laurence Cox, associate professor of Sociology at the National University of Ireland Maynooth and associate researcher at the Collège d’Etudes Mondiales, Paris, will be presented virtually at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 5 by the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University.

The lecture is based on his recent book, “The Irish Buddhist: the Forgotten Monk who Faced Down the British Empire,” co-authored with Alicia Turner and Brian Bocking, presented by Princeton’s Fund for Irish Studies.

The Zoom webinar is free and open to the public.

This event will be live captioned. Viewers in need of access accommodations should email LewisCenter@princeton.edu

For information and the registration link, visit
https://arts.princeton.edu/events/fund-for-irish-studies-lecture-by-laurence-cox

 

 

 

Friday, Feb. 5 – Friday, Feb. 26

Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts will present “Natural and Conventional Signs,” a virtual exhibition in which U.K. artist Ryan Gander exhibits a selection of new works directly guided by his research at Princeton undertaken during his time as a Hodder Fellow and made during the global pandemic.

 

A video tour of the exhibition, physically mounted in Gander’s new impromptu gallery space, Solid Haus, in Suffolk, England, is available on-demand from Feb. 5-26.

 

On Feb. 9 at noon EST, Gander will present a live guided tour of the exhibition and engage in a conversation with Princeton Program in Visual Arts faculty member David Reinfurt via Zoom.

 

The exhibition video and live tour/conversation events are free and open to the public at arts.princeton.edu/gander.

 

Saturday, Feb. 6

Samaritan will hold its annual Celebration of Life Gala, presented by Holman Enterprises, virtually at 7 p.m. Feb. 6.

“Be A Samaritan: Celebration of Life” will celebrate the dedicated work and success of the special people who comprise the Samaritan team, particularly honoring their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

Samaritan offers hospice care, palliative (comfort) medicine, at-home primary care, grief support and counseling, advanced illness care, education and advocacy.

Samaritan serves people in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties who are coping with the stresses of aging, serious illness or grief in their homes, assisted-living or nursing home communities and through two inpatient hospice centers.

Individual tickets to the gala are $225 each.

Samaritan will also hold its annual Delightful Dining Raffle. Two raffle winners will be announced during the event – at $10 per ticket, this raffle offers the chance to win 12 $100 dining gift certificates to area restaurants.

Additionally, the event will feature an online auction. Bidding opens Feb. 1.

Tickets for the raffle and access to the online auction are available at www.SamaritanNJ.org/Gala. 

For additional details, tickets or sponsorship information, visit www.SamaritanNJ.org/Gala or contact Julie Weitzman at 856-552-3239 or jweitzman@samaritanNJ.org.

 

Saturday, Feb. 6 to Saturday, March 6

On view in the Arts Council of Princeton’s Taplin Gallery from Feb. 6 to March 6 is “Legends of the Arts,” a Black History Month exhibit.

Presented by Museums in Motion, visitors are invited to take a stroll through decades of culture and excellence related to some of the most notable individuals in American history. Legendary figures such as poet and author Langston Hughes, actor and singer Paul Robeson, actress Lena Horne, and Motown singing sensation The Supremes will be featured, to name a few.

All ages are invited to view this display at 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton.

To learn more, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

 

Through, Feb. 7

Blue Point Grill will hold Pink Pearl Week 2021, the restaurant’s 21st year supporting the fight against breast cancer.

For the past six years, the grill has partnered with YWCA Princeton’s Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC) to assist in their mission to provide support and information to women and their families affected by breast cancer.

This year, help kick breast cancer to the curb with curbside pickup. Through Feb. 7, Blue Point Grill will donate 15% of all online order sales to the BCRC.

Place an order online and view the specials under the “Pink Pearl Specials” tab. Pink Pearl specials will also be available for dine-in customers.

For more information, visit www.bluepointgrill.com/pink-pearl-week

Blue Point Grill is located at 258 Nassau St., Princeton.

 

 

Tuesday, Feb. 9

The Arts Council of Princeton offers  “In Conversation,” a curated series of discussions.

On Feb. 9, the Arts Council welcomes Kayren Carter Mjumbe, president and senior curator for Museums in Motion, a traveling African American history museum. Based in Princeton, the organization was founded in 2016 with the mission of educating the country on the achievements of both legendary and unknown African Americans and culture.

The exhibit has traveled to school districts and events in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Alabama. Mjumbe’s vision is to produce and host a series of cultural television programs highlighting the most captivating African American museums and historical sites in the United States.

Mjumbe will be in conversation with Timothy M. Andrews, major supporter of the Arts Council’s Artist-in-Residence program and former council Board President.

Register for this free webinar at artscouncilofprinceton.org

 

Wednesday, Feb. 10

Joseph Bonaparte’s Point Breeze Estate in Bordentown will be discussed at 7 p.m. Feb. 10.

Bonaparte, the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte and former King of Spain and Naples, fled to the United States in 1815. He lived in New Jersey from 1816-39.

During this period he built two palatial homes, laid out a 1,900-acre picturesque landscape, and acted as an unofficial cultural attaché. His home was a center for French refugees in America. His library and art collections were the largest in the country.

Recent archaeological excavations in Bordentown have unearthed the remains of Bonaparte’s palatial estate.

Speaker Richard Veit, Ph.D. is professor of Anthropology and Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Monmouth University.

Co-sponsored by Pennington Public Library, Hopewell Valley Historical Society, and The Hopewell Museum.

Registration required. Visit www.penningtonlibrary.org/pointbreeze/ for the Zoom link.

 

Thursday, Feb. 11

World-renowned artist and feminist trailblazer Audrey Flack is the subject of a new documentary that explores her life and art.

Watch the film “Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack” through the Princeton Garden Theatre virtual cinema.

Then join the conversation about the film with Academy Award-winning director Deborah Shaffer and Audrey Flack herself at 4 p.m. Feb. 11 via Zoom.

Flack, an acclaimed painter, sculptor, and pioneer of photorealism, is the first photorealist painter whose work was purchased for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Her art resides in major museums around the world.

Now in her eighties, she returns to her canvas for the first time in decades and shares her hard-fought struggles as a female artist and mother to find her rightful place in the art world.

Advance registration for the film talk is required. Registration and film ticket information are both available at https://bildnercenter.rutgers.edu/events/upcoming-events/icalrepeat.detail/2021/02/11/82/-/queen-of-hearts-audrey-flack

This program is presented by the Rutgers Jewish Film Festival in cooperation with the non-profit Princeton Garden Theatre, which is currently screening the film virtually as part of its Art on Screen Series.

The Rutgers Jewish Film Festival is a public program of the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life at Rutgers University. The Bildner Center connects the university with the community through public lectures, symposia, Jewish communal initiatives, cultural events, and teacher training.

 

 

An introduction to American Sign Language (ASL) will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 11.

Learn the ASL alphabet, some basic conversations, and the differences and similarities between the deaf and hearing culture.

Instructor Becky Selden-Kelly received her degree in ASL and English Interpreting from Ocean County College in 2015. Since then, she has been working as an adjunct ASL professor at Ocean County College and a freelance ASL/English interpreter for musicals and plays at Plays-in-the-Park in Edison, Count Basie in Red Bank, and the State Theatre in New Brunswick.

Sponsored by Friends of the Hickory Corner Library, Hightstown Library Association, and Friends of the Lawrence Library.

Registration with an email is required in order to receive the GoToMeeting link.

Visit http://mcl.org

 

 

Thursdays, through Feb. 25

Aerobic hikes for preteens to adults will be held on Thursdays, Feb. 11, 18 and 25 at 1 p.m., weather permitting. Meet at The Nature Center at Washington Crossing State Park, 355 Washington Crossing Pennington Road, in the Titusville section of Hopewell Township.

The routes of the 2-3.5 mile brisk guided hikes on selected trails in the state park will be determined.

Bring a water bottle and wear hiking shoes. The trails are quite wet in sections.

Advanced registration required in order to ensure social distancing. Face coverings are required. Attendance is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All children must be accompanied by an adult. 

In the event of inclement weather, some programs might be canceled. It is advisable to call ahead before coming out. Call 609-737-0609.

 

 

Thursdays, through March 4

The Princeton University Art Museum and the Arts Council of Princeton will offer free online art-making experiences on Thursdays through March 4.

Weekly classes are taught via Zoom so participants can join live workshops, using materials available at home.

Each week’s lesson features works from the museum’s collections and is introduced by a student tour guide.

Illustrating horses will be the focus on Feb. 11. This live art-making class is inspired by Frederic Remington’s “Coming through the Rye.” Remington’s bronze sculpture is based on a drawing from the 1880s and features four animated horses and riders in a composition remarkable for being largely elevated off the work’s base, with the leftmost horse completely suspended. This class will focus on drawing horses, with instruction on anatomy, movement, texture and expression.

Feb. 18 is “Unique Cropping.” This live art-making class is inspired by Edward Hopper’s “Universalist Church.” In this partial view of an 18th-century Universalist church in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Hopper shows only the elegant white spire, obscuring the rest of the building with intervening houses. The lines of the roofs adjacent to the church lead the eye across both axes of the image to the steeple. This class will focus on creating a unique architectural composition by cropping the image and closely focusing on one aspect of a scene.

Storytelling with Collage, a live art-making class inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s “The 1920s … The Migrants Arrive and Cast Their Ballots” will be held Feb. 25. Lawrence’s expressive style conveys the scene with exaggerated geometries, angular figures, and blocks of color. This class will focus on visual storytelling and creating collage compositions using basic shapes and blocks of color.

“Rendering Clothing and Drapery” on March 4 is inspired by a Greek Statuette of Nike from the Hellenistic period. In this sculpture, the goddess of victory wears a clinging chiton with a long overfold that reveals the lines of her voluptuous body. This class will focus on the basic shapes of clothing and the anatomy of folds to better understand the mechanics of drapery.

Details and free registration for each class are available at https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/calendar/2021-02/art-making-drawing-collections-capturing-winter-scene

 

Thursday, Feb. 11

Montessori Princeton will hold a “Montessori Explained” webinar at 7 p.m. Feb. 11.

Through Friday, Feb. 12

Nominations for the 25th annual Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award are being accepted through Feb. 12.

Members of the community can nominate a fellow New Jerseyan and give him or her the chance to be recognized for their service. They are people who help others in need, give their time and energy to solve community problems, and put others above themselves.

Each year, the Making a Difference Award presents $50,000 to one winner, $25,000 to two runners-up, and up to $7,500 to several others at a ceremony hosted by Ramapo College of New Jersey, which manages the awards program on behalf of the Russell Berrie Foundation.

Awards will be presented at a virtual ceremony in May.

The nomination form is available online at berrieawards.ramapo.edu. 

Friday, Feb. 12

Submissions are due Feb. 12 for Hightstown’s Got Talent.

The Zoom showcase will take place on March 20.

For submission information, visit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RIyAibjGjspk3zEMMDka1kYHSeSDZfSJxkx5tmF9ZbA/edit

For a preview of the 2021 showcase, visit www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR276xd_HaKJMv1CHdS_B3PgDltotaQ-jt0scdITAnmnxSAnU0mFf4_zbWM&feature=youtu.be&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery&v=bVMG6bFqKqo

Friday, Feb. 12 to Sunday, Feb. 14

Join wine makers from Terhune Vineyard and Winery in Princeton for a special Valentine’s Wine & Chocolate Virtual Tasting, offered at 7 p.m. Feb. 12, 3 p.m. Feb. 13 and 3 p.m. Feb. 14, pairing the Harvest Blues and Rooster Red wines with Terhune homemade chocolate cookies in a special assortment along with chocolate truffles.

Enjoy a virtual tour of Terhune vineyard and winery along with the guided tasting.

Inquire by emailing tmount@terhuneorchards.com

On Feb. 13 and 14, the farm will be open for socially distanced seating with heaters and firepits. Wine tasting flights, hot mulled wine and chocolate treats will be available along with light fare. All can enjoy s’more and hot cocoa kits.

Masks are required on premise unless seated, and groups are limited to six guests.

The event is weather dependent, so call ahead.

Terhune is located at 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton.

Order Valentine’s gifts and reserve wine tastings online at terhuneorchards.com

Saturday, Feb. 13 – Sunday, Feb. 21

Community Options will host its 13th annual Cupid’s Chase 5k event in support of people with disabilities from Feb. 13-21.

This year the race in Bridgewater will be held virtually. Runners will be able to run at any location they choose and upload their times to a central results site.

Once the upload window closes on Feb. 22, results will be final.

All funds raised will be used to support people with disabilities in the Somerset County region.

Register at https://5kevents.raceentry.com/races/virtual-cupids-chase-bridgewater-nj/2021/register

 

Sunday, Feb. 14

 

The MOSAIC Cultural Series of Adath Israel Congregation in Lawrenceville will present Ronnit Vaserman, founder of Art Connect Group, with a talk on “Warhol Women” at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 14.

Participants will discover the many famous women Andy Warhol painted.

BYOB: Bring Your Own Brunch. Registrants will receive recipes for 15 Minutes of Frame Eggs, The Factory French Toast and MOMA MOSA.

To register, call 609-896-4977.

 

The Dryden Ensemble will present a Valentine’s Day concert, Leycester Lyra Viol Lessons, featuring Lisa Terry, at 4 p.m. Feb. 14.

Terry plays the bass viol “lyra-way,” with melodies and chordal accompaniment just like a lute with a bow, in these 17th century lessons collected by English gentleman Peter Leycester.

Listen to typical Baroque dance movements like allemande, courante and sarabande, a few settings of folk songs, and some engaging character pieces.

The suggested donation is $10 general admission, $25 for supporters or $50 for patrons.

For more information, visit https://drydenensemble.org/

 

 

Lisa Terry will present a lecture-recital titled “Leycester Lyra Viol Lessons” at 4 p.m. Feb. 14 courtesy of the Dryden Ensemble.

Ticket prices range from $10-$50.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit drydenensemble.org.

 

Saturday, Feb. 13 and Sunday, Feb. 14

The Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey will hold its 2021 annual conference virtually on Feb. 19 and 20.

Find meaning across Latinx identities and adapt to changing times affecting racism, colorist and invisibility.

To register, visit www.latinomentalhealthnj.org

Co-sponsored by Horizon NJ Health and Rutgers School of Social Work.

 

 

Sunday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 21

HomeFront’s Week of Hope from Feb. 14-21 will spread the Valentine’s spirit of caring to local homeless families.

Kick off with “Share The Love” from noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 14. Participants will decorate hearts, adorn them with poetry and add inspirational quotes that will be displayed at HomeFront’s Family Campus, a temporary shelter for 38 local homeless families in Ewing.

“Welcome to HomeFront” orientation will be held from 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 15; then a virtual tour of HomeFront’s pantry, FreeStore, ArtSpace and Furnish the Future program will be held from 1-2 p.m.

Join a virtual Snack & Activity Bag “Packing Event” from 10 a.m. to noon or from 2-3 p.m. Feb. 16 via Zoom. Community members can shop for, pack up and deliver snack and activity bags for local homeless families.

Attend HomeFront’s virtual Lunch & Learn with CEO Connie Mercer and COO Sarah Steward from 12-1:30 p.m. Feb. 17. Join the discussion on local homelessness and hunger, solutions and how to get involved.

HomeFront and the Princeton Public Library will co-host a virtual panel discussion “Homelessness and Hunger in the Time of COVID-19” at 6 p.m. Feb. 18. Moderated by Connie Mercer, CEO of HomeFront, with panelists Bernie Flynn, CEO of Mercer Street Friends; Emily Lemmerman of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab; Crystol Thompson-Dyous, Trenton School District parent liaison and former HomeFront client; Sarah Steward, chief of Operations at Homefront; and Gregory Stankiewicz, statewide coordinator of the NJ Community Schools Coalition.

Take a Zoom tour of HomeFront’s headquarters, including its food pantry, FreeStore, Furnish the Future program and ArtSpace, from 10-11 a.m. Feb. 19.

Volunteer on site in the Diaper Resource Center from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 20 at the HomeFront Family Campus, 101 Celia Way, Ewing.

View the short film created by Force for Good about the Tiny House project and homelessness at 7 p.m. Feb. 21. A panel discussion, in which HomeFront will take part, will follow the film.

Register for all events at www.homefrontnj.org

 

 

 

Tuesday, Feb. 16

 

The virtual presentation will be followed by Q&A.

The cost is $10, or $5 for general admission. A recording will be sent to all ticket holders.

Registration is required. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/black-history-month-tribute-to-frank-johnsons-music-at-morven-virtual-prog-tickets-137677207233

 

 

Wednesday, Feb. 17

Reading in Translation: New Student Work, presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Creative Writing, will be held via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

Six Princeton students studying literary translation will read from their recent work, hosted by faulty member Larissa Kyzer.

Free and open to the public.

Viewers in need of access accommodations should email LewisCenter@princeton.edu

For more information and the Zoom link, visit https://arts.princeton.edu/events/reading-in-translation-new-student-work/

Danielle Allen, a widely-recognized public policy expert and political philosopher, will be the featured speaker at People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos annual benefit from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

She will be joined by her Harvard University colleague, David Kidd, to discuss “Reinvigorating Civic Education for the Nation,” an exploration of how their work has grown into a resource for rebuilding civic education nationally.

Allen, a self-described “democracy advocate” and “policy innovator,” is currently James Bryant Conant University professor at Harvard University, and director of Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. She is also the principal investigator for the Democratic Knowledge Project, a research and action lab at Harvard that works to strengthen the knowledge and skills democratic citizens need to succeed at operating their democracy.

Allen is currently exploring a candidacy for Massachusetts governor in 2022.

A Princeton University graduate and a former faculty member at the Institute for Advanced Study, Allen holds PhDs from both Cambridge University (in classics) and Harvard University (in government).

 

 

The non-partisan Lawrence League of Women Voters invites the public to attend a special online public program from 7-8 p.m. Feb. 17.

 

“NJ Government & Politics: What You Want & Need to Know” features guest speaker Ingrid Reed, a major player promoting transparency in New Jersey politics.

Reed will talk about how to address public issues in a manner that can get results.

She is currently chair of the NJTV Community Advisory Board and a former director of the New Jersey Project at Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics.

 

In the Q&A portion of the program, Reed will respond to pre-submitted questions. The public can go LWVofLawrence@gmail.com to submit questions by Feb. 7.

Online link and live-streaming options will be posted at www.LWVLT.org.

For more information email LWVofLawrence@gmail.com or call 609-301-0401.

 

A Black History Month discussion about famous inventors will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 courtesy of the Mercer County Library, Lawrence headquarters branch.

Learn who discovered the traffic light, who was responsible for changing blood to blood plasma, who created safety gates at the approaches of bridges, plus more.

Recommended for children ages 6-12.

Registration with an email is required in order to receive the link via GoToMeeting. Email hopeprogs@mcl.org

 

 

 

 

Thursday, Feb. 18

A new Westminster Conservatory at Nassau video will be available on the church website at 12:15 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month and remain available for viewing.

The artist on Feb. 18 will be Marvin Rosen on piano.

To view the concert, visit www.nassauchurch.org/westminster-conservatory-recitals/

 

“Losing Picasso: The Challenges of Condensing a Life” will be a film lecture presented by the Princeton University Art Museum at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18.

The filmmakers, Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, faced almost insurmountable challenges in producing the film“Surviving Picasso,” which takes as its subject the relationship between Pablo Picasso and his companion Françoise Gilot.

This lecture with Caroline Harris, associate director for education, investigates the resulting depiction of the painter, providing a larger context for the period portrayed.

Watch the film at your leisure, then join the group on Zoom on Feb. 18 for the live lecture.

Presented in partnership with the Princeton Garden Theatre.

Details and free registration available at https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/calendar/2021-02/lecture-losing-picasso-challenges-condensing-life.

 

 

“In Nature’s Realm: The Art of Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh” will hold its virtual opening reception and curator walk at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18.

The exhibition examines the work of Hardenbergh (1856–1915), born in New Brunswick, the great-great-grandson of the Rev. Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh (1736–90), the first president of Queens College (Rutgers University), a self-taught artist and ornithologist.

Curator and Deputy Director Elizabeth Allan takes viewers on a virtual tour inside Morven Museum & Garden’s latest exhibition. In Nature’s Realm is on view Feb. 19 through Jan. 9, 2022, at Morven, 55 Stockton St., Princeton.

This virtual recording will include a Q&A session. A recording will be sent to all ticket registrants.

Free, but registration is required.  

To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/in-natures-realm-virtual-opening-reception-curator-walk-tickets-136637539559

 

Join the SheTek community from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 18 for a free webinar to boost your career and give you the secrets you need to break into the leadership sphere.

Learn from experts Connie Watson, Ed.D., leadership and organization coach and founder of Connie Watson Consulting; and Chaya Pamula, SheTek founder and PamTen president and CEO, about how you can overcome roadblocks, add the right skills to your resume, effect change from within an organization, and more.

Sign up at https://bit.ly/TheOutlet10

“Abandoned Ruins on Public Lands in New Jersey: Forgotten and Unknown Pasts” will be presented at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 courtesy of The Mercer County Library, Lawrence headquarters branch.

Scattered throughout New Jersey are remnants of history that are being reclaimed by nature or destroyed by vandals. In this program, author and photographer Kathleen Butler will rediscover the little-known history of these forgotten places. Discover ruins from iron-making industries, mills, the railroad, and more.

Registration with an email is required in order to receive the link via GoToMeeting. Email hopeprogs@mcl.org

 

 

 

 

Friday, Feb. 19

Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society and People for Animals will hold their quarterly Snip & Chip for Community Cats event on Feb. 19, where locals can bring in feral cats to be spayed/neutered and microchipped free of charge.

Do not bring any socialized cats, they will be turned away.

The event will be held at the People for Animals Clinic located at 1 Sharon Road in Robbinsville. All feral cats from Central New Jersey are welcome, with a limit of five cats per participant. All cats must be dropped off between 7 and 7:30 a.m. to receive treatment.

Snip & Chip will provide free spay/neuter surgeries (valued up to $55) which will include rabies & distemper vaccines, ear tip, injectable pain control, tattoo, and medical waste disposal for feral cats. Microchip insertion/registration will be available free of charge as well.

Additional services will be available for an additional charge, including post-op boarding.

All additional services must be pre-paid at the time of drop off.

Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society will accept cash or credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover). No American Express or checks accepted.

Registrations must be made by Feb. 8. To register, participants must fill out the form at https://karmacatzendog.org/snipchiprequest. If participants cannot fill out the form, email SnipAndChip@karmacatzendog.org with “Snip & Chip Reservations” in the subject line. Within the body of the email, participants must provide: full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, number of cats, what town the cats reside in, and a description of the colony.

The pickup date is Feb. 19 or 22; $15 boarding fee per cat to be paid to the rescue.

 

 

“The Pandemic and Hopewell Valley Schools: Challenge, Response, Lessons Learned” will be presented by Dr. Thomas A. Smith, superintendent of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, from 1-2 p.m. Feb. 19. The Zoom room will open at 12:45 p.m.

The program is designed to inform those who do not have connections with the school system about the ways in which the schools grappled with the pandemic over the past year to maximize both learning and safety.

The program is offered by the Older Adult Ministry Committee of the Pennington Presbyterian Church, as part of its Brown Bag Lunch Program series.

Call the church office at 609-737-1221 to register and receive the Zoom link.

 

 

Opening Friday, Feb. 19

“In Nature’s Realm: The Art of Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh” will open on Feb. 19 at the Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton St., Princeton.

From the untouched land surrounding Barnegat Bay and the diverse wildlife that called it home, to the picturesque steeples and meadows around New Brunswick, Hardenbergh’s work provides a special glimpse into the Garden State on the brink of rapid development. 

For more information, visit www.morven.org/upcoming-exhibitions

 

Saturday, Feb. 20

A cross country ski workshop will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 20 for pre-teens to adults at The Nature Center at Washington Crossing State Park, 355 Washington Crossing Pennington Road, in the Titusville section of Hopewell Township.

In this workshop, participants will learn about the different types of cross-country ski equipment that are available, what to look for in selecting a pair of skis, how to dress and where to go skiing in New Jersey. 

The discussion will last up to 90 minutes.

If the ground is snow covered, an additional one hour ski lesson will be offered. Participants will have to provide their own ski equipment for the outdoor lesson. Call the Nature Center to obtain equipment rental information.

Advanced registration required in order to ensure social distancing. Face coverings are required. Attendance is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All children must be accompanied by an adult. 

All programs will initially meet at the Nature Center unless otherwise indicated.

In the event of inclement weather, some programs might be canceled. It is advisable to call ahead before coming out. Call 609-737-0609.

 

The premiere of the 40th annual tour of Thomas Edison (formerly Black Maria) Film Festival, presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts, Program in Visual Arts and Thomas Edison Media Arts Consortium, will be held virtually via Zoom at 8 p.m. Feb. 20.

The tour kicks off virtually with a premiere screening of several top award-winning films followed by an audience Q&A with filmmakers and Festival Director Jane Steuerwald.

Free and open to the public.

Viewers in need of access accommodations should email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least two weeks in advance.

For more information and the Zoom link, visit https://arts.princeton.edu/events/40th-annual-thomas-edison-film-festival-premiere-2021/

 

 

The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) in Skillman and the Sourland Conservancy in Hopewell are partnering again to present their popular Gospel Brunch fundraiser on Feb. 20.

Guests will have access to a virtual Gospel music concert via YouTube, with informational segments and interviews with board members and staff.

Keith Spencer, baritone, will provide the music, accompanied by pianist, Peter Hilliard.

All proceeds will benefit the Sourland Education & Exhibit Center, which will be located adjacent to SSAAM’s home at the Mt. Zion AME Church on Hollow Road in Skillman. The Sourland Center will provide space for exhibits and educational programs, as well as much-needed office space for both nonprofits. The two organizations have begun work with Mills + Schnoering Architects of Princeton to develop a plan for the site.

Tickets are available online for $30 per household. Ticket holders will receive a link on Feb. 19 to view the event on YouTube. The link will only be active for 24 hours on Feb. 20.

Visit www.ssaamuseum.org to purchase tickets, or visit https://bit.ly/3cniIym.

For more information, email info@ssaamuseum.org.

 

Hundreds of sugar maple trees line the banks of Moore’s Creek and the nearby woods at the foot of Baldpate Mountain in the Titusville section of Hopewell Township.

In February, farmers begin the annual work of sap collection and maple syrup production. The first step takes place in the sugar bush, and at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27, visitors can join Howell Farm’s expert tree-tappers for a lesson in how to tap a backyard maple tree and make syrup at home.

Outside activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. also include firewood cutting, rail splitting and, if conditions permit, ice harvesting.

Programs will be modified to encourage social distancing and reflect current state guidelines for public events. Visitors are required to carry masks at all times, and wear them when social distancing isn’t possible.

Howell Living History Farm is located at 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township.

For more information, call 609-737-3299 or visit howellfarm.org

 

 

 

Sunday, Feb. 21

 

The MOSAIC Cultural Series of Adath Israel Congregation in Lawrenceville will present the virtual program “Pandemic Parables” by Geraldine Buckley, accounting her experiences working in a hospital plagued by COVID-19. Amidst the tragedy of the pandemic, she finds grace and solace from patients and hospital staff.

To register, call 609-896-4977.

 

 

 

Starting Monday, Feb. 22

 

 

 

 

Monday, Feb. 22

In honor of Black History Month and the recent commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that gave predominantly White women the right vote, Dr. Chanelle Nyree Rose, associate professor of History and director of the Africana Studies Program at Rowan University, will examine the long struggle for suffrage, with a particular focus on race and African American women, at 7 p.m. Feb. 22.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Ewing Library, Friends of the Hickory Corner Library, Hightstown Library Association, Friends of the Hopewell Branch Library, and Friends of the Lawrence Library.

Registration with an email is required, in order to receive the link via GoToMeeting. Email hopeprogs@mcl.org

 

Select days, from Feb. 23 to March 23

Morven Museum & Garden will present the Grand Homes & Gardens Distinguished Speakers Series at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23; and March 11, 16 and 23.

This year’s theme is “The Woman of the House.”

The schedule is: Lyndhurst Castle, New York, Feb. 23; Harbor Hill and Beacon Towers, Long Island, March 11; Globe House and Gertrude Jekyll’s garden, March 16; and The Mount, March 23.

The program is all virtual.

To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/grand-homes-gardens-distinguished-speakers-series-2021-tickets-133788391681

 

Wednesday, Feb. 24

A reading by Ottessa Moshfegh and seniors from the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Creating Writing will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 via Zoom.

The C.K. Williams Reading Series showcases senior thesis students of the Program in Creative Writing with established writers as special guests.

Free and open to the public.

Viewers in need of access accommodations should email the Lewis Center at least two weeks in advance at LewisCenter@princeton.edu

For more information and the Zoom link, visit https://arts.princeton.edu/events/c-k-williams-reading-by-ottessa-moshfegh/

Through Friday, Feb. 26

The West Windsor Arts Council will present a virtual exhibit, Harmony Art Show, from through Feb. 26.

WWAC invites artists to explore the idea of balance disrupted and harmony restored as it relates to personal experience, beliefs, or observations.

The online opening reception will be from 7:15-9 p.m. Jan. 15.

For more information, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkfu-qrTspHt0TTfednaklYy6cktleZ66w

 

Friday, Feb. 26

“1921 and 2021: The Partition of Ireland, Then and Now,” presented by Princeton University’s Fund for Irish Studies, will be held virtually via Zoom at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

Scholar and critic Fintan O’Toole delivers the annual Robert Fagles Memorial Lecture on “1921 and 2021: The Partition of Ireland, Then and Now.” O’Toole, one of Ireland’s leading public intellectuals, is a columnist for The Irish Times and Leonard L. Milberg ’53 visiting lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton.

Free and open to the public; no registration required.

This event will be live captioned. Viewers in need of other access accommodations should email the Lewis Center at least two weeks in advance at LewisCenter@princeton.edu

For more information and the Zoom link, visit https://arts.princeton.edu/events/fund-for-irish-studies-lecture-by-fintan-o-toole/

 

Princeton Folk Dance will hold a virtual dance party at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

For the Zoom link, email pfnfd2@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

Friday, Feb. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 28

Multiple soloists from the Princeton Symphony Orchestra will perform a range of works showcasing virtuosity on the piano and violin in the “Soulful and Scintillating Solos” virtual concert, available Feb. 26-28.

Buskaid’s vocalists take over the spotlight with popular and traditional songs.

For tickets, visit princetonsymphony.org.

Saturday, Feb. 27

 

 

 

At the turn of the 20th century, the Great Migration saw Black Americans leaving the segregated Jim Crow South for northern cities. Harlem, a neighborhood in upper Manhattan, quickly became the epicenter of a vibrant community, drawing over 175,000 Black Americans from southern states. Some of the greatest minds in poetry, art, and theater lived within this 3-square mile area giving rise to The Harlem Renaissance.

Join local artist Kenneth Lewis Jr. in an exploration of the Harlem Renaissance and the collage work of Romare Bearden from 1:30-3 p.m. Feb. 27. Using basic supplies found around the home, learn how to utilize the power of collage as an art form.

All ages are invited to join this special hands-on celebration of art, history, and the possibilities of this exciting form of creative self-expression.

Register for this free online workshop at http://artscouncilofprinceton.org/events/free-workshop-harlem-renaissance-the-art-of-collage/?view_year=2021&view_month=02&view_day=27

 

 

Hundreds of sugar maple trees line the banks of Moore’s Creek and the nearby woods at the foot of Baldpate Mountain in the Titusville section of Hopewell Township.

In February, farmers begin the annual work of sap collection and maple syrup production. The first step takes place in the sugar bush, and at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 27, visitors can join Howell Farm’s expert tree-tappers for a lesson in how to tap a backyard maple tree and make syrup at home.

Outside activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. also include firewood cutting, rail splitting and, if conditions permit, ice harvesting.

Programs will be modified to encourage social distancing and reflect current state guidelines for public events. Visitors are required to carry masks at all times, and wear them when social distancing isn’t possible.

Howell Living History Farm is located at 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township.

For more information, call 609-737-3299 or visit howellfarm.org

 

 

 

“Hot Music for a Cold Night,” a virtual gala to benefit the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 27.

For questions or to get on the invitation list, contact Audrey Yeager at ayeager@princetonsymphony.org or 609-497-0020.

 

 

 

Through Sunday, Feb. 28

 

Elementary and secondary school music teachers in New Jersey can introduce schoolchildren to their favorite instruments and at the same time win $500 for their music programs in “Discovering Instruments,” a new competition from the Princeton Festival.

Music teachers may enter the competition by submitting introductory instructional videos about an instrument by Feb. 28.

 

Five winners will be chosen. In addition to the cash prize, the competition will award a free professional video recording session to re-record the winning presentations, which will be prominently posted on the Festival website.

Full details are available at https://princetonfestival.org/discovering-instruments/.

The competition is open to any music educator who holds a full or part-time teaching position in a New Jersey elementary or secondary school. Initial video submissions must be approximately three to five minutes long, and introduce a portable instrument. The decision of the judges is final.

 

 

The Arts Council of Princeton’s public art presence continues with the display of “Untitled 2017 (Fear Eats the Soul) (White Flag)”.

The piece, on loan from artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, is a black and white adaptation of the American flag, superimposed by the words “Fear Eats the Soul”.

Tiravanija’s piece was created as part of Creative Time’s Pledges of Allegiance, a nationwide public art project that commissioned 16 flags, each created by acclaimed contemporary artists. Each flag embodies art’s ability to channel political passion, points to an issue the artist is passionate about, and speaks to how the country might move forward collectively.

On view from the roof of the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts through Feb. 28.

Visit artscouncilofprinceton.org to learn more.

 

“The Work of Adrienne Kennedy: Inspiration & Influence” will be streamed online through Feb. 28 by McCarter Theatre, Princeton.

The virtual festival honors the playwright.

Each performance is $15, or buy a festival pass and waive the handling fee.

To explore the festival, visit www.mccarter.org/adriennekennedy

Sunday, Feb. 28

The Signs of Spring Walk at Morven Museum & Garden will take place at 2 p.m. Feb. 28 on the grounds of the museum, 55 Stockton St., Princeton. The walk will be canceled in the event of rain.

Safely get outside with Morven’s Horticulturist Louise Senior as she tours the grounds and gardens looking for signs of spring.

Dress accordingly with comfortable, water resistant boots or shoes. Masking, limited group capacity, and CDC social distancing requirements will all be observed.

Details on where to meet on Morven’s grounds will be provided to all registrants by email prior to the program.

The cost is $10, or $5 for Friends of Morven.

To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/signs-of-spring-walk-with-horticulturist-louise-senior-at-morven-tickets-136212680795

 

Saturday, March 6

The Watershed Institute will hold a Winter Fairy Festival on March 6 in person for ages 2 and up at 31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington.

Build winter fairy cottages using natural materials, search for fairies hidden at each activity station using a scavenger hunt sheet, create crafts like bird feeders and snowflake ornaments, and play fairy games such as fairy ring toss and magic gem search.

Bundle up for this all outdoors event.

Wings and wands encouraged.

Masks, social distancing, and adult attendance required. For information on policies for in-person programs, visit https://thewatershed.org/in-person-program-policies/

Cost is $10 for adults, or $5 for children 2 and older. Discount available for members.

Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.

For more information, email egallos@thewatershed.org

 

 

Thursday, March 11

An artist talk with Glenn Ligon and Hilton Als will be presented by the Princeton University Art Museum at 5:30 p.m. March 11.

Ligon, whose work draws on literature and history to explore race, language, desire and identity, joins Pulitzer Prize–winning author and critic Hilton Als to discuss the ways in which art can engage and rethink the most urgent issues of our time.

Details and free registration available at https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/calendar/2021-03/artist-talk-glenn-ligon-and-hilton-als

 

 

Through Friday, March 12

Recognizing the bravery and commitment of volunteer firefighters and first responders, New Jersey American Water announces its 2021 grant program for volunteer fire departments, ambulance squads and first aid squads located within the company’s service areas.

Grants may be used to cover the costs of personal protective equipment, communications gear, first aid equipment, firefighting tools, vehicle maintenance and other materials that will be used to support volunteer firefighter and emergency responder operations. Reimbursement for specific training courses, including the cost of training manuals, student workbooks, and instructors is also eligible.

To apply, organizations must complete the application available at www.newjerseyamwater.com under News & Community, Community Involvement.

The maximum grant amount awarded to any organization is $2,000.

The deadline to apply is March 12. Interested applicants can find more information and apply online at www.newjerseyamwater.com/community.

Grant recipients will be notified at the end of March.

 

 

Saturdays, through March 13

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) 36-year tradition of offering weekly informative talks on a wide variety of science subjects continues with a live online version.

The Ronald E. Hatcher Science on Saturday Lecture Series resumes from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays through March 13, on the Zoom virtual meeting platform.

The series kicks off with a lecture on “The Renaissance of the Stellarator Fusion Concept,” by PPPL physicist David Gates, head of Advanced Projects. Stellarators, a type of fusion energy facility that has twisty coils, were invented by PPPL founder Lyman Spitzer in the 1950s. The complex devices have been a less popular choice for fusion experiments than donut-shaped tokamaks but are making a come-back as scientists find new approaches to stellarator design.

Other highlights include a talk by Geeta Govindarajoo, professor of chemistry at Rutgers University, on the intersection between chemistry and art. Govindarajoo will discuss the role of chemistry in creating and restoring art and detecting forgeries.

Post questions for the speaker by tweeting to @PPPLsSciEd or #scionsat.

The remaining schedule is:

 

• Jan. 30: Cristian Galbiaiti, of Princeton University’s Department of Physics, “From studying the Sun, to searching for dark matter, to fighting COVID-19”
• Feb. 6: Adam Ruben, author, “Public Perception of Science: Lesson from a Dead Sheep.”
• Feb. 13: Slobain Duffy, “Virus Host-Shifting: Insights from Laboratory Experimental Evolution”
• Feb. 27: Tracy Drain, of NASA, “Mars Exploration Program”
• March 6: Sophia Gershman, PPPL, “Plasma Science Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic”
• March 13: Kory Evans, Rice University, “Ecology and Evolution of Teleost Fishes”

 

Recordings of the talks will be posted on the Science Education website a few weeks after the initial viewing.

For more information, visit energy.gov/science.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, March 20

The Miss New Jersey-New York Collegiate USA inaugural pageant will be held at the Hyatt Regency Princeton in Princeton on March 20.

Young ladies, ages 13-29, will participate in collegiate and high school divisions.

All contestants receive a college scholarship sponsored by Marymount University and the opportunity to win additional cash scholarships and awards.

The annual event, its national pageant celebrates and rewards young women who are college-bound, current degree seekers with higher education exposure, or seeking help to pay student loan debt with career opportunities, cash and college scholarships. The pageant aspirations are to recognize and incentivize young women to receive scholarships for higher education, and become positive role models, all while building a strong sisterhood.

The New Jersey-New York Pageant is a preliminary to the Miss Collegiate USA National event to be held this summer in Greenville, South Carolina.

Winners of the state pageant will receive the official state crown, rhinestone embroidered state banner, her entry fee into the national pageant, a cash scholarship, prize package and become eligible to compete in the inaugural 2021 Miss Collegiate USA/Miss High School National Pageant for an opportunity to win a $40,000 college scholarship to Marymount University, $5,000 cash scholarship, and many other awards.

In 2021 the organization anticipates to award over $500,000 in scholarships, cash and awards.

In addition, a university fair is scheduled during the week of the national pageant. For additional information on the fair, visit www.misscollegiateusa.org/universityfair

Apply for the pageant at www.misscollegiateusa.org/nj-nypageant

For more information, visit www.misscollegiateusa.org

 

 

Hightstown’s Got Talent will take place on March 20 via Zoom.

For a preview of the 2021 showcase, visit www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR276xd_HaKJMv1CHdS_B3PgDltotaQ-jt0scdITAnmnxSAnU0mFf4_zbWM&feature=youtu.be&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery&v=bVMG6bFqKqo

 

 

 

Sunday, March 21

The Dryden Ensemble will celebrate Bach’s 336th birthday at 3 p.m. March 21 with a streaming of their live concert of Bach’s “St. John Passion: The Mardi Considine Spring Concert” recorded on March 13, 2020, at All Saints Church in Princeton.

The intimate production of this masterpiece uses a choir of eight singers, as Bach did, with a small orchestra of 18th-century instruments.

The ensemble is led by Scott Metcalfe, the acclaimed director of “Blue Heron.”

Ticket prices range from $10-$50.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit drydenensemble.org.

 

 

 

Through Wednesday, March 31

 

Teens across the state can begin submitting entries for the 26th Annual New Jersey Teen Media Contest, which highlights the New Jersey Human Services’ mission to support families, especially during these challenging times.

The contest, run by the Division of Family Development, is open to all New Jersey middle and high school-aged children.

The 2021 contest challenges teens to illustrate – through art or the written word – how they and their loved ones have supported each other through all of the changes that have happened this year, from remote schooling to finding new ways to stay connected to friends and family.

All entries must be postmarked no later than March 31.

Staff from the Division of Family Development and its Office of Child Support Services will judge the contest. Winners will be selected in first, second, and third places in both the middle and high school groups, for each of the two entry categories. Typically, winning students are recognized at an awards ceremony in mid-May, but a final decision on an awards ceremony will be made at a later date based on the status of the public health emergency and related health and safety guidelines.

Winning entries from the contest will be included in the 2022 Office of Child Support Calendar, as well as potentially being included as part of the office’s marketing materials. A number of honorable mention entries will also be selected for possible inclusion in both areas.  

The 2021 calendar can be viewed or downloaded from the contest homepage, www.NJTeenMedia.org, to serve as inspiration for the teens. The website also provides the official rules, frequently asked questions, entry forms, a look at the winners and honorable mentions from previous contests and other important contest information.

Teachers and administrators can register their school by visiting www.NJTeenMedia.org or by contacting Matthew Cossel at 937-207-7627 or matthew.cossel@efkgroup.com. School registration is not required for direct student entry.

For complete submission guidelines, visit www.NJTeenMedia.org.

For more information about child support services, call 1-877-NJKIDS1 or visit www.NJChildSupport.org.

 

 

New Jersey American Water is accepting applications for green project funding through its Environmental Grant Program.

The program offers grants of $1,000 to $10,000 for qualifying innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies throughout the company’s service areas.

New Jersey American Water will award the grants on a competitive basis and select projects based on various criteria including goals, impact, innovation, design and sustainability. The nature of the project’s collaboration with other community organizations as well as its overall community engagement will also be considered.

All applicants are expected to outline specific, measurable goals for projects in their proposals. At the conclusion of the grant project, the lead organization must provide a written report on the project results/impact.

Grant recipients will be notified in mid-April.

More information and application requirements can be obtained directly at newjerseyamwater.com/community.

 

 

Through April

To register for Little League Baseball and Softball in Cranbury, Plainsboro and West Windsor, visit www.wwll.org and click the “Register Today” tab.

The season is expected to begin in mid-April and end in mid-June. Those dates will remain flexible.

COVID-19 protocols will continue to be firmly in place for the spring, and full compliance with all protocols is expected of everyone in the program.

If a family has a credit from last Spring, that credit will be manually applied by the league after registration. Parents cannot apply the credit during the online registration process. Once WWLL applies the credit, the parent will receive a receipt reflecting that the credit has been applied and any remaining balances/credits.

 

 

 

Through Thursday, April 15

 

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program will not be offered this tax season at any site in Mercer County because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, AARP is offering an alternative this year called the AARP Alternative Tax Preparation program (ATP). The ATP program provides direct taxpayer access to free online tax software for this year’s taxes as well as video and/or phone assistance with a certified AARP tax assister.

Rather than doing the tax return for taxpayers, certified AARP tax assisters help taxpayers prepare their own online returns.

Taxpayers can get more information about the Alternative Tax Preparation program at aarpfoundation.org/taxaide.

The Tax-Aide program intends to resume preparing tax returns at Mercer County sites next year.

 

Through Monday, April 19

The Princeton Festival’s 15th annual piano competition is open to pianists from around the world, with an entry deadline of April 19.

To enter the competition, artists must submit a video of themselves performing a designated piece of music. Participants compete for cash prizes and certificates, plus the Richard Tang Yuk award, named for the festival’s founding artistic director, given to the best performer overall.

The professionally adjudicated competition is organized into seven categories:

• Four age categories for solo performers from 6 to 18 years old.
• Open Class I for soloists and Piano Four-Hands for all competitors up to 25 years old
• Open Class II, new for 2021, for solo professionals and lifelong amateurs 26 or older

Full information and an entry application is available at https://princetonfestival.org/2021-piano-competition-rules/.

Winners in all categories will be announced after the Finalists’ Concert, which will stream online on June 6.

 

 

 

Saturday, April 24

A stream cleanup co-sponsored by The Watershed Institute and East Windsor Township will be held from 9-11 a.m. April 24 at at Etra Lake Park, 9 Disbrow Hill Road, East Windsor, rain or shine.

The Watershed Institute is developing a detailed plan to ensure everyone’s safety, with precautionary measures including required mask wearing, social distancing, provision of hand sanitizer and mandatory pre-registration in accordance with all state and federal guidelines. The full program will be shared when finalized by The Watershed Institute.

A virtual cleanup option also will be offered by The Watershed Institute.

For more information or to express interest, visit www.thewatershed.org or contact Erin Stretz at estretz@thewatershed.org or 609-737-3735, ext. 17.

 

 

Saturday, May 15 – Monday, May 23

The Nassau Film Festival (NFF) screens short films and music videos (30 seconds to 20 minutes) in the categories of fiction, documentary, animation, student fiction, horror, music videos, trailers, and episodic. 

It will be held virtually this year from May 15-23, instead of at the Princeton Garden Theater.

Best of Festival Awards are given in each of the categories and attendees have a chance to network with actors, actresses, directors, writers, producers and directors of photography at a special festival event. Audience members will also have the opportunity to participate virtually in question and answer panel discussions with filmmakers whose films are selected to screen at the festival.  

Over the years, NFF has earmarked funds donated from patrons and sponsors each year to assist various non-profit organizations. Buy a festival pass or make a donation to Feeding America’s Community Food Bank of New Jersey, which has a COVID-19 Response Fund that is helping to ensure local food banks can feed those in need right now, including children who rely on school meals to eat.

For more information, visit nassaufilmfestival.org

 

 

Continuing events

 

Cranbury residents age 55 and older can exercise via Zoom.

Classes meet on both Mondays and Thursdays from 10-11 a.m. with instructors Helen and Robin. Zoom opens at about 9:45 a.m. so that members can talk with the instructor and other participants before class.

On the Township of Cranbury website there is a tutorial on how to use Zoom, prepared by the Cranbury Library.

To join, contact Connie Bauder, who will forward three registration forms to complete and return before being sent the invitation to join class.

There is no charge to participate.

Request and send completed registration forms to Bauder at fiddleheadfarms@comcast.net

The Township of Hillsborough is working with Town Planner to produce a 250th anniversary edition of the color printed 2021 calendar, which will be mailed out to every residence in Hillsborough.

 

 

 

The Mercer County Solidarity Network (MCSN) is a new mutual aid group designed to connect people in need throughout Mercer County with people who can help meet those needs.

The group is looking for individuals, families and businesses who would like to donate their time, resources or goods/services with people who have been affected by the pandemic and who request support. There is no minimum obligation – donors can specify whatever they feel they can provide and the group will match donors with individuals who have expressed a related need.

To sign up as a donor, visit www.mercersolidarity.org/ or email MercerCountyPOL@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Co-Dependents Anonymous Step Study Meeting. CoDA is a fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships. Meetings are held every Friday evenings. The 24 Club, The 1860 House, 2nd floor, 124 Montgomery Road, Skillman. For more information, email fridayeveningcoda@gmail.com.

VFW Meetings: Monthly meetings of the Hillsborough Memorial VFW Post 8371 are held the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the Somerset County Hillsborough Senior Center, 339 S. Branch Road. The post’s mission is Veterans and Military Support, Youth Scholarship Activities and Community Service. All veterans with foreign service are welcome as members to assist the post in achieving its mission. For information regarding membership, post activities or the youth scholarship programs, contact Commander Tom Cellilli via phone or text at 908-255-3669.

Alzheimer’s caregiver support group: Following the guidelines of the Alzheimer’s Association, the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group is “a safe place for caregivers, family and friends of persons with dementia to meet and develop a mutual support system.” The group meets the first Monday and second Wednesday of each month at the Bridgewater United Methodist Church, 651 Country Club Road, Bridgewater. All are welcome.

Free weekly support groups: Carrier Clinic hosts free weekly support groups on the campus throughout the year. These support programs include:

Weekend Codependency Program, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Bright Futures for Kids, Sundays, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Parents Support Group, Mondays, 7-8:30 p.m.

Mood Disorder Support Group, Thursdays, 7:30-9:15 p.m.

For more information about these or other services and programs available at Carrier Clinic, visit CarrierClinic.org or call 908-281-1513. For more information, visit CarrierClinic.org/WhatToDo.

Midweek meals: The Wednesday midweek meals held in Asbury Hall, at the United Methodist Church of Bound Brook, have started back up. All seniors are invited for a full course meal for $4. Bring friends and family to enjoy a meal and fellowship.

Pop Warner: Calling all 5-7 year olds. Hillsborough Dukes Pop Warner is offering free Flag Football registration to first time players, including instructional and safe environment with fun training activities to teach core skills. Every child plays every game and the Dukes are the only organization that requires coaches to be USA Football Heads Up Certified. There are no tryouts or team drafting. Visit register.hillsboroughdukes.com to register. For more information, contact football@hillsboroughdukes.com.

Coping with addiction: Parents of Addicted Children helps parents understand and cope with drug problems they are facing, and will face, with their children. Meets first and third Monday of month, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Neshanic Reformed Church, 715 Amwell Road.

Alzheimer’s support group: The Alzheimer’s Association has a support group in Hillsborough. Family members and caregivers come together to share information and support in a safe, confidential atmosphere. Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Brookdale Hillsborough, 600 Auten Road. Call 908-431-1300.

Mothers of Preschoolers: MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meets from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Fridays at the Fellowship Bible Church building, 109 New Amwell Road. The group says it meets to “laugh, cry and embrace the journey of motherhood.” Sponsored by Crossroads Community Church, it hears speakers, has a craft or project and lots of conversation and refreshment. Child care is provided. For information, see www.crossroadsnj.org/MOPS. Registration fee is required.

Divorce support group: A nondenominational support group to help separated and divorced people to a new beginning. The group meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. at Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, Route 206 at Homestead Road. Call 908-295-6740.

Swim lessons at HRC: The Swim Academy at HRC, located at 30 Brower Lane, Hillsborough, is offering swim lessons for all ages and levels. Call HRC Fitness at 908-359-3600 to register or visit www.hrcfitness.com for class schedules.

Send items to calendar@centraljersey.com. The deadline for submissions each week is 5 p.m. on Tuesday. For details, call 732-358-5200.