With less than a week until Christmas, there is so much to do in North Jersey to get in the holiday spirit.
There are holiday lights and festivities in Augusta, West Orange and Paramus; as well as other seasonal-themed activities, like a solstice celebration in Chatham, a Kwanzaa festival and a winter village in Newark, an ugly sweater party featuring Kickstart in Denville, and a Winter Wonderland open house in Montclair. And don’t forget about “The Nutcracker” in New Brunswick.
If you’re not feeling seasonal vibe, we’ve got you covered. For live music, check out the Taylor Swift tribute in Montclair, Jersey’s own From Good Homes in Newton, and ’80s music party band Georgia 5 in Ramsey. If theater is your thing, there’s “Tuck Everlasting” in Montclair and “Beetlejuice Jr.” in Fair Lawn. If you need some laughs, there’s a comedy festival in Rutherford. Plus, you can go to the Meadowlands for horse racing and a big Italian meal.
For details, and the weather forecast that definitely signals the beginning of winter, see below. Happy holidays (and stay warm)!
Weather forecast, Dec. 19 to Dec. 22
According to the National Weather Service:
- Thursday night: Mostly cloudy with a low around 30.
- Friday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of afternoon and evening rain and snow. High near 40. Mostly cloudy at night, with a low in the mid-20s.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny with a high in the mid-30s. Partly cloudy at night with a low in the teens.
- Sunday: Sunny with a high in the mid-20s. Mostly clear at night with a low in the teens.
Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show & Village
On select days through Dec. 30, take the entire family on a mile-long drive through Sussex County’s Winter Wonderland with more than two million lights. At the festive indoor Christmas Village, shop for holiday treasures from unique vendors, take photos with Santa, and stroll through a glittering light tunnel. Roast s’mores on a fire pit, sip hot cocoa and coffee and indulge in ice cream, food, snacks and other holiday treats. Adults can enjoy the winter beer garden. The event is held rain, snow or shine.
Go: Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show & Village, 94 Championship Place, Augusta. 4:30 to 10 p.m. through Monday. $29 per carload for standard tickets, allowing guests to reserve a date and time slot; $79 per carload for VIP tickets, offering guests exclusive express lane access for quicker entry, the freedom to attend at any date and time without a reservation, and two holiday novelty toys. Tickets must be purchased in advance at skylandsstadium.com/lightshow. Admission and parking for the Christmas Village are free.
Essex County Holiday Lights at Turtle Back Zoo
See the holiday lights at the zoo in West Orange, Friday through the end of the year (except Dec. 24 and Dec. 25). Admission is free. Donations of non-perishable food, new unwrapped toys, and new or gently used winter coats will be appreciated.
Go: Essex County Holiday Lights at Turtle Back Zoo, 560 Northfield Ave., West Orange. 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday and Dec. 26 through Dec. 31. essexcountynj.org
‘Let It Glow! A Holiday Lantern Spectacular’ in Paramus
Every weekend (Thursday through Sunday) until Jan. 12 at Bergen County Zoo, this event will feature traditional Chinese lanterns with a modern twist, including dozens of hand-painted, larger-than-life structures that celebrate culture, animals and the warmth of the holidays. The event also has train rides and fire pits, and there will be s’mores kits available in the Zoo Gift Shop. Kosher s’mores kits are also available.
Go: “Let It Glow! A Holiday Lantern Spectacular” at Bergen County Zoo, 216 Forest Ave., Paramus. 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; 4 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. starting at 4 p.m.; $20 for adults; $10 for children. friendsofbergencountyzoo.org
Williams Center Comedy Festival in Rutherford
This three-day festival will highlight comedy in all of its forms − from skits to film, open-mics to headliners, panel discussions to podcasting, and educational classes to book readings.
Go: Williams Center Comedy Festival in Spring Hall at the Williams Center, 15 Sylvan St., Rutherford. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; doors open at 6. $20 Thursday; $30 Friday; $40 Saturday; $60 for a three-day pass. williamscenter.co
‘Tuck Everlasting’ in Montclair
Based on the novel of the same name by Natalie Babbit, with book by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle, music by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, “Tuck Everlasting” − this weekend at Vanguard Theater − follows 11-year-old Winnie Foster, who yearns for a life of adventure beyond her picket fence, as she is confronted with a question: “What would you do if you could live forever?” When she meets the Tuck family, Winnie learns of the magic behind the Tucks’ eternal youth and she must protect their secret as she faces an extraordinary choice: return to her life and grow old, or sip from the spring and live forever.
Go: “Tuck Everlasting” at Vanguard Theater, 180 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair. 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. $25 to $50. Runtime is 150 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. vanguardtheatercompany.org
Italian buffet at Meadowlands Racetrack
The Meadowlands Racetrack hosts racing Friday and Saturday and the track’s executive chef Burnett has crafted an Italian buffet that includes chicken Milanese, NY strip steak, fried calamari, tilapia puttanesca and penne caprese. Featured desserts include cheesecake, Italian cookies and tiramisu.
Go: Horse racing and Italian buffet at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford. Racing post time is 6:20 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Buffet is $49.95 plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 201-THE-BIGM. playmeadowlands.com. Must be at least 18 to wager on horses and 21 to wager on sports. Gambling problem? Call 800-GAMBLER.
Winter solstice celebration in Chatham
Experience the historical and ceremonial aspects of the winter solstice on Friday at this woodland gathering around a campfire under the glowing full moon. Bundle up to listen to storytellers and enjoy hot cider and roasted marshmallows. For ages 6 and up (with an adult).
Go: Winter solstice celebration at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Blvd., Chatham Township. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday. $12. Advance registration is required. Visit morrisparks.net or call 973-635-6629.
‘Beetlejuice Jr.’ in Fair Lawn
“It’s Showtime!” The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage on when Aspire Performing Arts Company presents “Beetlejuice Jr.,” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Community Center. The show is based on the motion picture-turned-Broadway musical, with music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect and a book by Anthony King and Scott Brown.
The play tells the story of a strange and unusual teenager, Lydia Deetz, who is grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with death. Luckily for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.
The show is directed by Brooke Garfinkel and produced by Aspire PAC artistic director Lisa Beth Vettoso. K. Leigh Weinman is music director and Melanie Della Peruti is choreographer. The team also includes production manager Cheryl Wilbur, stage manager Madie Jones and production assistant Karson Moscola.
Go: “Beetlejuice Jr.” at Fair Lawn Community Center, 10-10 20th St. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $20 (plus service fee) in advance; $25 at the door. aspirepac.ludus.com or 201-220-4933 for tickets. aspirepac.com or @aspirepac on social media for information.
Let’s Sing Taylor – A Live Band Experience in Montclair
A tribute to the music of Taylor Swift on Friday at the Wellmont Theater, with support act Let’s Sing Sabrina.
Go: Let’s Sing Taylor – A Live Band Experience at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour St., Montclair. 7 p.m. Friday; doors open at 6. $27.50 to $195.50. wellmonttheater.com
‘The Nutcracker’ at the State Theatre
Celebrate American Repertory Ballet’s annual “Nutcracker” tradition this weekend, featuring a live orchestra and choir performing Tchaikovsky’s score, and a cast of more than 100 dancers. This holiday favorite tells the magical story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince as they battle larger-than-life mice alongside toy soldiers, and travel through a whirlwind of dancing snowflakes to the Land of Sweets. ARB has been performing “The Nutcracker” for 60 years. Bring donations of new toys, books, gift cards and coats to benefit and support charities in Middlesex County, including the Salvation Army, CASA, and Fish Inc. Sponsored by Yolo Promo and Rotary – Greater New Brunswick.
Go: “The Nutcracker” at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. $29 to $69. stnj.org, 732-246-7469.
From Good Homes at Newton Theatre
The genesis of From Good Homes – who will play in Newton on Friday and Saturday − dates back to a high school band, when childhood friends Todd Sheaffer, Brady Rymer and Patrick Fitzsimmons came together in rural Northwestern New Jersey. With the addition of Dan Myers in 1988 and Jamie Coan in 1990, the band was fully formed. Named after a judge’s explanation for leniency after the young band broke into a club to finish their set, the band released five albums during their career and performed more than 1,500 shows across North America. The group’s music brings together rock, jazz, folk, celtic and jam-band influences under one umbrella, rooted in Sheaffer’s songwriting.
Go: From Good Homes at Newton Theatre, 234 Spring St. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Doors open at 7. $49 to $79, additional fees may apply. skypac.org
Georgia 5 in Ramsey
This Rockland County-based ’80s party band will play the hits from the first decade of MTV at the Shannon Rose in Ramsey on Friday night.
Go: Georgia 5 at the Shannon Rose, 1200 State Route 17, Ramsey. 9 p.m. Friday. theshannonrose.com, 201-962-7602.
Kwanzaa Family Festival & Marketplace at NJPAC
Celebrate culture, community and creative expression at NJPAC’s annual event. This free day of uplifting programs based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa (unity, self determination, cooperative economics, creativity, faith, collective work and responsibility, and purpose) will include a candle-lighting ceremony and vibunzi, dance classes for all abilities, arts and crafts, interactive storytelling, face painting, and performances by local dancers and musicians in the Prudential Hall lobby. The Kwanzaa Marketplace will feature one-of-a-kind items from local crafters and artisans such as custom and cultural clothing, handcrafted jewelry and accessories, bath and body products, crystals, artwork, books and more.
Go: Kwanzaa Family Festival & Marketplace at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark. Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. njpac.org
Ugly Sweater Party and Kickstart acoustic show in Denville
Get into the holiday spirit with the Ugly Sweater Party, as well as Kickstart performing as part of Acoustic Fridays: Holiday Edition, at Diamond Spring Brewing. Kickstart plays stripped-down hits from several decades. Happy hour includes $2 off all pints of beer and hard seltzer, plus a special bar menu available for delivery.
Go: Ugly Sweater Party and Kickstart at Diamond Spring Brewing, 50 Broadway, Denville on Friday. Brewery hours are 4 to 10 p.m., happy hour is 4 to 6, music starts at 6. diamondspringbrewing.com, facebook.com/kickstartbandnj
Newark Winter Village
This winter experience is an open-air festival overlooking downtown, with curbside eats, ice skating and a marketplace on weekends through Jan. 5. Food and hot beverages from selected local businesses will be available to enjoy inside one of the heated private pods or igloos. Experience ice skating and go karts, as well.
Go: Newark Winter Village in downtown Newark. Saturday and Sunday. Visit newarkwintervillage.com to book skate rentals and go karts, as well as igloos.
Winter Wonderland open house at Montclair History Center
Sunday is the last chance this season to see the period decorations by Garden Club of Montclair. Self guided tours let participants explore this 227-year-old home at their leisure. Warm yourself in the hearth and learn about holiday food traditions. Holiday tours are free and sponsored by the the Wright Group at Christie’s Intl. Real Estate; donations are welcome.
Go: Winter Wonderland open house at the Montclair History Center, 108 Orange Road. Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. Free; donations welcome. montclairhistory.org
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