Planet Princeton Weekend Picks, Oct. 31-Nov. 2

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Friday, October 31

BonkerzZ Family Fun Center Haunted House – Haunted Halloween House. Be prepared to scream! There is something lurking around every corner. 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Kingston Shopping Mall, 4437 Route 27, Suite 1a, Kingston. $8 per person.

Halloween at Brick Farm Market – Candy and live music by Gravity Hill. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 65 East Broad Street, Hopewell Boro. Free.

Count Dracula – Play based on Bram Stoker’s novel. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Kelsey Theater, Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Admission $18.

pumpkin-360Haunted Club Rats – Calling all ghosts, goblins, witches, bats, zombies, and rats. Drink bloodlust cocktails and witches brew and dance until the wolves howl. No cover if you wear a costume, otherwise they take a finger and $20 at the door. Best costumes get out alive with a $100 gift card to Rat’s. 16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton.

Saturday, November 1

Mercer County Electronics Recycling and Disposal Day – Recycle your copiers, fax machines, keyboards, microwave ovens, computers, telephones, scanners, stereo equipment, televisions, VCRs, circuit boards and more. Paper shredding also available. Bring proof of Mercer County residency. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sun National Bank Center, 80 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton. Free.

Area Farmers Markets – Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Village Shopping Center, 1340 Route 206 South, Skillman, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market, Vaughn Drive Parking Lot, Princeton Junction Train Station, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pennington Farmers Market, Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31 North, Pennington, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Run for One – Hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County. Lace up your running shoes and join in the Run for One 5K run/walk at the ETS Campus to support one-on-one mentoring programs in order to aid children in challenging situations! A 1 mile Fun Run will also take place, so make sure to bring your kids to join in the event! 10 a.m. ETS Corporate Headquarters, 660 Rosedale Road, Princeton.  Fair attendance free. Register for the run on site for $30. Children under 6 free.

Fall Harvest Festival at Terhune Orchards – Pumpkin carver, candied apples, corn stalk maze, adventure barn, pumpkin painting, pick your own apples and pumpkins, food tents, live music, wine tasting and more. Buy one pumpkin get a small one free. Admission $5. Children under 3 free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton. Final weekend!

El Dia de los Muertos – Join the Historical Society of Princeton at the Updike Farmstead for the day of the dead. Enjoy a family-friendly scavenger hunt. Donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries, linens, and household items will go to Homefront. Noon to 4 p.m., 354 Quaker Road, Princeton. Admission $4.

Local Artists Panel Discussion – Join artists from the Princeton Artist Alliance as they discuss their work. Celebrate the 25th anniversary exhibition. 2 p.m. Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Free.

“The Understudy” at McCarter Theatre – The show must go on—even when everything seems to be going hilariously wrong. It’s the understudy rehearsal for a hit new Broadway play, but the set technician is high, the cocky movie star doesn’t understand the script, and the understudy is surprised to find that the stage manager is his jilted ex-fiancée. Backstage friction takes center stage in a biting comedy about art, celebrity, and the things we do for the business we love. Just another day in the life of an understudy. Last weekend of performances. 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Matthews Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton. Tickets $25 and up.

Big Band Dance at Princeton High School – Swing, swing, swing! The Princeton High Studio Band and Jazz Ensemble will play favorite dancing tunes at this family friendly dance. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 151 Moore Street, Princeton. Admission $6.

Sunday, November 2

The first runners cross the start line at 7:30 a.m.

HiTOPS Princeton Half Marathon – Second annual race to benefit HiTOPS, the Princeton-based nonprofit that promotes adolescent health and well-being. 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Starts and ends at Paul Robeson Place.

Day of the Dead – The Arts Council of Princeton and the Princeton Shopping Center present the annual Day of the Dead celebration. Celebrate Mexico’s El Día de los Muertos with strolling mariachis, Mexican paper flower making, sugar skull decorating, professional face painting by Second Look Face Painting, and Mexican dishes. Learn about the traditions of this rich cultural holiday with the whole family. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Princeton Shopping Center Courtyard, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. Free.

UPSC minus 1The Upper Princeton Swing Collective Performs at the Library –  The quintet plays standards from the Great American Songbook, well-known swing tunes from Fats Waller to Basie and Ellington and styles that range from Dixie to Bossa and Latin rhythms. The core members of the band are from Princeton, Skillman and Hopewell. Other local musicians often join the group. Part of the Listen Local series. 3 p.m., Princeton Public Library, Community Room. Free.

Family Barn Dance for All Ages –  The Princeton Country Dancers present a family barn dance with square dances, contra dances, play party games and other traditional American dances; it is great fun for the whole family, from children to parents and grandparents. The dances will be led by caller Richard Fischer. Live music is provided by the band Contrapositive, featuring Cecily Mills, Janet Mills and Robert Mills, who will be playing all sorts of traditional old-timey, Irish and French-Canadian tunes.  The dance is open to people of all ages; no partner is needed; no experience is needed. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. $5 per person, $15 per family.

“Classically Russian” Concert by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra – Works by Bolcom, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky. Natasha Paremski, piano. Rossen Milanov conducts. 4 p.m. Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. Tickets $30 and up. Students $25.

Screening of “Men of the Cloth” –  Producer and director Vicki Vasilopoulos will introduce her inspiring documentary portrait of three Italian master tailors who confront the decline of the apprentice system as they navigate their challenging roles in the twilight of their career. The film unravels the mystery of their artistry and reveals how their passionate devotion to their Old World craft is akin to a religion. 5 p.m.,  Dorthea’s House, 120 John Street. Free.

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Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.