Planet Princeton Weekend Picks, April 15-17

National Record Store Day is this Saturday. Visit the Princeton Record Exchange for limited-edition special releases and more.
National Record Store Day is this Saturday. Visit the Princeton Record Exchange for limited-edition special releases and more.

Friday, April 15

The Lark: The Trial of Joan of Arc – Princeton Theological Seminary presents the free theatrical event by Jean Anouilh, adapted by Lillian Hellman, and directed by Michael Dean Morgan. Performances will be held in the Gambrell Room, Scheide Hall, on the Princeton Theological Seminary campus. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 3 p.m.

Safari Party for Children with Special Needs – The Rider University Council for Exceptional Children hosts fun activities, including dancing and games. Pizza, salad, chips, cookies, dark soda, light soda, iced tea, lemonade, and water. 6 p.m., Mercer Room, Daly Dining Hall, Rider University, 2083 Lawrenceville Rd, Lawrenceville. Free.

Westminster Opera Theater – Verdi’s comic opera “Falstaff” performed at the Westminster Choir College Playhouse. 7:30 p.m. Admission $25.

Saturday, April 16

“Theresa’s Trails” 5K Run/1M Walk – The Princeton University Geosciences Society hosts the first ever “Theresa’s Trails” 5K Run/Walk to benefit the ALS Association of Philadelphia. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Frist Campus Center lawn at Princeton University. The race begins at 9 a.m. $30 on site registration.

Princeton Theological Seminary Used Book Sale – Books are $10 a box for the last day of the sale. All proceeds benefit seminary libraries in developing nations and provide scholarship funds for travel courses. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Whitley Gymnasium, near corner of Hibben and Route 206/Stockton Street. Free admission.

Sourlands Smackdown Bouldering Competition – Competition for rock climbers.The event will start at 9a.m., event check-in starts at 8a.m. $10 per person (pay by check only on day of event). The competition ends at 4 p.m., with winners announced shortly thereafter. Bring your climbing shoes, chalk, and bouldering pad if you have one. Pack a lunch, water, and snacks for the day. The Sourland Mountain Preserve is located off of East Mountain Road in Hillsborough. GPS: 380 East Mountain Rd., Hillsborough, NJ.

Record Store Day -Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding independently owned record stores. The first Record Store Day took place on April 19, 2008. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day.Doors open at 10 a.m. Line up sooner (way sooner) if you have your heart set on a special release or promo product. In-store concert at 5 p.m.

Monuments Ride – Join the D&R Greenway Land Trust for a leisurely 15-mile bike ride from the Battle Monument in Trenton to the Thomas Paine statue in Bordentown. Learn about the history of the monument and the statue as well as information on the Abbott Marshlands and D&R Canal Towpath. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at the Battle Monument in Trenton. $15 suggested donation.

Kidgits Mini Chef at Quaker Bridge Mall – Join the Quaker Bridge Mall for Kidgits Mini Chef! Limited to the first 75 participants, each kid will receive a chef’s hat and apron. The enthusiastic team from Chef It UP 2 Go will teach little chef’s how to create their own edible dirt cup garden with flowers, gummy worms and more! After they complete their masterpieces kids will mix up some chocolate milk to wash it down. All foods are peanut and tree nut free and lactose free options will be available upon request. 1 p.m., Quaker Bridge Mall, 150 Quaker Bridge Mall, Lawrence Township. Free.

Nano Day – Demonstrations for kids by Princeton University scientists and engineers about the miniscule world of atoms, molecules, and the nanoscale. Noon, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Free.

Third Annual Princeton Food Truck Fest -Sponsored by the eating clubs of Princeton, proceeds go to Send Hunger Packing and Meals on Wheels. More than 15 local food trucks, live entertainment. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Prospect Avenue, Princeton.

Arts For All! Showcase Two – Event features Princeton-Area performing and visual artists with special needs. Presented by Princeton Special Sports and the Princeton Recreation Department at the Arts Council of Princeton. 4 p.m., Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Free.

Sunday, April 17

Faith to Faith: Four Talks, Two Films  – All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Princeton hosts a new Sunday series that provides opportunity for discussion. Faith to Faith: The ease of global travel and communication has made Christians ever more aware of the world’s other religions. Less attention is given to subtler ways in which Christian thought and practice has already responded to, and been enriched by, contact with other faiths. This short series of forums explores some of these changes – the impact of the Holocaust on Christian theology, the experience of American Muslims, and the Christian adaptation to Hindu culture in India. 9 a.m., All Saints’ Church, Princeton, 16 All Saints’ Road, Princeton. Free.

Walk the Pipeline – You’ve heard about the PennEast pipeline, but have you seen first-hand what is at risk on Baldpate Mountain, a local home to threatened species of birds and plants? Sharyn Magee, President of Washington Crossing Audubon and citizen conservation scientist who has studied Baldpate Mountain, provides a commentary on this unique and important ecosystem. The proposed PennEast pipeline runs along the north slope of the mountain and would change one of the highest quality interior forest habitats into edge habitat and bring the edge closer to the other areas of high quality habitat, seriously degrading an already stressed ecosystem.  Experience Baldpate Mountain in person and learn about its habitats and ecosystems.  Experts from these groups will lead a walk along the powerline and then into the woods, through edge habitat and then through high quality habitat. The event will begin at Baldpate’s Pleasant Valley Parking Lot of the Ted Stiles Preserve at 9 a.m. Free.

46th Annual Communiversity ArtsFest –  The Arts Council of Princeton, in collaboration with the students of Princeton University and the town of Princeton, presents the 46th annual Communiversity ArtsFest from 1 p.m. to  6p.m. Participants include local and student performers, artists and crafters, chefs, merchants, community groups and volunteers. Six stages of non-stop live performances. Over 200 booths along Nassau and Witherspoon Streets, Palmer Square and the University campus near Nassau Hall.Free.

Montgomery Township 11th Annual Earth Day Recycling Fair – Bring your electronics and other items to be recycled. See the full list of items you can bring on the township website. Noon to 3 p.m., Montgomery (McKnight) Baseball Complex, 52 Reading Boulevard, Belle Mead. Free.

Hazelrigg Brothers Trio Bring New Music Experience to the Off-Broadstreet Theatre – The Hazelrigg Brothers Trio will perform at the newly renovated and reopened Off-Broadstreet Theatre, 5 South Greenwood Avenue, in the heart of Hopewell Boro. George and Geoff Hazelrigg are multi-talented brothers and highly accomplished musicians from Princeton. Bassist Geoff and pianist George will be joined by drummer John O’Reilly, Jr. The trio will present an ingenious blend of classical, rock, and jazz. Audiences will be entertained by their vast repertoire, which ranges from Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin to baroque and 20th-century classical music. 2:30 p.m., Off-Broadstreet Theatre, 5 South Greenwood Avenue , Hopewell. Tickets are $12.50 at the door.

Bach Mass in B Minor – The Princeton University Glee Club performs. Gabriel Crouch conducts. 7:30 p.m., Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. Admission $15.

If you would like your events considered for Planet Princeton weekend picks, pleas add the events to our popular community calendar. Thank you.