Planet Princeton Weekend Picks, Sept. 22-24
Friday, September 22
Italian American Festival – The annual Mercer County Italian American Festival will be held at the Mercer County Park festival grounds in West Windsor. 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday noon to 9:30 p.m. Sunday Food, music, art, rides, children’s activities, cooking demonstrations and more. Admission is $5. More information
Pink Drink Night Benefit at The Peacock Inn – The Peacock Inn is hosting Pink Drink Night to raise money for the Breast Cancer Resource Center at the YWCA Princeton. The Pink Drink of the night, the Hibiscus Spritz, will be $14. $7 of each cocktail sold will go directly to support the Breast Cancer Resource Center, which supports people with breast cancer and survivors. 20 Bayard Lane, Princeton. More information
Opening: Horst Exhibition – Horst 6:00 pm, Wessel + O’Connor, 7 North Main Street, Lambertville. More information
Where Animals Go: Tracking & Technology – The D&R Greenway Land Trust and Princeton Public Library Environmental Film Festival present award-winning authors James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti discussing their investigations of the intersection of data technology and animal migration on Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. at the D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, Princeton. More information
Woman of Dance: Celebrating the Work of Mary Barton – The American Repertory Ballet opens its 2017-2018 season with a full evening of works celebrating 15 years of Mary Barton’s choreography by showcasing three of her most recognized works in a program entitled Woman of Dance: Celebrating the Work of Mary Barton, on Friday and at 7:30 p.m. at Rider University, 2083 Lawrenceville Rd, Lawrenceville. $20 More information
Acoustic Folk and Blues Concert: John SaFranko and Special Guests – Vocalist Yvonne performs with John SaFranko. Doors open at 7:30. SaFranko has released 22 compact discs worldwide and has sold in 40 countries. 8 p.m., Hopewell Creative Arts Studio, 17 Seminary Avenue, Hopewell. $17 – $20 More information
Saturday, September 23
18th Carnegie Center 5K and One Mile Fun Run for The Parkinson Alliance – The 18th Carnegie Center 5K and One-Mile Fun Run for The Parkinson Alliance raises awareness and funds for Parkinson’s disease research. The event will be held at 101 Carnegie Center Drive, Princeton, NJ. Registration opens at 7:30 am. $17 – $35 More information
12th annual Princeton Children’s Book Festival – More than 80 authors and illustrators of children’s literature will participate in the festival. Fans of all ages will have the opportunity to purchase books, meet with authors and illustrators and have their books signed. For a complete list of participating authors and illustrators, see bookfestival.princetonlibrary.org. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine on Hinds Plaza.
Sunset Hill Flea Market and Harvest Fest – Sunset Hill Flea Market and Harvest Fest. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m – Sunset Hill Country Club Rain Date: Sunday. Live band, breakfast and lunch foods, bake sale, lemonade stand, dozens of vendors. The Sunset clubhouse is located at the very end of Forest Ave. at 113 Forest Ave. in Griggstown. More information
West Windsor Community Farmers Market – Sixteen regional farms, twelve artisan food and natural product vendors, weekly community groups, live music, special events and cooking demonstrations. The market runs weekly, rain or shine from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Find seasonal, locally grown fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, pastured meats and poultry, cheese, and more. 2 Vaughn Drive, West Windsor. More information
Rutgers Master Gardeners Fall Gardening Seminar – It may be strange to think about spring planting already, but the things you do in your garden before winter hits will make spring gardening much easier. Join us for this workshop to learn what you can do to get ready. 9:00 am. More information
Smithsonian Museum Day Live – Smithsonian Museum Day Live features free planetarium shows, a printmaking activity and more. Showtimes at the planetarium can be found on the State Museum website.. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., New Jersey State Museum Planetarium, 205 West State Street (25 min from downtown Princeton), Trenton. More information
Celebrating the Sacred Arts – The histories of art and religion have always been closely intertwined. For over two thousand years, the Christian religion has witnessed a steady stream of creative expression that has produced some of the world’s greatest literature, painting, music and architecture. Lunch at noon followed by lecture and discussion. All Saints Church, 16 All Saints Road, Princeton. $15 More information
Howell Farm Corn Maze – Howell Farm’s 21st annual corn maze features wild and wooly challenges for those prepared to navigate the 10-foot tall corn and match wits with the MazeMaster. The maze is a giant, walk-on puzzle with pathways forming the image of a shepherd and flock of sheep, a familiar sight at the nearby Howell Farm. 17 Valley Road, Hopewell Township, NJ. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in September. Admission $10 for ages 10 and older, $8 for children ages 5-9 and free for children 4 and under. More information
Screening: ’99 Homes’ – McCarter Theatre Center is collaborating with the Princeton Garden Theatre to present a special screening of “99 Homes,”starring Michael Shannon. This special screening will take place in McCarter’s Matthews Theatre at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20.00 ($15.00 for McCarter subscribers or Garden members), and are available at www.mccarter.org. McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton. More information
An Evening with Bollywood – Join the Arts Council of Princeton at the Princeton Shopping Center to celebrate a night of Indian culture. Experience Bollywood in Princeton with an open bazaar including henna tattoos, jewelry, arts and crafts, cultural food and authentic music and dance. Free and open to all. 5:30 pm, Princeton Shopping Center Courtyard, 301 N. Harrison St, Princeton. Free More information
Cafe Improv – Cafe Improv happens on the fourth Saturday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts’ Solley Theater. Attendees can expect an evening of exciting local music, poetry and comedy. For a list of performers, to register to play and for more information visitcafeimprov.com. $2/$1 ACP members, seniors & students. Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. $1 – $2 More information
Sunday, September 24
OPEN HOUSE – Princeton Pong – Come play table tennis for free from noon to 3p.m. Raffle, snacks and membership specials available. Bring friends or meet new ones. Princeton Pong, 745 Alexander Road, West Windsor. Free More information
Apple Days Fall Festival Weekend – A full day of fun on the farm at Terhune Orchards. Apple picking, tractor-pulled wagon rides, a corn stalk maze, live music, food tents, pumpkin picking and more. Children’s activities include scavenger hunts, rubber duck races, and pumpkin painting.The Adventure Barn is decorated differently each year and tells the story of life on a farm. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission on festival days is $8, ages 3 and up. Parking and access to the farm store and winery is free.
Epicurean Palette at the Grounds for Sculpture – The Epicurean Palette is a gala celebration of food and wine that helps support the exhibitions and educational initiatives at Grounds For Sculpture. Spend an afternoon strolling through the park with friends while sampling extraordinary cuisine from the area’s top chefs and refreshments from the best beverage purveyors. 1 p.m., Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. Tickets $175. More information
Carillon Concert – Enjoy a carillon concert every Sunday. Considered the largest musical instrument in the world, a carillon consists of a series of at least 23 tuned bells, played from a keyboard that allows expressiveness through variation in touch, and on which the player, or carillonneur, can play a broad range of music. 1 p.m., Princeton University Graduate College, Grover Cleveland Tower, 88 College Road West, Princeton. Free More information
HistoryFest – Festival celebrating Americana with a variety of performances and activities for all ages. Activities include musician Matt Dodd’s “Songs and Stories of the Red, White and Blue.”Historic Stony Brook walking tour. American folk tales with storytellers MaryAnn Paterniti and Maria LoBiondo.Wiebke Martens and Jennifer Jang discuss their new photographic guidebook, “Discovering Princeton.” 1 p.m., Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton. Free More information
Send Hunger Packing Princeton’s 5th Annual Fundraiser: “Salsa and Salsa” – Send Hunger Packing Princeton will hold its 5th annual fundraiser to further the group’s mission to provide children in the Princeton community with child-friendly supplemental meals at times when there might not otherwise be enough food to go around. The theme of this years event is “Salsa and Salsa”. 1:30 p.m., Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. $5 – $50 More information
Princeton Senior Resource Center Fall Benefit Features The Second City – The Princeton Senior Resource Center is holding a Fall Benefit on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. at Princeton High School. The event includes a performance by The Second City followed by a VIP reception to meet and mingle with the cast immediately following the show. The Second City is Chicago’s famous improv and comedy sketch theater. Princeton native Carley Moseley is part of the Second City touring group that will perform at the benefit. 4 p.m., Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, 151 Moore Street, Princeton. Tickets $28 and up. More information
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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.