The Weekender – Music, Theater and Holiday Fun

Here are some of the events happening around Newark this weekend.   

Feel free to add your own in the comments section. Click on the "EVENTS" tab to see other weekend opportunities.

WHAT:
WHERE: 110 Warren St, Newark - Bradley Hall Theater, Rutgers
WHEN: Friday & Saturday at 7pm; Sunday 2:30pmWHY GO: The mysterious Mr. Uno has invited six eccentric guests to his dark and stormy mansion. When Uno winds up dead (several times over), and guests begin dying mysteriously, those remaining must uncover the murderer before it's too late.
COST: $12

WHAT:
WHERE: Home Depot, Newark
WHEN: Saturday 9am to 12pm
WHY GO: Start the holiday season with a fun, family project. Children can build and paint a Snowman Napkin Holder!

WHAT: 
WHERE: Quitman Community School, Newark
WHEN: Saturday 9:30am to 2pm
WHY GO: The Healthy Kids Food Festival will educate the community while creating increased pubic awareness of this problem, helping to ensure that all Newark families have access to healthy, affordable food.

WHAT: 
WHERE: Greater Newark Conservancy
WHEN: Saturday 1pm
WHY GO: Make a fresh, green wreath and a holiday centerpiece designed to last the season. Wonderful for your own door and table, or as a unique gift for loved ones.
COST: $10

WHAT:
WHERE: Bethany Baptist Church, Newark
WHEN: Saturday 6pm
WHY GO: "Worship the Lord to the Sounds of Jazz" on the first Saturday of every month, from October through June. The church's Jazz Vespers are at 6 - 7:30pm, with light refreshments afterwards, giving you time to meet and greet the musicians.

WHAT: 
WHERE:   Grace Church, Broad Street, Newark
WHEN:    Saturday   7pm
WHY GO: Paulo Martelli will play works by J. S. Bach on his 11-string guitar.  Praised for his lyrical voice and ebullient virtuosity, Martelli is recognized as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists in Brazil today. A gifted performer, he has appeared frequently in concerts, master classes and on television, displaying both remarkable facility and astute interpretation.

WHAT:  
WHERE: Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark
WHEN: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12:00pm–5:00pm
WHY GO: This historically accurate installation offers the opportunity to step back in time to learn about nineteenth-century life and traditions. From the Christmas tree (a German tradition) to the wooden shoes by the hearth (a Dutch tradition) to the stockings on the chimney and plum pudding in the dining room (English traditions), visitors can get a sense of how Christmas evolved into a home-based secular holiday in the nineteenth century, linked to but distinct from the religious commemoration that was celebrated in church.
COST:  Museum Admission: Adult $10; Children, Seniors & Students with Valid I.D.: $6; Members free

WHAT:
WHERE: Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark
WHEN: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12:00pm–5:00pm
WHY GO: Season of Light (Limited run): Saturdays & Sundays, 2 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 6 and up; 40 minutes
Trace the development of many of the world's endearing holiday customs, all of which involve lighting up the winter season—from Yule logs and sparkling Christmas tree lights to the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah. This show recounts the historical, religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice—not only Christian and Jewish, but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi.
Seven Wonders: Fridays, 2 pm;  Saturdays & Sundays, 2 & 4 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 9 and up; 40 minutes
Turn back the pages of time and witness the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as they have not been seen for thousands of years. 
The Little Star that Could: Saturdays & Sundays, 1 & 3 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 5 to 8; 35 minutes
A little star is born all by himself.  Lonely for some friends, he embarks on a journey through the galaxy.  Along the way he meets different stars, learns about their lives, colors and temperatures.  At the end of his voyage he is introduced to a star cluster, the Milky Way and the planets in our Solar System.
COST:   Adults $15; children under 12, seniors, and college students $9 - includes Museum & Planetarium admission.

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange
WHEN:     Friday, Saturday, Sunday
WHY GO:  Experience Turtle Back Zoo in the winter as 100,000 bulbs and 40-lit displays illuminate the zoo this holiday season!
COST:   Free.   Turtle Back Zoo will be collecting non-perishable food, winter coats and unwrapped new toys for the needy each evening of holiday lights.

WHAT: 
WHERE:  Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange
WHEN:   Friday, Saturday, Sunday   10am – 4pm
WHAT:   Glenmont will be decorated much as it was while the Edison family lived there. Favorite musical pieces will be playing and greenery and red poinsettias will deck the mantles above the fireplaces. Staircases will be ringed with boughs and red ribbon bows and wreaths will hang in every window. In the Den, the majestic 10-foot tree will be lit and there will be presents underneath.
COST:   Admission is $7.00, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free.

WHAT:  White Christmas
WHERE:  Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ
WHEN:    Nov 16 – Dec 24    (showtimes are at the playhouse's website.)  
WHY GO:  Based on the beloved Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye film, this merry musical tells the tale of two famous song-and-dance men who stage a show in a scenic, snow-topped Vermont inn — and end up finding love with two singing sisters under the mistletoe.
COST:   $25 to $80