The weekend is here! There’s so much to do around town and beyond. Here’s a sampling of activities for the whole family.
First of all, check out the family-friendly films at the Montclair Film Festival this weekend (and next!).
This weekend, Good Shepherd Academy (24 Brookline Avenue, Nutley) will present Beauty and the Beast, Jr. with three performances. This student production of the classic story is based on the original Broadway production and Disney’s animated film. Tickets are $5 for children and $10 for adults.
Studio Playhouse (14 Alvin Place, Upper Montclair) will present The Stinky Cheese Man, and Other Fairly Stupid Tales on Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Narrator Jack tries to keep a wild group of storybook characters in line before total chaos or a song breaks out. This show is for adults and children of all ages. Tickets are $8 and are available online.
In honor of Independent Bookstore Day, visit Watchung Booksellers (54 Fairfield Street, Montclair) for a special Saturday Morning Author/Illustrator Storytime at 10:30 AM. This week’s book is Maisy Goes to the Local Bookstore. When you purchase a book after storytime, your child can “pay” for the book (on a very special cash register!), get a “receipt” and redeem it for a Maisy cookie at Tiny Elephant.
Glen Ridge Public Library (240 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge) will host Pajama Day with special guest author Tara Lazar on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Ms. Lazar will be reading stories at 10:30 AM, but the fun starts at 9:30 with games, crafts, and more!
The 5th Annual Walnut Street Fair, (Walnut Street, Montclair) from 10 am – 2 pm, features food, fun and YMCA Healthy Kids Day. Free.
Barnes & Noble at Clifton Commons (395 Route 3 East, Clifton) will host The Wonderful Things You Will Be Storytime on Saturday at 11:00 AM. This book features rhythm and rhyme, and expresses the things parents think when they look at their children.
Morris Museum’s (6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown) next Family Festival, Astro Day, will be held on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Join the Museum Astronomical Society in celebrating National Astronomy Day. Enjoy solar observations, hands-on space crafts in the galleries, and “Touch the Music” exploration of brass instruments of the orchestra. Additional activities include telescope training and clinic, NASA 3D posters and pictures, remote video astronomy display, meteorite display, and telescope display. This festival is included with General Admission ($7/child; $10/adult; free for members).
The Essex County Environmental Center (621-B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland) will host an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Join in the fun at an outdoor Earth festival. Enjoy crafts, games, recreational opportunities such as canoeing and hiking, demonstrations, information, a local eco-vendors’ sale, and more. This event is free.
The Newark Museum (49 Washington Street, Newark) hosts Creative Play programs for families on Saturdays at 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00PM. April’s theme is Environment and Nature. Each one-hour program is designed especially for early learners ages 3-5. On Saturday and Sunday, you can catch two different Planetarium shows. At 1:00 PM, explore the sky with Sesame Street’s Big Bird in One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure. This 25-minute show is recommended for kids ages 4-6. At 3:30 PM, there will be a Planetarium Show, “New Jersey Skies,” which is recommended for adults and children ages 6 years and up. This interactive tour of the constellations and planets under the starry sky of the planetarium dome will teach you to find bright nebulae, star clusters and galaxies. For more information about programs and admission charges, visit the website.
State Theatre NJ (15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick) will present Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live on Sunday at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Take a breathtaking tour that begins in pre-historic Australia. Observe, meet, and interact with an eye-popping collection of amazingly lifelike dinosaurs and other creatures. This show is recommended for children ages 4+. Tickets are $25-$35.
Mayo Performing Arts Center will present Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live on Sunday at 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM. Jungle Jack will introduce the audience to some of the world’s most spectacular animals and share his stories from his worldwide adventures. Tickets are $25-$35.
Also on Sunday, stop by Montclair Art Museum for Drop-In Studio between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. The new Helen & Bill Geyer Art Studio will be stocked with a range of art materials to explore with a seasoned MAM studio instructor. This is free for members and included in Museum admission for non-members.
For more upcoming events, check out the family friendly events, showcased in green, on Baristanet Calendar.