The Weekender: Cards, Campolo, Chess, Concert—and More!

Here are just a few of the events happening in the area this weekend. Click on “EVENTS” on the Home Page to see all the possibilities.  

WHAT:
WHERE: Caldwell Public Library, 268 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell
WHEN: Friday, March 16, 10:30 a.m.
WHY GO: March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know
colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women, but in the past 15 years early detection has decreased the death rate? Join us at the Caldwell Public Library as Florey Cruz-Cerpa, Community Health Manager for Mountainside Hospital, discusses risk factors and how prevention can save your life. Receive FREE Colorectal Cancer Education and EZ-Detect Fecal Occult Kits.

WHAT:
WHERE: Montclair High School, 100 Chestnut St., Montclair
WHEN: Friday & Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday, 3 p.m.
WHY GO: Montclair High School Dance Company
spring concert features 50 accomplished dancers performing premieres and repertoire pieces in a range of dance genres—ballet to hip hop.
COST: $12 adults, $5 children, students & seniors.

WHAT:
WHERE: St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, 219 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell
WHEN: Friday, 5:45 p.m.
WHY GO: Saint Aloysius Parish invites everyone to come for a supper of meatless soup with fresh bread and crackers, beverages and dessert during the season of Lent. Each Friday, prayer starts at 5:45 p.m., with soup being served at 6 p.m. Donations will be accepted to benefit Operation Rice Bowl of Catholic Relief Services. Please RSVP to Sr. Justine at 973-226-0209.

WHAT: Author Anthony Campolo Speaking in Caldwell
March 16 – 18 First Presbyterian Church, Notre Dame Catholic Church and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will be hosting Dr. Anthony Campolo. Dr. Campolo is an ordained minister, prolific author and guested on various television programs.   
March 16, 8 p.m., “Scripture and Sociology” Notre Dame RC Church
March 17, 1:30 p.m. “Faith, Community and Social Justice” First Presbyterian Church; 7 p.m. “The Future of Organized Religion in America” St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
March 18, 10:30 a.m. Mass at Notre Dame RC Church
                 1:30 p.m. “Building Viable Faith Communities” First Presbyterian Church, http://tonycampolo.org/sermons/2011/09/hands/           

WHAT:
WHERE: Verona Community Center Annex, 880 Bloomfield Ave, Verona
WHEN: Friday, 9 a.m.
WHY GO: Drop in on Fridays, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., to play or to socialize
at the Community Center Annex. No registration required.

WHAT:  
WHERE: The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair, 53 Norwood Ave.,
Montclair
WHEN: Saturday, 3 p.m.
WHY GO: A Benefit Concert for Japan Earthquake Relief Fund (Japan Society of America) – “Un après-midi pour Musique” (An Afternoon of Music). Jacqueline Burkat (Flute), Devon Tipp (Bassoon) – both students, and faculty members Loretta O’Driscol (Harp), and Eric Olsen (Piano), from the Montclair State University John Cali School of Music will be performing works by Jolivet, Roussel, Toyotomi, Bitsch, and Villa-Lobos.

WHAT:
WHERE: The Café at the Montclair Public Library
WHEN: Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m.
WHY GO: All ages and skill levels are welcome to play chess on Saturday
afternoons. This is a drop-in group, no registration is required.

WHAT:
WHERE: Studio Players, 14 Alvin Place, Upper Montclair
WHEN: Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 3 p.m.
WHY GO: You Can’t Take It With You, a comedy by George S. Kaufman
and Moss Hart, comes to Studio Playhouse in Upper Montclair. This classic, Pulitzer-Prize winning, heart-warming comedy gives you a glimpse into the life of the eccentric Sycamore family where things like daily preparation of homemade chocolates in a ballet tutu and firework explosions in the basement are the norm.
COST: Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for students and seniors age 65
and up with discounts available for groups of 20 or more that prepay.

WHAT:
WHERE: Bnai Keshet 99 South Fullerton Ave., Montclair
WHEN: Saturday, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
WHY GO: Rabbi Noach Shapiro leads the study of an eclectic collection of
rabbinic texts from the Torah, Talmud and Midrash. No previous experience with rabbinic texts or knowledge of Hebrew required.

WHAT:
WHERE: The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, 67 Church
St., Montclair
WHEN: Sunday, 12:15 to 3 p.m.
WHY GO: The public is invited to watch a movie and share a potluck lunch at a family-friendly event at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Montclair.   We'll be screening the documentary film “What’s on Your Plate,” in which two 11-year-olds explore the food systems in the New York area.  

WHAT:
WHERE:  Located on the corner of Cherry Lane and Northfield Avenue in West Orange
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHY GO: The Essex County Safari miniGolf is an award-winning, 19-hole course. Experience a taste of Africa as you putt around a life-sized gorilla, hippo and many other African creatures.
COST: $7 adults; $5 children

WHAT:
WHERE: United Way, 60 Sourth Fullerton Ave., Montclair
WHEN: Day, evening and weekend hours are available by appointment only:  201-952-4235 or 201-952-4040.
WHY GO: United Way of Northern New Jersey is partnering with the IRS,
AARP, and other community organizations to provide low-income residents with
free tax preparation from IRS-certified volunteers. To learn more, visit www.UnitedWayNNJ.org.
WHO: This free service is available only to families and individuals
with a simple return (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, Schedules A & B). The service is not applicable to businesses, stockholders or landlords.