Things to Do for Nerds: December 17-18

The last big event ever (snif) at The Raconteur in Metuchen is this weekend--Movie Nerds, take note: Meet John Sayles! Book Nerds, seek solace, bargains, and rare finds, and raise a glass.

Holiday Nerds or Nerds with Kids can drive around and gawk at some of the outlandish light displays on houses, with this guide from Weird NJ, or just head down to your nearest downtown Main Street and admire the sparkliness. (Stopping along the way to support the local businesses, of course.) For a more detailed listing of the many Christmas-themed events and displays around the area, read more here. And if you're an Artsy Nerd looking to go all-out traditional, NJ Ballet's The Nutcracker will begin its run in Morristown this weekend.

Nerdy Jersey: Happy December!

Welcome to the madness, fellow nerds. Here are some ways to ramp up or chill out this weekend in New Jersey:

Friday, Dec 2:
Artsy and Crafty Nerds have plenty to keep them busy this weekend. First up is the Morristown Armory Holiday Craft Fair, starting today and running all weekend ($7 admission).
Book Nerds (and let's face it, Holiday Nerds) can experience an elaborate staged radio play version of A Christmas Carol at The Raconteur Bookshop in Metuchen ($10 suggested donation). This iconic shop will close next month, so check out their events while you still can.
Movie (and Media) Nerds may be interested in The Walton's 40th Reunion at the Loews Jersey City theater tonight, featuring a screening and some original cast members ($20)! Curiouser and curiouser.
Main Street Nerds can visit Boonton this evening for its Holiday Open House and Window Walk; stores will be open late, shoppers can vote on window displays for a chance to win money, and carriage and antique car tours of the holiday lights will be available. Central Jersey Main Street Nerds should get a curbside seat in Clinton as their annual Dickens Days continue with a Christmas Parade.
Activist Nerds will be happy to shop at the Gifts of Conscience Holiday Gift Fair at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship tonight and throughout the weekend, featuring gifts from Ten Thousand Villages and other do-the-right-thing sort of organizations.
Nerds with Kids may want to visit the Turtle Back Zoo's Holiday Lights Spectacular, running throughout the weekend (FREE).

Saturday, Dec 3:Frelinghuysen Arboretum also hosts a craft fair this weekend, but the big draw is probably the outlandish gingerbread houses on display ($2 suggested donation).
Central Jersey Artsy Nerds should check out Off the Wall today at the West Windsor Arts Center, showcasing "affordable art exhibit" during which you can literally take your purchases off the wall (FREE admission).
See the Winter Wonders lights display at Grounds for Sculpture from a horse-drawn carriage (Grounds admission price).
Winter Holiday Festival at Lord Stirling Stable in Basking Ridge will include crafty things, hayrides, Santa, and displays of horse-riding prowess (FREE).
Morristown Armory Holiday Craft Fair ($7 admission).
A Christmas Carol at The Raconteur Bookshop in Metuchen ($10 suggested donation).
Gifts of Conscience Holiday Gift Fair at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.
Turtle Back Zoo's Holiday Lights Spectacular (FREE).

Sunday, Dec 4:
Ramapo Valley Railroad holds an open house so Nerds with Kids can see a "massive train layout with mountains, cities, rivers, yards, a windmill, and more, with plenty of trains, and plenty of free parking."
Morristown Armory Holiday Craft Fair ($7 admission).
Gifts of Conscience Holiday Gift Fair at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.
Turtle Back Zoo's Holiday Lights Spectacular (FREE).

And as we tumble headlong into this holiday season, an admonition from one nerd to another: Shop local. Shop Main Street. Make a day of it and enjoy the unique character of our cute Jersey towns, instead of the barren sameness of a mall parking garage. Walk around outside, instead of in recycled air. Make friends with shopkeepers, instead of dealing with surly teenagers. Help preserve small businesses, instead of giant corporations. And most of all, find truly unique and interesting gifts (or gift certificates) for those you love.

Nerds in Fall: November 11, 12, 13

Book & Movie Nerds hit the jackpot this weekend: Between the Teaneck International Film Festival, the Holy Batvention event at the Landmark Loews Jersey City, and Gertrude Stein Radio Drama at the Raconteur in Metuchen, nerdy events are happening all over the North/Central Jersey map for you.

And on the Sports Nerd/Curiouser and Curiouser End: The Garden State Rollergirls host their last bout of the year in Wallington.

All unique, all nerdy, all in the $10 range, all in New Jersey.

Nerdy New Jersey: October 28-30

Boo! There are a LOT of Halloween-themed things happening around northern and central Jersey this weekend. We cannot cover them all and do them all justice, but we urge you to stroll around any Main Street of any of our adorable towns. They've all got something going on that's good for kids and Halloween nerds in general. While you're there, SHOP and support the local economy. Are malls charming, community-oriented and life-affirming? Heck no! Go downtown.

That said, here are some notable nerdtastic Halloweeny highlights:

Liberty Science Center's Spooktacular (Friday and Saturday, Jersey City, $15 & under)
Attend a traditional 19th-century style funeral at Historic Speedwell in Morristown (Friday and Saturday evenings)
Raconteur's Haunted Bookshop featuring scary literary characters (Metuchen, Saturday and Sunday, $5)
Classic scary (and campy) Halloween flicks at Loew's Jersey City (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, $7 and under, see website for details)

And for the disinterested, something non-Halloween-related:

Sugarloaf Craft Festival comes to Somerset (all weekend; click here for a discount on the entrance fee)

And whether you're in the Halloween spirit or no, we'll leave you with something seasonal to think about from one who thought a lot about these things:

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted,
One need not be a house,
The brain has corridors surpassing
material place."
-Emily Dickinson

Nerdy Things to Do: October 21-23

All weekend: Travel to Hawaii (figuratively, of course) through "Kulanihako'i: Living Waters" at Peak Performances in Montclair ($15). Also, the mother of all north Jersey craft markets returns to the Morristown Armory.

Friday and Saturday: The famous Clinton Haunted Mill is back open for business. The place did appear on an episode of Ghost Hunters, so it's a good spot if you like that sort of thing. Newark Bears are hosting something called Stadium of Screams every weekend this month.

Saturday and Sunday: It's here at last! The Last Fling Pumpkin Sling is all the nerdy goodness you could ever want. Check it out 9 am - 6 pm ($5/$3). Nerds who love a bargain should see what's for sale at the Playwright's Theatre of NJ Rummage Sale, from 9 am - 2 pm.

Saturday only: It's Pumpkin Patch Day at the Liberty Hall Museum in Union. They are charging $10 for adults and $6 for children (pumpkins not included), so something pretty special must be (better be) going on there. Morris County School of Technology has a similar thing going on with their Spooktacular Fun Fest in Denville, with a similar pricing scheme. For the grownup Book Nerds, The Raconteur in Metuchen hosts former High Times editor Mike Edison, reading from Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! "his wild and uncompromising history of four infamous magazines and the outlaws behind them." (This event is FREE.) There's also a Rummage Sale/Flea Market in Maplewood.

Sunday only: Crafty Nerds find their kinsmen (and -women) at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy EcoArt Day and Craft Fair, 11 am - 4 pm. The Morris K9 Campus hosts its Fall Festival; dogs welcome.

Heads up for the week ahead: On Thursday, former NJ Governor Richard Codey will speak, answer questions and sign copies of his book at FDU in Florham. It's free, but register if you're interested by contacting fdualumni (at) fdu (dot) edu.

Fun Things for Nerds to Do: October 8-9

Saturday:
Grounds for Sculpture hosts a pumpkin carving demonstration AND an Oktober Fest, or you can visit Oktoberfests in Verona Park and Warren (or just go to Zeppelin Hall in Jersey City).
Garden State Rollergirls host a home bout in Wallington ($10 advance/$12 door)
Pig Roast and Live Music (and pumpkins, and apples) at Peaceful Valley Orchards in Pittstown.

Saturday & Sunday:
The Dancing Henry V in Montclair ($15): Like Shakespeare? Like avant-garde performances? Like an inexpensive but impressive date? Check the website for details.
Korean Harvest Festival in Ridgefield. It will feature the Village People. What more need you know?
An all-female arts festival begins its run in Newton this weekend. It's a partnership between the Smithsonian, the NJ Council for the Humanities, and others, so it's no slouch.

Sunday:
Check out the Summit Street Fair from 11 - 5.

Things to Do for Jersey Nerds: Oct 1-2

Happy New Year, Nerds! Looking for something sweet to do after you've finished your apples and honey? Not sure what we're talking about? Either way, Nerd Alert is here for you.

Saturday, October 1:
Chante for Haiti in Montclair-- "a day of music, dancing, story telling and community" in support of Lamp for Haiti. ($20)
Shop and stroll at the Maplewood Village Fall Market, from noon to 5 PM.
Check out Piano Circus--"six performers circling six pianos" at Peak Performances in Montclair (8 PM/$15)
Undress for Success--literally--with lots of other ladies in South Orange as a benefit for breast cancer research and awareness. No fooling.
Bring the kiddies to the Essex County Octoberfest at the Environmental Center, or to the NJ Botanical Gardens in Ringwood for their Harvest Fest, which continues Sunday. For an event with kiddie and adult attractions, visit Unionville Vineyards for their Harvest Festival, where you can taste wine, stomp grapes, or get your face painted, among other things ($15/click for a coupon).
Catch a truly indie flick at the ongoing NJ International Film Festival at Rutgers New Brunswick

Sunday, October 2
NJ Botanical Gardens Harvest Fest continues, or check out Califon's Harvest Fest
The Musconetcong Watershed Association sponsors its 9th Annual Wine-Tasting Event in Asbury
The Whippany Railway Museum presents its Pumpkin Festival, plus old trains!
The Morristown Festival on the Green includes lots of local businesses and organizations from noon-5 PM
See dancers leap and frolic amongst the art at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton
Give historic Williamsburg a run for its money at the Lord Stirling 1770s Festival in Basking Ridge

Food Nerds, Festival Nerds Clean Up Sept. 24-25

New Jersey Restaurant Week wraps up this weekend with multi-course lunch and dinner specials for $19 and $35, respectively, or less! Locations throughout the state; see the website for details.

Get to do some actual grape stomping at Villa Milagro Vineyard's Feast of San Gennaro this Saturday.

Loew's Jersey City has some swinging 60s (and early 70s) films from the vaults that Movie Nerds may be interested in seeing (including the dashing Steve McQueen...)

Town Street Festivals happening this weekend:
Saturday & Sunday: Chester's Oktoberfest, Bloomfield's HarvestFest
Saturday only: Tewksbury's Harvest Fest, Hoboken's Arts and Music Festival, Morristown Green's Hurricane Irene Disaster Relief Drive (plus music, food, and other fun)
Sunday only: Westfield's Festifall, Englewood Cliffs Street Fair

Nerdy Things to Do: Sept 9-11

Crafty Nerds! Your time has come back! Kick off the handmade sweater-wearing season at the Chester Craft Show ($3 admission; check the website for a discount). You may also want to grab your Farm Nerd friends for the 17th Annual Sheep & Fiber Festival at the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds.

Movie Nerds welcome back the NJ International Film Festival at Rutgers with its Fall season. This weekend, free food!

Food, Festival and Multicultural Nerds never miss a good street fair, and the Hoboken Italian Festival puts the other street fairs to shame.... though the Brazilian Day Festival at Independence Park in Newark may give her a run for her money.

Music Nerds should bob their heads all the way to the Somerville Jazz Festival (FREE) on Sunday.

Lastly, some heads-ups for future nerdiness that may sell out quickly:
Sept. 15: The Somerset Patriots honor Joe Torre for his charitable work; Torre will greet fans and accept an award at the game.
Oct. 22: David Johansen and and Garland Jeffreys At the Tabernacle in Mount Tabor.

The Social Nerdwork

Don't forget... if you are on The Facebook, 'Like' our page: Nerd Alert North Jersey. Sometimes last minute updates get posted here, along with contributions from other regional nerds. Thanks!

Fall Is Good For Nerds

There's a slight chill in the air, school supplies on display, and water in the basement. What better time to embrace your nerdiness?

Friday, Sept 2
Festival Nerds rejoice--it's opening day for the Boonton Fireman's Carnival, the biggest thing to hit small-town carnivals since the Califon Fair, as well as the St. Bart's Italian Festival in Scotch Plains. Food Nerds and Nerds with Kids will also be pleased.
Music Nerds can see some FREE music in Madison outside the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, or in Clinton for their last evening of music of the summer.

Saturday, Sept 3
The Somerset Patriots are giving away FREE tickets to Saturday's game on a first come, first served basis to Sports Nerds who were flooded/de-electrified or otherwise significantly impacted by last weekend's tropical storm.
Nostalgia Nerds, Crafty Nerds or those just looking for something unusual can check out the Plowing Match between competitive teams of draft horses as the Howell Living History Farm in Titusville! BBQ, games for children of nerds, and crafts will also be available.
Saturday is also opening day at Stony Hill Farm Market in Chester, and the corn maze will--repeat, will--be open. No word on the availability of apple cider donuts.

Sunday, Sept 4
Festival Nerds and Multicultural Nerds can attend the Scandinavian Festival in Budd Lake, or one of the ongoing festivals mentioned above.

Nerd Times for August 19-20

If you are anything like us, your budget for summer fun is about tapped right now. We are committed to posting only low-cost events, but in honor of Nerds Who Love a Bargain, especially in the end of August, everything listed this week is FREE.

Friday, August 19:
Screening of Ratatouille at Riverview-Fisk Park in Jersey City or Cars (along with a classic car show--what else?) in Mountainside

Saturday, August 20:
Dahlia Society's Show at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown
Canal Day in Wharton
Jazz & Blues Festival on the Morristown Green

Nerdy Goings-on: August 12-14

Nerds with Kids have plenty to choose from this weekend, and Nerds Who Want To Be Kids Again will find a lot to please too.

Friday, August 12:
Festival Nerds catch the last day of the Somerset County 4-H Fair
Music Nerds who give a care may be interested in Camelfest 2011, a benefit show at Maxwell's in Hoboken featuring several Jersey bands. Read more about the North Jersey organization that will benefit here.
Sports Nerds can see fireworks after the Somerset Patriots game
Nostalgia Nerds should bring a blanket to Washington Park in Jersey City to watch an outdoor screening of The Wizard of Oz

Saturday, August 13:
Music, Activist Nerds abound at The Green Summerfest in Mount Olive
Sports Nerds can see fireworks after the Newark Bears game
Nostalgia Nerds can wax sentimental at the Classic Car Show on Main Street in Boonton

Sunday, August 14:
Last day for the NJ State Fair at the Sussex Fairgrounds
The Green Summerfest continues
Book Nerds can attend a staged reading of a new screenplay at The Raconteur Bookshop in Metuchen

Nerds Reap The Spoils Of August

Things nerds can do this weekend to celebrate the turning of another calendar page:

Debate terminology (and honor your nerd roots) at a reading/signing of Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture with our good friends The Raconteur Bookshop in Metuchen on Friday; those cool cats are also screening Fritz Lang's Metropolis outdoors on Saturday (both events FREE and include refreshments)

Watch fireworks after minor league baseball at the Somerset Patriots' Friday game (roughly $10)

Get nostalgic while watching an outdoor screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark in Jersey City on Friday, part of a weekly series in August co-sponsored by Loew's Jersey City (FREE)

Catch the tail end of the Warren County Farmer's Fair on Friday or Saturday ($6/$4) and/or attend the event we at NANJ wait all year for: the return of the New Jersey State Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, starting Friday ($11/$5, with discounts on specific days)

Bring your sweet tooth to Chester Community Presbyterian Church's Peach Festival on Saturday (FREE)

Attend a Summer Star Party (!) in Mountainside on Saturday night, and see Saturn! Amateur astronomers will provide the telescopes (FREE)

Check out the bargains at Clinton's weekend-long Sidewalk Sale (Friday night with live music on every corner)

In other news, if you like the site, please share it with your nerdy friends! If you are on Facebook, come 'Like' our page, where fellow nerds also post events of interest.

Nerd Alert Roundup: Last Weekend in July

Well nerds, the biggest news this weekend is the Twilight Convention, happening at that bastion of nerdy conventions, the Parsippany Hilton. We at Nerd Alert have no other comment about this.

Other options: Music Nerds can stop by the WNTI Summer Concert Series in Columbia on Friday or see who's on at The Stanhope House, Sports Nerds can see fireworks at a Newark Bears game, Nerds With Kids and Festival Nerds should check out the annual Balloon Festival in Whitehouse Station, and Book Nerds might enjoy Shakespeare in the Park(ing Lot), only $10/adults and free for kids this Sunday in Teaneck. (Those with a bit more change to drop should really go see NJ Shakespeare Festival's Midsummer Night's Dream at the outdoor Greek theater at St. Elizabeth's College. What better show to see outside on the last weekend in July?) Movie Nerds in withdrawal since the NJ International Film Festival ended can see what's up at the Newark Museum's ongoing Black Film Festival, which has screenings geared toward kids as well. (Also check out the Museum's Jazz in the Garden Series, $3, on Thursdays.) Multicultural Nerds seeking a fix can get it at the Red Mill Museum's Irish Jam Session on Sunday, after stopping by Clinton's newly-inaugurated Farmer's Market.

Nerds in the Jersey Tonight

(That's supposed to be a play on "Hot in the City" because, you know, it's hot out. Forgive the weak opener; it's been a little... hot out.)

Friday, July 22
In the nerdiest show of nerd-dom on this site since Free Comic Book Day, The Raconteur hosts an outdoor video game tournament starting at 8 PM. There will also be DJ-spun "sci-fi inspired electronica." Bring a chair, your lucky controller and preferred game.
Clinton, NJ continues its summer Friday street performers (3 bands on 3 different corners).
The Morris County 4-H Fair began yesterday and continues throughout the weekend in Chester.
St. Ann's Festival begins and continues throughout the weekend in Hoboken.

Saturday July 23
Alba Vineyard offers fireworks, food and fun for the kiddies for $15. I imagine wine will also be involved. Gates open at 4 PM.
North Jersey strummer Jeremy Manjorin plays The Side Bar in Morristown to celebrate the release of his new CD, Two Sigma Blues. You can read a review here.

Sunday July 24
Frelinghuysen Arboretum gets cute with Beetlemania, an event that includes both a live Beatles cover band and information about beetles. 1-5 PM, bound to be a hit with both the children and with lovers of irony.
In Summit, a festival of Fine Arts will line Beechwood Road and Union Place from 11am - 6pm.

Summertime and the Nerding is Easy

Friday, July 15
The Black Potatoe [sic] Music Festival begins at Clinton's Red Mill. This event started as a little upstart thing and has grown year after year. Be proud of it!
The Somerset Folk Harp Festival begins in Parsippany (as my mother describes it: "only $15 to be in heaven for a day--eg, the sound of many harps in random profusion on the exhibit floor as potential harpist-buyers try them out")
The outdoor Greek theatre at The College of Saint Elizabeth, in conjunction with the NJ Shakespeare Theatre, hosts a benefit performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The Raconteur Bookshop in Metuchen screens "René Laloux's psychedelic and endlessly inventive animated feature, Fantastic Planet" with live musical accompaniment, and it's FREE!
Boonton Sidewalk Sale Days begin.

Saturday, July 16
Celebrate Bastille Day in Frenchtown. Get it?
Black Potatoe Music Festival continues
Boonton Sidewalk Sale Days continue

Sunday, July 17
The Whippany Railway Museum is running a vintage excursion train.
InsaniTea in Montclair hosts great local musicians Jeremy Manjorin, The Spackles (Chuck, Bill, Zach, Zach and Andrea) as well as special guest vocalist Anne Fantini. Free, but you should enjoy some tasty dessert while there.
Black Potatoe Music Festival continues
Boonton Sidewalk Sale Days continue

Nerdy Happenings: July 8-10

Friday July 8:

Book Nerds and nerds in search of a publisher can have their ideas heard at The Raconteur's PITCHAPALOOZA at 8 PM in Metuchen. "The Book Doctors, aka, Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, authors of The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published, want YOU to pitch your book at their acclaimed event, Pitchapalooza, which was recently featured in The New York Times, and in a mini-documentary for Newsday. Pitchapalooza is like American Idol for books--only without the Simon. Writers get one minute to pitch their book ideas to an all-star panel of publishing experts. The winner receives an introduction to an appropriate agent or publisher for his/her book. Plus, anyone who buys a book gets a free consultation worth $100."

Sci-Fi Nerds may already know about this, but two stars of the TV show 'Supernatural' will be in Parsippany this weekend at the 'Supernatural' Convention, starting Friday and going throughout the weekend. Tickets get progressively more expensive.

Saturday, July 9:
Book Nerds fresh from Pitchapalooza can swing by the Maplewood Library's Bag-of-Books Sale, starting at 10 AM. Bags are $8. Later that day and into Sunday, Maplewoodstock promises lots of local goodies for Food, Festival, Music, Crafty, Artsy, and Main Street Nerds. And it's free!

In Chester, the Third Annual Front Porch Bluegrass Festival and Pig Roast should also satisfy the above nerds, and is also free, but anything you buy at the festival will help benefit people in Appalachia.

Sunday, July 10:
Maplewoodstock continues.
In Clinton, the 22nd Annual Rubber Ducky Race will happen near the famous Red Mill and Falls.

In other Food Nerd News, though the Warren County Farmers' Fair isn't until the end of the month, the deadline for registration to participate in the Rib Cook-off is July 8!

It's a Grand Old Nerd: July 1-4

Festival Nerds, Food Nerds, Main Street Nerds, Nerds with Kids... 4th of July weekend could not be more satisfying. Besides enjoying your local town's fireworks, Sports Nerds can see a spectacular show at any of NJ's minor league ballparks. If you're feeling particularly patriotic and watching things explode just isn't enough, stop by the first national historical park in Morristown to hear a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Celebrate freedom in a wetter way by joining the 2nd Annual Gay Day Floatilla, a tubing event that includes BBQ and a swimsuit contest, launching from Frenchtown on July 2.

The NJ State Fair at the Meadowlands is sure to include some explosion and hot-dog related festivities this weekend, but nerds who love a bargain may want to hold out for Wednesday, July 6, "Cheap Cheap Night" with $3 admission for adults and children.

To escape the orgy of feasting, fireworks and flag-waving for a while, check out the Stanhope House's now-open Beer Garden or see what's playing at the ongoing NJ International Film Festival.

The Haps: June 24-25-26

Denville is the place to be for Book Nerds and those looking for something a little weird this weekend. The Great Denville Duck Race happens Saturday and the FOL Book Sale will be held at the Town Hall Community Room Sat & Sun (bag day!).

Artsy and Music Nerds can sing along at the Masterwork Chorus Summer Sings (Wednesdays starting this week and continuing through July; $13, New Providence; see website for masterworks on tap), then sit back, picnic, and take it all in at Music at Moorland on Friday ($25, Far Hills) for a classical sound and classy fireworks.

Outdoorsy Nerds and Nerds with Kids should make a reservation at Duke Farms' Sunday 'BioBlitz,' a "one-day treasure hunt to identify and record species of plants and animals found on the property" with multiple guided walks and presentations on everything from butterflies to fungus.

OK Nerds, Here's the Situation.

Your parents went away on a week's vacation. They did not leave the keys to their brand-new Porsche, but they did suggest some wholesome diversions for you:

The 2011 NJ International Film Festival at Rutgers New Brunswick continues this weekend with offerings from as close as West Orange and as far as Israel and France.

The town of Clinton continues its summer Friday music nights around downtown; a different band on each corner!

And, I'm sorry, something called "Cupcakefest" is happening in Rutherford on Saturday, June 18. Need I say more?

Are we missing important nerdy happenings? Hook a sister up by e-mailing the address in the sidebar.

Nerd Alert Roundup: June 10-11-12-13

Music Nerds have a lot to choose from this weekend around Morris County:
The New Jersey Jazz Society's JazzFest at the College of Saint Elizabeth on Saturday is not cheap, but is cheaper if you get your tickets in advance from their website.
Masterwork Chorus's Camerata, a chamber chorus, performs Sunday at Frelinghuysen Arboretum and it's only $5.
The Bickford Theatre has its own moderately-priced jazz series; the next performance is Monday.

Artsy Nerds who missed last weekend's Maplewood/South Orange Artists' Studio Tour can take heart; Madison is hosting its own event this Sunday. Maps for the self-guided tour are only $5.

Movie Nerds of the North, head to Loew's Jersey City this weekend for some classic intrigue in the form of the 1962 Cape Fear starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum (June 10), 1958's The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (June 11), and Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (June 12). Tickets are $7/adults, $5 seniors & kids under 12. See the theater's website for more details.
Movie Nerds of the South should check out what's playing this weekend at the NJ International Film Festival at Rutgers, New Brunswick. There's always something interesting and weird, and the most you'll pay is $10.

Nerds looking for something just plain weird need look no further than The Raconteur in Metuchen on Friday, where curious characters will abound both inside and outside the shop--sword swallowers, repurposed 9' sculptures, and YA-inspired music. It all starts at 6:30 pm and is FREE! See the shop's website for more.

Long Range Plans for Nerds

Though we try to keep it simple and only list events for the coming weekend, here are some things you may want make reservations for in advance, or just put on the calendar.

Wednesdays, June 22 through August 3: Free music from around the world on the Morristown Green from noon - 1:30.

June 25: Watson Adventures Princeton Prowl Scavenger Hunt. Dorky but satisfying, especially if you like architecture or history. Sign up with a group.

July 20: Circurious at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown. Seems weird, and is only $10.

In other weird but intriguing news, THIS FRIDAY, June 10, The Raconteur in Metuchen is hosting a melange of curious characters both inside and outside the shop--sword swallowers, repurposed 9' sculptures, and YA-inspired music. It all starts at 6:30 pm and is FREE! See the website for more details.

Nerd Alert Roundup: June 3-5

Festival, Food and Music Nerds rejoice! The Crawfish Festival comes to the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta this weekend. Outdoorsy nerds can camp on-site, for a price.

Movie and Festival Nerds alike will welcome the return of the New Jersey International Film Festival at Rutgers New Brunswick, which kicks off its 2011 season this weekend promising free food! Though the prices have gone up a bit over time, the NJ Film Fest is always a good bet for something quirky. See the festival website for screening times and locations.

Music and Main Street Nerds should stop by the Boonton River Jam this Saturday in Canal Side Park, just below Main Street. For just $1 from noon - 8 pm you can picnic and enjoy an eclectic mix of performances. The town Historical Society is also offering one of their famous walking tours, starting at 11:30. See the Society's website for info and tickets.

Garden and Outdoorsy Nerds can stock up at the NJ Audobon Society's Native Plant Sale, happening Saturday at Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, 11 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville, NJ from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Visit the Society's website for more information and a list of available plants.

Music Nerds may also want to visit FDU's campus on Sunday for a "free Summer Gala featuring outstanding artists of New York Piano Society whose professions are not in the field of music. Their professions range from doctors and lawyers to scientists and executives. The Summer Gala will be held in Hennessy Hall (The Mansion) on Fairleigh Dickinson University’s College at Florham, 285 Madison Avenue (Route 124), Madison, N.J., on Sunday, June 5th, at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. This program will include works by Chopin, Liszt, Ravel and Rachmaninoff. A Gala reception follows the concert."

Artsy Nerds should be sure to check out Maplewood & South Orange's Artists Studio Tour, which is self-guided and allows you to see what you want to see, at your own pace. Tickets are $5 in advance/$7 day of; see an overview of the event here, and more detailed info here.

Movie Nerd Alert: Fork & Screen

Thanks to some friends who turned us on to AMC's Fork & Screen, we spent last Friday evening reclining in what can best be described as Barcaloungers, noshing on decent bar-menu food and enjoying a cocktail, while watching "Bridesmaids" on the big screen. The movie tickets were only a few dollars more than your average movie ticket, and the bar food was only a few dollars more than your average bar food. The real draw was the novelty of laying back and stretching out in those glorious padded recliners, several feet from the nearest movie patron (though the generous armrests do fold up if you are so inclined). It was kind of like being at home, if your home has a forty foot movie screen. It's possible that what we experienced was actually "Cinema Suites," but you'll have to work that out for yourself. Reservations are probably a good idea at peak times.

Festival Nerd Alert: May 21

The Bourbon Street Blues Fest at Memorial Field in Lebanon Township (GPS Address: 70 Bunnvale Road, Califon, NJ 07830) will feature music (duh), vendors, and food.
$$: Tickets are $15-25
Nerd Alert: It's not supposed to rain tomorrow!

Festival Nerd Alert: May 20-22

Brave the crowds to enjoy the food at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Randolph this weekend; it's time for the 41st annual Greek Festival! Parking can be tough and the whole scene is a bit of a madhouse a madhouse, but the food. Oh, the food! What is a festival for? There will also be music and some other diversions.
Nerd Loves a Bargain: Admission is only $2 (food extra), but visit the festival website to get a coupon for free admission for two.

History Nerd Alert: May 21

From our friends at The Raconteur in Metuchen:

8 PM, Sat May 21
MARK JACOBSON
Reading/Signing
THE LAMPSHADE: A HOLOCAUST DETECTIVE STORY
“A disquieting yet utterly fascinating account, artfully told, studded with characters that would have been impossible to invent.” Jon Krakauer. Few growing up in the aftermath of World War II will ever forget the horrifying reports that Nazi concentration camp doctors had removed the skin of prisoners to make lampshades. In The Lampshade, bestselling journalist Mark Jacobson tells the story of how he came into possession of one of these awful objects, and of his search to establish the origin, and larger meaning, of what can only be described as an icon of terror.

Jacobson is a Contributing Editor at New York Magazine. In 2000, he published a profile of Frank Lucas, "once the city's biggest, baddest heroin kingpin"; this formed the basis for the Ridley Scott film, "American Gangster," starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.To read more about Jacobson, click HERE. To read more about this event, click HERE and scroll down. FREE!

Movie Nerd Alert: May 20-21

Loew's Jersey City presents more classic cinema at bargain prices ($5-7) this weekend, including:

Friday, May 20 - 7:45 pm
Barry Lyndon
Starring Ryan O’Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick. (1975, 184 mins. Rated PG)

Saturday, May 21 - 6:00 pm
Days of Heaven
Starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz.
Directed by Terrnence Malick. (1978, 95 mins. Rated PG)

Saturday, May 21 - 8:15
Sunrise
George O’Brien & Janet Gaynor.
Directed by F.W. Murnau. (1927, 110mins. Unrated, but suitable for most audiences.)

Nerd Alert: Loew's says "We will be screening "Sunrise" with live organ accompaniment, along with choice excerpts of the original recorded soundtrack."

Music Nerd Alert: May 21

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars will be performing at SOPAC this Saturday.
$$: Tickets are in the $25-35 range
Nerd Alert: The band was formed in a refugee camp during Sierra Leone's civil war. Whoa.

Artsy Nerd Alert: May 19

This Thursday, brave the rain and support local artists at the Montclair Gallery Walk from 6-9 pm.
Nerd Alert: Look for short films shown throughout the night, and local restaurants giving discounts.

Nerd Alert Roundup: May 14-15

So sorry for the Blogger-maintenance induced delay in posting this week. Here's the general outlook for the weekend:

On Saturday May 14th:
Artsy Nerds can enjoy Art on the Avenue on Bloomfield Ave. in Caldwell from 10am - 5pm, or a Preview performance of The Tallest Building in the World at Luna Stage in West Orange, which tackles the story of how the Twin Towers came to be (History Nerd Alert).
History and Nostalgia Nerds can also visit 9 Morris County museums and historical sites free of charge from noon - 5pm (a donation of non-perishable food items will be accepted for the Interfaith Food Pantry). History Nerds who are also Nerds with Kids might want to meet some baby lambs and watch the hand-shearing of sheep at Cooper Gristmill in Chester Township from 11am - 4pm, at an event called Born to Be Shorn, which promises "hands-on activities such as weaving and spinning and [making] crafts to take home. The suggested donation is $3 adults, $2 seniors, and $1 children."
Movie Nerds, History Nerds and Multicultural Nerds can attend a screening at The Raconteur Bookshop in Metuchen of "Don't Burn It," Vietnam's submission for Best Foreign Language Film in the 2010 Academy Awards; the screening will be followed by a discussion with a star of the film who is also a Vietnam War veteran.
Villa Milagro Vineyards in Finesville invites Food Nerds to watch them hand-bottle wine.
Nerds who Love a Bargain should stop by South Orange Garage Sale Day from 9am - 3pm.

On Sunday May 15:
Festival Nerds can check out Maplewood MayFest from 11am - 5pm along Springfield Ave.
Music Nerds and Book Nerds who live near the Delaware River should make reservations at the legendary Deer Head Inn for the Clap Hands Bash--Celebrating the Poetry & Song of Tom Waits. Nerd Alert: award-winning Jersey poet BJ Ward and Tim Carbone of Jersey roots band Railroad Earth will both make appearances, among other talented musicians and writers.

Comic Nerd Alert: May 7

Holy oversight, Batman: We nearly missed Free Comic Book Day, happening TODAY. Click here to locate a participating store near you.

Music Nerd Alert: May 6 and beyond

Fridays-on-the-Green concert series kicks off this week in Morristown and continues throughout May. It's FREE, but you have to be able to get there on your lunch hour: concerts start at 12:15 and are only half an hour each.

Movie Nerd Alert: May 6-7

The update from our friends at Raconteur Bookshop:

8 PM, Fri. May 6
ROBUS 1, RAY STRIFE, & LADY IN THE RADIATOR
CD release Party
Live Music
Indie rock and rap.

6 – 7:30 PM, Sat. May 7
WILLIAM LUSTIG
Pre-MANIAC Reception
Some serious New York grit is about to get all up in Metuchen when legendary cult director and Blue Underground head honcho William Lustig invades the The Forum with a brand new 35 mm print of Maniac. Join the Raconteur for a Dixie cup of comp wine and some up-close conversation with Lustig, then trot on down to the theater for the 8 PM screening and Q&A (brought to you by Crystal Plumage films). But be warned, this is strictly for fans of the genre. To read more about this event, click HERE and scroll down.

Sports Nerd Alert: May 6 and beyond

It's opening weekend for the Somerset Patriots! Nothing like the minor leagues to see a game on the cheap without any parking hassles. There's also the wacky spirit of camaraderie and the bizarre on-field contests between innings, not to mention the excuse to eat fried food in the outdoors.
$ (ticket prices range from $7-14)

Nerd Alert: Fireworks!

We'll also be keeping our eye on the Newark Bears, whose season begins later this month. We were sad to learn that the Sussex Skyhawks won't be operating this year.

Nerd Loves a Bargain: May 6, 7, 8

Many thanks to local nerds who tipped us off to the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Rummage Sale at the Fairgrounds in Far Hills this weekend. The website promises "75,000 square feet [of] clothing, appliances, antiques, sporting goods, furniture, dishes, books..." etc.

Nerd Alert: Sunday is half price day!

Music Nerd Alert: May 7

An eclectic mix this coming weekend for a music nerd to choose from: Kinnara, a madrigal-style ensemble performing in Summit ($20), WAMFest continues at FDU Florham with Owen (FREE), and the Raritan River Music Festival offers Tempesta Di Mare, a chamber baroque group, at Prallsville Mills in Stockton, an interesting structure in itself (advance tickets $19, $12 for students & seniors). Or you could always see what's going on at The Stanhope House ($10 or less).

Nostalgia Nerd Alert: May 7

If you'd like to go poking around a cool old town in a competitive sort of way, Watson Adventures is offering their Hidden Hoboken Scavenger Hunt, which promises "native son Frank Sinatra’s homes and places he sang; the location of Elysian Fields, where the first baseball game was played; locations from the movie On the Waterfront; cobblestone streets and a literal yellow-brick road."

$$: Tickets are about $20 and a typical hunt lasts a few hours
Nerd Alert: It sure sounds cheesy, but we can vouch for the company's "Princeton Prowl" hunt as pretty challenging and architecture-focused. We did not win, but still had fun and discovered beautiful parts of (and interesting things about) the university campus. Good for a small group; otherwise be prepared to be teamed up with some randoms.

Garden Nerd Alert: May 5-7

Here's hoping you got some good ideas from Nerd Alert's inaugural weekend. Coming up, more opportunities to dig in the dirt with garden club sales around the area:

Maplewood Garden Club's 74th annual sale: May 5 (noon-8pm), May 6 (8am - 8pm), May 7 (8am - 4pm).

Friends of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum plant sale: May 7 (9am - 3pm) at the arboretum in Morris Twp.

The Short Hills Garden Club sale: May 6 (1pm - 7pm), May 7 (8am - 1pm).

Friends of the Laurelwood Arboretum: May 7 (9am - 3pm) at the arboretum in Wayne.

Not for nothing, but Mother's Day is coming up this weekend. You may as well go all traditional and buy her a plant, but maybe this year make it some herbs for the kitchen window.

Main Street Nerd Alert: April 30, May 1

Lots of good Main Street festival nerdiness happening this weekend in small towns around NJ. The weather is supposed to stay decent, so get out there and shop local!

Saturday, April 30, Communiversity Festival of the Arts is happening in downtown Princeton. Participants include "more than 200 artists, crafters, and merchants"; There will also be "continuous live entertainment on 5 stages, children's activities and games, a wide array of delicious food from around the globe."
Nerd Alert: Street food AND an opportunity to visit iconic Princeton Record Exchange? We're in!

And on Sunday, May 1, Boonton Main Street is sponsoring the Boonton Bazaar from 9 AM to 3 PM in the Upper Plane Street parking lot. Look for Antique Dealers, Crafters, Household goods, and more.
Nerd Alert: BMS's press release cryptically encourages us to "follow the pink flamingos." Fascinating. Also, if you're a crafter or have stuff to sell from your Spring cleaning, you could probably still score a table by contacting the organization.

Also on Sunday, the Clinton Guild holds its annual Pansy Festival, which promises music, carriage rides around town, gardening demonstrations, and a "bird house contest."
Nerd Alert: Be sure to cross the bridge and get a look at the most photographed mill probably ever. It's also a museum, and in October, a popular haunted house.

Science Nerd Alert: May 1

Check out this good nerdy update from The Raconteur in Metuchen:

8 PM, Sun, May 1
MISHA ANGRIST
Reading/Discussing/Signing
HERE IS A HUMAN BEING
At the Dawn of Personal Genomics
Once considered a fanciful topic confined to speculative fiction, DNA-based science has blossomed in the last decade to encompass a wide range of real world technologies. Angrist, a Duke University genetics professor with the added pedigree of an MFA in writing, is ideally suited for probing and explaining this often-befuddling field in crisp, accessible prose.To read more about this event, click HERE and scroll down.

Nerd Alert: FREE and the extended press release hints at the following tantalizing questions: "What exactly will happen to this information? Will it become just another marketing tool? Can it help us understand our ancestry, or will it merely reinforce old ideas of race? Can personal genomics help fix the U.S. health care system?"

Music Nerd Alert: End of April, Early May

Fairleigh Dickinson University's WAMFest is bringing some impressive names to its Florham campus, including Alejandro Escovedo, Josh Ritter, and The Fiery Furnaces, for intimate conversations and music. All events are FREE but require reservations, particularly for non-students. See the festival website for details.

Movie Nerd Alert: April 29-30, May 1

In true nerdy fashion, Loew's Jersey City will be screening sci-fi classics old and new, along with a special silent film screening by the Garden State Theatre Organ Society.

When:
Friday, April 29: The Matrix (1999)
Saturday, April 30: The Thing From Another World (1951) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
Sunday, May 1: The Eagle, starring Rudolph Valentino (1925); with organist
$ (cheapest tix: $7 for adults, with discounts for students and seniors)
Nerd Alert: Though we haven't been there, the restored theatre looks like an experience in itself

Music Nerd Alert: April 28, 29, 30

See below for a press release from our friends at The Raconteur bookshop in Metuchen. Not technically North Jersey, but worth the drive for regular FREE events that also support an excellent independent bookstore:

8 PM, Thurs. April 28
THE EAST CACKALACKY & THE SHAYFER JAMES SIDE SHOW
East Cack is a touring avant-folk duo from Klamath Falls, Oregon specializing in homemade electrical weirdness and a singing saw. Singer/songwriter/artful pianist Shayfer James writes songs that are dark, dense, and Dickensian, and fingers the 61 keys of his Casio Portable with the dodgy subtlety of a Fagan street thief (also with singing saw). FREE! Comp wine. CDs on sale at event.

8 PM, FRI. APRIL 29
MIRANDA KENNEDY
Reading/Signing
SIDEWAYS ON A SCOOTER: LIFE & LOVE IN INDIA
In the early aughts, Miranda Kennedy, a twenty-something reporter living in New York City, relocated to India, where a British great-aunt had served as a missionary and where her own parents had lived during the early years of their marriage. She stayed for half a decade, becoming a foreign correspondent for American Public Media’s Marketplace and National Public Radio. To read more about this event, click HERE and scroll down.

2 PM, Sat. April 30
MUTTS Creator PATRICK MCDONNELL
Chalk Talk/Reading/Signing
In 1994, McDonnell created the award-winning comic strip Mutts, which now appears in more than 700 newspapers in 20 countries and has been anthologized in books all over the world. It was described by Peanuts creator Charles Schulz as "one of the best comic strips of all time." To read more about this event, click HERE and scroll down.

Music Nerd Alert: May 1 and Beyond

Two opportunities for low-cost music nerdiness coming up in the North Jersey area are The Masterwork Chorus's Spring performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah at the Community Theatre in Morristown and the 2011 Raritan River Music Festival, in various locations in the Hunterdon County area.


Mendelssohn's Elijah
Who: The Masterwork Chorus, an impressive Morris County group that also performs yearly at Carnegie Hall
Where: The Community Theatre, Morristown
When: Sunday, May 1
$$ (cheapest seats: $27)
Nerd Alert: A powerful group of singers; worth it if just to watch brilliant and energetic conductor Andrew Megill


The Raritan River Music Festival
Who: Raritan River Music, spearheaded by guitar duo Newman and Oltman; an eclectic mix of classical and folksy performers
Where: Various locations throughout Hunterdon County
When: Throughout May, see website for details
$$ (cheapest tickets: $19)
Nerd Alert: Notable for the diversity of its performances; we were lucky enough to attend an evening in this series a few years ago of Irish music coupled with a reading by Frank McCourt shortly before he died