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!