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.