The Weekender: Music, Shakespeare and an Early St. Paddy's Parade

This weekend there are lots of things to enjoy in around  Bloomfield.  Click on the EVENTS tab to see more weekend events.  Feel free to add your own in the comments section.

In Bloomfield:

WHAT:  WHERE:   Bloomfield Public Library
WHEN:  Friday   11am
WHY GO:  Friday Morning Needlework Club. Do you knit, crochet, needlepoint, quilt?  Then come to the Bloomfield Public Library Friday mornings and share your patterns/techniques with other crafters!  Bring your latest project, and look forward to a couple of hours of making new friends and sharing creative ideas.  Beginners welcome! 

WHAT:
WHERE:  Westminster Arts Center, 449 Franklin St, Bloomfield, NJ
WHEN:  Sat 3/3 at 8:00 pm & Sunday 3/4 at 2:00 pm
WHY GO:   Rogues returns with "Shakespeare For Two" - a collection of scenes from the master himself. A great way to sample a taste of the classics!
COST:    Gen $20;  Srs/Students $15

WHAT:  
WHERE:   The Essex Bar & Grill, 41 Broughton Ave, Bloomfield
WHEN:   Saturday   8:30pm
WHY GO:  Come and Listen or Dance to great Oldies, Jazz or Rock Bands.

WHAT:   
WHERE:   Bloomfield Public Library
WHEN:    Saturday   2 pm
WHY GO:     Challenge your skills in chess.

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Forest Hill Field Club,  9 Belleville Avenue, Bloomfield, NJ
WHEN:     Friday, March 2   6:30pm
WHY GO:   Formal installation of officers, celebration of civic and businesses anniversaries and our spotlight award dinner at the Forest Hill Field Club.
COST:     $75.00       973-748-2000

WHAT:   
WHERE:  28 Brookline Ave, Nutley, NJ
WHEN:   Saturday   1pm
WHY GO:  Everybody loves a parade.  Celebrate the wearin’ o’ the green in Nutley when Irish and other groups from near and far march through Nutley.  Festivities begin at Holy Family church, proceeding west on Harrison Street , north on Franklin Avenue, and ending at Chestnut Street, where the Knights of Columbus will host the after-party.  The parade will go on, rain or shine.  

The first Bloomfield Restaurant Week begins on Sunday, with 24 restaurants offering fixed-price lunch and dinner menus from $8-$30. 

Besides serving fantastic food at bargain prices, each restaurant will raffle away a gift certificate to guests during the week.  Diners can identify participating eateries by the restaurant week sign in the front window, or by visiting the Restaurant Week website for a complete listing.  And check out our own Restuarant Week coverage, right here on Bloomfield Patch!  

Near Bloomfield:

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Montclair Art Museum
WHEN:     Friday   6pm
WHY GO:   Whole Foods Market in Montclair will host its First Annual Art Auction to support the Whole Planet Foundation. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to the foundation.   Additionally, the night will feature live music from local area musicians and an introduction from representatives of the non-profit micro lending organization, Grameen America.  Free admission  - Silent art auction to benefit the Whole Planet Foundation.

WHAT:
WHERE: I, 570 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
WHEN:  Friday 8pm – 11pm
WHY GO:  Live Jazz!   Standards AND original pieces by the Paolo Cantarella Ensemble.  
COST:  $5

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Van Vleck House & Gardens, Montclair
WHEN:     Saturday  11am, 1pm & 2pm tours
WHY GO:  For a demonstration of the old-fashioned method of tapping a sugar maple, and a taste of Crown Maple Syrup, head over to Van Vleck Gardens.  All are invited to learn how to identify a Sugar Maple tree and discover the steps of turning sap into syrup. 

Van Vleck’s Education Director, Michelle Wiessner, will lead tours and demonstrations suitable for all ages at 11 AM, 1 PM and 2 PM. Each tour will conclude with a tasting. To reserve a tour time please call 973-744-4752 or e-mail:  education@vanvleck.org.
COST:   $5

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Montclair Public Library
WHEN:     Saturday   1:30pm
WHY GO:  Family and friends are invited to a viewing of “Cars 2”.  Popcorn and soda will be provided.  Bottled water will be available courtesy of TD Bank’s Montclair store.  Space is limited. To register, contact Jeanette Suarez at 973.746.4040, x208 or Jeanette.Suarez@UnitedWayNNJ.org.

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Montclair Art Museum
WHEN:      Friday, Saturday, Sunday   Noon – 5pm
WHY GO:   Drawn from area private collections, Look Now offers a rare opportunity to view nearly 40 works by 20th- and 21st-century artists who have extended the boundaries of art making. Seldom exhibited in public, these works offer an overview of the art of the last century, and represent a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, video, photography, drawings, and prints.

WHAT:    
WHERE:   Montclair Art Museum
WHEN:      Sunday, March 4 & 11    10am - Noon
WHY GO:   These one-day workshops are ideal for a beginner who wants to learn or experiment with throwing pottery on the wheel. Through ample individual attention from the instructor, and as well as demos and discussion, students will learn the steps and techniques of wheel throwing, including centering clay, throwing bowl and vase forms, and trimming. Students will select glazes and return to pick up the fired pots two weeks from the workshop date.
COST:  $50 Members, $75 Nonmembers

WHAT:  
WHERE:   The Café at the Montclair Public Library
WHEN:     Saturday   2pm – 4pm
WHY GO:  All ages and skill levels are welcome to play chess on Saturday afternoons from 2-4PM in the Café at the Montclair Public Library.  This is a drop-in group, no registration is required. In case of inclement weather please contact the Library at 973-744-0500 to make sure the building is open.

WHAT:    
WHERE:   , 65 Chestnut St, Montclair, NJ
WHEN:      Sunday   9am to 3pm
WHY GO:   HUGE school-wide rummage sale SUNDAY, March 4 from 9am – 3pm. Montclair Cooperative School is having a fundraising rummage sale.  Great stuff to be had, including baby and kid stuff, housewares, furniture, electronics, games, toys, books, outdoor, and holiday items! SOME highlights include: Very gently used Leap Frog Leapster 2 Learning Game System (green) with carrying case and 4 games, Philips DVD player, Thomas the Tank Engine Sodor Rescue Set, Leaf Blower, Kids Rubbermaid picnic table, Shop Vac, brand new purses and much more. 

What: Where: 3Sixty Cycling Studio, 4 Lackawanna Plz, Montclair
When: Sunday, Noon to 3pm
WHY GO: Please join CASA for an inspiring indoor cycling and hip hop fundraiser at 3Sixty Cycling Studio in Montclair, that raises funds and awareness for children in Essex County who have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect or abandonment.    http://www.spinforachild.org/
Cost:  $25