Here are just a few of the events in Essex County this weekend. Click on the "events" section on the homepage to see more. 

In Bloomfield

WHAT:  Jody Sperling: Time Lapse Dance
WHERE: Westminster Performing Arts Center, 449 Franklin St., Bloomfield
WHEN:  Friday, 8 p.m.
WHY GO:  Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents an evening of repertory excerpts. The program is part of a year-long celebration of Loie Fuller on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of her birth. Dances reimagining the swirling, sculptural style of Loie Fuller form a core of the repertory. A visual kinetic theater fusing experimental dance, circus arts and mesmerizing fabric and light.
COST:  Adult $20; Seniors & Students (with ID) $15 

 

WHAT:  St. Patrick's Day Craft 
WHERE: Bloomfield Public Library, 90 Broad St., Bloomfield
WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m.
WHY GO: No registration required. All ages welcome.

WHAT: Chess Club at Bloomfield Public Library
WHERE: Bloomfield Public Library, 90 Broad St., Bloomfield
WHEN: Saturday, 10 a.m.
WHY GO: Challenge your chess skills and have fun!

WHAT: Murder at Muligan’s Wake
WHERE: Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center, 240 Belleville Ave., Bloomfield
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
WHY GO: The luck of the Irish wasn’t with poor Michael Patrick Mulligan, as he was found dead, the victim of an accidental whiskey distillery explosion. It’s a grand party to celebrate his life, in typical Irish mourning fashion. But things are not as they appear, as Detective O’Shea thinks that it wasn’t an accident at all, it was murder! Who may have done such a terrible thing to old Mulligan, and why? The only way to find out is to join us at the wackiest wake this side of the Emerald Isle!
COST: $64.95, includes dinner, show, tax and gratuity; cash bar is available.

NEARBY BLOOMFIELD - MONTCLAIR

WHAT: Benefit Concert for Japan Earthquake Relief Fund 
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: You Can't Take It With You

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: Schnapps & Drash
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: United Way and IRS Partners to Provide Free Tax Preparation for Area Residents
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.

NEARBY BLOOMFIELD - NUTLEY/BELLEVILLE

WHAT: Cabaret - A Nutley High School Performing Arts Production
WHERE: Nutley High School
WHEN: Friday, Saturday 8 p.m.; Sunday, March 18, 2 p.m.
WHY GO: Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, it focuses on nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub, English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with the young American writer Cliff Bradshaw. Overseeing the action is the Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub.
COST:  Tickets $15 General Admission; $18 Orchestra Circle;  Call 973-320-8413 for ticket information.

WHAT: St. Patrick’s Day Craft at Belleville Library

WHERE: Belleville Public Library, 221 Washington Ave., Belleville
WHEN: Saturday, 11 a.m.
WHY GO: The Belleville Library will celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with a children's craft program.

WHAT: Easter Bunny Luncheon
WHERE: 24 Brookline Ave., Nutley
WHEN: Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
WHY GO:  Spend the day doing crafts while the Easter Bunny and his friends join you. Pizza, juice and a cupcake are provided with each paid ticket. Parents may purchase extra pizza for $2 a slice. You will want to bring a camera!
COST: $10 per child; Adults are free.

WHAT: A Service of Remembrance and Healing with Victims of Violence and Abuse
WHERE: Franklin Reformed Church, Nutley
WHEN: Sunday, 3 p.m.
WHY GO: A Service of Remembrance and Healing with Victims of Violence and Abuse. Sponsored by WIN with Franklin Reformed Church, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Paul's UCC Church. The service is for all those who have been affected in some way by violence or abuse, whether directly or indirectly, and for all those who care about them. The service takes it's form from both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. We will also be collecting clothing for Dress for Success. The mission for Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help them thrive in work and in life.

NEARBY BLOOMFIELD - WEST ORANGE

WHAT: Essex County miniGOLF Safari is Open!
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

NEARBY BLOOMFIELD - NEWARK

WHAT: Essex County Clerk Outreach

WHERE: “Little City Hall”, 113 Monroe St., Newark
WHEN: Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
WHY GO: As a service to Essex County residents, the Clerk’s Office schedules afternoon and evening hours to conduct business in municipalities across Essex County. During these Outreach times, we process only new passports, notary public oaths and veterans peddler licenses.

WHAT: Believe! A Mom2Mom Interfaith Celebration for Families of People with Special Needs
WHERE: New Hope Baptist Church, 106 Sussex Ave., Newark.
WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.
WHY GO: Join Mom2Mom, a peer-to-peer support program for mothers of children with special needs, at its first Interfaith Prayer Service. We invite you to pray with us and representatives of various faith communities as we encourage each other to continue to care for our families and care for ourselves. Join us for reflections from different faith traditions, prayer, music and fellowship. Children and adults with special needs are especially welcome!

WHAT: Current Planetarium Shows: Seven Wonders and Little Star
WHERE: Newark Museum, 49 Washington St., Newark
WHEN: Friday, Saturdy & Sunday
WHY GO: Seven Wonders: Recommended for adults and children ages 9 and up    
The Little Star that Could: A little star is born all by himself. Lonely for some friends, he embarks on a journey through the galaxy. Along the way he meets different stars, learns about their lives, colors and temperatures. At the end of his voyage he is introduced to a star cluster, the Milky Way and the planets in our Solar System.
COST: Museum & Planetarium Admission: Adults $15; Children, seniors & students with valid ID, $9; Members free