With the region’s cultural season starting to bloom, it’s time to start picking from the following crop of Jersey Fresh happenings:
Music
Princeton Summer Chamber Concerts
The popular classical series celebrates its 56th Season this summer. And while the same model of free programming applies, there is a temporary twist in venues.
While the first of its four concerts will be held at Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus, renovations require that the remainder of the season be held at nearby Nassau Presbyterian Church at 61 Nassau Street in downtown Princeton.
With that noted, the schedule is as follows:
Horszowski Trio, from New York City, Friday, June 23, 7:30 p.m., at Richardson Auditorium.
Newman Oltman Guitar Duo, founders of New Jersey’s Raritan River Festival presenting selections by De Falla, Albeniz, Brouwer, and others. Thursday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m., Nassau Presbyterian Church.
Poulenc Trio, founded in Baltimore, will perform selections by Françaix, Fauré, Viet Cuong, Juri Seo, and Poulenc, Wednesday, July 19, 7:30 p.m., Nassau Presbyterian Church.
And the Dali Quartet, a Philadelphia-based group with an expertise in playing traditional classical music as well as that from Latin American, will present selections by Schubert, Piazzolla, and Tchaikovsky. Friday, July 28, 7:30 p.m., Nassau Presbyterian Church.
Free tickets are required. Find out more at www.princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org.
The Princeton Festival
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s Princeton Festival runs from June 9 through 25, with an array of performances slated for a tented pavilion installed on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden. Events range from a beloved comic opera by Gioachino Rossini to independent tributes honoring the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin and Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., plus orchestral concerts, chamber music and dance, a Juneteenth celebration, a Family Day, and genre-defying performances by top ensembles and three 2023 Grammy Award winners.
PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov says, “We wanted to create a Festival that was fun, yet relevant — connecting with new audiences through music, dance, and theater — proving that age-old art forms can be fresh and full of meaning for today’s arts lovers.”
Milanov conducts the Festival’s centerpiece, Rossini’s opera buffa masterpiece “The Barber of Seville,” sung in the original Italian with English subtitles, and starring festival opera veterans Kelly Guerra as Rosina and Nicholas Nestorak as Count Almaviva. Performances of the opera take place Friday, June 16, and Tuesday, June 20, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 18, at 4 p.m.
Anchoring the festival is Andrew Lippa’s theatrical oratorio “I Am Harvey Milk,” which celebrates the life of the first openly gay man to hold public office in California. Lippa, the show’s creator, conducts, and Adam Kantor and Scarlett Strallen sing the roles of Harvey and Soprano, respectively. The production is directed by Noah Himmelstein. Shows are Friday and Saturday, June 23 and 24, at 7 p.m.
Opening weekend features a Friday, June 9, performance by the 2023 Grammy Award-winning trio Time For Three. The trio’s members — Ranaan Meyer, double bass; Nick Kendall, violin; and Charles Yang, violin — also performed at the 2022 festival. On Saturday, June 10, “Aretha: A Tribute” stars vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Devlin. Both concerts start at 7 p.m. The weekend concludes on Sunday, June 11, with a piano recital featuring the talented Christopher Taylor at 4 p.m.
On Wednesday, June 14, at 7 p.m. “Broadway’s Next Hit Musical” offers an evening of improv fun as audience members come up with ideas for a hit Broadway tune to be converted into an instant show by a quick-witted cast. Marking Juneteenth on Monday, June 19, a celebration is planned with community events and a song recital by Metropolitan Opera star baritone and 2023 Grammy Award winner Will Liverman at 7 p.m.
Also on the schedule: A collaboration of the 2023 Grammy Award-winning Attacca Quartet with American Repertory Ballet, Saturday, June, 17; concerts with The Claremont Trio, Tuesday, June 13, and Boyd Meets Girl, Thursday, June 14; and Baroque music with The Sebastians at Trinity Church, Thursday June 22. Concerts begin at 7 p.m.
Mazel Tov Cocktail Party, conceived & created by clarinetist David Krakauer & Kathleen Tagg, is described as a “good vibes explosion” on Wednesday, June 21, at 7 p.m. The Festival culminates on Sunday, June 25, with a Family Day with fun-filled activities leading up to a production of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf at 4 p.m. featuring the theatrical antics of Really Inventive Stuff’s Michael Boudewyns.
Tickets for individual events range in price from $10 to $125. www.princetonsymphony.org/festival.
Princeton University Carillon
“Music That Surrounds the Silence” is the title of the 30th annual celebration of concerts performed on the giant musical instrument located at Princeton University’s Graduate College on College Road West.
The series of free tower bell concerts runs each Sunday, 1 p.m., from July 2 through Labor Day Sunday, September 3, with the following schedule featuring national and international performers:
July 2, Laura Ellis, Gainesville, Florida; July 9, The DeWaardt Family of Carillonneurs, The Netherlands; July 16, Annie Gao, Irvine, California; July 23, Simone Browne, New York, New York; July 30, Dennis Curry, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; August 6, Lynnli Wang, New York, New York; August 13, Princeton University carillonneur Lisa Lonie, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; August 20, Princeton Carillon Studio Members; August 27, New Colleague Recital, Noah Kravitz, Princeton; and September 3, Robin Austin, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania.
For more information: www.princeton.edu/gradschool/studentlife/residential/gradcollege/directions.
CoOPERAtive
Westminster Choir College’s annual intensive training program returns for its three weeks that involve public observation of master classes and performances from July 2 through 21.
For more details of locations and pricing, visit www.rider.edu/events.
The LOTUS Project
The Trenton-based new choral music-driven company presents two presentations of “Path of Miracles,” contemporary British composer Joby Talbot’s “musical evocation of the ancient religious pilgrimage via Spain’s El Camino de Santiago.” The event featuring an art installation by Trenton artist-in-residence Chee Bravo is set for Sunday, June 25, at the Masonic Temple, North Clinton Avenue, Trenton, and on Friday, June 30, St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, 246 E. 15th Street, New York, New York.
The group currently uses a free or pay-what-you-will approach, yet encourages donations of a normal ticket price, for more information, visit thelotusprojectnj.org.
Boheme Opera NJ
“Some Enchanted Evening — Special Gems from Opera & Broadway” is an evening of song performed at Hopewell Valley Vineyards by two New Jersey-based opera performers: soprano Samantha Blossey, who has sung with Opera Delaware, Portland Opera, and New Jersey State Opera; and baritone Charles Schneider, who has performed with various companies including Boheme Opera and is a voice instructor at Westminster School of the Arts at Rider University.
The night is under the artistic direction of company co-founder Joseph Pucciatti with accompaniment by co-founder and pianist Sandra Milstein Pucciatti. While wines may be ordered, appetizers and pizza will be provided. $75. 46 Yard Road, Pennington, Sunday, June 11, 5:30 p.m.
For more information: www.bohemeopera.org/boheme-opera-guild.
Bravura Philharmonic
The orchestra presents its season finale, “A Concerto Extravaganza,” featuring works by Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Vieuxtemps, with solo performances by standout teenage pianists, violinists, and cellists. Sunday, June 4, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $40.
Princeton Alliance Church, 20 Schalks Crossing Road, Plainsboro. www.bravuraphil.org.
Princeton Public Library
Princeton Public Library is offering a summer-long series of music events in a range of genres and venues.
There will be two Open Mic nights hosted by the Einstein Alley Musicians Collaborative outside on Hinds Plaza. All are welcome to sign up to perform or just come to listen on Friday, June 2, from 6 to 9 p.m., or Sunday, July 16, from 3 to 6 p.m.
“From Janis to Alanis: Women Who Rock” is a special, after-hours show being held on Hinds Plaza on Friday, June 9, at 7 p.m. Five female vocalists, backed by Princeton-area musicians, celebrate and trace female rock pioneers across time.
The summer Listen Local series kicks off Sunday, June 11, with a performance by New Yacht City of smooth “yacht rock” from the 1970s and ‘80s at 4 p.m. on Hinds Plaza.
The Yuang Sheng International Children’s Choir performs in the Community Room on Tuesday, June 27, at 4 p.m. The choir showcases the harmonic and rhythmic music from some of the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan.
“An Evening of Americana Music,” featuring SmallTown Strings with Helen O’Shea and Friends, is Thursday, June 29, at 7 p.m. in the Community Room. O’Shea, a native of Ireland who moved to Princeton in 2011, mixes Celtic and Americana sounds. Guest performers SmallTown Strings visit from a small town outside Seattle, Washington.
The Listen Local series continues Sunday, July 9, with a concert by Indie-folk band Love? Said the Commander; Sunday, July 30, with a concert of blues and soul music by Joy & Rob with the Beagles; and Sunday, August 13, with blues and rock from the 1960s through the 1980s by Putman County. Concerts start at 4 p.m. on Hinds Plaza.
The scene shifts to Herrontown Woods on Saturday, July 15, at 4 p.m. for “Midsummer Music in the Woods,” a concert of acoustic music interspersed with poetry to celebrate the beauty of nature.
Again moving locations, the Einstein Alley Musicians Cooperative presents “Make Me Smile – The Music of Chicago” on Sunday, August 27, at 3 p.m. in Palmer Square. The concert features hits by one the longest running and best selling pop/rock groups in history.
All events are free. www.princetonlibrary.org.
Palmer Square
Palmer Square transitions seamlessly from spring to summer with the final concert in its spring music series on Saturday, June 10, featuring Living Proof, a cover band performing party and dance hits from the 1950s to the present.
The summer series picks up where spring left off on Saturday, June 24, with Deni Bonet and Chris Flynn’s quirky folk-rock; Underwater Airlines on Saturday, July 1, with songs from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s; power rock duo the Ess Gees on Saturday, July 8; and party standards by duo KickStart on Saturday, July 15. Concerts run from noon to 2 p.m. and are free to attend.
The green also hosts two Friday outdoor film screenings, both at 8:15 p.m. Catch “Freaky Friday” on July 14, and “Luca” on August 4. www.palmersquare.com.
All That Jazz
As always, the region’s jazz offerings are ready to help get things hot. Not convinced? Then check out the schedule:
McCarter Theatre’s ‘Jazz in June’
The sounds of jazz will fill McCarter Theatre for the first three weekends in June as it hosts six “Jazz in June” concerts.
The events start with the McCarter debut of 2023 Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist, Samara Joy, on Friday, June 2, in the Berlind Theater. An American jazz singer from New York City, Joy featured her alto voice singing jazz and pop standards for her self-named 2021 debut album. In “Linger Awhile,” which won Best Jazz Vocal Album at the Grammys, she pays homage to Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson.
Chucho Valdés and New Jersey’s own Paquito D’Rivera, making his McCarter Debut, appear Friday, June 9, in McCarter’s Matthews Theatre. Valdés and D’Rivera made their names together in Valdés’ band Irakere, which fused jazz, classical, rock, and Afro-Cuban music in a transcendental evolution of Latin jazz. Separately, they’ve collected more than 25 Grammys and Latin Grammys. But they had not worked together in more than 40 years, until 2022, when they reunited for a new album called “I Missed You Too!,” assembled a reunion sextet, and began touring the world together once again.
Returning to Jazz in June on Saturday, June 10, in the Berlind Theatre, is Grammy Award-nominated Indonesian jazz pianist Joey Alexander, who taught himself to play jazz at six by listening to his father’s jazz records and by 11 years old had released his first album, My Favorite Things, the first Indonesian artist to crack the Billboard 200 album chart. His fifth and latest album “Origin,” released in 2022, is the 19-year-old’s first to feature entirely original compositions.
Brooklyn-based, Chile-born bandleader and tenor sax player Melissa Aldana makes her McCarter debut on Friday, June 16, in the Berlind Theatre. She was the first female instrumentalist to win the Thelonious Monk Award in 2013, which led to a contract with Concord Jazz to record her LP Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio in 2014. Tracks from her last two albums — 2019’s “Visions” and last year’s “12 Stars” — were nominated for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo Performance Grammy.
The Jazz in June finale features the Maria Schneider Orchestra on Saturday, June 17, in the Matthews Theatre. Schneider has been developing her personal style for her 18-member ensemble since her debut recording in 1994. She has been nominated for 14 Grammy Awards and won seven, and her latest double-album, 2020’s “Data Lords,” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and was named Jazz Album of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and NPR.
Also included in the festivities is Timbalooloo, a special family event on Saturday, June 3, at 11 a.m. in McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Clarinetist and composer Oran Etkin leads this program recommended for ages 2 to 8. With a goal of “empowering a new generation to become fluent in the language of music,” the interactive program includes music from Etkin’s album “Finding Friends Far From Home: A Journey with Clara Net.”
All concerts start at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25, with discounts available for packages of three to five events. All tickets for the children’s program are $25. McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton. www.mccarter.org.
Candlelight Lounge
The area’s longtime and real deal jazz venue’s following summer schedule will keep things hot in the capital city:
June 3, Trenton saxophonist, James Stewart; June 10, North Jersey singer Carrie Jackson; June 17, Philadelphia guitarist Brian Betz; June 24, Yardley-based trombonist Omeed Nyman;
July 1, Jersey City guitarist Charlie Sigler and the annual Jazz BBQ; July 8, baritone sax player Dave Schumacher; July 15, Philadelphia percussionist Webb T; July 22, guitarist Curtis Weaver; July 29, Noriko;
August 5, New York saxophonist Darryl Yokley; August 12, Philadelphia saxophonist Lynn Riley; August 19, Princeton researcher and saxophonist Audrey Welber; August 26, New York saxophonist Lars Haake;
September 2, Hammond organist Dan Kostelnik; September 9, Philadelphia percussionist Rob Henderson and his Hfactor; September 16, Rockaway, New Jersey, keyboardist Leonieke; and September 23, Trenton saxophonist James Stewart.
Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton. $20 cover and $10 minimum drink order, free buffet, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. www.candlelighteventsjazz.com.
Soul and Roll
Concerts in an out-of-doors setting will keep the summer rocking with plenty of music in a variety of regional hot spots:
Mercer County Parks Summer Concerts
The Friday concert series at the Mercer County Park Festival Grounds starts rocking in mid-July and continues through August with the following:
Country Night with Thompson Square and Josh Gracin, July 14, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $15.
Frontiers: The Ultimate Journey Tribute Band, July 21, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $5.
The Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute Band Sandstorm, July 28, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $5.
Latin music with Jose Tabares: Boricua Legends, August 4, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $5.
Best of the Eagles with Kindred Spirit; August 11, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $5.
Trenton Night Instant Funk with Grace Little Band, August 18, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $5.
Sensational Soul Cruisers, August 25, 6 to 9:30 p.m. $5.
And look out for the free Trenton R&B performance by Coast 2 Coast at Millyard Park, South Clinton Avenue, on Saturday, July 22, 2 to 5 p.m.
For more information, go to mercercounty.org/parks.
Bristol Riverside Theater
The professional theater’s longtime summer series continues with presentations at two locations.
Here’s the lineup at their theater located at 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania:
“Rhinestone Cowgirls: Legendary Ladies of Country Music,” June 14 through 18.
“Forever Motown: So Good for the Soul,” July 12 through 16.
The Caribbean Chillers, a Jimmy Buffett Tribute, July 26 to 30.
Local Bands Night, Rock on the Delaware with St. James & the Apostles and Righteous Jolly & the M.E.N., August 5.
“The Road to Love,” the Mandrill legend Neftali “Funkadrill” Santiago farewell event, August 18 and 19.
The Four C Notes Recreating the Music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, August 23 through 27.
Ticket costs vary from event to event with some pricing as low as $25 for Local Bands Night and as high as $120 for “The Road to Love.”
There are also the following offerings held outdoors at the Bristol Township Amphitheater, 2501 Bath Road, Bristol, Pennsylvania:
“Roots & Boots Tour,” featuring Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye, and Sammy Kershaw, July 20.
“The Hit Men: The Ultimate Rock Concert” performed by five veteran musicians who have performed with such acts as Foreigner, Cheap Trick, The Who, Cream, Elton John and others, August 11.
The outdoor concert ticket prices run between $40 and $59.
For more information: 215-785-0100 or www.brtstage.org.
Sourland Mountain Fest
The annual day of blues, folk, and rock music, brews, and outdoor events includes a lineup of the following Jersey groups: The Outcrops from Sussex County, the Spotswood-based Mike Montrey Band, Gumbo Gumbas from Ewing, and Neptune City’s Pepperwine. A fundraiser for the Sourland Conservatory, the event is held at the Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes, $15 to $45, Saturday, July 15, 3 to 8 p.m. sourlandmountainfest.com.
Summer Stages
Area stages no longer take summer hours and offer a fun combination of new works and old favorites.
Bucks County Playhouse
The professional season is already in progress at the theater landmark, but it continues through the summer with the following:
“Tommy and Me,” playwright and sports journalist Ray Didinger’s personal story about helping one of his sports heroes, Philadelphia Eagles Tommy McDonald, path the National Football League’s Hall of fame. Now through June 17.
Tick, Tick… Boom!,” Broadway’s “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson’s rock musical yearning to create for the musical stage. June 23 to July 15.
And “The Bridges of Madison County,” the Tony Award winning musical love story will be on the stage from August 11 through September 10.
Tickets range from $32 to $65.
And then there is the youth repeat production of “Alien8,” Bordentown-based David White and Pennsylvania composer Kate Brennen’s musical featuring a potential alien who helps humans to realize their own humanity, July 27 to 30. $15 to $20.
Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. 215-862-2121 or www.bcptheater.org.
Music Mountain Theater
The Lambertville theater built on the site of the historically important area theater circus continues its tradition of summer events with the following productions:
“Something Rotten,” a farce focusing on two Renaissance writers out to create the world’s first musical, May 26 through June 18.
“Spring Awakening,” the rock musical version of a seminal modernist play dealing with youth and sexual awakening, June 23 through July 9.
“Assassins,” musical theater great Steven Sondheim’s exploration on historic assassins and the dark side of the American dream. July 14 to 30.
“On the Town,” composer Leonard Bernstein’s buoyant musical about servicemen in New York for one night, August 4 through 20.
And “All Shook Up,” noted New Jersey playwright Joe DiPietro’s Elvis Presley music infused retelling of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” August 25 to September 10.
Performances run Friday and Saturday, at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $32.
Music Mountain Theater, 1483 Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org.
Kelsey Theater
The theater on the campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor offers the following summer productions.
“Romeo & Juliet,” the regionally based Shakespeare ’70s’ production of one of the most famous plays of all times, June 9 through 18.
“The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” C. S. Lewis’ beloved magical tale performed by Tomato Patch Jr. and Broken Leg Productions, June 23 through 25.
“Bye Bye Birdie,” the Yardley Players’ production of the Broadway musical legend of an Elvis-like singer and the spell he casts on a small-town girl, July 28 through August 6.
Kelsey Theater, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. $12 to $22. 609-570-3333 or www.kelseyatmccc.org.
Princeton Summer Theater
The productions at the Murray Dodge Theater on the Princeton University campus present the following Thursday through Sunday series:
“Pride and Prejudice,” playwright Kate Hamill stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, June 15 through July 2.
“Ghost Quartet,” Dave Malloy’s time-shifting song cycle performed by four actor-musician-storytellers on the topics of love, death, and whiskey, July 6 through 16.
“Peerless,” Jiehae Park’s darkly comic take on Macbeth and combative world of college admissions. July 20 to 30.
Tickets range form $30 to $35. For more information, go to www.princetonsummertheater.org.
American Repertory Ballet
The regionally based professional company presents Premiere3. The program features a revival and company premiere of “Holberg Suite,” choreographed by legendary dancer and co-founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem — Arthur Mitchell. It will be joined by two world premieres by Amy Seiwert, founder of the contemporary ballet company Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, and Ethan Stiefel, ARB’s artistic director. $25 to $45. June 10 and 11.
ARB at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. arballet.org.
Time to Get Out
Those looking to get to as many outside events as possible should get out their calendars and make plans with the following:
Mercer County Cultural Festival
Mercer County’s annual Cultural Festival at Mercer County Park, West Windsor, features live performances of music and dance, as well as traditional art demonstrations showcasing the various cultures represented in the region. The date is Saturday, June 10.
More details at www.mercercounty.org/departments/culture-and-heritage/cultural-festival.
Art All Night
The major capital city arts festival is back. The annual event coordinated by Artworks Trenton and sidelined in part by COVID and a shooting in 2018 is set for the War Memorial Building in Trenton. And while Art All Night has traditionally been a 24-hour affair, this year’s installment will be modified to be shorter and closed during the late night hours. Nevertheless, coordinators hope to reengage the thousands who submitted artwork for the huge gallery display and reunite Trenton and regional community. Starts at 3 p.m., on Saturday, July 8, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 9.
The Trenton War Memorial is located at 1 Memorial Drive in Trenton. To learn more, visit artallnighttrenton.org.
Jersey Fresh Jam
New Jersey’s premiere Hip Hop festival, developed in a partnership with Trenton street artist Leon Rainbow and graffiti-loving Trenton company TerraCycle founder Tom Szaky, attracts numerous regional, East Coast, and even national and international graffiti artists and musicians to come together for a free summer afternoon of aerosol and hip hop, Saturday, August 19, noon to 7 p.m.
TerraCycle Complex, 121 New York Avenue, Trenton. Free. www.jerseyfreshjam.com.
Dance, Princeton, Dance
The outdoor PRIDE Dance Party is set for the Arts Council of Princeton on Friday, June 2. Involving the Pride Art Club and the Princeton Record Exchange, the free event runs 8:30 to 10 p.m. and serves as a prelude to the June 3 Pride Day Picnic held at Palmer Square, noon to 3 p.m.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org or 609-924-8777.
Bordentown’s Bastille Day Celebration
Co-sponsored by the City of Bordentown and the Bordentown Historical Society, the event commemorates the city’s longtime connection to Joseph Bonaparte. The brother to French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and the former king of Spain had moved to New Jersey after his brother’s defeat at Waterloo. The event also marks the city’s involvement with saving the property that Bonaparte once owned, the opening of a visitor’s center on that property, and the establishment of a sister-city relationship with the French city of Mortefontaine, where Joseph Bonaparte had also lived. The event will feature exhibitions and programs. Saturday, July 15. www.bordentownhistory.org.
West Windsor Arts Council’s Arts ArtWalk
A one-mile walk filled with family-friendly art activities, games, picnics, live music, and more also serves as fundraiser for future arts programming. While individual tickets are $10, a family pass is $25. It happens Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
952 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction, www.westwindsorarts.org.
Back to the Garden
Regional gardens and tours are in full bloom and offer an opportunity to get a bright start on the summer. Here are some fresh offerings:
Mill Hill Gardens
Some 15 gardens set in and around public spaces and historic architecture help commemorate the 32nd annual capital city event. The walking and gawking begin at nearby Artworks Trenton, with ample free parking, at 19 Everett Alley and South Stockton Street, Trenton. Tickets are $20 and free for children under 12. Saturday, June 10, noon to 5 p.m.
For tickets, go to trentonmillhill.org.
Hidden Gardens of Lambertville
The annual event is organized by the town-based Kalmia Club, a women-led civic organization that takes its name from a flower. Attendees have up to the night before to register and then pick up their official walking-tour map at the clubhouse at 39 York Street. Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More details at www.kalmiaclub.org.
Roebling Garden Tour
The Roebling Museum in Roebling is the starting spot for the self-guided tour of gardens in the historic town created by the Roebling Company for workers in its steel and wire rope mill. The museum is located at 100 2nd Avenue, Roebling in Florence Township. Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information and ticket prices, visit www.roeblingmuseum.org/events.
Bucks Beautiful’s Kitchen & Garden Tour
The 28th annual event takes visitors through tucked away gardens in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and gives an opportunity to speak with Bucks County Master Gardeners about trees and plants for home gardens. $35. Sunday, June 11, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More info at www.bucksbeautiful.org.
Bordentown Garden Tour
The Bordentown Historical Society’s annual fundraising features more than 21 gardens found within easy strolling distance in the small Colonial-era town. $20. Saturday, June 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Meet at the Bordentown Historical Society’s headquarters at the Quaker Meeting House, 302 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown. More info at www.bordentownhistory.org.
Museum and Gallery Happenings
The region’s museums and cultural organizations are also providing opportunities to get out with friends and families — or maybe even to head out alone to take in a new perspective on life.
Morven Museum & Garden
“Striking Beauty: New Jersey Tall Case Clocks, 1730–1830” features over 50 tall case clocks to provide the first comprehensive look ever given to the ingenious work of New Jersey clockmakers. On view through February 18, 2024
55 Stockton Street, Princeton. Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $8 to $10. 609-924-8144 or www.morven.org.
The New Jersey State Museum
“Beyond the Tangible: Non-objective Abstraction from the Collection” is an exhibition of 26 non-objective abstract works by 22 artists working from the 1930s, on view through August 27.
“History Beneath Our Feet: Archaeology of a Capital City” explores how 10 Trenton excavations have provided details about the space that has become New Jersey’s capital. Opens June 3 and remains on view through December 31.
Also on view are “Written in the Rocks: Fossil Tales of New Jersey,” a showcase of fossils and New Jersey dinosaurs, and “American Perspectives: The Fine Art Collection,” featuring the work of important American and New Jersey artists.
205 West State Street, Trenton. Tuesdays through Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Free; donations requested. 609-292-5420 or www.statemuseumnj.gov.
Zimmerli Museum
“Komar and Melamid: A Lesson in History,” a retrospective of the two Russian-American artists and social critics who created jointly from 1972 to 2003. On view through July 16.
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., first Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free. 848-932-7237 or www.zimmerli.rutgers.edu.
Trenton City Museum
Currently running is “Fast Forward to 40,” an exhibition of purchase awards from 39 years of the Ellarslie Open, through June 11.
Then look for the big show, “Ellarslie Open 40,” the milestone anniversary of the large juried show featuring works by artists living in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. The show opens on Saturday, June 24, with VIP reception and awards ceremony from 1 to 5 p.m., followed by a Sunday, June 25, public reception and gallery talk with the juror from 1 to 4 p.m. On view through September 30.
Cadwalader Park, Trenton. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Free. 609-989-3632 or www.ellarslie.org.
Princeton University Art Museum
The PUAM is operating two Princeton galleries while the main campus museum building is closed for construction. Here is what is happening at both:
Art@Bainbridge, on Nassau Street, presents ““Cycle of Creativity: Alison Saar and the Toni Morrison Papers,” using mixed-media contemporary artist Saar’s sculpture, prints, and textiles as means to an artistic conversation with the work of Toni Morrison, the late novelist, essayist, playwright, professor, editor, and member of the Princeton University faculty. On view through July 9.
“Victor Ekpuk: Language and Lineage” follows and presents the internationally known artist’s work inspired by Nsibidi, an ancient system of communication from southern Nigeria and northwest Cameroon that features a rich ideographic script. July 22 through October 8.
Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton. Open Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
At Art on Hulfish, look for “Traces on the Landscape,” a multi-sensory exploration of the ways in which contemporary artists depict the natural world, on view now through August 6.
Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, Princeton. Open Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Free. 609-258-3788 or artmuseum.princeton.edu.
Grounds For Sculpture
In addition to its main attraction of more than 300 outdoor sculptures on its 42-acre viewing grounds, the nationally noted venue is presenting two indoor shows on view throughout 2023: “Local Voices: Stories, Memories, and Portraits,” a visual and audio presentation sharing personal stories from people in the Indian American community, and “Spiral Q: The Parade” an installation that spotlights the Philadelphia-based nonprofit Spiral Q’s artistic use of various puppets, signage, and clothing for political expression and action.
80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. $12 to $25. www.groundsforsculpture.org.
D&R Greenway Land Trust
D&R Greenway Land Trust is hosting the Garden State Watercolor Society (GSWS) for its 53rd Annual Open Juried Exhibition, “Migration: Movement for Survival.” GSWS artists created their art to contemplate migration and change — a growing phenomenon in today’s world. Whether figurative or abstract, realistic or fanciful, this thoughtful art will inspire and cause the viewer to think and reflect on the state of the world’s people, wildlife and climate.
This exhibition is on display through September 24 at the D&R GReenway’s Johnson Education Center as well as online at www.gswcs.org.
An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held Sunday, June 11, from 2 to 4 p.m. GSWS hosts a Zoom Happy Hour with D&R Greenway Land Trust and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, open to the public with preregistration, on Thursday, June 22, from 5 to 6 p.m.
Poetry workshops, led by renowned local poets in partnership with D&R Greenway, will result in a Poetry Reading on the theme of migration, and a Gallery Walk hosted by GSWS, on Thursday, September 21, beginning at 6:30 pm. An artist demo by award-winning GSWS artist Ann Greene, takes place as a culmination of the exhibition on Sunday, September 24, from 2 to 4 p.m.
“Among the most electrifying movements of our time is the migration of plants due to climate change and the effect on birds and wildlife that have evolved with these plants for their very survival,” noted Linda Mead, president and CEO of D&R Greenway. “Likewise, human populations are migrating in great numbers. All of this has an impact, from what we see today on D&R Greenway preserves, to the survival of many species of the Earth. Remember, we are the top of the food chain and if we don’t do something to care for our natural and social climates, our own survival is at stake, too.”
Simultaneously on view in the Johnson Education Center lobby is GSWS’ fifth annual “Going, Going, Gone…” installation, featuring 123 small works by 53 GSWS artists calling attention to New Jersey species identified by NJDEP as in greatest need of conservation efforts.
D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place. Gallery open to the public weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekend open hours hosted by GSWS artists July 8 and 9 and August 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed holidays. 609-924-4646 or www.drgreenway.org.
The Nassau Club
"Empty Places, Empty Spaces”, an exhibit of photographs taken on the campus of Princeton University during the pandemic by photographer Sheila Bodine, will be available for viewing from June 12 through September 30 at the Nassau Club at 6 Mercer Street.
Bodine, who was profiled in the September, 2021, issue of the Echo, describes her project as follows:
“With the arrival of the pandemic the campus of Princeton University became a different place. There was no student activity in or around the buildings. The spaces took on a life of their own. They were peopled by shapes and forms. Shadow, light and reflections gave life to the interiors. This exhibit which includes both interior and exterior images bears witness to the vitality of the campus architecture.”
Those wishing to visit the exhibit should call the club at 609-924-0580 to make sure that the exhibit space is not in use.
For more on the artist, visit www.sheilabodinephotography.com.
West Windsor Arts Council
The 2023 Faculty and Student Art show opens with a free reception on Friday, June 9, 7 to 9:30 p.m., and remains on view through July 15. Then look for “Jump into Books: Children’s Book Illustration,” opening with a reception on July 21, 6 to 8 p.m., and open through August 26. Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. www.westwindsorarts.org.
Historical Society of Princeton’s Updike Farmstead Museum
Located in a period farm house, the year-round center has several exhibitions, including one on Albert Einstein’s years in Princeton. There is also the outdoors “Farmstead History Trail” that traces the history of the Native Americans, Quakers, and family farmers who inhabited the area. Open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m., $4.
354 Quaker Road, Princeton. www.princetonhistory.org.
Artworks Trenton
A Pride Day event fundraiser for Artworks and Lamda Legal will feature live performances by Philadelphia-based drag queen Jenny Henny, Trenton band Stay Dead, and Trenton burlesque and side show performer Penny Praline. Also on view is a pop-up Pride Exhibition featuring works by Trenton photographer David Timothy, Trenton fabric artist Andre Terell Jackson, regionally active Philadelphia street style artist Zo Geist, and Lawrence author and illustrator Rashad Malik. $20. June 24, 7 to 10 p.m.
Artworks Trenton, 19 Everett Alley, Trenton, Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.artworkstrenton.org.
Trenton Free Public Library
“First Friday Curators” celebrates the talent of the Trenton-area artists who have brought art to the downtown Trenton community on the First Friday of each month. The exhibition features work by Jonathan Conner, aka LANK, a street artist and project manager for Artworks Trenton; Buck Malvo, who coordinated the Mill Hill Saloon events that are now at Exit 7A studios; Brass Rabbit, who curates at Trenton Social; Habiyb Shu’aib, photographer and curator at Mill Hill Theater; and Laura Poll, photographer and TFPL Trentoniana Collection curator. Free. Opening with a reception on June 8, 5 to 7 p.m., and on view through July 29.
“Tom Malloy, Painting Trenton” is a look at the late beloved Trenton artist whose water paintings chronicled the life and look of the City of Trenton for over 50 years, earning him the title of “Trenton’s Artist Laureate” and having a Trenton City Museum gallery named in his honor. The exhibition runs from August 2 through 23.
Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton. Free. 609-392-7188 or www.trentonlib.org.
Film
Princeton Garden Theater
The Nassau Street theater continues its traditional “Hollywood Summer Nights,” with special screenings of classic films on select weekday evenings.
The schedule is as follows, with screenings at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted:
In June: “North by Northwest,” Thursday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 7, 4 p.m.; “Raging Bull,” Wednesday, June 7; “Sunset Boulevard,” Thursday, June 8; “The Long, Long Trailer,” Wednesday, June 14; “Casablanca,” Thursday, June 15, and Wednesday, June 21, 4 p.m.; “Anatomy of a Murder,” Tuesday, June 20; “The Blues Brothers,” Wednesday, June 21; “Holiday,” Wednesday, June 28; and “The Godfather Part II,” Thursday, June 29.
In July: “The Apartment,” Wednesday, July 5; “The Matrix,” Thursday, July 6; “The Philadelphia Story,” Wednesday, July 12; “Jaws” Fest, Thursday, July 13, and “Jaws,” Wednesday, July 19, 4 p.m.; “The Big Lebowski,” Tuesday, July 18, and Wednesday, July 26, 4 p.m.; “Singin’ in the Rain,” Thursday, July 20; “Desperately Seeking Susan,” Wednesday, July 26; and “Vertigo,” Thursday, July 27.
In August: “Dirty Dancing,” Tuesday, August 1; “In a Lonely Place,” Wednesday, August 2; “The Sting,” Thursday, August 3; “Charade,” Wednesday, August 9; “Apocalypse Now: Final Cut,” Thursday, August 10; “Morocco,” Wednesday, August 16; “Battle of the Bonds,” Thursday, August 17, 6:30 and 9:15 p.m.; “Rope,” Wednesday, August 23; “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” Thursday, August 24; “Safety Last!” Wednesday, August 30; and “My Fair Lady,” Thursday, August 31.
In September: “The Mummy,” Wednesday, September 6; and “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Thursday, September 7.
Tickets for all films are $13.50. www.princetongardentheatre.org.
New Jersey Film Festival
The 28th installment of this juried showcase is set for showings Fridays through Sundays from June 2 through 11.
This year’s festival uses a hybrid format that couples in-person screenings at Rutgers University in New Brunswick with video on demand.
According to festival coordinator Albert Nigrin, this year’s festival includes “seven films by New Jersey filmmakers or shot in New Jersey that will be screened, including Summit’s Christopher Beatty’s stunning feature film ‘Bibi,’ a psychological thriller about a mother and daughter who live in secluded mansion that is hiding a terrible secret; Basking Ridge-based Kelsey McGee’s ‘Danceable,’ about three dancers with disabilities who find freedom through movement; Derek Johnson and Ali Scattergood’s ‘Healing Waters,’ about New Jersey — and former Lawrenceville-based — art photographer Linda Troeller, known for creating sensual images inside sublime water environments; East Brunswick filmmaker Andreana Loukidis’s romantic film ‘Stay Behind’; Roselle Park’s Alam Virk’s crazy short ‘Boxed’; and Matt Kliegman’s ‘The Answer,” a documentary on how Atlantic City fights the legal and political process to demolish the decaying and hazardous Trump Plaza Casino.
In addition to the films, the festival includes filmmaker introductions and Q+A Sessions for many of the films.
In person screenings are scheduled for Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, Voorhees Hall #105, New Brunswick. Presentations are set for 5 or 7 p.m., depending on the schedule. Video streaming is available through the website below.
Single tickets per showing range from $10 to $15. An All-Access Pass is available at $100.
For more information, go to njfilmfest.com.
Trenton Film Festival
Now celebrating its 14th annual event, TFF screenings at the Mill Hill Playhouse in downtown Trenton are set for June 9 through 11.
Designed to present dozens of mainly short films in 11 time blocks, this year’s festival shows a high level of international submittals, including those from Iran and Italy.
The festival also features the following local works: “Bone Ladies,” Bordentown filmmaker Dan Preston’s work examining the creative process behind a kinetic sculpture created by Maggie Rose made in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade; and “Seven Square Miles, a feature-length documentary examining the Trenton Violence Strategy, a crime deterrence and community improvement initiative funded by The College of New Jersey, The Trenton Police Department and the Father Project. Admission per block, $8. Festival Pass, $25.
The Trenton Film Festival at Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 E Front Street, Trenton. trentonfilmsociety.org.
ACME Screening Room
The Lambertville nonprofit continues its presentation of independent and documentary films, guest speakers, and discussions throughout the summer. And watch out for its Juneteenth themed PechaKucha Night — an event where creative participants engage the audience through exposing viewers with 20 images for 20 seconds. June 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m. $8.
25 South Union Street, Lambertville. www.acmescreeningroom.org.