The Weekender: What's Happening in Verona, Cedar Grove and Beyond

Here are some of the events happening this weekend in Cedar Grove, Verona and neighboring towns. To see all the events click on EVENTS on the home page.

CEDAR GROVE

WHAT: 
WHERE: Essex County Fleet Maintenance Facility, 99 W. Bradford Ave, Cedar Grove
WHEN: Saturday 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
WHY GO: Materials being collected at the Essex  Day include pesticides and herbicides, paint thinners and solvents, oil-based paint, chemistry sets, barbecue propane tanks, pool chemicals, photo developing chemicals, 9-volt and NiCad batteries, fluorescent light bulbs and ballasts, products that contain mercury, car batteries, home fire extinguishers, aerosol spray paint and automotive fluids. Items not being collected include latex paint, unlabeled or unidentifiable materials, asbestos, AA, AAA, C and D household batteries, regulated medical waste or infectious waste, commercial or industrial waste, empty containers, explosives, munitions, ordinance or reactive materials.

WHAT:
WHERE: Cedar Grove Library, 1 Municipal Plaza, Cedar Grove
WHEN: Saturday 8 a.m. (before library opens)
WHY GO: All are welcome to attend and participate in this relaxing routine that combines breath, movement and awareness for exercise, healing and meditation.

WHAT: WHERE: 651 Pompton Ave, Cedar Grove
WHEN: Sunday 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
WHY GO: The Cedar Grove Ambulance & Rescue Squad, with the help of Mike Grabas, is hosting a Pancake Breakfast at the Squad building. All proceeds will benefit the squad. We will be serving all-you-can-eat pancakes with bacon or sausage, and coffee tea or juice. Kingsley the Bear will be joining us to entertain the kids, and members will be available to give tours of the building and the ambulance/rescue vehicles as well.
COST: $6 per person, children under 5 free

VERONA

WHAT: 
WHERE: Verona Community Center Annex, 880 Bloomfield Ave, Verona
WHEN: Friday 1 p.m.
WHY GO: Drop in on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to play or to socialize at the Community Center Annex. No registration required.

WHAT: 
WHERE: 1st Presbyterian Church of Verona, 10 Fairview Ave, Verona
WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
WHY GO: Our mission starts and ends with helping you achive your weight loss or fitness goals in a fun, supportive, community rich with people who will encourage you towards your goals. Our free workouts are on Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. 

WHAT: 
WHERE: Our Lady of the Lake School, 26 Lakeside Ave, Verona
WHEN: Saturday 7 p.m.–11 p.m.
WHY GO: DJ Dancing, Auction, Tricky Tray, Filet Mignon Dinner, Sangria, Dessert, Soda, Water, Coffee, Tea
COST: $60

CALDWELLS

WHAT: 
WHERE: Mount Saint Dominic Academy, 3 Ryerson Ave, Caldwell
WHEN: Friday 6 p.m.
WHY GO: Sample choice wines from Fairchild’s Market and an array of hors d’oeuvres from various chefs. Our feature of the evening will be wonderful performances by Broadway stars Lawrence Clayton and Andrea Rivette.
COST: $60

WHAT: WHERE: Caldwell College,120 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell
WHEN: Saturday 8:30 a.m.
WHY GO: The keynote speech, "Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Principles for the Beginning Counselor," will be offered by current students Dennis Quinn and Eva Pena. Other presentations will address suicide screening procedures, working with clients suffering from schizophrenia, gaining on-campus counseling experience at the Caldwell Help-Line, and preparing for the National Counselor Examination and the Caldwell counseling graduate programs' comprehensive exam. The event, to be held at Werner Hall, will begin with a light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. The keynote address will follow at 9:15 p.m. Attendees can then choose from a variety of workshops being offered at 10 and 11 a.m. The conference will conclude at 1:30 p.m.
COST: Registration is free to Caldwell College undergraduate students and faculty. For Caldwell graduate students and members of the community, registration is $10 in advance or $13 at the door. 

WHAT: WHERE: Washington Elementary School, Caldwell
WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m.
WHY GO: Items for sale include: Toys, Books, CD’s and DVD’s, household items, bikes, sporting equipment and much more!! - Raindate is May 12, 2012

WHAT: WHERE: West Caldwell Public Library Community Room
WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHY GO: Collectibles are treasures from the attic, basement, closet or junk drawers that are no longer wanted. They are one step above garage sale items and are not new products or handmade crafts. All items will be gently used and in good condition. Some of the items that will be available for sale include baseball cards, assorted ceramics, depression glass, war souvenirs, old postcards, LP and 45 records, bottle openers, jewelry, watches, sewing items and antiques bottles

WHAT: WHERE: James Caldwell High School, 265 Westville Ave, West Caldwell
WHEN: Saturday 10 a.m.
WHY GO: Spring is a perfect time to clean out all your old documents and have them securely shredded!
COST: In lieu of a fee donations to the JCHS Scholarship Fund will be accepted

WHAT: WHERE: Caldwell College, Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell
WHEN: Saturday  Noon to 6pm
WHY GO: Live music performances by: Bubble Gum Octopus (techno), Saska (Cover band & originals), Elevator Art (Folk), Alias and the @IKT (hip hop) and Sammybritish (Reggae & cover). Food, fun, fames, activities, craft vendors, Beer garden (21+ with valid ID) and so much more!! Outside – Dominican Hall Lawn **Rain date- Sunday, May 6, 2012**
COST: $5

WHAT: 
WHERE: West Caldwell Public Library, 30 Clinton Road, West Caldwell
WHEN: Sunday 2 p.m.
WHY GO: May 6, classical pianist Carolyn Enger will present a concert titled "The Art of Lyricism: From Beethoven to Bernstein" at 2:00 pm in the Community Room. The program will feature works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart, Copland and Bernstein. This concert is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. To sign-up, call the Library at (973) 226-5441.

MONTCLAIR

WHAT: WHERE: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 73 S. Fullerton Ave, Montclair
WHEN: Friday  8pm
WHY GO: Cabaret for a Cure is a concert of musical theater songs to benefit the American Cancer Society. Light refreshments included!
COST: Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

WHAT:  
WHEN: Saturday 8:30 a.m.–11 a.m.
WHERE: Grace Presbyterian Church, 153 Grove St, Montclair  
WHY GO: PANCAKES, SAUSAGE, BACON AND VERMONT SYRUP FOR ONLY $5 AT THE DOOR to support relief and re-builing efforts in Joplin, Missouri.  In the last year the Mid-West has been hit with Tornado after Tornado and Grace wants to remind our fellow Americans that we have not forgotten them.  Funds raised will go toward re-building homes in JOPLIN, Missouri.
COST: $5

WHAT: WHERE: Terra Tea and Fair Trade at the Isabel Rose Cafe,  50 S Fullerton Ave, Montclair,
WHEN: Saturday 2 p.m.
WHY GO: Full Afternoon Tea complete with assorted finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, sweets and savories, and steaming pots of fair trade, organic loose tea. Honor the women, young and old, who make a difference in your life of the life of your child or a treasured family member. Treat a grandmother, a mother, a tutor, a friend, a child to a lovely, relaxing afternoon.
COST: $25 per person – RSVP  973-744-6600

WHAT: 
WHERE: Watchung School Gym, Garden St & N Fullerton Ave, Montclair
WHEN: Friday, May 4, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.  &  Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
WHY GO: Clothing, Accessories, Household Items, Electronics, Toys, Books and more

WHAT: WHERE: New Jersey Center for Healthy Living,  292 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
WHEN: Saturday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
WHY GO: Join your community for a free health festival with something for everyone. Food Tastings, “Veggiecation” for Kids, Organic Garden Start-ups, a T’ai Chi Chih Workshop, Mother's Day Specials, Raffles and much more!!! 

WHAT:  
WHERE: Montclair Historical Society, 108 Orange Road, Montclair
WHEN: Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHY GO: Montclair Historical Society 34th Annual Herb and Plant Sale at the Israel Crane House. The Herb Sale is a Montclair tradition and is eagerly anticipated by local gardeners who know that they can find unusual varieties of herbs for their gardens and their kitchens. On Saturday, May 5, everyone is encouraged to visit and participate in Family Day. There will be a Bee Keeper, Crafts, Kids’ Activities (make a gift for Mom), Museum Tours, Master Gardeners And More!

WHAT: WHERE: 55 Edgemont Road, Montclair
WHEN: Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
WHY GO: Annual plant sale by the Master Gardeners of Essex County. Great annuals, perennials, woodies, hanging baskets, herbs, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. The sale will be in the Edgemont Park, Valley Road, Montclair boathouse parking lot.

WHAT: 
WHERE: The Café at the Montclair Public Library
WHEN: Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.
WHY GO: All ages and skill levels are welcome to play chess on Saturday afternoons. This is a drop-in group, no registration is required.

WHAT: WHERE: 486 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
WHEN: Saturday 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
WHY GO: Only 1% of Americans currently serve in the U.S. Military, and their families have borne the disproportionate burden of more than a decade at war. Many have turned to “Flat Daddies” and"Heroes on a Stick," life-sized cardboard cutouts of their husbands, wives, parents and children serving overseas, to ease the pain of repeated deployments. Using these two-dimensional surrogates as a connecting thread, the documentary film FLAT DADDY follows four such families over the course of a year to explore the lasting impact of the war on those left behind. 
COST: $12

WHAT: WHERE: Van Vleck House and Gardens 21 Van Vleck St, Montclair
WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.   
WHY GO: Join us at the 9th annual benefit plant sale for the finest local plant selections, expert landscape advice and novel garden accessories.

BLOOMFIELD

WHAT: 
WHERE: Bloomfield Public Library, 90 Broad St., Bloomfield
WHEN:  Friday 11 a.m.
WHY GO: Do you knit, crochet, needlepoint, quilt? Then come to the Bloomfield Public Library Friday mornings and share your patterns/techniques with other crafters! Beginners welcome! 

WHAT: 
WHERE: Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center, 240 Belleville Ave, Bloomfield
WHEN: Friday 7p.m.
WHY GO: The audience will assist the Private Eye as he tries to figure out who killed Mexican food entrepreneur, Hector Tamale. Along the way you will unravel a twisting mystery plot that involves a disgruntled chef, a jealous food reviewer, an unsavory loan shark, a very unhappy wife and more. Each table becomes an investigative team and will have the opportunity to win clues by answering fun food trivia questions. Selected audience members will become Guest Snitches and Suspects in a side-splitting Comedy Mystery which will keep everyone guessing until the very end!
COST: $64.95 per person and includes dinner, show, tax and gratuity; cash bar is available. 

WHAT: 
WHERE: Bloomfield Municipal Parking Lot next to Post Office
WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m.– 1 p.m.
WHY GO: Resident in the township are being provided the opportunity to bring all their personal documents to be shredded and recycled at no cost. Green Sky Industries, a company committed to recycling in Bloomfield, will provide a shredding truck, driver, and laborers for this event which will last for four hours or until the truck is full to capacity.

WHAT: WHERE: Bloomfield Public Library,  90 Broad St., Bloomfield
WHEN: Saturday 10 a.m.
WHY GO: Learn breathing techniques, low  impact yoga and meditation. Introduction to powerful techniques that increase your well-being through reduced stress, increased health & well-being, more ease & joy in personal relationships, improved self-esteem, greater creativity & clarity of mind and a deeper sense of community.  

WHAT: WHERE: Comic Book Market, 28 Washington St, Bloomfield
WHEN: Saturday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
WHY GO: Free Comic Book Day is an annual event held on the first Saturday in May by most specialty comic book stores across the nation. As one of the few remaining comic book shops in the area, The Comic Book Market in Bloomfield is pleased to host Free Comic Book Day on May 5th, 2012. Scores of free books are available for -- of course -- FREE!

WHAT: 
WHERE: Watsessing ark, Bloomfield
WHEN: Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
WHY GO: The Watsessing Park Conservancy will be hosting a Watsessing Park clean-up, meeting at the Maolis Avenue and Glenwood Avenue entrance. Clean-up supplies will be provided. 

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