This Weekend’s Best Bets
By Jon Whiten • May 14th, 2010 • Category: Arts, BlogIt’s a jam-packed agenda this weekend; a sure sign that spring has arrived. For full listings, check out our Cultural Calendar; meanwhile, here are some of your Best Bets.
TODAY
The second weekend of Art House Productions‘ new play The Constant Never keeps rolling with a performance tonight (and one Saturday); there are only a few more chances to check it out, so get on it (8 pm).
SATURDAY
Saturday’s main event is the second annual Village Art & Flea Market, which will feature a mix of art vendors and folks selling their stuff, lots of good local food and live music from eight acts, all along the intersection of Newark Avenue and 4th Street (11 am to 6 pm).
Other daytime events of note: A free walking tour of historic Bergen Square, led by Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy (JCLC) president John Hallanan — part of the JCLC’s Preservation Month series of events — leaves from Journal Square plaza at noon. At 2 pm, the Actors Shakespeare Company at NJCU brings its performance of Passion’s Slave to the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery; the performance will be followed by live music from the Torcher Chamber Ensemble.
As day turns into evening, Montgomery Street boutique Kanibal Home celebrates its one-year anniversary in Jersey City with giveaways, food & drink and some live jazz (festivities get going at 4:30 pm; the jazz starts at 6 pm). At 7 pm, the Warehouse gets lit with a reading and release party for the excellent anthology exploring all things Garden State, What’s Your Exit? A Literary Detour Through New Jersey.
A pair of worthy fundraisers is also on tap this evening; at St. Peter’s Prep, the Van Vorst Park Association hosts its annual MeetBall, with food from a bevy of local spots and live big-band style music from Cornucopia (6:30 pm). And local real estate agent and Democratic Party activist Phil Rivo hosts the All Points Borscht night of comedy, food and music to raise funds for Temple Beth-El (8 pm).
The evening art scene brings the grand opening of a new arts/performance space on 3rd Street, Salon JC, with a reception for several local artists and live music (6 pm; music starts at 8 pm). And Jersey City invades Hoboken’s Paul Vincent Gallery for the closing reception of Mark Finne‘s “Re-Cycle-D” show, which includes live music from JC acts SodaCan and Jack Parsons Moonchild (7 pm).
Speaking of live music, you’ve got a few local options tonight as well. The Porchistas, fresh off their performance earlier in the day at the Art & Flea, celebrate a CD release with a free show at Lucky 7′s; they’re followed by a performance by Natty Adams, and the live music is tailed by DJs Leonard Smalls and Dancing Tony (9 pm). Down the block, the Lamp Post hosts Black Birds, Gimme Drugs and Amber Jets for a free show (10 pm).
SUNDAY
The JCLC‘s Preservation Month rolls on with a free walking tour of the historic Italian Village section of Downtown led by Joshua Parkhurst (noon; meet at Madame Claude’s). Later on, Curious Matter hosts the opening reception for “The Ecstatic,” a group exhibition featuring “guides and warnings into the intoxicating sensualities, sacred or profane, that may join us to the divine or, at least, bring us a little closer” (3 pm).
Meanwhile, over at Parlay Studios there’s a Single, Mingle and Bark fundraiser for Liberty Humane Society, featuring food & wine, craft vendors and — of course — lots of dogs and dog lovers (though you don’t have to be a pet owner or single to come hang out). As part of the festivities, Parlay is also offering pro portraits of your pup for $50 (4 pm). At Grace Church Van Vorst, Con Vivo Music continues its Spring Strings festival with a free performance by the Toomai String Quintet, performing music by Georges Onslow, Richard Carrick‘s Adagios for String Quintet and arrangements of Latin American songs with a guest vocalist (6 pm).
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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