The Jersey City Independent "

We are in full-on late-spring events season here, folks, so we’re here to help you choose your outings wisely. For full listings, check out our Cultural Calendar; meanwhile, here are some of your Best Bets.

TODAY

The Iron Monkey‘s second big beer event of the week is also a source of excitement for the entire state: North Bergen’s New Jersey Beer Company will debut their first line of three brews tonight at a special “Meet the Brewers” event — and bring your pants, kids, ’cause there are samples and $3 drafts all night (starts at 6 pm).

If you’re more a coffee person than a beer person, drop by the Brennan Courthouse for its monthly Coffee House, featuring singer/songwriters, fresh brewed coffee and homemade desserts. This month’s headliner is Ari Hest (7:30 pm).

For all the film fans, Scorsese’s gritty classic Taxi Driver plays tonight at the Loew’s Jersey (8 pm).

Tonight marks the final weekend of Art House Productions‘ original play The Constant Never, so catch it while it lasts (8 pm).

SATURDAY

Saturday’s big event is the annual Everything Jersey City Festival along Central Avenue, which the organizers expect to attract about 20,000 people this year. The all-day street fair will feature four stages for live music and vendors galore, so bring your dancing shoes and your appetite. Plus, many businesses along Central Avenue will be holding a one-day sale with discounts of up to 50 percent on selected merchandise. And while you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello to JCI; we’ll have a table in the festival (11 am to 6 pm).

Before or after your outing in the Heights, gather the kiddies and head over to Van Vorst Park for the Spring Festival of Children, which will feature music, dance and sports performances, art workshops and a gardening tour (10 am to 5 pm).

Looking to learn something new about our fair city? The Afro-American Historical and Cultural Society Museum and the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy have teamed up to bring you the 9th Annual Lafayette Festival and Tour. The tour includes a guided bus and walking tour; it all gets started at 11:45 am at Ercel Webb Park.

The Barracks brings live music and hipster shenanigans up the hill with the Journal Square Takeover, which lines up Darren Deicide, Jared Thomas Lord, Nathan Carpenter, The Old Man and his Po Buckra, and American Restless (7 pm).

SUNDAY

Dust off your cycling legs and join in the first annual Jersey City Ward Tour, a ten-mile bike ride through the city that begins and ends at Exchange Place. The event is free, but due to the overwhelming response, registration has been closed. No worries though: If you’re not a cyclist yourself or you didn’t register in time, you can still stop by at the end of the tour for the bike rodeo and BMX demo (starts at 11 am).

It’s a big day for pet owners, too, what with Liberty Humane Society‘s Pet Owner’s Day taking place in Pershing Field. There you’ll find free rabies shots, low-cost microchipping ($35) and nail clipping ($10), easy dog license purchases and renewals, and the mobile adoption van if you’re ready to make room in your home for a new family member (11 am to 3 pm).

When was the last time you went to the opera in Jersey City? Well, here’s your chance. The Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company will be performing The Grand Duke at the Loew’s Jersey at 2 pm. No tiny binoculars required.

Yvonne Vairma‘s Sunday Night Film Forum is going strong at the Jersey City Art School; stop by at 7:30 pm to see what’s on tap this week.

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