For editorial inquiries:
609-452-7000
Display Advertising: tfritts@communitynews.org
609-396-1511 x110
Classified Advertising: class@princetoninfo.com
609-396-1511 x105
Mail: 9 Princess Road, Suite M, Lawrenceville 08648. Events: events@princetoninfo.com
News: hastings@princetoninfo.com
Home page: www.princetoninfo.com
Subscribe to our E-Mail Newsletters: www.communitynews.org/newsletter
Copyright 2025 Community News Service LLC.
The West Windsor Branch of the Mercer County Library System Youth Services Department will be holding open auditions for teens ages 12-18 for four original plays written by librarian Michael Kerr for our Halloween Playfest: “The Student of the Year;” “The House of Haunted;” “Andrew;” and “Anna Logg.”
The auditions will take place on Saturdays, July 26 and August 2, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesdays, July 30 and August 6, from 6 to 8:15 p.m., at the library, located at 333 North Post Road in West Windsor.
Area fine artists and craft artisans are invited to be considered for Art on the Farm, Artists of Yardley’s annual outdoor art festival held on the grounds of the AOY Art Center on Patterson Farm in Lower Makefield, Pennsylvania. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Art on the Farm is an opportunity to showcase and sell your original work to a supportive and enthusiastic community. This year’s event will include:
Auditions will consist of readings from the scripts. Scripts will be available for inspection at the reference desk, or can be sent by email. Online registration at https:// mcl.org for auditions is recommended, but walk-ins are also welcome.
Rehearsals will begin in early September. The performances will take place from October 17 to 19. The library also welcome shelp with makeup, costumes, and set construction. Contact West Windsor Branch Youth Services Staff at 609-799-0462 or westprogs@mcl. org for more information.
U.S. 1 WELCOMES letters to the editor, corrections, and criticisms of our stories and columns. E-mail your thoughts directly to our editor: hastings@princetoninfo. com.
Fine Arts & Fine Crafts Market — A curated outdoor marketplace where visitors can purchase one-of-a-kind pieces directly from artists and artisans. Spaces are limited to 45 vendors.
Live Music All Day — Enjoy a festive atmosphere with music throughout the event.
Face Painting – Provided by talented Pennsbury High School art students — a favorite for families!
Delicious Food & Treats — Grilled goodies and the Goodnoe Ice Cream truck will be on hand to keep everyone well-fed and happy. If you’re a local artist or artisan interested in participating, please email director@aoyarts.org with 2–3 images of your work to be considered. If accepted, we will email the registration link.
Vendor fee is just $55 for members and $70 for non-AOY members for a 10’x10’ space. (Spots are limited, so don’t delay.)
All participating artists are asked to contribute one item valued at $25 for the AOY raffle fundraiser.
Kelsey Theater hosts auditions for the Mel Brooks musical “Young Frankenstein,” presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) and produced by Maurer Productions OnStage, Inc. Performances are scheduled for Fridays through Sundays, October 24 through November 2.
Auditions take place at the theater on the campus of Mercer County Community College at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, on Saturday, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, July 13, from 4 to 8 p.m. Callbacks by invitation only are on Monday, July 14. Visit kelsey.mccc.edu to sign up for an audition appointment. Walkins will be taken as time allows. Please prepare 32 measures in the style of the show Please bring sheet music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided. No a capella auditions or recorded accompaniments are permitted. Some auditioners may be asked to read a short excerpt from the script. Auditioners should wear comfortable clothing/shoes and be prepared to dance.
Please download and complete the Audition Form prior to your audition. Bring the completed Audition Form, all conflicts, resume, and photo.
There are 10 principal roles. There are no non-speaking roles. All those cast must sing and move well. Some of the principal roles will also be part of the ensemble in some scenes. Casting is open to performers of any race/ethnicity, gender identity or gender-non-conforming and ability for all roles. All performers must be 17 years old by the date of auditions. This production will not utilize understudies.
U.S. 1 has distribution to news boxes located in downtown Princeton and Trenton, at train stations, and in other high-traffic outdoor areas. Additionally, it is now possible to browse full PDFs of recent issues on U.S. 1’s website, www.princetoninfo.com. Click on “Read This Week’s Digital U.S. 1 E-Edition Here.” A full digital edition of U.S. 1 is also distributed by e-mail every Wednesday. Subscribe at www.communitynews.org/ newsletter.
Villagers Theatre at 515 Demott Lane in Somerset holds auditions for “Beetlejuice Jr.” on Monday, June 30, and Tuesday, July 1, from 7 to 10 p.m. Auditioners may arrive at any time prior to 9:30 p.m. and will be seen in order of arrival. All those auditioning will be asked to sing 16-32 bars of a musical theatre song. For those unable to attend in-person, video auditions may be submitted as an alternative. Live accompaniment will not be provided, so please come prepared with prerecorded music which may be played from Bluetooth compatible devices. A cappella auditions are not allowed.
Callbacks will be held in-person on Wednesday, July 2, from 7 to 10 p.m. by invitation only. Those invited to callbacks will be asked to read scenes from the show and perform a simple dance combination. The show will be performed Fridays through Sundays, September 12 through 21. For more information or to register for an audition, visit www.villagerstheatre.org.
1 Newspaper extends its annual invitation to all writers and poets to present original short fiction, short plays, or poetry for our special issue to be published on Wednesday, July 23 This is an opportunity to have your work published in hard-copy form and to be recognized in public for your effort.
To participate in the U.S. 1 Summer Fiction issue, submit your previously unpublished short story, play, or poem. All
LISC Offers Tools for ‘Growing Leaders, Building
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) New Jersey — the Newark-based New Jersey branch of a nationwide community development enterprise — visits the Social Profit Center at Mill One on Wednesday, June 25, for “Collective Impact Tools for Growing Leaders, Building Communities.”
The free event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at 1 North Johnston Avenue, Hamilton, and is designed for community development professionals, corporate partners, nonprofit funders, public employees, policy makers, and community-based organizations interested in helping improve New Jersey’s communities’ physical, social, and economic infrastructure. Registration is required via EventBrite at https://conta.cc/43JItTU. For more information about LISC, visit www. lisc.org/nj.
The first hour of the event is reserved for networking over beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres, as well as a speed networking session for social impact leaders.
From 6 to 7 p.m. is “Meet the Experts Hour,” featuring a conversation on how foundations, government agencies, resident leaders, and developers collaborate as ecosystem builders to drive sustainable, positive change. Panelists share strategies for aligning partnerships, policies, and resources to amplify impact, offering practical insights for funders, community stakeholders, and civic leaders.
Panelists at the event are Stacey Grant, senior program director for LISC AmeriCorps, and Sharnita Johnson, vice president for strategy, impact, and communication at the Victoria Foundation. The Newark-based nonprofit “partners with Black and Brown residents and other marginalized communities in Newark and nonprofit organizations to champion bold strategies that strengthen community power, foster economic justice, promote youth self-determination, and respond to pressing needs,” according to its website, www.victoriafoundation.org.
Grant manages all aspects of LISC’s AmeriCorps program, from ensuring high quality member service assignments and partner selection to managing LISC’s relationship with the Corporation for National and Community Service and other major funders. She started as an administrative assistant with the LISC Greater Newark office in 1996 before moving on to the group’s national headquarters. She holds a B.A. from the College of St. Rose and an M.B.A. in marketing from Rutgers.
Johnson, the first to hold her role, provides oversight and management of all programmatic activities and leads the development and implementation of Victoria’s grantmaking, success measures, communications, and leadership activities as it transitions to community-centered work focused on equity and justice.
Two central New Jersey-based amateur radio clubs participate in the national Amateur Radio “Field Day” event on Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29.
This annual national field day event has taken place each year since 1933 and is designed to showcase the radio communication abilities of amateur radio to the public. Field day demonstrates how amateur radio emergency radio stations can be set up anywhere, reliably, and under any conditions to operate independent radio communications networks. More than 35,000 amateur radio operators from thousands of locations all across North America participate each year in the Field Day event over a 24-hour period by setting up and operating amateur radio stations in the field.
The public is invited to visit the David Sarnoff Radio Club (DSRC) Field Day site from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday to observe the amateur radio field day operating activities. Visitors also have an opportunity to participate by operating radios to communicate with other amateur radio stations all across North America.
The DSRC will be operating amateur radio stations at the Somerset County Millstone Valley open space parking area, Route 518 Franklin Township, Somerset County. The location is on Route 518 about 1 mile east from the D & R Canal parking lot near Canal Road or 1.7 miles west of the intersection of Route 518 and Route 27 in Kendall Park.
The Delaware Valley Radio Association (DVRA), based in West Trenton, is one of New Jersey’s oldest amateur radio clubs. Field Day operations will be open to the public Saturday June 28, from 2 to 5 p.m., at the club’s headquarters, 798 Bear Tavern Road, West Trenton.
“It’s a picnic, a campout, emergency communications training, and a friendly international competition all rolled into one,” the DVRA said in a news release.
Amateur radio is a valuable asset to communities during disasters or emergencies when the standard communication infrastructure such as cell phone service temporarily fails to function or when cell tower coverage is out of range. An amateur radio station can be set up and operated almost anywhere and on short notice. That’s the beauty of Amateur Radio in an emergency during communications outages. Amateur radio operators can literally throw a wire in a tree for an antenna, connect it to a batterypowered transmitter and communicate near and far all over the entire US or around the world.
For more than 100 years, amateur radio has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and radio communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster or emergency when cell phone or internet services might fail to function.
Stacey Grant, left, and Sharnita Johnson speak at LISC New Jersey’s ‘Collective Impact’ event on Wednesday, June 25, at Mill One in Hamilton. Continued on page
In today’s electronic do-it-yourself (DIY)
Event Listings: E-mail events@princetoninfo.com
While many venues have returned to hosting in-person events, others are still taking place online. Event descriptions specify if an event is being held virtually or in a hybrid format. To include your virtual or in-person event in this section email events@princetoninfo.com.
Wednesday June 25
Pop Music
Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Cover bands Abbey Road and Satisfaction alternate sets of Beatles’ and Rolling Stones’ classics, concluding with a joint encore. $50 and up. 2 and
The Ivalas Quartet kicks off the free Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts series in Richardson Auditorium on Thursday, June 26, with a program featuring works by Haydn, Skye, and Ravel.
7:30 p.m.
Art
Nook & Fern Pop-Up, Small World Coffee, 254 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.smallworldcoffee.com. Nook and Fern is a handmade and curated shop centered around the home that offers one-of-a-kind creations including dried floral arrangements, charcuterie and cutting boards, and home textiles; antiques; and vintage finds such as glassware, pottery, and other curios. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On Stage
Leader of the Pack, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich,
whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 1:30 p.m.
Film
Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. $13.50. 7 p.m.
Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Christie Riehl with Crossing the Millstone. $15. 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Wild Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m. Tai Chi, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. www.groundsforsculpture.org. Series promotes overall wellness through the practice of Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese art that blends exercise with stress reduction. Each week will include a warmup, followed by basic, low-impact Tai Chi movements. Class takes place outdoors. No experience required. Register. $20. 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Outdoor Yoga Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Prince-
ton. www.princetonhistory.org. Gratitude Yoga offers donationbased Vinyasa Flow classes. All ages and skill levels are welcome. 6 to 7 p.m.
Washington’s Army at Hopewell, D&R Greenway Land Trust, Hillside Farm, 62 Lambertville Hopewell Road, Hopewell. www. drgreenway.org. Asher Lurie, executive director of the Hopewell Museum, gives presentation in memory of Cate Litvack, first executive director of Crossroads of the American Revolution. On June 23, 1778, the Continental Army entered Hopewell Valley and camped on John Hart’s farm. In the following days, General George Washington made plans to attack the British as they marched through New Jersey, trying to get back to New York City. Register. Free. 7 p.m.
Outdoor Action
Stewardship Session, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos. org/events-programs. Volunteers work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship team to perform ecosystem restoration and
Who needs sleep when you can have Art All Night?
The annual fundraiser for Artworks Trenton runs from 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, until 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, in a return to the vent’s original 24-hour in-person format. Due to security concerns and the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival has closed or gone virtual doing the overnight hours in recent years.
In 2025,24 hours are back. Come for the art, stay for the vibes. From fresh experiences and live performances to hands-on artmaking, there’s something happening every hour of the night.
Art All Night is organized by and benefits Artworks Trenton, the capital city’s nonprofit visual arts center. By bringing the community together through creativity, it supports free classes, exhibitions, and outreach programs all year long. The event offers an immersive celebration of creativity with new experiences for artists, families, night owls, and everyone in between.
Held at the Trenton War Memorial, the event kicks off on Saturday, June 28, at 3 p.m. and runs until midnight with a community gallery of visual art, live performances, live murals, a beer garden brought to you by the Bent Iron Brewing Company, interactive workshops, and more.
This year’s event also features a vibrant Kids Corner, presented by Capital City Craft Studio, offering face painting, Isles Trex trucks, crafts from the New Jersey State Museum, performances by the Trenton Circus Squad, and interactive classes from two teaching artists.
invasive species removal. Register. 1 to 3 p.m.
Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.
Music on the Patio: Featuring Bob Mecklenburger, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton, 609-751-9699. www.cmaprinceton.org. Mecklenburger has been singing his folk music and performing with his acoustic 6and 12-string guitars for more than 55 years. Light refreshments served. Register. $10. 6 p.m.
Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Mahoning Valley Scrappers. $12. 7 p.m.
For adults looking for something a little unexpected, the Boozy Steam Lab offers a 21-and-over experience that blends science and mixology with sessions at 10 and 11 p.m.
When the doors close at the War Memorial, the night continues at Vibes All Night, a late-night celebration of art, culture, and community held just down the street at 13 West Front Street from midnight to 5 a.m. on Sunday, June 29.
Vibes All Night invites night owls, dreamers, and insomniacs to gather in a space filled with creative energy — featuring local DJs, live art, vintage and handmade vendors, late-night bites, drinks, and space to unwind or turn up. It’s a free, open-to-all experience designed to keep the community connected and inspired deep into the night.
“This year, we’re thrilled to bring back the full 24 hours of Art All Night,” says Kenny Bullock, creative director. “And now, with Vibes All Night taking over after midnight, we’re expanding what
Ivalas Quartet, Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, 609-5708404. www.princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org. Works by Haydn, Skye, and Ravel. Free tickets available one week prior to concert. 7:30 p.m.
Be5D, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. Reservations recommended. 7 p.m.
Music in the Park Lawrenceville Main Street, Weeden Park, Lawrenceville. www.lawrencevillemainstreet.com. Concert, food for sale, games and activities for kids, and more. Kindred Spirit performs. 6 to 9 p.m.
Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Cover bands Abbey Road and Satisfaction alternate sets of Beatles’ and Rolling Stones’ classics, concluding with a joint encore. $50 and up. 2 p.m.
Art
Drawing Points of View from the Collections | Watercolors: Combining Representation and Abstraction, Princeton University Art Museum. artmuseum. princeton.edu. This live virtual art-
Experience at Art All Night include the chance to view art and watch art being made as well as live performances all day and night.
the night can be — welcoming people into a different kind of creative space where the energy keeps flowing and everyone belongs.”
For more information, visit www.artallnighttrenton.org
In addition to the main event at the War Memorial, several other Trenton locales are joining the party. The first-ever Art On Warren Street takes over three locations in downtown Trenton: Much Better Studios, Skil-Lit Café, and Moja Life with live art, music, food, drinks, vendors, and more on Saturday, June 28, from 6 to 10 p.m. Passage Theatre, based at the Mill Hill Playhouse at 205 East
Front Street, celebrates its 40th birthday on Saturday, June 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. The free event features live music from friend of Passage David B. Ross and food and drinks from Pick Your Poison and Frankye’s Restaurant. Donations to the theater are welcome. Learn more at www.passagetheatre.org
Ahead of Art All Night, the HUB
Restorative Justice Center hosts “Behind the Bullet,” and art exhibition and talent showcase as part of National Gun Violence Awareness Month. The event runs Friday, June 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the HUB, 16 West Front Steret, Third Floor, Trenton. For more information and to RSVP visit www.youbelongatthehub.org
making class is iinspired by Susan Point’s screenprint “Discovery” (2005). Taught by artist-instructor Barbara DiLorenzo. 8 p.m.
On Stage
Leader of the Pack Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.
The Bridges of Madison County, Princeton Summer Theater Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater.org. Musical based on Robert James Waller’s
1992 novel about an Iowa housewife and her romance with visiting photographer. $35. 7:30 p.m.
Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. $13.50. 7 p.m.
Princeton Farmers Market, Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-9529. www. princetonfarmersmarket.com. More than 30 vendors including local organic produce, pasture raised meat and eggs, farmstead cheeses, fresh baked goods, empanadas, all-natural dog and cat treats, homemade jam, old-
Bristol Riverside Theater presents ‘Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown’ from Wednesday through Sunday, June 25 through 29, at the theater in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Continued on page 12
School may be out for the summer, but learning is a yearround activity. One of the best ways to do that is by reading books, and resources abound to help both children and adults do just that.
Regional libraries are inviting readers of all ages to “Color Our World” through summer reading programs running from now through mid-August. This year’s theme invites literature lovers to explore the joy of reading and the power of stories to bring color, creativity, and connection into our lives.
The Mercer County Library System’s program runs through August 9. Designed for children, teens, and adults, the program offers engaging activities and events that encourage learning, imagination, and fun throughout the summer months.
Visit your local MCLS branch to register and pick up a reading log.
Children’s logs are for ages infant to 11 years old; teen logs are for ages 12 to 18. Write your name, age, and library branch in the log, and record how many minutes each day you spending reading or being read to. Bring the log back to your branch once per week to pick up a prize. Adults are also invited to participate; for each completed book in their log, participants receive an entry into your branch’s summer reading raffle.
For more information or to download a reading log, visit mcl. org/events/summer-reading-program.
In conjunction with this year’s summer reading theme, MCLS’ virtual programming for adults this July also revolves around the “Color Our World” theme.
The following three events take place online and are free to attend with registration at events.mcl.org.
Laura Keyes, an Illinois-based librarian who offers living history presentations and portrayals of historic women, presents “Every Color Has a Story: History on the Pal-
ette” on Wednesday, July 16, at 7 p.m. All the dyes, tints, hues, and shades of the colors around you can be traced back to a specific point in history. Keyes tells their stories and answers such questions as which came first, the fruit orange or the color orange? And was Lincoln Green named after Mary Lincoln?
Arts educator Janet Mandel presents “Henri Matisse: Master of Color, Magician of Modernism” on Monday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m. The
remarkable career of Henri Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, fundamentally altered the course of modern art. Spanning six and a half decades, his vast creative output encompassed painting, drawing, sculpture, graphic arts, and paper cutouts. This talk examines his extraordinary life and many of his important works.
“The Paint Diva Method” is Cindy Gelormini’s presentation
about the five mistakes people make when painting their homes, and how to fix them. Learn how to choose colors for walls, ceilings and trim, which paint to use, which finish to use, and how to sample colors correctly on Wednesday, July 23, at 7 p.m.
For younger audiences, MCLS libraries are also hosting a number of magic shows as part of the “Color Our World” theme. Registration is required at events.mcl.org.
“Color Your World with Books Magic Show,” presented by magician Brian Richards for ages 5 to 14, takes place Tuesday, July 8, at 10:30 a.m. at the Hightstown Memorial Branch, 114 Franklin Street, Hightstown.
Join magical story-teller Conrad Cologne in a laughter filled, interactive reading adventure, “Pigments of your Imagination,” on Thursday, July 10, at 11 a.m. at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville.
Cologne also presents a magic show for all ages on July 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the Hollowbrook Branch, 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Dennis the Magician performs on Saturday, July 12, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the West Windsor Branch, 333 North Post Road, Princeton Junction. He also brings his magical circus show to the Hollowbrook Branch on Friday, July 18, at 2 p.m. This colorful magic show for ages 5 and up talks about the different things, people and animals that are part of the circus, including the circus tent, dancing elephants, and a missing tiger.
Princeton Public Library, which is not part of the Mercer County Library System, offers youth summer reading programs open to preschoolers (birth to Pre-K), kids (rising kindergarten to fifth grade), and teens (rising sixth to 12th graders). Kids and teens can take on the 20-day challenge by reading for at least 20 days (in a row or not) to complete their log. Preschool participants must do 15 of 20 early literacy activities to complete their log. Prizes for completed logs will be available at the library while supplies last from July 5 through the conclusion of the program on August 15.
For more information, visit princetonlibrary.org/books-andmore/youth-summer-reading. Princeton Public Library also offers a summer reading program for adults. To join, pick up a scorecard from the Welcome or Information Desk at the library. Read three books in a row (across, down, or diagonally) from at least three different genres and be entered into a grand prize drawing. Submit your completed challenges by August 15 to be entered into a grand prize drawing for an Individual Plus Annual Pass for Grounds For Sculpture. The second-place winner will win a $75 gift card to any Princeton restaurant of your choice. The
For those in search of new books for their kids to read this summer, three regional authors have recent releases aimed at young audiences, each with an underlying message of understanding, acceptance, and empathy.
Pennington-based artist, healing art instructor, and now author Jane Zamost has released “What Does Love Look Like?,” an illustrated children’s book for ages two and up that explores love and what it looks, feels, and sounds like. At the book’s end, Zamost asks children to think about what love looks like to them, too.
Zamost’s idea for the book was sparked by listening to media personality Van Jones, who said “What should we do as Americans” to make our world a better one? His reply: “Do what you care about — Just DO something!”
Zamost’s “something” is advocating for a more loving world. “I believe that if we define what love is for the young, we help build their desire for more love in their hearts and in our collective world,” she says.
Her project began as a book for her two young granddaughters. After receiving the first copy, she decided her message deserved a wider audience.
Written and illustrated by Zamost, the book features words and pictures all about love — from an ice cream cone piled high with whipped cream to her own British grandmother baking cookies first thing in the morning. Visit www.janezamost.com to learn more about the artist and author and order hardcopies of the book, $25.
With an understanding of and firsthand experience with dogs’ natural ability to provide comfort, Plainsboro resident Tricia Baker, partners with certified therapy dogs in her mission to save lives through mental health education programs. Since 2010, she has taught more than 250,000 students from elementary school through college with programs tailored to the different age groups. Her newest resource is a children’s book she wrote, “Miki & Friends Go to School: Exploring Emotions through the Eyes of Dogs,” which is now available on Amazon for $15.
Baker, alongside her husband, Kurt, and daughter, Katelyn, is a co-founder of Attitudes in Reverse (AIR), a nonprofit established in 2010 after Baker’s son, Kenny, died by suicide. AIR’s mission is to save lives by educating students about mental health, related disorders and suicide prevention
“I initially created Miki & Friends as part of my mental health education program for elementary
Clockwise from above, Jane Zamost’s ‘What Does Love Look Like,’ Tricia Baker’s ‘Miki & Friends Go to School,’ and Mike Steele with his novel ‘Not Lucille.’
school students,” Baker said. “I am glad that it has grown in popularity with teachers over the past few years, and I hope to present it to many more children. However, there is such a tremendous and quickly growing need — a critical need — for mental health education that must begin at early ages. I hope that publishing the book is an effective way to reach all children and teach them about feelings and how to effectively cope with them.”
Baker was referring to the youth mental health crisis. The number of children between 8 and 12 years of age across the U.S. who died by suicide increased by 8 percent every year from 2007 to 2022, according to research published in JAMA Network Open (July 30, 2024). This tragic trend has also been evident in even younger children. In July 2021, JAMA Network published a study showing suicide as the eighth leading cause of death among 5- to 11-year-olds.
“Every suicide is tragic beyond words. I still feel the pain of losing my son Kenny every day. What keeps me going is helping prevent such a horrific loss for other families by teaching that no one should be embarrassed by having a brainbased illness,” Baker said.
“It is essential for everyone to recognize emotions in themselves and others and to know the proactive steps they can take to help prevent sadness or worry from escalating to chronic depression or anxiety,” Baker stressed. “By giving young children the foundation of mental health awareness and tools for expressing and coping with feelings, and then building on this education as they get older with a focus on symptoms of mental health disorders and suicide prevention, we can save so many lives.”
third-place winner will receive a $50 gift card to Labyrinth Books. For more information, including curated book suggestions, visit princetonlibrary.org/books-and-more/ adult-summer-reading.
The Miki & Friends book provides this foundation. The star is Baker’s Pomeranian Miki, who has served as her support dog during Kenny’s battle with severe depression and anxiety and after he took his life in 2009. Miki’s “siblings” in real life — Misha Silver Lining, The Goofy Goober, Henry Pomchester, and Albie — are his friends in the book. In response to a variety of child-relatable situations, they express their emotions through facial features, other body language, and behaviors, which are explained through the age-appropriate text and portrayed through illustrations by Janice Rosenthal. For more information about AIR, visit air.ngo or call 609-9453200.
Hamilton native Mike Steele’s debut middle-grade novel, “Not Lucille,” was released by CJM Publishers on June 24. The story is primarily set in the ItalianAmerican neighborhood of Chambersburg in Trenton.
“I know a lot of Hamilton residents can trace their family history through Trenton, including my own family,” Steele said. “It was fun researching the period and trying to envision what life was like in that part of the city for such a specific cultural community.”
“Not Lucille” takes place in 1931. Ten-year-old Lucy (not Lucille) Contento is always in trouble. She talks too much. She’s impulsive. Her brain doesn’t seem to work like everyone else’s. Lucy’s parents would be furious if they found out she’s been sneaking onto the campus of the nearby Trenton Academy for the Deaf.
There, Lucy has met Florence, a lonely and profoundly deaf girl her own age. Florence doesn’t mind
Lucy’s flaws. Though Florence can’t speak, she has a unique way of communicating. If Lucy can figure out how to learn Florence’s special language, the two could be friends.
Lucy devises a plan, but it’s going to cost a whopping $7.98 — more money than she’s got. She can’t tell her parents why she wants the funds without revealing she’s been visiting Florence. Besides, her parents don’t have a penny to spare. Her father has been out of work for months. And nobody else in the Contento family has an income. Or do they …?
Lucy soon discovers she’s not the only member of her family hiding something. Can she get the money she needs while keeping everyone’s secrets? Or will her scheming land her in the biggest
trouble of her life?
The Great Depression period provides a unique backdrop for its disabled characters. “I’m excited for kids to get to read about disability in a historical context,” Steele said. “Lucy has what’s now known as ADHD and Florence is deaf. Some of the obstacles they face are unique to the Great Depression era, but many of the obstacles are still present in the disability community today. I hope readers will enjoy learning new things about the period, but most importantly, I hope they’ll find ways to connect with characters that may be very different from themselves.”
“Not Lucille,” is available in paperback and eBook editions at online retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Hamilton Public Library, also separate from the Mercer County system, invites young readers to track every 15 minutes of reading they complete this summer. Once every two weeks, readers can check in at the library to receive a “brag tag” and prize. Biweekly prizes include color changing bracelets (through July 5); rainbow springs (July 7 to 19); patterned rubber duckies (July 21 to August 2); and stuffed aniamls (August 4 to 16). For more information or to register visit hamiltonnjpl.org/summer-reading-registration.
most points. Teens can also score bonus points for attending summer reading events at the library.
The Trenton Free Public Library offers online registration for its summer reading program, through which readers from preschool age through adult can log their summer reading progress and earn points toward certificates of achievement that can be printed and shared. The teen program, for ages 13 to 17, also operates on a point system, with a weekly prize awarded to the reader with the
A summer reading kick-off party takes place Monday, June 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring a chance to register for the summer reading challenge, browse books, and see a magic show by Brian Richards at 2 p.m.
For more information or to register visit trentonlibrary.readsquared.com.
Plainsboro Public Library, located in Middlesex County, hosts summer reading programs for children, up to age 13, and teens
and adults. Children 13 and under can pick up a paper log at the library and color in one book per day of reading. For every five days completed, participants can select a prize and earn a free book. Children can also log their reading through the Beanstack app, which is also the tracking method for teen and adult participants. Teens and adults earn one raffle entry per every five days of reading. Those who accomplish 30 days of reading become eligible to receive the grand prize as well as a free Kung Fu Tea smoothie. For more information, visit plainsborolibrary.org/annual-reading-programs.
Move
Looking
Fluid Physio is your
therapist who tailors every move, stretch, and treatment just for you.
Imagine: expert hands, cutting-edge techniques, and even deep tissue laser therapy (it sounds sci-fi, but it works wonders!). You’ll get a personalized game plan, fun “homework” exercises, and a team that cheers you on every step of the way.
Fluid Physio isn’t just about fixing aches and pains—it’s about helping you move better, feel stronger, and crush your goals. Why settle for ordinary when you can have extraordinary? Invest in yourself at Fluid Physio and experience physical therapy that’s as uplifting as it is effective. Your body—and your future—will thank you!
Fluid Physio, 160 Law-
What comes to mind when you think about your dental care? As a dentist, I think about: Preventive Care! If you want to keep your teeth healthy for your entire life, then you will need to be vigilant in your dental care. Many patients in my practice present with cavities, gum disease, and/or infections in their mouths. But in many cases these dental issues can be avoided. How?
You can maintain good oral health by a combination of:
1.) Regular dental check-ups
2.) Developing good brushing and flossing habits
3.) Completing needed dental work
Preventive dental care is imperative to keep your teeth and body healthy. Bad oral health can impact your general health drastically.
What are the benefits of preventive dental care?
1. We Can Detect Dental Problems Early.
Most dental issues like decay or periodontal disease don’t show symptoms until it’s too late. The best way is to detect these early. Regular dental exams help achieve this.
2. We Can Help Prevent Decay and Cavities.
After a thorough cleaning, dental offices can recommend tools and procedures to assist in fighting future problems.
3. It May Improve Oral and Overall Health.
Preventive dentistry not only strengthens your teeth, but with routine dental checkups, the dentist can help you maintain your beautiful smile.
Preventing dental decay has a positive impact on your overall health. Did you know that bad oral health, like periodontal disease, increases your risk for things like heart disease, dementia, kidney disease, and others? Good dental hygiene affects both your oral and overall health.
4. It Can Save You Lots of Money!!!
Severe dental issues lead to extensive dental treatment. At a regular dental exam, problems can be found, pointed out, and addressed before they get worse AND become more costly to fix.
Dr Kevin Mosmen.
BUT I’M PETRIFIED OF THE DENTIST!!!
What if you’re too scared to go to the dentist? Don’t worry! You are not alone. A 2018 DentaVox study revealed that over 60 percent of their 18,000 respondents were dental phobic. The reality is: I am a dentist, and I would prefer doing many other things before sitting in my own dental chair to have work performed.
Then what should 60+ percent of the population do?
1.) Find a dental office you love and trust.
2.) Find an office where you’re a person, not a number.
3.) Find an office experienced and licensed in SEDATION DENTISTRY!
Imagine having ALL your dental work completed in as little as one visit, with little to no memory of the appointment! Wouldn’t that be great?! It happens every day in sedation dentistry practices all around the country. It works, and you have no reason to be scared anymore!
Keep your mouth and body healthy by taking an active role in preventive dental care! Don’t let your nerves stop you from going to the dentist. Ask around! Read online reviews! There is a dentist and dental office you will love somewhere!
The Dental Difference, 2131 Route 33, Suite A, Hamilton. 609-445-3577. www.thedentaldifference.com. See ad, page 11
Your New Ritual for Strength, Confidence, and Empowerment is Coming to Hamilton This September
Hamilton, get ready to redefine your fitness journey. This September 2025, Pulse Fitness Studio is opening its doors, promising a revolutionary approach to working out that goes beyond just a class—it's a transformative ritual. For women seeking to feel strong, confident, and truly empowered, Pulse is set to become your ultimate destination. Whether you're a seasoned fitness enthusiast, chasing that endorphin rush, or simply taking the very first steps on your wellness path, Pulse is designed for you.
At the core of Pulse Fitness Studio is the Lagree Method, a next-level, resultsdriven fitness experience that's rapidly gaining a reputation for its incredible effectiveness. Developed by Sebastien Lagree, this method elevates traditional fitness by combining elements of Pilates, strength training, and cardio into one powerful, full-body workout. What makes Lagree so unique and impactful? It's all about low impact and high intensity. This means you'll push your muscles to their limits and achieve deep fatigue, but without the stress and strain on your joints, making it accessible for a wide range of fitness levels.
Step into a Lagree class at Pulse, and you'll immediately notice the emphasis on slow, controlled movements. Each phase of an exercise is deliberate, often counting at least four seconds, to ensure maximum muscle engagement and eliminate momentum. This constant tension builds incredible muscular endurance, leading to that signature "shake" that signals deep muscle activation and real
change. The entire experience unfolds on the Megaformer, a specialized machine offering variable spring resistance that allows for a vast array of exercises, targeting multiple muscle groups simultaneously for a comprehensive workout that builds strength, flexibility, endurance, and core stability.
Pulse is more than just a workout; it's a vibrant community. The studio is being meticulously designed as a space where you can be fully yourself, have fun, and leave feeling stronger—both physically and mentally. Expect an atmosphere brimming with upbeat vibes, genuine laughter, and serious sweat. "Now let's shake it off. " isn't just a tagline; it's the spirit of every class. Experience the Lagree Difference at Pulse
While traditional Pilates focuses on controlled movements, Lagree at Pulse emphasizes a slower, more intense tempo with longer holds, delivering faster, more noticeable results. The key difference lies in the equipment—Lagree utilizes the advanced Megaformer, distinct from the traditional Pilates Reformer. Lagree is generally considered more intense and singularly focused on muscular endurance, aiming to build strength and sculpt muscle, whereas traditional Pilates emphasizes core strength, flexibility, and body alignment. At Pulse, you
get the best of Lagree's intense, transformative power.
Don't miss your chance to be among the first to experience this incredible fitness journey. We encourage you to secure your spot and be part of the Pulse community from day one. Early registration will be opening soon, so stay tuned for details.
Follow us on Instagram for updates, sneak peeks, and inspiration: instagram. com/pulsestudiofit
For inquiries, call us at 609-613-4694. Get ready to transform with Pulse this September See ad, page 10
Pulse is where you come to Pulse, Sculpt, and Glow.
I’m Abby, the heart & hustle behind Pulse
Helping women feel strong, confident, and empowered is what I live for. Whether you’re lifting heavy, chasing endorphins, or just starting your journey — I see you, and I’m cheering you on every step of the way!
• Pulse is a luxury Lagree fitness studio redefining what it means to be strong— inside and out.
• Our high-intensity, low-impact classes sculpt the body and sharpen the mind using the Lagree Method on custom Miniformers.
• Designed to deliver deep muscle engagement and total-body transformation, each class is a curated experience that blends challenge, control, and elegance.
• At Pulse, we don’t just work out—we create rituals of strength. Our boutique space is refined, welcoming, and intentionally crafted to empower every client who walks through the door. With expert instruction, a strong sense of community, and results you can feel and see.
Offering a Comprehensive, Personalized Medical Weight Loss Program for the Mercer County Community
Losing weight is never one-size-fitsall, and at Estetica Medical Aesthetics, located in the heart of Hamilton, NJ, they believe your weight loss journey should be as unique as you are. Their medically guided weight loss program is designed to help you achieve sustainable results by combining science, accountability, and personal support.
At the center of Estetica’s mission is Dr. Sofia Dasti, MD, a board-certified physician with more than 20 years of experience in both Family and Emergency medicine. With her deep clinical background and passion for health and wellness, Dr. Dasti leads each patient through a carefully developed, safe, and effective weight loss journey. Patients benefit from an evidence-based approach that considers all aspects of their health, not just the number on the scale.
The weight loss program includes access to novel peptide therapy with GLP-1 and GIP+GLP-1 receptor agonists, B-12 injections, and cognitive enhancers such as NAD+. These peptides, originally studied for diabetes management, have demonstrated remarkable success in clinical studies in supporting weight management. Mechanisms of action include slowing digestion, reducing appetite, and helping patients feel satisfied with smaller portions.
“What makes our approach so exciting is that we’re not fighting against your body — we’re working with it,” explains Dr.
Dasti. “GLP-1 and GIP+GLP-1 peptides help regulate your appetite naturally, making it easier to make healthy choices without feeling deprived or constantly hungry. We know that lasting weight loss happens when nutrition, movement, mindset, and medical science work together. That’s why we provide personalized consultations, during which we assess your current health, lifestyle, and goals. From there, we design a flexible and realistic plan that fits your schedule, preferences, and long-term wellness objectives. Whether you’re looking to lose a few stubborn pounds or undergo a larger transformation, we will work with you every step of the way, adjusting your plan as needed and celebrating your milestones. One of the most valued aspects of the weight loss program at Estetica is its flexibility. For most people, life is busy, stressful, and unpredictable, which is why we tailor treatments and follow-ups to fit our clients’ needs. We are your partners in this journey — and we’re here to help you stay on track”.
The results speak for themselves. Amy R., one of Dr. Dasti’s patients, has lost over 30 pounds in just 16 weeks. “This has been such a life-changing journey, and I truly credit her personalized care and expertise for my success,” shares Amy.
Ready to start your transformation story? You can reach Estetica Medical Aesthetics at 609-310-3100 or visit their website at esteticama.com to learn more about their comprehensive medical weight loss programs.
Your healthiest, most confident self is waiting — and with Dr. Dasti’s expertise and these revolutionary treatments, that transformation is more achievable than ever before! See ad, page 9.
Cannabis may not be a performanceenhancing drug, but it can boost motivation, mood, and recovery during workouts. A study from the University of Colorado found that consuming cannabis, especially CBD-dominant products, before exercise increases enjoyment and improves mood, creating a “runner’s high” by mimicking endorphins in the brain. It also aids post-workout recovery by reducing pain, inflammation, and improving sleep.
Popular activities paired with cannabis include hiking, yoga, and weightlifting. Sativa strains like Super Lemon Haze, White Durban, and Sour Diesel are ideal for energizing cardio, while hybrids like Pluto 85, G13, and Mac n Jack support weightlifting and recovery with anti-inflammatory effects. Cannabis can make exercise feel more enjoyable and less like a chore, though users should always consume responsibly to avoid injury. While it won’t turn you into a superhuman, it might make working out a lot more fun and that’s a win. To find what’s right for you, chat with a Canna Coach at Canna Remedies Dispensary at 2175 Spruce Street Ewing, NJ 08638 or call us at 609-307-9150. See ad, page 3.
Stop
and enjoy active life faster than traditional physical therapy with our holistic approach focuses on your hands-on manual therapy, movement re-education, patient education ... and get to living
Trenton Community A-Team, The Trenton Free Public Library, and Trenton Artists Workshop Association (TAWA) present an exhibition spotlighting the Trenton Community A-Team (TCAT), “From the Streets to the Studio”— a celebration of 25 years of resilience, creativity, and community.
The exhibition at the Trenton Free Public Library gallery runs June 28 through August 16. A meetthe-artists is event is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, at noon.
What began in 2000 as a group of self-taught artists meeting at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) and has grown into a thriving collective with its own dedicated space, “Studio 51,” located at 51 North Stockton Street. Along the way, TCAT has empowered dozens of artists to find their voice, build community, and turn struggle into beauty.
This retrospective brings together artwork from across the 25-year journey and features both longtime and emerging artists and focuses on the evolution of TCAT and the lives it’s touched through the healing power of art. These works are more than just paintings
Continued from page 5
Clockwise from above, artworks by Charles ‘Cha Cha’ Smith, Claudia Moeller, and Emery Williams are part of ‘From the Streets to the Studio,’ an exhibit celebrating 25 years of Trenton A-TEAM art opening Saturday, June 28, at the Trenton Library.
or drawings — they are stories, scars, dreams, and declarations.
“From the Streets to the Studio” is the first event of the Summer of TCAT series — a season-long celebration of everything TCAT has achieved.
More information on TASK and TCAT can be found at www. tcateam.org.
world style pickles, fresh flowers, handcrafted jewelry, knife sharpening, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kids Stuff
Magician Steve Woyce Ewing Library, 61 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-799-0462. www. mcl.org. Magician entertains, educates, and engages children and families with colorful props, comedy, and an upbeat personality. Register. 6:30 p.m.
For Families
Montgomery Fireworks, Montgomery High School, 1016 Route 601, Montgomery. www.montgomerynj.gov/parksrec/ page/fireworks. Celebrate America’s independence with picnicking, music, games, and an amazing fireworks display. No pets or alcohol permitted. Priority parking available for a fee. 6 to 9 p.m.
92nd Street Y Live, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton. www.cmaprinceton.org. Join André Aciman for a reading and talk on “Room on the Sea,” his lyrical new book exploring desire, obsession, and love in three vivid novellas from the author of “Call Me by Your Name.” Register. 1:30 p.m.
Heritage Lecture Series Delaware River Greenway Partnership. www.delawarerivergreenwaypartnership.org. “Devastation on the Delaware: The 1955 Flood,” a 45-minute digital slideshow presented by author Mary Shafer. Via Zoom. Register. 7:30 p.m.
Square After Sunset Palmer Square Princeton. www.palmersquare.com. Live music by the Jake & Dan Duo; extended shopping hours, discounts, and happy hour specials; caricature drawing done by the talented Dan’s Toonz; create-your-own charcuterie plate with Olsson’s Fine Foods; and lawn games for all ages. 6 to 8 p.m.
ART OF Hip Hop, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. An evening to discuss and demonstrate the ART OF Hip Hop with focus on MCing and the Knowledge. Presenter is Slim da Wit, an artist from Newark, to take us through the process leading up to the artistic expression before it hits radios and streaming services. Register. $20. 6 to 7:30 p.m.
From the Streets to the Studio, Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton. Exhibit on view June 28 through August 16. Reception Saturday, June 28, at noon. On view during library hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. www. trentonlib.org
Trenton Thunder Arm & Hammer Park Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www. trentonthunder.com. Mahoning Valley Scrappers. $12. 7 p.m.
Volley for SERV, SERV Behavioral Health System, Cobblestone Creek Country Club, 2170 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville. www.servbhs.net. Tennis, pickleball, or golf tournament followed by reception. Register. $350 for golf; $300 for tennis or pickleball; $250 for reception only. Proceeds benefit SERV, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive recovery services to individuals with mental illness, substance use disorder, and developmental disabilities. 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sunset Sips & Sounds, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www.terhuneorchards.com.
Live music by Ragtime Relics. Light fare, wine, and wine slushies available. 5 to 8 p.m.
Rainbow Fresh Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609737-4465. www.hopewellvalleyvineyards. com. Pop/rock. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Live Music on the Patio, Yankee Doodle
Tap Room, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square East, Princeton. www.nassauinn.com. Paul Plumeri performs. 6 to 9 p.m.
The Shot of Southern Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. Tickets required. 9 p.m.
Summer Concert Series Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. www.princetonshoppingcenter. com. Live music in the courtyard by local bands and a pop-up beer garden from Triumph Brewery. Free. 6 to 8 p.m.
Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Cover bands Abbey Road and Satisfaction alternate sets of Beatles’ and Rolling Stones’ classics, concluding with a joint encore. $50 and up. 8 p.m.
On Stage
Leader of the Pack, Bucks County Play-
The Ragtime Relics perform at Terhune Orchards’ Sunset Sips & Sounds event on Friday, June 27.
house, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 7:30 p.m.
The Bridges of Madison County, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater.org. Musical based on Robert James Waller’s 1992 novel about an Iowa housewife and her romance with visiting photographer. $35. 7:30 p.m.
Much Ado About Nothing, Actors’ NET, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA, 215-295-3694. www.actorsnetbucks.org. Shakespeare’s comedy of intertwining love stories. $24. 8 p.m.
The Importance of Being Earnest, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseytheatre.org. Oscar Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people” featuring high society fun presided over by Lady Bracknell. $22. 8 p.m.
Young Frankenstein, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org. Musical based on Mel Brooks’ classic comedy film masterpiece is the story of the bright young doctor Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) who travels to Transylvania to complete the masterwork of his grandfather by bringing a corpse to life. $35. 8 p.m.
Matilda, Villagers Theatre, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, 732-873-2710. www.villagerstheatre.com. Brave little Matilda knows she has to stand up against the adults in her world, and in doing so, discovers her own remarkable powers. $24. 8 p.m.
Dancing Under the Stars, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Members of Central Jersey Dance demonstrate basic steps and lead others in an evening of dancing to recorded music of all kinds on Hinds Plaza, weather permitting; or Community Room. 7 to 10 p.m.
Friday Night Folk Dance Princeton Folk Dance, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. Lesson followed by open dancing. No partner necessary. $10. 8 p.m.
Kevin Lee, Catch A Rising Star, Hyatt Regency Princeton, 102 Carnegie Center, Princeton, 781-568-1471. www.catcharisingstar.com. $26.50 - $34.50. 8 to 9 p.m.
Highway Run, Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn, Riverside Ballroom, 11 Bridge Street, Lambertville. www.lambertvillestation.com. Live tribute to Journey and
Artist and illustrator Rashad Malik Davis gives a talk Monday, June 30, at 7 p.m. at an opening reception for “Celestial Bodies: Black Queer Identity in Precolonial Africa.” The exhibit will be on view in the Reading Room from June 30 through August 18.
“Celestial Bodies” features a collection of five 24-by-36-inch acrylic paintings on canvas that represent real-life figures and deities from indigenous African spiritual systems. It also includes four masks cut out of wooden panel board, each measuring roughly 20 inches high and 8 inches wide.
The exhibit “seeks to understand how Africans of various cultures and ethnic groups not only viewed but celebrated individuals and narratives that we would recognize today as within the LGBTQIA+ realm,” the artist said.
As the library’s Maker in Residence this summer, Davis will also lead a series of workshops where rising sixth- through ninthgraders will create large, moving, fantasy creatures out of cardboard. Workshops will be Tuesday through Thursday, August 12 through 14, at 1 p.m. in the Community Room. Registration is required and opens Saturday, July 26.
Also this summer, the Davis will create art and interact with visitors in the main lobby of the library on two dates in August to be announced.
“I’m so excited to share my first large scale exhibition with the Princeton Public Library and its community at large,” Davis said. “And I especially look forward to my workshop creating fantastical creatures and mythological beasts with young artists, too!” Davis is the illustrator of the best-selling children’s book “Sunne’s Gift” His self-published work, “Carefree, Like Me!: Chapter 1 – Root the Brave,” won the 2017 Best Indie Book Award in the Children’s Category, and his second book, “Carefree, Like Me! Chapter 2: Sacra the Joyous”, followed in 2018. The seven-part series has themes of cultural diversity and inclusion, fantasy, empathy
female rock. Three course dinner plus cash bar featuring specialty cocktails and mocktails. Reservations required. $90 per person plus tax and tip, valet parking included. 6 p.m.
Farm Market, Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moongrown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Understanding Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, New Jersey State Library. www.njstatelib. org. Most of us will experience at least one trauma in our lifetime that could lead to PTSD. In fact, about 6 out of every 100 people will have PTSD at some point in their lives. In honor of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, Honor Hannah, Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Capital Health, discusses the myths associated with PTSD, causes and risk factors associated with PTSD, what causes PTSD to persist, and how one can support themselves or a loved one with the diagnosis. Free webinar. Register. Noon to 1 p.m.
Special Storytime with Betsy Bird and Andrea Tsurumi, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Author Betsy Bird and illustrator Andrea Tsurumi present their new book, “POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme,” followed by a hands-on craft activity and book signing. 11 a.m. to noon.
Sports
Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. State College Spikes. $12. 7 p.m.
Weekend Music Series Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Live music from 1 to 4 p.m. by Audio Pilot. Lunch fare, homemade treats, ice cream, and wine by the glass available. Noon to 5 p.m.
Deb & Mike Duo and Hit & Run, Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-7374465. www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Classic rock at 1 and music from the 1950s to 1980s at 5:30 p.m. 1 to 8:30 p.m.
Chris Swatt, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Live music plus food truck from The Mexi Boys. 1 to 5 p.m. Cafe Improv, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-8777. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Local music, poetry, comedy. $2. 7 to 10 p.m.
Spare Parts Band Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. Reservations recommended. 7 p.m.
Summer Music Series, Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www. palmersquare.com. Living Proof performs. 1 to 3 p.m.
Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Cover bands Abbey Road and Satisfaction alternate sets of Beatles’ and Rolling Stones’ classics, concluding with a joint encore. $50 and up. 2 and 8 p.m.
Art
Nightbird Vintage Pop-Up Small World Coffee, 254 Nassau
and emotional literacy throughout, and is inspired by his own life experiences with his real-life best friend, his connection to his spirituality, and his love of adventure tales.
Celestial Bodies, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Artist talk and opening reception Monday, June 30, 7 p.m. www.princetonlibrary.org
Rashad Malik Davis’ exhibit ‘Celestial Bodies’ is a collection of acrylic paintings on view at Princeton Public Library from June 30 through August 18.
Street, Princeton. www.smallworldcoffee.com. One-day popup featuring a wide selection of vintage clothing from the 1960s to 1980s. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
From the Streets to the Studio, Trenton Artists Workshop Association, Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton. www.tcateam.org. Meet-theartists event for exhibition spotlighting the Trenton Community ATeam (TCAT) and celebrating 25 years of resilience, creativity, and community. On view through August 16. Noon.
Leader of the Pack, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.
The Importance of Being Earnest, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200
The D&R Greenway Land Trust presents ‘Heirloom Garden Cooking for Community’ on Saturday, June 28, at the Discovery Center at Point Breeze in Bordentown.
Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseytheatre.org. Oscar Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people” featuring high society fun presided over by Lady Bracknell. $22. 2 p.m.
The Bridges of Madison County, Princeton Summer Theater Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater.org. Musical based on Robert James Waller’s 1992 novel about an Iowa housewife and her romance with visiting photographer. $30 to $35. 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Young Frankenstein, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www. musicmountaintheatre.org. Musical based on Mel Brooks’ classic comedy film masterpiece is the
story of the bright young doctor Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) who travels to Transylvania to complete the masterwork of his grandfather by bringing a corpse to life. $35. 3 and 8 p.m. Much Ado About Nothing, Actors’ NET, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA, 215-2953694. www.actorsnetbucks.org. Shakespeare’s comedy of intertwining love stories. $24. 8 p.m. Matilda, Villagers Theatre, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, 732873-2710. www.villagerstheatre. com. Brave little Matilda knows she has to stand up against the adults in her world, and in doing so, discovers her own remarkable powers. $24. 8 p.m.
Jby Neal Zoren
ukebox musicals, shows that employ a pop composer or group’s backstory to get to his, her, or their songs, ride primarily on those songs, even the best of them, like “Jersey Boys” (The Four Seasons) and “Beautiful” (Carole King).
“Leader of the Pack,” now at New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse, is one of the earliest of the jukebox genre (1984), a pioneer of sorts. Built around songs written by Ellie Greenwich, who is a Pantheon creator of rock’n’roll tunes but isn’t as well known as King or Frankie Valli because she didn’t perform her work, the show has familiar hits galore, but in comparison with “Jersey Boys” and Beautiful,” its book by Anne Beatts, with help from Jack Heifner, seems perfunctory and primitive.
Potentially dramatic sequences from Greenwich’s life and career are mentioned then sluffed off as if economy can replace depth. Sure, the songs are the selling point, but without a compelling story, or even as Beatts tells it, an interesting one, the songs become the entire ball, or should I say “plate?,” of wax.
In Shea Sullivan’s production for Bucks County, there’s trouble there too. Lots of it. That doesn’t mean there aren’t assets. Kyra Kennedy is terrific as Ellie. She creates empathy even when Beatts doesn’t give her much to work with, and Sullivan rushes that away or undercuts it by having too much activity in the background or, worse, surrounding the serious moment with a song.
In those instances, neither the song nor the story work because you don’t know where to look, and too often the song intrudes on the book scene without enhancing it. Both Ellie’s story and the production number are wasted. Neither has a chance to register and grab focus. Let the show breathe, Shea. The material may be thin, but trust it more. Nobody needs to get out of the theater in 80 minutes. Give some thought to what’s going on stage so Ellie’s story can take hold and the musical numbers can have impact beyond being among the best any jukebox can offer.
Kennedy, pardon the borrowed expression, leads the pack. She is a solid actress, a clear and expressive singer, and a lead who can take and
Continued from preceding page
Disney’s Aladdin Kids, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www. musicmountaintheatre.org. Aladdin, Jasmine, Jafar, Iago, and the Genie battle for power and possession of the lamp. $13. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
English Country & Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. 7 to 10:30 p.m.
Comedy
Kevin Lee, Catch A Rising Star, Hyatt Regency Princeton, 102 Carnegie Center, Princeton, 781568-1471. www.catcharisingstar. com. $26.50 - $34.50. 7:30 to 9 p.m.
hold the stage. She commands you to watch her. And she’s capable of doing more if permitted to develop her scenes with Michael Evan Williams as writer partner and husband Jeff Barry or an important moment with Galyana Castillo as perennial pop favorite Darlene Love.
All I am saying is give Kyra a chance. Winning as she is, neither she nor Williams nor Castillo nor Jenny Lee Stern as her mother have space to build anything of substance. Sullivan regards the Bucks stage as Grand Central Station at rush hour — when she isn’t using it like a three-ring circus, which is more of a detriment. Even as a child, I preferred circuses that let you concentrate on and appreciate one act at a time.
Every performer I’ve mentioned so far — Kennedy, Williams, Castillo, Stern — proves capable of getting more into his or her part or moment. Stern is lucky. For two numbers in the last third of the show — “Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts,” begun as a torch song before launching into its usual rock’n’roll beat, and “Look of Love” (not the one you’re thinking of), Stern, this time playing a lounge singer at the Village Gate, is allowed to take and keep center stage without much interrupting her or preventing her from giving the songs the fullest heft they can get.
Stern’s spotlight is a telling moment in Sullivan’s production. It shows either that she can pause and give “Leader” the chance to breathe I suggest, or that Stern, a pro with oodles of presentational experience, took a “let her try and stop me” attitude and provided one of the few occasions where songs could be heard and much needed simplicity reigned.
Theater at last! Wit in the handling of “Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts” and genuine focus on Stern! Wonders do not cease.
But only briefly.
Jenny Lee Stern is not the only one in this “Leader of the Pack” cast who can blessedly rivet you to a spot and let you savor a moment or six.
Giuliana Augello is a constant knockout as a chain-smoking, citytough Annie Golden.
With fleeting chances to make her mark before being whisked away or forced to go from one song to another without finishing the
Art All Night, Artworks Trenton, Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. www.artallnighttrenton.org. 24-hour celebration features visual artwork from a variety of artists, a mainstage of live music, film festival, live art demonstrations, and activities for all ages continuing until 3 p.m., Sunday, June 29. Venue closes from midnight to 6 a.m. while the party continues virtually. 3 p.m.
Grand Re-Opening and Car Show, Jasmine’s Nadas, 960 Spruce Street, Lawrence. Empanada restaurant celebrates its reopening after a car drove through its kitchen earlier this year. Celebrate with food and swag bags. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Farm Market, Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moongrown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
first, Augello, with her constant expression of “Don’t mess with me,” her clean, pure, textured vocals, and her ability to add some dance rhythm to her songs, brings consistent personality to a production that so desperately needs it.
The real Annie Golden, the one who continues to grace Broadway productions and TV series to this day, was not a lead singer in Ellie Greenwich’s time. She couldn’t have been. She would have been maybe 13 when Greenwich and Barry started charting.
When she was cast as herself in the original production of “Leader of the Pack,” she took the role of lead singer that belongs to Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes, Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las, and Dolores “La La” Brooks of The Crystals, the groups under producer Phil Spector’s aegis who sang most of Greenwich’s hits.
Augello now steps into that role with a delicious vengeance. Forget history. “Leader of the Pack” isn’t interested in telling it accurately anyhow. Greenwich’s songs, and the girl groups of the 1960s, needed someone dynamic in the front. Augello more than supplies that dynamism. The one regret is — one that doesn’t affect or comment on Augello, Kennedy, or Castillo —Sullivan has staged the hit tunes, possibly according to Beatts’ book, as a hit parade. Rarely, if ever, does Augello or Kennedy get the chance to show off their presentational savvy the way Stern does. Or Castillo, in “River Deep, Mountain High.”
No matter what the book says, or how much a perception Sullivan might have that speed is of the essence, a show that depends on hit songs many in its audience will know needs to have those songs performed fully and as their own entity, not as part of a montage or as commentary to a dramatic sequence that, in “Leader’s” case, also gets cheated. The operative word, one that appeared earlier, is “undercut.” Sullivan cuts off numbers at their knees. Just as you’re dancing in your seat to one hit, its allotted eight bars are gone, and you’re grooving to a different one.
It doesn’t make sense. The music is the paydirt. A quasi-concert is fine in this setting, and Kyra Kennedy, Giuliana Augello, Galyana
Pennington Farmers Market, Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31, Pennington. www.penningtonfarmersmarket.org. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and more from local producers. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market, Vaughn Drive Lot, 877 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction. www.wwcfm.org. Up to 50 farms and other vendors on site selling fresh produce, meat, sweets, beer, tea, bread, pickles, and more. Live music and other special events weekly. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Farmers Market, Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Montgomery Township Municipal Center, 100 Community Drive, Skillman, 609-915-0817. www.montgomeryfriends.org. Jersey Fresh produce and farm products, baked goods, sauces, fibers, honey, flowers, coffee, and music. Rain or shine. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Heirloom Garden Cooking for Community D&R Greenway Land Trust, Discovery Center at Point Breeze, 101 East Park Street, Bordentown. www.drgreenway.org. Hear how the re-creation of the property’s historic garden now benefits the local com-
Castillo, Jenny Lee Stern, LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne, Sy Chounchaisit, and Elizabeth Yanick have the chops to give it to you with glory.
So many times in Sullivan’s production, their talent and Greenwich’s songs, which are also credited to Jeff Barry and Phil Spector, are wasted.
If short shrift isn’t the issue, a mid-show medley, overloading the stage, that three-ring circus I mentioned, is.
Take the mess surrounding a number that demands spotlighting, “Chapel of Love,” is reduced to.
Having it be part of an actual wedding — Greenwich’s and Barry’s — is fine, but Sullivan doesn’t choreograph it to be watched. Ellie is busy getting prepared stage right while something else is happening stage left. No neatly measured time or focusing frame is given to the wedding, and one of Ellie’s biggest hits becomes background music instead of a potential show-stopper.
This kind of undercutting is the way to Sullivan’s world. You want to jump on the stage and institute some kind of traffic management.
“You, stage left, get off!” “Reverse the procession, so everyone comes in facing and staying faced to the audience.”
Most of all, kill or diminish the byplay that plagues Sullivan’s production from minute one. Throughout “Leader,” characters are asked to make oversized gestures or odd facial expressions or go into to something akin to slapstick. My guess is all this business is meant to be comedy. Amateur night in Dixie is more like it.
The actor constantly hurt by this non-stop exaggeration of gesture is the generally reliable Danny Rutigliano. Yes, Sullivan aces his entrance, having him lying down and hidden by a piano while Ellie is looking for him, but for the most part, Rutigliano’s Gus Sharkey, a stand-in for Phil Spector, is made into a buffoon. More natural behavior on all fronts is advisable, especially when Beatts is as stingy as Sullivan in giving time to important scenes that involve Ellie and Jeff’s marriage or Darlene Love learning a song promised to her is going to Tina Turner.
It may be late to say it, but “Leader of the Pack,” on the strength of its music, however presented, and its talented cast, is en-
munity and tour the exhibits at the Discovery Center and explore the surrounding grounds. Register. $20 per person supports the garden’s growth and the Discovery Center’s outreach program. 2 p.m.
Walking Tour of Historic New Hope New Hope Historical Society, Parry Mansion Museum, 32 South Main Street, New Hope, PA. www.newhopehistorical.org. Guided tour explores three centuries of unique history that has shaped New Hope into what is today including: 1700s - discover how General George Washington lead the Continental Army; understand New Hope’s broader role in the Revolutionary War; 1800shear stories about the canal, the mills, the ferry, and the bridge that all helped New Hope become the commercial center of Bucks County; learn about the entrepreneurs and leaders who shaped New Hope; 1900s - see how New Hope transformed from a commercial mecca into the eclectic arts, music, and theater magnet that it is today; discover the famous actors and artists who launched their careers here in New Hope. Register. $10. 1 p.m.
Kyra Kennedy in the lead role of Ellie is a bright spot in Bucks County Playhouse’s production of ‘Leader of the Pack,’ on stage through July 20.
tertaining, even if in spurts. Not because the talent fails — Even John Michael Peterson’s dancing earns appreciative notice — but because this “Leader of the Pack” seems more mired in concept than in creating a cohesive show. A case in point, and the worst mistake of the production, are garish costumes by Chadd McMillan. Talk about exaggeration. From the crinoline slips dangling from the jumpers worn by Greenwich’s Vibrettes to the overdone colorfully patterned knit shirts and dance gear to which the male ensemble is doomed, the costumes are a horror. Only the final scene seems to get things right. Sullivan’s choreography is lively but shopworn. Charlie Corcoran’s set allows Sullivan room to roam. Jeff Sherwood’s sound design favors the performers, a high compliment these days. Kirk Bookman’s lighting is excellent.
Leader of the Pack, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. Through Sunday, July 20, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. $32 to $90. www.bcptheater.org or 215-862-2121
The Preserve at Play: Wee Wonders, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Woodland crafts, sensory exploration, Travelin’ Dogs food truck, and live music by Lolly Hopwood. Wildlife presentation by Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center at The Captain James Moore Pavilion at 3 p.m. Families can also enjoy the Preserve’s signature offerings including 5 miles of hiking trails, children’s discovery areas, and a new Storybook Trail. Register. $10 per family. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hopewell Fireworks, Woolsey Park, 221 Washington CrossingPennington Road, Titusville. Independence Day Celebration features a car show, community concert, and fireworks with the Hopewell Valley Veterans Association. 5 p.m.
Last Kings of France – Les Derniers Rois de France Alliance Francaise, Princeton United Methodist Church, 7 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton. allianceprinceton.com. French history seminar delivered in English. Register.
$60. 11 a.m.
Passage of Time: The Work of Bertolt Brecht Passage Theatre, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. www.passagetheatre.org. Rider University professor and Former Passage Theatre Artistic Director Ryanne Domingues leads a lecture overview of the work of Bertolt Brecht. Register. 1 to 3 p.m.
Science Under the Stars: Shredded Stars: How Black Holes Light Up Their Surroundings, New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State Street, Trenton. www. statemuseum.nj.gov. Free talk about black holes with guest speaker Zachary Gelles, Princeton University. Black holes are the sites of extreme gravitational forces – they suck in matter and never let it back out. But under the right conditions, a black hole can actually power the reverse process, shooting matter outwards at incredibly high speeds and lighting up the black hole’s vicinity. Register. 4:15 p.m.
June Nature Walk, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes House, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos.org/ events-programs. Celebrate National Pollinator Month with a guided walk through the preserve. Register. Free. 10 a.m. to noon. Ice Cream Party & Wheat Harvest, Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Lambertville, 609-737-3299. www. howellfarm.org. Farmer Jim and his crew use a “hit and miss” engine to churn gallons of ice cream in the shade of a maple tree while live music by the Jugtown Mountain String Band, kids’ games, and a sailboat craft add to the fun on the front lawn. Ice cream and lunch fare are available for purchase. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Princeton Canal Walkers, Turning Basin Park, Alexander Road, Princeton. 3 mile walk on the towpath, weather permitting. Free. Register to canalwalkers@googlegroups.com for notices of weather-related cancellations. 10 a.m.
Schools
Open House, Lewis School of Princeton, 53 Bayard Lane, Princeton, 609-924-8120. www. lewisschool.org. Prospective parents can learn about the school’s programs. Register to info@lewisschool.org. 10 a.m.
Sports
Vintage Base Ball Game, Historical Society of Princeton, Greenway Meadows Park, 275 Rosedale Road, Princeton. www.princetonhistory.org. The Flemington Neshanock and the Newtown Srakes play a competitive match of bare-handed baseball, wearing period uniforms and using 1864 rules. Spectators are invited to take batting practice using authentic replicas of 19th century equipment. Free. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. State College Spikes. $12. 6 p.m.
Sunday June 29
Live Music
Weekend Music Series, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Live music from 1 to 4 p.m. by Bill O’Neal & Andy Koontz. Lunch fare, homemade treats, ice cream, and wine by the glass available. Noon to 5 p.m. Dan Stinger, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Live music plus food truck from Latin Fuego. 1 to 5 p.m.
HVV Jazz Band, Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Jazz. 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Cover bands Abbey Road and Satisfaction alternate sets of Beatles’ and Rolling Stones’ classics, concluding with a joint encore. $50 and up. 3 p.m.
Art
Meet and Greet Artists Talk Gallery 14, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, 609-333-8511. www. gallery14.org. Barbara Warren (“Growing as an Artist with Photography”) and Jill Mudge (“Narratives in Nature”) speak in the gallery in conjunction with their ongoing exhibits on view through July 20. 1:30 p.m.
Leader of the Pack Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 1:30 p.m.
Much Ado About Nothing, Actors’ NET, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA, 215-2953694. www.actorsnetbucks.org. Shakespeare’s comedy of intertwining love stories. $24. 2 p.m.
The Importance of Being Earnest, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseytheatre.org. Oscar Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people” featuring high society fun presided over by Lady Bracknell. $22. 2 p.m.
Young Frankenstein, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www. musicmountaintheatre.org. Musical based on Mel Brooks’ classic comedy film masterpiece is the story of the bright young doctor Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) who travels to Transylvania to complete the masterwork of his grandfather by bringing a corpse to life. $35. 3 p.m.
Matilda Villagers Theatre, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, 732873-2710. www.villagerstheatre. com. Brave little Matilda knows she has to stand up against the adults in her world, and in doing so, discovers her own remarkable powers. $24. 8 p.m.
Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. $13.50. Noon.
Earthshare NJ Blues, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www. earthsharenj.org/earthsharerocks. Music from local bands Tad Shaefer and the Troublemakers, Lew Gatewood, and Jenny Barnes Band. Food and drinks for purchase, raffles, auctions, and more. Proceeds support the work of environmental nonprofit organizations that preserve and protect our air, water, land, and wildlife. $25. 1 p.m.
Vedic Cultural Immersion: Prasadam Distribution & Kirtan Princeton Bhakti Vedanta Institute, Princeton Family YMCA, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton. www.bviscs.org. Distribution of free, vegetarian meals in the garage with the red tent entrance to the left of the Y entrance. 1 to 3 p.m.
Free Class, Yoga4Sobriety,
Plainsboro Municipal Building, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro. Yoga4Sobriety.com/schedule. Free 12 step-based yoga class. Beginners welcome; no experience required. Bring a mat and an open mind. No registration required for in-person attendance; visit website for access via Zoom. 9 to 10:15 a.m.
Princeton History Walking Tour, Historical Society of Princeton, Princeton Battle Monument, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www. princetonhistory.org. Walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus as you learn about historic sites in the area, including Nassau Hall, University Chapel and Palmer Square. $20. Register. 2 to 4 p.m. 300th Birthday Party for General Rochambeau, William Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton, 609-989-3027. tinyurl.com/ Rochambeau300. Garden party in honor of the 300th birthday of General Rochambeau, who led the French army in aid of the American Revolution. The party features French wine, pastries, and savory hors d’oeuvres. French songs of Rochambeau’s era performed by Mostly Motets in the historic house. Rain or shine. Register. $25. 4 to 6 p.m.
Community Open House Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, 2 Mount Lucas Road, Princeton. www.pfars.org. Free, familyfriendly event include a chance to meet EMTs and rescue technicians; take a tour of ambulances and rescue trucks; check out lifesaving equipment; learn about being a first responder; enjoy ice cream from the bent spoon; and get some fun swag. 1 to 3 p.m. Firefly Festival, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Celebrate fireflies by making your own wings and antenna ($7 charge). Enjoy live music while you wait for the fireflies to come out. Pony rides available. Barnyard fun play area open for evening play. Lolly Hopwood performs for all young firefly friends. 4 to 9 p.m.
Trenton Thunder Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. State College Spikes. $12. 1 p.m.
Celestial Bodies: Black Queer Identity in Precolonial Africa, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Artist and illustrator Rashad Malik Davis speaks at an opening reception for his exhibit “Celestial Bodies: Black Queer Identity in Precolonial Africa,” on view in the Reading Room through August 18. “Celestial Bodies” features a col-
lection of five 24-by-36-inch acrylic paintings on canvas that represent real-life figures and deities from indigenous African spiritual systems. It also includes four masks cut out of wooden panel board, each measuring roughly 20 inches high and 8 inches wide. 7 p.m.
Joy Beyond June: Pride Fair Office of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, West Windsor Plainsboro High School South, 346 Clarksville Road, Princeton Junction. watsoncoleman.house. gov. Creating an environment that invites folks from the community to support, uplift and teach each other how to navigate intersectionality beyond Pride month. Opening remarks, guided meditations, sessions for adults, youth (ages 10-17), and children (ages 3 to 8), and vendor tables. 1 to 5 p.m.
Acappella Chorus Rehearsal, The Gardenstatesmen, Plainsboro Recreation Center, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro, 609-462-3371. Male acapella chorus invites all guests to rehearsals to sing or listen and stay as long as they wish. Call to confirm before visiting. 7:30 p.m.
Leader of the Pack Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life
The William Trent House in Trenton hosts a garden party in honor of the 300th birthday of General Rochambeau on Sunday, June 29.
and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 7:30 p.m.
Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Gidget. $13.50. 7 p.m.
Tuesday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Hamilton Township Fireworks and Concert, Hamilton Veterans Park, 2206 Kuser Road, Hamilton. www.hamiltonnj.com. Live music and 16 food vendors providing dinner and sweets. Fireworks show to start around 9:30 p.m. Rain date July 2. 6 p.m.
Healthy Summer BBQ, Robbinsville Library, 42 Robbinsville-Allentown Road, Robbinsville, 609799-0462. www.mcl.org. Join Beth Young, MS, RDN, CSOWN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, as she shares tips and heartContinued on following page
Whole Earth carries a wide selection of locally grown produce from the Garden State’s best organic growers. During the summer, we get fresh deliveries of local organic produce several times a week. Stop in today and sample the bounty of New Jersey’s organic farms!
More than 10 years of work exploring the collective human experience is featured in “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World,” the recently opened major exhibit in the Museum Building at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton.
The show, guest curated by Noah Smalls, remains on view through January 11, 2026.
Much of work displayed in the exhibit was created at Clifford Ward’s studio on the GFS campus, and the collection presents a rich tapestry of themes and concepts in his expansive practice. Ward is inspired by a diverse array of cultural influences, including contributions from the African diaspora, Australian Aboriginal people, and Native American and Māori cultures.
His work often explores geometry, Cubism, mythology, and anthropomorphism. Together, these myriad influences, themes and concepts transcend temporal and geographical confines, resonating with the collective human experience.
“We’re delighted to showcase an extensive body of work from an artist with whom we have a longstanding relationship,” said Kathleen Greene, chief audience officer at Grounds For Sculpture. “The diverse cultural narratives woven into Ward’s wide-ranging artistic practice will be relatable to both existing and new audiences, including those of our nearby collaborator, Artworks Trenton.”
This exhibition is also the culmination of a unique collaboration between Grounds For Sculpture and Artworks Trenton, NJ, which showed “Clifford Ward: I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD, prologue,” from February through April of this year. Curated by Addison Vincent, artistic director of Artworks Tren-
Continued from preceding page
ton, the preceding exhibition introduced a sampling of Ward’s works, highlighting the individual impact of specific works from multiple series.
The exhibition at GFS builds on the Artworks exhibition by presenting Ward’s work in a larger context, revealing the complete narrative and the interconnectedness of his greater oeuvre.
“We are excited to present Clifford Ward’s exhibition at Artworks Trenton. His talent for engaging and inspiring audiences perfectly complements our mission to nurture creativity and artistic expression within the community. Furthermore, his work embodies the ideals of Black History Month, extending its significance beyond the month of February,” Vincent said.
Ward’s artistic journey envisions a Black future that reclaims and reinterprets the symbolism and history of the past. Conceptually, it aligns with Afrofuturism, a cultural aesthetic with roots in the mid-20th century. The aesthetic weaves together science fiction, history and fantasy to explore Black experiences and imagine liberatory futures.
This is embodied by Ward’s “Animism” series, a body of work featuring totemic figures displaying intricate geometries, mythologies, textures, and symbols. Despite their ethereal origins, these sculptures firmly root themselves in the present moment. These works also demonstrate a sculptural process that Ward has developed and refined over many years: wrapping plaster bandages around a supporting armature, which is reinforced and shaped with a variety of materials, such as steel, wood, Styrofoam, cardboard, and newspaper, and subsequently finished with shellac, brown wax, and acrylic
healthy recipes for grilling season. Learn how to enjoy flavorful, satisfying meals that support your health. Register. 6:30 p.m.
Robbinsville Farmers Market Miry Run Recreation Area, 66 Sharon Road, Robbinsville, 609-924-9529. www.robbinsvilletwp.org. Fresh local fruits & vegetables and other fresh foods, as well as household, flower, and pet items, plus weekly special events. 3:30 to 7 p.m.
Free Tour, Princeton Airport, 41 Airpark Road, Montgomery, 609-921-3100. www. princetonairport.com. Fun and educational 30-40 minute tours designed for ages 5 and up to inspire young minds and introduce them to the real people, planes, and possibilities that make flying such an amazing experience. See planes, sit in the pilot’s seat, learn about flying and maintaining planes, ask questions, and take pictures. Canceled in case of bad weather. 10:30 a.m.
paint.
“Having always felt the inclination to create, I made a significant piece one night using a long balloon wrapped around a cranberry juice jar, applied paper mâché, and painted it. This simple piece was the impetus that changed my life — leading to my becoming a professional artist,” Ward said in a GFS press statement ahead of the exhibit.
“Since then, I’ve expanded this technique to create wall reliefs and figures ranging from six feet to nine feet, and I look forward to sharing approximately 60 works that use this technique at my upcoming exhibition at Ground For Sculpture.”
“I am deeply honored to curate this exhibition alongside Clifford Ward, whose unwavering vision and dedication to his masterful artistic practice has been a constant source of inspiration throughout
Wednesday July 2
Bennewitz Quartet, Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, 609-5708404. www.princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org. Music of Haydn, Janáek, and Dvoák. Free tickets available one week prior to concert. 7:30 p.m.
Live Band Jam, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. Hosted by Lance Reichert with full backline provided. 7 p.m.
Leader of the Pack, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Bop along to the songs you love in this Broadway musical celebrating the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ‘60s charts. 1:30 p.m.
this project,” added the exhibition’s curator, Noah Smalls, a museum consultant, exhibition designer, gallery director, and interpretive program developer who currently serves as director of exhibitions and collections management at the Williams College Museum of Art in Massachusetts and director of the Rush Arts Philadelphia Gallery in Pennsylvania.
“Much of the work Clifford has created over the past decade has never been exhibited before, and it is with great excitement that I look forward to sharing these extraordinary pieces with the GFS community and audiences beyond,” Smalls said.
This solo exhibition of Ward’s work not only celebrates Afrofuturism as a dynamic artistic genre, but also underscores its evolution and potential future directions within visual culture. It encourages audiences to engage deeply with
Film Screening and Discussion: A Complete Unknown (2024), Lawrence Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville, 609-799-0462. www.mcl.org. Join Gary Irvine and the 60’s group for a post-movie discussion on the latest Bob Dylan biopic. The film captures the moment a young Dylan electrifies the folk music world by plugging in his guitar at the legendary 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Runtime: 140 minutes. Rated R. Register. 2 to 4:30 p.m. Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609-279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Raiders of the Lost Ark. $13.50. 7 p.m.
Wild Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m.
Tai Chi, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. www.groundsforsculpture.org. Series promotes overall wellness through the practice of Tai Chi, an ancient
Clifford Ward’s ‘Animism’ from his ‘I’ll Make Me a World’ exhibit currently on view at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton.
diverse cultural narratives, transcending temporal and spatial boundaries to address themes that are simultaneously timeless and forward-thinking. It invites viewers to embark on a journey of exploration and introspection, hopefully challenging them to reconsider their perspectives on identity, history, and the future.
I’ll Make Me a World, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. On view through January 11, 2026. www. groundsforsculpture.org
Chinese art that blends exercise with stress reduction. Each week will include a warmup, followed by basic, low-impact Tai Chi movements. Class takes place outdoors. No experience required. Register. $20. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Stewardship Session, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www. fopos.org/events-programs. Volunteers work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship team to perform ecosystem restoration and invasive species removal. Register. 9 to 11 a.m.
Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Weekly social event connecting creatives through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.
New Jersey is forging ahead with plans to create a new Strategic Innovation Center for plasma research, thanks to a new partnership between the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), venture capital firm SOSV and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).
The NJ HAX Plasma Forge will combine PPPL’s cutting-edge research with SOSV’s strong track record in investment to help launch and grow startups focused on plasma technology, promoting industry collaboration and bringing new technologies to market.
“PPPL brings world-class talent and capabilities and is uniquely positioned to drive innovation in the state and the nation,” said Steve Cowley, Laboratory director.
“Partnering with SOSV and NJEDA will expand our scientific footprint, enabling our expertise to drive economic development and advance new technologies. This is an exciting new chapter for the Laboratory.”
The announcement was made at a two-day summit on planning supply chains for future fusion power plants. Held at Rutgers University on June 17 and 18, the summit was jointly planned by the Fusion Industry Association (FIA), the Stellar Energy Foundation and PPPL. Speakers included representatives from all three organizations, private fusion companies such as Thea Energy and Commonwealth Fusion Systems and public groups like NJEDA and the New Jersey state government.
The NJ HAX Plasma Forge will be located close to PPPL and feature approximately 10,000 square feet of lab and co-working space. It will act as a Strategic Innovation Center for low-temperature plasma research, which is essential to advancing semiconductor manufacturing processes and fusion supply chain development.
“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey is partnering with inventive entrepreneurs, world-class academic institutions and private sector experts to strengthen the state’s position as a leader in innovation,” said NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan. “With the support of the NJEDA’s Strategic Innovation Center initiative, entrepreneurs will be able to harness transformative advances in plasma research to create businesses that drive this exciting industry forward
Speakers at a Rutgers summit discussed growing the supply chain and the importance of public-private partnerships as well as the launch of the NJ HAX Plasma Forge. From left: Matt Miller, Stellar Energy Foundation/Thea Energy (moderator); Andrew Holland, Fusion Industry Association; Tim Sullivan, New Jersey Economic Development Authority; Duncan Turner, SOSV/HAX; and Steve Cowley, Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.
Photo by Michael Livingston / PPPL Communications Department.
and further the state’s ambitious clean energy and energy resiliency goals.”
Determining supply chain processes for fusion energy must be considered now, experts said at the two-day summit. “Thinking about the fusion supply chain is a really important part of making sure that fusion will be cost-effective at a commercial scale,” said Andrew Holland, founding CEO of FIA, a nonprofit organization of private companies helping advance commercial fusion energy.
Holland also mentioned that a 2025 FIA report notes that the fusion supply chain would benefit from having fusion companies concentrated in one place to replicate the success of Silicon Valley for computers and Detroit for cars.
In recent years, interest in fusion energy has intensified. Private investors have invested billions of dollars into private fusion ventures, and scientists have developed new technologies — including hightemperature superconducting magnets, artificial intelligence and innovative materials — that have aided the design of new fusion machines and improved the operation of current facilities. “The so-called common knowledge about fusion being too difficult to achieve is outdated,” Holland said. “Things have changed.”
Participants shared many reasons why the Northeast would be suitable for a fusion energy hub. First, there are well-established fusion research programs at Princeton University and Columbia University, as well as PPPL, one of DOE’s 17 national laboratories. These programs help scientists develop a deep theoretical understanding of plasma, the energetic state of matter that fuels fusion reactions. That knowledge helps engineers to create technology that makes fusion reactions more efficient.
In addition, the region has a large population of highly educated workers, a well-developed transit system, large ports, available financial capital and a burgeoning private fusion ecosystem that includes companies like Thea Energy in New Jersey and Commonwealth
Fusion Systems in Massachusetts.
“I think there’s a real opportunity here for an economic engine that can really get things moving,” Holland said.
PPPL is ready to help build that engine. “We are committed to using our scientific and engineering expertise to help fusion move from a research to a commercial endeavor,” said David Zimmerman, PPPL’s strategic partnership officer and a key organizer of the summit alongside Chantal Badre, PPPL’s chief of staff. “Developing the fusion supply chain is an important part of this mission. Specifically, PPPL’s assistance will help to support job creation and U.S. energy independence.”
New Jersey is poised to be an ideal location for a fusion industry hub with its central location potentially attractive to tristate workers, a rich history of manufacturing and an exceptionally high density of scientists and engineers. It features Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Station, a decommissioned fission nuclear power plant that already has the infrastructure necessary for developing a fusion facility, including electrical grid connections capable of handling high-power loads. New Jersey is also building a supportive legislative environment by developing tax credits and permitting processes to attract fusion companies, as well as writing legislation that would classify fusion as a clean energy source like solar and wind.
The private fusion industry has seen rapid growth within the past few years. Attendees emphasized it’s not too early to consider how to source the materials needed for fusion power plants. Private companies have already begun planning for the powerful magnets, specialized metal alloys and relatively rare elements like tritium that fusion power plants will need. “It’s important to start now to determine how to get all of those components so there won’t be bottlenecks in the future,” said Jesse Treu, CEO of the Stellar Energy Foundation, a nonprofit focused on helping advance the quest for fusion energy.
Part of the supply chain plan-
Edited by Sara Hastings
The NJEDA has awarded a $12 million tax credit toward the transformation of the former First Presbyterian Church in Trenton into an events space.
ning process involves public-private partnerships. While private investment is important, the participants noted that the government can accelerate progress by contributing more significant funding, perhaps through established programs like the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy, a DOE initiative.
As the fusion industry moves from the lab to the marketplace, summit attendees argued that the national laboratory system still has an important role. They believe national laboratories ought to build more test stands — shared research facilities that allow private companies to test the viability of their prototypes, just as government-operated wind tunnels help aerospace companies test their latest designs.
“There’s a clear national priority right now to expand our energy sector, and as a U.S. national lab, PPPL is here to help with such priorities,” said Cowley. “It’s crucial for the success of the U.S. manufacturing base and the economy as a whole to reduce the cost of energy.”
The fusion industry could aid the development of a commercial fusion sector by engaging with the public to explain this safe energy alternative. “Just as it’s important for the public to learn more about the exciting developments happening in fusion, private companies should learn about public sentiment,” said Sam Wurzel, founder of Fusion Energy Base, an organization that follows fusion companies, supply chains and jobs. “What opportunities are there for local communities to engage with the fusion researchers and fusion companies? How are fusion companies facilitating those connections? I think these are important questions for the fusion industry to ask itself, and they will become more important as commercial fusion comes closer to fruition.”
20 East State, the Trenton nonprofit transforming historic First Presbyterian Church into a multi-use community and cultural complex catalyzing economic and workforce development, announced that the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board has approved a $12 million tax credit award to the group to rehabilitate the downtown Trenton historic church structure under the Historic Property Reinvestment Program (HPRP).
“We are grateful to the NJEDA and Gov. Murphy for having faith in our vision,” said 120 East State Board President Cherry Oakley. “This major, essential milestone for the project will accelerate our success.”
“This allows us to attract other funding that is critical to our ability to take a beautiful, significant but aged landmark in the heart of Trenton and turn it into something that can help rejuvenate the downtown and the entire city,” said the Rev. Molly Dykstra, acting executive director. “‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and it takes a congregation, donors of every kind, and all levels of government to raise a transformative project like this,” Dykstra said. “We are so grateful we have exactly that broad, deep support for this project.”
120 East State began working on the project in 2022, in conjunction with the congregation of First Presbyterian Church, which leased its property to 120 East State, staking it with seed capital.
“This investment is a major win for Trenton’s cultural and economic future. Restoring this historic church not only preserves an iconic
Booking a classified ad has never been easier! Simply scan the QR code or visit www.communitynews.org/ place_an_ad. Ads start at just $9.99 per week for up to 40 words. Questions? Call us at 609-396-1511 ext. 132.
Singles By Mail: We are pausing our Single by Mail service. Free Personal ad can be placed on our website at www.communitynews.org/place_an_ ad/.
OFFICE SPACE & VIRTUAL OFFICE for START-UPs and SMALL BUSINESS!!! 5 Independence Princeton City Office, LLC, 1 day/month/year or longer. Princeton Route 1. Flexible office space to support your business. Private or virtual offices, conference rooms, high speed internet, and friendly
staffed reception. Easy access 24/7 and ample parking. Call Marga at 609-5145100, www.princetoncityoffice.com, mre@princetoncityoffice.com.
Fort Myers Beach, Fl: Dates are still available 1 br condo on beach. Call for details @ 609-577-8244.
Apartment wanted Lawrence/ Princeton. Retired prof seeks two-bedroom, wheelchair accessible; walk-in shower preferred. Please email hmsaid@gmail.com. Thanks.
Professional Ghostwriter: Press releases that grab editors’ attention and robust website content that rises above the run of the mill. Have your business history written to preserve the story behind your success. E. E. Whiting Literary Services. 609-462-5734 eewhiting@live.com
LEGAL SERVICES Wills, Power of Attorney, Real Estate, Federal and NJ Taxes, Education Law. House calls available. Bruce Cooke, Esq. 609-7994674, 609-721-4358.
piece of our city’s architectural legacy, but also breathes new life into our downtown by creating a vibrant space for arts, events, and community gatherings,” said Mayor W. Reed Gusciora. “Thanks to the NJEDA and 120 East State, we’re one step closer to making downtown Trenton a destination for residents and visitors alike.”
“The Steeple Center Rehabilitation Project is the type of dynamic, innovative, development that our Capital City needs,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “We’re excited for the role that 120 East State will play as a draw for historical tourism during our nation’s 250th anniversary, as a center for art and community, and as an engine for economic development as we work to revitalize the Broad Street Corridor.”
Once completed, the venue will have a seating capacity of nearly 300 and provide both free and fee-based community-based gathering and programming spaces, as well as a lobby and visitor center with a café, gift shop, restrooms, administrative offices, and waiting areas.
The venue will enable catering, arts performances, conferences, and other events, and will be fully American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.
APennington resident with more than two decades of regional and national fundraising experience is the new chief philanthropy officer at the Princeton Area Community Foundation.
Steven B. Spinner is an expert in corporate and foundation relations and major gift fundraising. During his career, he has played a key role in philanthropic work that raised more than $200 million to advance research, strengthen communities, and sustain mission-driven organizations.
“The Community Foundation is proud to welcome Steve as our incoming chief philanthropy officer,” said Mathieu Nelessen, Community Foundation president and CEO. “Steve has had a remarkable professional career in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. He brings deep expertise in all aspects of fundraising and mission-based philanthropy. His work is anchored in building profound and deeply impactful relationships that drive engagement. He is returning to a community that he knows well, to a county where he was raised, and a community
Are you single? Try us first! We are an enjoyable alternative to online dating. Sweet Beginnings, 215-539-2894.
Professional Home Organizing Services – Serving Princeton, NJ & Surrounding Areas. A professional organizer who helps busy individuals and families reclaim their space—and their peace of mind. Contact Maria | msmariakelly@gmail.com | 347-249-8271.
We are here for You!!! Find Peace, Friendship, Happiness... All are Welcome! http://www.aplcnj.org
A Personal Driver seeking to transport commuters, shopping trips, etc. Modern, attractive car. References provided. Less than commercial taxi services. E-mail to gvprinter@gmail.com or call 609-331-3370.
I Buy Guitars and All Musical Instruments in Any Condition: Call Rob at 609-577-3337.
where he had deep professional and personal roots. I am very excited to be working with Steve to drive our mission forward!”
His appointment was effective June 9. He filled the role previously held by Marcia Shackelford, who joined the Community Foundation in 2019 and announced her retirement last year.
Spinner was most recently the director of development at the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA). He established the organization’s first fundraising program, helping the nonprofit expand its funding beyond a single foundation revenue source. He also doubled the organization’s annual fundraising revenue in 15 months.
Before joining CARRA, Spinner had worked for the Red Cross in various capacities since 2012, culminating with more than three years of service as chief development officer for the American Red Cross’ Indiana Region in Indianapolis, where he led and expanded its fundraising program. He previously served in development roles at Rider University and Westminster Choir College. Steve graduated from Rider University with a bachelor of science in business administration.
“I’m honored to be joining the Community Foundation at such an exciting time in its growth,” Spinner said. “It has a remarkable legacy of strengthening communities through philanthropy, and I’m eager to work alongside our fundholders, donors, partners, and staff to build on that impact.”
Affordable rates for all our monthly publications. Or post your online-only ads for free at communitynews.org/classifieds.
Cash paid for World War II Military Items. Helmets, swords, medals, etc. Call: 609-658-2996, E-mail: lenny1944x@gmail.com
environment, amateur radio remains one of the best ways for anyone to learn about radio communications. Amateur radio also inspires the next generation of technical leaders by providing students with hands on experience in radio electronics technology.
There are over 725,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the United States of all ages. Amateur radio clubs make it fun and easy for anybody at any age to obtain a license and get involved.
Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards, autographs, photos, memorabilia. Highest cash prices paid! Licensed corporation, will travel. 4thelovofcards, 908-596-0976. allstar115@verizon.net.
More information on the David Sarnoff Radio Club: N2RE.org.
More information on the Delaware Valley Radio Association: w2zq.com.
More information on amateur radio Field Day: arrl.org/field-day.
Wednesday June 25
Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speaker: Alexi Reque, residential and commercial titling services presentation. 7 to 8:30 a.m.
Women of Achievement 2025 Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, TPC Jasna Polana, 4519 Province Line Road, Princeton, 609-924-1776. www. princetonmercerchamber.org. The Women of Achievement Award is given to outstanding female leaders in the business community each year. This year’s honorees are Ivonne Diaz-Claisse, founder and CEO of HISPA; Tricia Baker, co-founder of Attitudes in Reverse; and Nina Melker, senior VP of private banking, Mid Penn Bank. Register. 8 to 10:30 a.m.
Collective Impact Tools for Growing Leaders, Building Communities, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) New Jersey, Social Profit Center at Mill One, 1 North Johnston Avenue, Hamilton. www.lisc.org/nj. Networking and panel discussion for community development professionals, corporate partners, nonprofit funders, public employees, policy makers, and community-based organizations interested in helping improve New Jersey’s communities’ physical, social, and economic infrastructure. Free. Register via EventBrite. 5 to 7 p.m.
The Delaware Valley Radio Association’s Field Day operations will be open to the public Saturday June 28, at the club’s headquarters in West Trenton.
Thursday June 26
Networking BNI Tigers Chapter, Conference Center at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3237. www.bninjpa.org. In-person meeting. Speaker: Paulette Guthrie, construction. 7 to 8:30 a.m.
Networking, BNI Top Flight, Town Diner, 431 Route 130, East Windsor, 609-4438222. www.bninjpa.org. 7 a.m.
Friday June 27
Networking, BNI Driven, Elks Lodge #2622, 1580 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609585-9610. www.bninjpa.org. Speakers: Andrew Smith, credit repair; and Brandon Blackford, website design. 7 a.m.
Networking, X-Factor BNI, VFW 133, 485 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, 908-4216151. www.bninjpa.org. Guests always welcome. RSVP suggested. Contact distinguished@rocketmail.com for more. 7 a.m.
JobSeekers, Professional Service Group of Mercer County, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. www.psgofmercercounty.org. Paul Cecala presents “Listen More, Talk Less.” 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday July 2
Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speakers: Kevin Crump hvac services; and Richard Peters, engineering, surveying, and planning. 7 to 8:30 a.m.
