It’s Super Bowl weekend! And the countdown to Valentine’s Day is on. Here are some of our favorite things to do this weekend in and around New Jersey.
WEEKEND
Hudson Restaurant Week
Thursday – Friday
Edgewater, Guttenberg, Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken
Visit participating restaurants for special prix fixe menus, whether you want to return to your old favorite or try a new one.
Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach Jr.
Melvin H. Kreps Middle School, Hightstown
Thursday – Saturday
The students will act out the classic story as their winter theater presentation.
Asbury Park Valentine’s Bazaar
Grand Arcade at Convention Hall, Asbury Park
Friday – Saturday
Shop local and regional vendors selling goods and gifts handmade with love. Enjoy a Friday night date night and Saturday stroll in the Grand Arcade of Convention Hall to pick up perfect Valentine’s gifts. There will be live music, food and drinks, a Valentine’s photo wall, a fresh flower bar, kids and pet activities, workshops and more.
Meet Hannah Till
Mt. Zion AME Church, Skillman
Friday – Saturday
The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum welcomes reenactor Leslie Bramlett on Friday to portray Hannah Archer Till, who was leased to General George Washington as his cook and servant. Bramlett will be present in costume on Saturday during open museum hours, answering questions and sharing hands-on activities celebrating African American women of the Revolutionary Period.
Bradley Beach Jazz Festival
Bradley Beach Elementary School, Bradley Beach
Friday – Saturday
Some of the performers include Marel Hidalgo Quartet, Nat Adderly Jr. Quartet, James Moody Scholars, Charisa the Violin Diva, Winard Harper & The Jeli Posse, and the CMJ Jazz Band.
NJ Sports Card Convention
iPlay America, Freehold Twp.
Friday – Saturday
Sports fans of all ages can check out card collectors and dealers selling collectibles, novelties, memorabilia and more.
BroadwayCon
New York Hilton Midtown, New York, NY
Friday – Sunday
The three-day fan convention is a showcase of some of Broadway’s shows, where you can meet some of your favorite actors from The Great White Way.
Puppy Bowl
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Saturday – Sunday
Before the Super Bowl, watch as the cutest little puppies take to the football field in their own game.
The Detention Club
Burgdoff Center for the Performing Arts, Maplewood
Saturday – Sunday
When the keys to Ms. Kucey’s test are stolen, eight kids are sent to detention. They have one goal: to find the culprit and save their summer. This is the Maplewood Strollers’ annual children’s show.
FRIDAY
Boy Scout Ride Night
iPlay America, Freehold Twp.
In honor of National Boy Scouts of America Day, scouts can spend all night on rides like the carousel, Dizzy Dragons, Crazy Cabs, Happy Swing, Kite Flyer, Go-Karts and Skyscraper.
Valentine Meet-and-Greet With Mrs. Mouse
DiDonato’s Family Fun Center, Hammonton
After bowling or winning tickets in the arcade, head to The Pin Deck where you can meet Mrs. Mouse dressed in all pink for a cute (free!) Valentine’s Day photo.
Mezeskalacs: Valentine’s Day Cookie Decoration
American Hungarian Foundation, New Brunswick
Everyone attending will make five traditional Hungarian cookies that have a love-filled twist.
Valentine’s Mingo Night
Gordons Corner Fire Company Auxiliary, Manalapan
Mingo is musical bingo – when you recognize the song title listed on your bingo board, you mark off the square. Tonight’s theme will be Valentine’s Day.
SATURDAY
Community Day: Lunar New Year
Newark Museum of Art, Newark
Celebrate the Year of the Snake through a family-friendly celebration with art, tradition and community. Travel to Asia to experience dance performances, acrobatics, crafts and food.
Valentine Plunge
Manasquan
Polar plungers who brave the cold to jump into the ocean will collect donations for ALS patients.
Valentine’s Kids’ Brunch
The Shannon Rose Irish Pub, Clifton and Ramsey
The special love-filled brunch for kids includes a DJ dance party, face painting, cookie decorating, raffle baskets, and Valentine’s Day cards and crafts for kids. Part of the ticket sales go toward the American Heart Association.
Maple Sugaring
Howell Living History Farm, Hopewell Twp.
Help farmers collect sap in the woods, make syrup in the sap house, and taste whole wheat pancakes. You will also learn how to bring the operation into your own backyards, with tree-tapping demos.
Sweet Stroll
Downtown Red Bank
Wear Valentine’s Day colors as you walk through downtown, visiting businesses for chocolate treats and discounts.
Lunar New Year Event
Lake Papaianni Park, Edison
A parade will end at the park followed by musical and dance performances.
Family Saturday: Galentine’s Day
Alice Paul Center for Gender Justice, Mount Laurel
Practice simple printmaking techniques you can use to personalize your own Galentine’s Day card. See historical examples of valentines that suffragists used in their fight for the vote. There will be a presentation on the history of suffrage valentines by public programs.
Mac + Cheese Mayhem
Morristown Armory, Morristown
Celebrate everyone’s favorite comfort food. Food vendors will be selling small plates. Local chefs will compete for the best mac in town. There will also be music, beer and margaritas, vendor shopping, kids’ activities, hatchet throwing, a petting zoo, face painting and sand art.
Galentine’s Day Sip & Shop
Garden State Distillery, Toms River
This free local craft and vendor market brings together local makers, artisans and small businesses. Stop by for a tarot reading, and then shop for jewelry, crystals, candles, handcrafted gifts, décor and more, while sipping on a craft drink, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Good Food, Good Company, Great Cause
JBJ Soul Kitchen, Red Bank
Chef Emily is cooking up something special for Valentine’s Day: her 3-course lunch will include a whipped ricotta appetizer, seasoned short ribs entree and flourless chocolate cake dessert. You’ll also learn new cooking tips.
Galentine’s Ladies Buffet
The Mathis House, Toms River
The Victorian tea room will open for a pre-Valentine’s Day dinner buffet for your gals.
Caribbean Vibe Steel Drum Band
Staten Island Children’s Museum, Staten Island, NY
The national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago will be used during a festive music performance for kids and adults.
Nature, The Treasures Around Us, Above Us, Below Us
Schermann Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Bernardsville
An outdoor treasure hunt will bring nature indoors. Choose to express the senses through aromatherapy (make a sachet to take home), rock painting, seed mandala art, arranging nature in a jar, painting a tree trunk cutting, and more.
Winter Trail Walk
Plainsboro Preserve, Cranbury
Take a guided walk along the Red Trail so you can see the animals and birds that live in the preserve during the winter.
Maple Sugaring
New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Education, Ringwood
You’ll take a short hike to learn about winter tree ID, sap ecology and tree biology, and discuss the history of tree tapping and some of the many things sap is used for. Next you’ll learn how to tap, collect and taste the sap, then see how the evaporator works. You will finish with a blind syrup taste test.
SUNDAY
Art Together
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick
Art Together is a free, drop-in art workshop led by Zimmerli’s experienced teaching artists. Families can get creative with the theme of Crossing Borders.
MCSPCA Valentine’s Day Brunch
Navesink Country Club, Red Bank
Celebrate your love for your furbabies at a brunch that fundraises for the Monmouth County SPCA. There will be a Valentine’s Day-themed candy bar, buffet brunch, a free mimosa or Bloody Mary, a chance auction, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.
Verizon Super Bowl FanFest
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Verizon customers can celebrate the big game with field and stadium access. Planned activities include player meet-and-greets, live bands and DJs, interactive family activities, food from local chefs, and exclusive merch.
Maple Sugaring
Echo Hill Park, Flemington
You and the kids will visit the sugar bush to see the sap collection in action. Get hands-on experience with sap buckets and learn about modern sap collection systems.
Winter’s Day on the Farm
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Morristown
Learn how to cut and harvest ice, help the staff saw wood, pet the cows, see cooking demos and take a wagon ride around the farm.
Super Bowl Sunday Family Fun Roller Skating
United Skates, Camden
The Kid’s Super Bowl Roller Skate Party includes pizza and soda. Wear your team’s favorite jersey to show your team spirit.
Valentine Cookie Decorating Workshop
The Eclectic Chic Boutique, Montclair
You’ll get fresh baked sugar cookies, piping bags, piping tips, frosting, seasonal sprinkles, and utensils so that you can each decorate six cookies in a fun family Valentine’s Day activity.
Five/Cinco
Staten Island Children’s Museum, Staten Island, NY
Kids 2 to 5 can sit down for a bilingual story about Piper the Puppet as she travels to NYC from Planet Blank to learn about their five senses.
ONGOING
Nature Game Nights
Last Friday of every month
Plainsboro Preserve, Cranbury
Inside the nature center, choose from nature-inspired puzzles and games, or bring your own from home.
Kids Craft Drop-In Days
Wicoff House Museum, Plainsboro
First Sunday of every month
This fun, informal program is designed for kids of all ages to explore their artistic side while making exciting crafts. Each session features a new theme or project, from painting and paper crafts to seasonal decorations and more.
Galentine’s Day Tea
The Mathis House, Toms River
Wednesdays – Sundays in February
There are two seatings inside the beautiful Victorian house, where you can have afternoon tea along with a five-course meal. Tours are offered daily, and there is live music on the weekends.
Maple Sugaring
The New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Recreation, Ringwood
Select dates, February and March
The traditional maple sugaring program includes a short winter tree walk, evaporator lesson and syrup tasting.
Disney on Ice: Frozen & Encanto
CURE Insurance Arena, Trenton
February 6-9
Disney fans will sing along with Anna, Elsa and Olaf from “Frozen” and Mirabel and the Madrigal family from “Encanto” while watching epic ice skating moves, aerial acrobatics and more of their favorite characters on ice.
The Velveteen Rabbit
Mile Square Theatre, Hoboken
February 8-9, 15-16
The play is based on the beloved children’s book by Margery Williams, telling the story of the unconditional love between a boy and his toy bunny, whose love makes the rabbit real.
Maple Sugaring
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Reserve, Pennington
February 8 and 15
Learn about the science and history behind maple sugaring.
Maple Sugaring at The Shack
New Jersey State Forest Nursery, Jackson
February 8 and 15
See a demonstration of tapping trees to collect sap, boiling down maple sap to make syrup. There’s also a demo on how to tap trees. You’ll learn interesting facts about this part of nature. Following the demo, there is the option of a 45-minute walk with Duffy along the tree products trail.
The Secret Tea Room
Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit
Afternoon Tea: Sundays, February 9 and 16, March 16
Members Tea: Saturdays, February 8 and March 15
Savor English tea in the Wisner House overlooking the arboretum’s beautiful grounds.
Extreme Edison
New Jersey Hall of Fame Entertainment & Learning Center, American Dream, East Rutherford
February 11-17
A week-long celebration of Thomas Edison’s birthday will include Q&As, documentary screenings, a photo exhibit, science expos, and birthday cake.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour
Adventure Aquarium, Camden
Through February 12
Based on the Nintendo Switch video game, kids will interact with game characters while learning more about the real-world animal kingdom from Adventure Aquarium team members. They’ll get to see sharks, sting rays, penguins, and other fish and sealife up close.
Lunar New Year
American Dream, East Rutherford
Select dates, through February 22
Parts of the celebration include traditional lion dances, live bands, dance showcases, a youth talent competition, a photography competition, a student and teacher piano concert, a lighting of the Dream Wheel, a spring festival gala, and then the ultimate Lunar New Year Spectacular.
Mystic Pizza
Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn
Select dates, through February 23
Based on the classic 1988 movie starring Julia Roberts, the musical is about three working-class girls who navigate life, love and family in a small-town pizza joint.
A Sinner’s Love Affair: Valentine’s Day Pop-Up Bar
Sinner’s Seafood & Steakhouse, Point Pleasant Beach
Through February 23
There will be Valentine’s Day-themed decorations, signature holiday cocktails and festive desserts for Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day.
Kiss & Tell Pop-Up Bar
The Bistro at iPlay America, Freehold Twp.
Through February 23
This Valentine’s Day pop-up bar will be fully decorated, with special desserts and Cupid-approved cocktails (and mocktails). Good for Galentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day or a family outing after visiting the arcade.
Outdoor Ice Skating
Veterans Park, North Brunswick
Fridays, through February 28
Skate on Fridays, but remember if it’s raining or the temperature is below 35 degrees, the rink will be closed.
Morven Revealed: Untold Stories From New Jersey’s Most Historic Home
Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton
Wednesdays – Sundays, through March 2
This special exhibit is part of Morven’s 20th-anniversary celebration and will shed light on lesser-known stories of this historic home and its residents. You’ll see rarely-seen objects and newly discovered photos about American life: childhood, hosting guests, pets, fashion, and more.
Bumper Cars on Ice
The Rink, Bank of America at Bryant Park, New York, NY
Through March 1
You can reserve a time to bump, slide and spin with friends and family on the ice. The ice skating rink is open (for free!) as well as the Curling Cafe and igloo rentals.
Maple Sugaring
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, Chatham
Sundays, through March 9
This program is held outdoors and will show you how to identify and tap maple trees, plus collect sap and make syrup over a wood-fired evaporator.
Winter Wonder
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Through March 23
This year’s season will be Mediterranean-inspired, showing off the new 32,000-square-foot West Conservatory and the Cascade Garden.
The Road to The Big Game: New Orleans
The Paley Museum at The Paley Center for Media, New York, NY
Through March 30
The exhibit pays tribute to the history of the Super Bowl. See the Vince Lombardi trophy and championship rings, Katy Perry’s halftime “Firework” costume from Super Bowl XLIX, and other memorabilia. Watch past Super Bowl commercials and halftime shows, or take part in family trivia. There will be arts and crafts and a gaming facility.
Winery Weekend Music Series
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Saturdays – Sundays, through March 30
Weather permitting, you can sit in the historic apple orchard. During cooler weather, seating is inside the wine barn with firepits, outdoor heaters, and hot mulled wine. Tasting flights of Terhune wines are available. All ages can have fun with s’mores and hot cocoa kits. The Barn Door Café will serve lunch. Live music is performed from 1-4 pm.
Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! Exhibit
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Through May 4
There are a series of immersive zones that let kids go on George’s adventures in the city, on the farm and in outer space. The exhibit includes the operation of wheels and pulleys, three holes of mini golf, a space rocket, a sidewalk produce stand, a vacation in the country, a farm visit, a city park playset, a busy wall, and a museum that has an original manuscript.
Slow Motion
Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton
Through September 1
Five artists from Monument Lab in Philadelphia created gigantic, creative, introspective monuments that will be on display for their beauty, but also to address political, cultural and social issues.
Hometown Pride: The Power of Sports in Middlesex County
Cornelius Low House Museum, Piscataway
Select dates, through December 31
Middlesex County’s sports connections include the first-ever college football game played between Rutgers University and Princeton University and professional athletes and Olympians, Paralympians, and Special Olympians. The exhibit features items from Rutgers University, Middlesex College, several high schools, and individuals. You will see high school trophies from the 1930s to the present, NFL golden footballs for pro athletes, balls from the highest-scoring high school athletes, uniforms from the 1930s to the present, and more.
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Read More:
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The Best Festivals and Events in February in NJ
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