The Weekender: Events for the Holiday Week

Below are just a few of the festive events in West Orange and nearby cities. Click on “EVENTS” tab to see all the possibilities waiting for you. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. 

WHAT:
WHERE: West Orange High School
WHEN: Friday 6 p.m.
WHY GO: The evening will kick-off with the season opener against Cedar Grove in the Tarnoff Gym at WOHS at 6pm. Following the dual, all former West Orange wrestlers and their families are invited to come together for a buffet dinner in the Tarnoff cafeteria for an opportunity to reminisce and recognize the accomplishments of the past. 

WHAT:
WHERE: , 99 S Fullerton Ave, Montclair
WHEN: Friday 6:30 p.m.
WHY GO: Hanukkah celebration featuring: Latkapalooza – Latkes fried on the spot and kugel too, activities for kids, special dining area for adults and Kabbalat Keshet – Lively, family-friendly, musical Shabbat Hanukkah.

WHAT:
WHERE: Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange
WHEN: Friday, Saturday, Sunday  through 12/31 - exception -  Zoo is closed on the Dec. 25 and there will not be a light display on Dec. 24.
WHY GO: Experience Turtle Back Zoo in the winter as 100,000 bulbs and 40 lit displays illuminate the zoo this holiday season!
COST: Free. Turtle Back Zoo will be collecting non-perishable food, winter coats and unwrapped new toys for the needy each evening of holiday lights.

WHAT:
WHERE: JCC MetroWest
WHEN: Sunday 10 a.m.
WHY GO: COME TO THE WINTERFEST AT JCC

• Carnival Attractions
• Crafts
• Games
• Prizes
• Food for Purchase

Special Musical Performance by Squeaky Clean. Open to the Community. (No pre-registration - pay at the door)
COST: $18 per child | Free Admission for Adults and Children under age one WHAT:
WHERE: Lubavitch Center Shul
WHEN: Sunday 11 a.m.
WHY GO: Brunch: Bagels & Donuts, Music, Games, Art Project, AJ The Clown/Magician, Balloons and FUN!   

WHAT:
WHERE: , 33 Mt Pleasant Ave, West Orange
WHEN: Monday, Tuesday 10 a.m.
WHY GO: Come celebrate Chanukah with a menorah lighting, music, refreshments, and fun!

WHAT:
WHERE: Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange
WHEN: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Dec 31. Additional holiday tours will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28 and 29     10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHAT: Glenmont will be decorated much as it was while the Edison family lived there. Favorite musical pieces will be playing and greenery and red poinsettias will deck the mantles above the fireplaces. In the Den, the majestic 10 foot tree will be lit and the presents underneath.   
COST: Admission is $7, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free.

WHAT:
WHERE: NJ Blood Center - Regional Donor Center in West Orange, 401 Pleasant Valley Way
WHEN: Tuesday 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
WHY GO: Before the year end - Donate Blood - Save a Life - Go to the Movies on us. Every Donor gets an 11 inch deer door hanger and two AMC movie tickets.

WHAT:
WHERE: , 49 Washington St, Newark
WHEN: Dece. 27, 28, 29 and 30 - 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHY GO:  Make the Newark Museum part of your holiday tradition. Celebrate the season with four days of family festivities including: live music, theater performances, art and science hands-on activities, gallery games, scavenger hunts.
Also enjoy: special planetarium shows that illuminate stories of miracles from around the world and  tours of the Ballantine House bedecked for Christmas with all the trimmings of the Victorian age
Hands-on Activities:
Miracle of light — Roll a beeswax candle for your winter holiday celebration — be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice or more — and fill your home with cheery light!
Miracle of creation — Discover the Navajo legend of Spider Woman who created the universe by weaving it on her giant loom while learning to weave with artist Liz Heine on a real loom.
Miracle of good fortune — Join in an ancient tradition of pilgrims for blessing and empowerment by making a clay impression, or tsa using authentic molds from our Asian art collection.
Gallery Tours:
1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Ballantine House at Christmas: Feasting with Family and Friends2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Patchwork from Folk Art to Fine Art

Performances:
Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2 p.m.
Yuletide Carolers present Songs of the HolidaysNothing captures the magic of the season like the Yuletide Carolers, adorned in authentic Victorian attire, and singing the world’s best-loved carols!
Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2 p.m.
Pushcart Players present A Season of MiraclesA sparkling collection of holiday tales from different cultures around the world are set to music and the magic of theater. Miracles, heartwarming laughter, kindness and joy abound within each story.
COST: Adults $10; Children, Seniors, Students w/ valid ID $6

WHAT:
WHERE: Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark
WHEN: Friday, Saturday, Sunday    12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
WHY GO: Season of Light (Limited run)   Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. - Recommended for adults and children ages six and up  — 40 minutes
Trace the development of many of the world's endearing holiday customs, all of which involve lighting up the winter season — from Yule logs and sparkling Christmas tree lights to the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah. This show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice — not only Christian and Jewish, but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi.

Seven Wonders  Fridays, 2 p.m.  Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. - Recommended for adults and children ages 9 and up  — 40 minutes
Turn back the pages of time and witness the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as they have not been seen for thousands of years. 

The Little Star that Could    Saturdays & Sundays, 1 & 3 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 5 to 8   35 minutes
A little star is born all by himself.  Lonely for some friends, he embarks on a journey through the galaxy.  Along the way he meets different stars, learns about their lives, colors and temperatures.  At the end of his voyage he is introduced to a star cluster, the Milky Way and the planets in our Solar System.
COST:   Adults $15; children under 12, seniors, and college students $9 - includes Museum & Planetarium admission