The Count Basie Center in Red Bank closes out its 100th-anniversary year with a $19.26 celebration Saturday night, while the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton hosts a free planetarium talk on light pollution Sunday. Birders can join an early-morning hunt for late-fall rarities at Cape May Point, and families have hikes, history demos and holiday-season shows to choose from across the state.
Editor’s picks
Culture: Count Basie Center Centennial Celebration Finale — The Red Bank landmark wraps up its centennial year with a celebration show priced at a nod to its 1926 opening; Red Bank residents can get free tickets at the box office.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14; doors 5 p.m., show 6 p.m.
Where: Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, Count Basie Center, Red Bank (Monmouth County)
Cost: $19.26
Details
Science: Science Under the Stars: Dark Skies, Bright Lights — A guest speaker explains how light pollution affects the night sky and the world around us in a talk under the museum’s planetarium dome.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 4:15 p.m.
Where: New Jersey State Museum Planetarium, Trenton (Mercer County)
Cost: Free; registration required
Details
Outdoors: November Novelties — New Jersey Audubon leads a morning bird walk near the tip of the Cape May peninsula, looking for unusual late-season migrants. The leader may shift the meeting spot on the day.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 7-11 a.m.
Where: Cape May Point State Park (outer parking lot), Cape May Point (Cape May County)
Cost: $20 members, $25 nonmembers; registration required
Details
North Jersey
Gregory Porter — The Grammy-winning jazz baritone headlines a TD James Moody Jazz Festival bill with Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell.
When: Friday, Nov. 13, 8 p.m.
Where: Prudential Hall, NJPAC, Newark (Essex County)
Cost: Ticketed; see NJPAC for prices
Details
Bruce Hornsby with Christian McBride: One on One — The singer-pianist and the jazz bassist pair up for an intimate afternoon duo set.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 3 p.m.
Where: Victoria Theater, NJPAC, Newark (Essex County)
Cost: Ticketed; see NJPAC for prices
Details
Planetarium shows at the Newark Museum of Art — The museum’s planetarium runs short sky shows for kids and older audiences, including a program on South African astronomy. Seating is capped at 50 per show.
When: Friday, Nov. 13, 2 and 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15, 1, 2 and 3 p.m.
Where: Newark Museum of Art, Newark (Essex County)
Cost: $10; reserve through the museum
Details
Hiking Adventures at Pyramid Mountain — A park naturalist guides a roughly 3-mile hike through the rocky woodlands of Pyramid Mountain; ages 8 and older with an adult.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-noon
Where: Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Boonton (Morris County)
Cost: $8 per person; online registration available
Details
Lenape for Littles — Children ages 2 to 5 and a grown-up learn about the Lenape people who lived in the area through stories and hands-on activities.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 10-11 a.m.
Where: Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Boonton (Morris County)
Cost: $8 per child; online registration available
Details
Family Woodland Hike — Families explore the woods around the State Botanical Garden on a guided walk. Rain cancels.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 1-2:30 p.m.
Where: Carriage House Visitor Center, New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands, Ringwood (Passaic County)
Cost: Free
Details
Central Jersey
Union County Diwali Celebration — Union County marks the Festival of Lights with an afternoon program open to all residents.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2 p.m.
Where: Hamilton Stage, Rahway (Union County)
Cost: Free
Details
CoComelon: Sing-A-Long LIVE! — The preschool cartoon’s characters lead a singalong stage show. The 5 p.m. performance has been canceled; the 1 p.m. show goes on.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 1 p.m.
Where: State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick (Middlesex County)
Cost: From $34, including fees
Details
The Hip Hop Nutcracker — The holiday ballet gets a hip-hop remix with street dancers, a DJ and a violinist; recommended for ages 5 and older.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m.
Where: State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick (Middlesex County)
Cost: From $58, including fees
Details
Growing Great Garlic — Duke Farms staff explain how to plant garlic in the fall for a summer harvest.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10-11:30 a.m.
Where: Duke Farms, Hillsborough (Somerset County)
Cost: $20
Details
Nature Photography 101 — Beginners learn the basics of photographing wildlife and landscapes on the Duke Farms grounds.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10-11:30 a.m.
Where: Duke Farms, Hillsborough (Somerset County)
Cost: $25
Details
Pyrography workshop — Participants learn to burn designs into wood in an indoor class at the sculpture park.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2-4 p.m.
Where: Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton (Mercer County)
Cost: $50 members, $65 general
Details
The Shore
The James Hunter Six — The British soul singer and his band bring their vintage R&B sound to the Basie’s smaller stage.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15; doors 6 p.m., show 7 p.m.
Where: The Vogel, Count Basie Center, Red Bank (Monmouth County)
Cost: Ticketed; see the Basie for prices
Details
Historic Portland Place Tours — Guides lead small groups through the historic house at Hartshorne Woods Park. Tours are limited to 10 people; sign up on site the day of the tour.
When: Friday-Sunday, Nov. 13-15; 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Where: Hartshorne Woods Park, Locust section of Middletown (Monmouth County)
Cost: Free
Details
Saturday at Historic Longstreet Farm — The 1890s living-history farm hosts a wood cookstove demonstration, followed in the afternoon by turn-of-the-century piano ballads.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14; cookstove 11 a.m.-3 p.m., piano 1-3 p.m.
Where: Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel (Monmouth County)
Cost: Free
Details
Mill Demonstration at Historic Walnford — Interpreters run the restored 19th-century gristmill and show how grain became flour.
When: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15; 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Where: Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold (Monmouth County)
Cost: Free
Details
Nature Lecture: Nonnative Fish of New Jersey — A talk on fish species introduced to state waters and what they mean for native wildlife.
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 1-2 p.m.
Where: Freneau Woods Park Visitor Center, Aberdeen (Monmouth County)
Cost: Free
Details
Family Crafts: Fall Series — Kids and their adults make a nature-themed craft together at New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May center.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10-11 a.m.
Where: Nature Center of Cape May, Cape May (Cape May County)
Cost: $15 per child; preregistration required
Details
South Jersey
Kansas — The classic-rock band behind “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind” plays a show presented by the Camden County Board of Commissioners.
When: Friday, Nov. 13; doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m.
Where: Scottish Rite Auditorium, Collingswood (Camden County)
Cost: Ticketed; tickets through Etix and the Scottish Rite box office
Details
Make & Take: Botanical Beverages — The county’s sustainability office leads a hands-on session on making drinks from plants and herbs.
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-noon
Where: Camden County Office of Sustainability, Blackwood (Camden County)
Cost: Registration required; see listing
Details
Have an event for the NJTODAY calendar? Email details to cmdeditor@gmail.com with “Calendar” in the subject line. Times and prices can change; check with organizers before you go.
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