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Princeton Area Events for December 13 - 16

December 12, 2018 By Hilary Morris

Arts & Entertainment

Thursday, December 13
7:00 p.m.
Holiday Stories from Around the World, Hamilton Township Free Public Library, 1 Samuel Alito Way, Hamilton. The Garden State Storytellers present holiday songs and stories. Free. 609-581-4060, www.hamiltonnjpl.org.

Thursday, December 13
7:30 p.m.
Screening of “It’s A Wonderful Life”, Princeton Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau St, Princeton. A holiday screening of this inspirational and heartwarming classic. Jimmy Stewart stars as a selfless small-town banker on the verge of ruin. Contemplating suicide, he is visited by an angel who shows him that, despite his lost dreams, the impact of his good work has improved countless lives. Arrive at 7:00 to hear live holiday classics performed by Princeton Symphony Orchestra principal harpist André Tarantiles. https://www.princetongardentheatre.org/films/its-a-wonderful-life

Friday, December 14 - Sunday, December 16
7:00 p.m. and 1 p.m.
The Nutcracker Abridged & Fully Narrated, Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. The Nutcracker 2018 - The Dance Connection brings this abridged, fully narrated version of the classic ballet to the Kelsey Theatre stage. This magical visit to The Land of The Sweets, followed by a meet and greet with the dancers, is the perfect holiday treat for the whole family. Tickets are $12. Call 609-570-3333 or visit www.kelseytheatre.net.

Friday, December 14
7:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.
The Nutcracker - American Repertory Ballet, Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank. American Repertory Ballet brings the beloved classic Nutcracker to the stage with Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score, thrilling choreography and a cast of more than 100. A holiday tradition for more than 50 years (1964), American Repertory Ballet’s Nutcracker is one of the longest, continuously running Nutcracker productions in the nation. Directed by Artistic Director Douglas Martin, ARB’s professional company will be joined by select students from Princeton Ballet School to tell the story of a young girl named Clara and how a mysterious gift from her Uncle Drosselmeyer brings about enchanted dreams and fantastical scenes. American Repertory Ballet’s Nutcracker is a perfect holiday treat for your entire family! https://www.arballet.org/event/nutcracker-tworiver/

Friday, December 14
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Big Band Dance - A Benefit for Princeton High School Band Program, Walnut Lane, Princeton. Come experience the sounds of the Princeton High School Bands and maybe dance a little! Tickets $5-$10. This is a fundraising event for the PHS Band Program. Contact: Amanda Kewley princetonhsbpa@gmail.com

Friday, December 14
7:30 p.m.
Hopewell Valley Chorus Winter Concert, St. James Church, 115 E. Delaware Ave., Pennington. "Resounding Joy," its 59th annual winter concert. Spanning centuries, continents, and musical traditions, the program offers both joy and serenity to celebrate the holiday season. The Hopewell Valley Arts Council will display works by local artists, painted on palettes sliced from the area's fallen ash trees. The paintings will be for sale before and after the concert. Concert tickets ($12 seniors/students, $15 general admission) can be purchased at www.hopewellvalleychorus.org, or by calling 609-737-3177. Questions: email hopewellvalleychorus@gmail.com.

Saturday, December 15
3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Holiday POPS! Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. Join Rossen Milanov and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra as they celebrate the holiday season with the Princeton High School Choir. Enjoy festive music and, of course, the annual carol sing-along–a Princeton holiday tradition! https://princetonsymphony.org/#events/holiday-pops-2018/

Sunday, December 16
3:00 p.m.
“A Winter’s Night”, Voices Chorale NJ, Trinity Episcopal Church and Pennington Presbyterian Church. For its first concert of the 2018–2019 season, Voices Chorale NJ will present “A Winter’s Night” two times in December: Saturday, December 8, at 4 PM, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton, NJ, and Sunday, December 16, at 3 PM, at Pennington Presbyterian Church in Pennington, NJ. Tickets are available at www.voiceschoralenj.org. “A Winter’s Night” will feature works by Nicholas Myers, Bob Chilcott, John Rutter, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and more. Included are six carols by English composer Bob Chilcott, described in The Observer as “a contemporary hero of British choral music.”

Kids & Family

Friday, December 14 - Sunday, December 16
4:00 p.m.
Holiday Train Show, Old City Hall, 13 Crosswicks Street, Bordentown City. Featuring fully running layouts with model villages and scenes as well as displays of memorabilia, Christmas toy trains, and more. www.downtownbordentown.com.

Saturday, December 15 - Sunday, December 16
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
FREE Holiday Themed Family Swim Event, Five Star Swim School, 127 Main St., Princeton. The event will include Open Swim with pool toys, snacks, crafts, refreshments and prizes. https://www.fivestarswimschool.com/swim_school/our-locations/39-princeton.html

Sunday, December 16
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Holiday Music Open House - Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, 30 Mountain Ave, Princeton. Join Friends of Princeton Open Space for a Holiday Music Open House. Enjoy the miles of beautiful wooded trails in the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, then warm up with cider, treats, holiday-themed art activities and lively Christmas music at the Mountain Lakes House. Stop in anytime between1 PM and 3 PM. This family-friendly event is free and open to everyone. Bring a friend! For information about Friends of Princeton Open Space, please visit fopos.org. For questions about this event, please email info@fopos.org.

Eat, Drink, Shop

Thursday, December 13
1:30 PM

Quick, Easy and Healthy Meals for 2019, McCaffrey's West Windsor, 355 Princeton Hightstown Road, West Windsor, NJ. Are you overwhelmed when it comes to meal planning? Are you bored with the same foods day after day? Join McCaffrey's Food Markets' Registered Dietitian, Jill Kwasny, on Thursday, December 13 for "Quick, Easy and Healthy Meals for 2019." Jill will discuss cooking techniques and products that will save you time and energy in the kitchen. Please RSVP to nutritionist@mccaffreys.com or call 215-750-7713 to reserve your seat.

Saturday, December 15
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
HomeFront Holiday Open House, SewingSpace, 80 Princeton Ave, Lawrenceville. Holiday gifts and artwork on sale – Come and shop for one of a kind, handmade items. https://www.homefrontnj.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SewingSpace-Holiday-2018.pdf

Saturday, December 15
10:00 a.m.
West Windsor Indoor Farmers Market, Windsor Athletic Club, 99 Clarksville Road, West Windsor. Produce, meats, woven fibers, honey, jams, flowers, baked goods, fresh pasta, local fish, curries, and prepared foods. 609-933-4452 or www.westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.

Saturday, December 15
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Soul-Filled Bowls: A Community Project Feeding the Hungry - Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Soul-Filled Bowls invites the community to view and purchase ceramic bowls hand made by local artists. Enjoy a courtesy bowl of soup from the Blawenburg Cafe and The Salad and Smoothie Market with bread from Brick Farm Market. Proceeds will benefit Meals on Wheels and Isles. 609-924-8777 or www.artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Saturday, December 15
12:00 p.m.
Holiday Market, Weeden Park, Main Street, Lawrence. Craft tables, a holiday gift shop, seasonal music, and more. www.lawrencevillemainstreet.com

Personal Interest

Thursday, December 13
7:00 p.m.
Black Voices Book Group, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. "Swing Time" by Zadie Smith. 609-924-9529, www.princetonlibrary.org.

Saturday, December 15
2:00 p.m.
The Christmas Night Crossing, Washington Crossing State Park Visitor Center Museum, 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville. Clay Craighead discusses the significance of the Christmas Night Crossing and the Battle of Trenton using diaries and letters of the participants. Free. 609-737-2515

Sunday, December 16
7:30 a.m.
Christmas Bird Count, Kingston Greenway. The Kingston segment of this year's Audubon Christmas Bird Count begins at 7:30 AM at the Locktender's House in Kingston and goes until noon. After a break for lunch at Palace of Asia in Kingston, the count continues in the afternoon. Join us for morning, afternoon, or both. Experienced birders and novices are equally welcome to participate. Dress warmly, and bring binoculars if you have them. If interested, give Karen Linder a call (609-683-0483) or register kingstongreenways.org/

Sunday, December 16
2:00 p.m.
Family Krav Maga Program, The Jewish Center Princeton, 435 Nassau Street, Princeton. Come to a family Krav Maga program and learn some self-defense moves based on those used by the Israeli Defense Forces led by David Kahn. The program is open to the community. FREE for members, $18 for community members. For more information and to register please contact Sharon Diamondstein at sdiamondstein@thejewishcenter.org

Sunday, December 16
2:00 p.m.
Sound Journey: Sound of the Gongs in a Himalayan Salt Room, 4 Elements Wellness, 301 N. Harrison St., Princeton. Allow Lois Harrison and the harmonic vibrations of her gongs to dissolve the obstacles which limit us from manifesting our dreams, while they provide the space to receive insights for what is needed for transformation. Please call us to secure your spot 609-285-3115. https://www.4elementswellnesscenter.com/