Whether you’re heading out or staying in — this week’s Montclair + beyond events guide has got you covered with jazz performances, virtual concerts + workshops, and much more happening. Check out this list of all the virtual and in-person events happening in Montclair, Bloomfield, and beyond this weekend {March 3rd – March 9th}.
Disclaimer: Events are subject to change. For the most up-to-date info, please contact the host directly.
Virtual Events
500 Years of Fashion Subordination: How the Corset Shaped the Dress Virtual Class
Registration closes on Wednesday, March 3rd | 6:30PM
This class will focus on how undergarments have shaped dresses throughout different eras. Presenting a visual history starting with the first Spanish farthingale in 1540 which made skirts wide, and moving in detail through centuries, countries, and styles. It covers skirts, bodices, sleeves, and the bustle. Registration closes on Wednesday, March 3rd. Register here.
Music for Meals Virtual Concert Fundraiser Hosted by Outpost in the Burbs
Thursday, March 4th | 7:00PM
Register now for a virtual concert fundraiser to support the Outpost soup kitchen and the work of Toni’s Kitchen providing meals to those in need. The event will feature four local artists and a special set by The Kennedys. Register here.
3 Doors Down Virtual Concert Hosted by NJPAC
Friday, March 5th | 9:00PM
Register now for a virtual 3 Doors Down concert as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of their multi-platinum debut album The Better Life with a live show streaming from Nashville, Tennessee right to your living room. This virtual concert will feature the full band playing all of their greatest hits like Kryptonite. Tickets start at $20. The event is hosted by NJPAC. Register here.
Register for A Gathering of Givers: Reshaping Our Communities and Our World
Monday, March 8th | 7:00PM
Registration is now open for this event. Join the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on International Women’s Day for the third annual Gathering of Givers free virtual event. Learn more here.
Artemisia Gentileschi: The Spirit of Caesar with the Soul of a Woman Virtual Class
Registration closes on Tuesday, March 9th | 2:00PM-4:00PM
This class will focus on Artemisia Gentileschi, the most famous female painter of the 17th Century. Although trained by her father, she went on to have a successful, independent career, only to fall into obscurity after her death in 1656. She did astonishing work, mostly portraying courageous and rebellious female protagonists. Come and hear what inspired her— her story is as dramatic and powerful today as it was 400 years ago. Registration closes on Tuesday, March 9th. Register here.
Pioneering Women Photographers: 1850-1950 Virtual Class
Registration closes on Thursday, March 11th | 6:30PM-8:00PM
From the dawn of photography, the new medium has been primarily recognized as a pursuit meant for men. This lecture presents female photographers who, in the first 100 years of the camera’s existence, in different forms and capacities left their mark on the art of photography. Registration closes on Thursday, March 11th. Register here.
MAM After Hours: Art Meets Jazz Hosted by Montclair Art Museum
Register now-Thursday, March 11th | 7:00PM-9:00PM
MAM After Hours’ free virtual event will reignite your passion for jazz. MAM’s 4th Annual Art Meets Jazz will feature rising star jazz pianist and composer, Isaiah J. Thompson. As a young artist on the verge of international stardom, Thompson is poised to engage the world of Jazz. A graduate of Julliard with roots in West Orange, Thompson developed his early talent for Jazz at NJPAC Jazz for Teens and Jazz House Kids. The event is presented in partnership with MAM’s African American Cultural Committee. Register here.
Women Leaders of the Long Civil Rights Movement Virtual Class
Registration closes on Wednesday, March 17th | 6:30PM-8:00PM
This class will examine the critical role that African American women played in what historian Jacqueline Dowd Hall calls “The Long Civil Rights Movement,” beginning in the 1930s. Students will learn about the civil rights activism of Mary Church Terrell, Mary McCleod Bethune, Ella Baker, Rosa Parks, Jo Ann Robinson, Fannie Lou Hamer, Diane Nash, and other African American women who played a central role in demanding Black people’s rights as citizens and as human beings. Registration closes on Wednesday, March 17th. Register here.
Jewels in Town – The Architecture of Montclair Class
Every Saturday | Now- Saturday, March 20th | 3:30PM-5:00PM
This class explores the city through its architecture, citing a number of Montclair’s landmark buildings, and culminating with the original Beaux Arts building of the Montclair Art Museum, the jewel in Montclair’s crown. This class is online with live instruction. The event is for people ages 16 and older. Register here.
Register for a Free Dance Class
Available online
Classes are available online every day and include Salsa, West African, Hip-Hop, and more. Classes are hosted by Alvin Ailey Studio. Register here.
In-Person Events
Learn How to Ice Skate
Now-Thursday, March 4th
Register for skating lessons through the Essex County Parks System until Thursday, March 4th. Classes will begin on Friday, March 5th. Skating classes are available for adults as well as children 3 or older. Register here.
MAM After Hours: Art Meets Jazz Hosted by Montclair Art Museum
Friday, March 5th | 7:00PM-9:00PM
MAM After Hours’ event will reignite your passion for jazz. MAM’s 4th Annual Art Meets Jazz will feature a performance by avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist Reggie Workman, and remarks from Newark’s first lady of Jazz, Dorthaan Kirk. The opening act will be at 6:50 p.m and will feature MADLOM Drummers. The event is presented in partnership with MAM’s African American Cultural Committee. Register here.
Print-making and Wrapping Workshop Hosted by Montclair Art Museum
Saturday, March 6th | 1:00PM-3:00PM
Unwrap your creativity as you create meaningful and personalized notecards and wrap for the special people in your life. Instruction on how to create a printing plate, use of ink, and the techniques of printing will be demonstrated. This class will take place in the Montclair Art Museum’s Leir Hall. Register here.
Family Studio Workshop: Family Profiles Hosted by Montclair Art Museum
Register now-Sunday, March 14th | 1:00PM-2:00PM
Join a family studio workshop inspired by MAM’s newest exhibition: Fragile Freedoms: Maggie Meiners Revisits Rockwell. You will create a collage representing your family’s personal identity, values, hopes, and aspirations. Admission to MAM is included with your registration but must be booked separately on the ticketing page. Book Community Access tickets, then choose Family Pass in the dropdown menu for each ticket. This in-person family art activity takes place in the spacious Leir Hall. Space is limited to 6 groups of up to 4 family members, and all COVID-19 guidelines, including mask-wearing, are followed, for a safe, social, creative experience. Register here.
Visit the Montclair Art Museum
Virtually + in-person
The Montclair Art Museum has officially reopened its doors with over 3 new exhibitions including Fragile Freedoms. MAM was founded in 1914 and was the first museum in New Jersey to grant access to the public + focus only on art. It has preserved American and Native American Art since its inception and contains over 12,000 pieces of artwork including sculptures, ceramics, artifacts and more. Dream Act by Maggie Meiners is on display now until June 13th. Tickets to the museum must be reserved prior to entering and Fridays from 11AM to 12PM are reserved for immunocompromised persons as well as seniors. MAM’s artwork can be enjoyed virtually on the website as well. Learn more here.
Tour Van Vleck House and Gardens
Open daily | 9:00AM-6:00PM
Take a free tour of Van Vleck House and Gardens which is a beautiful oasis in the heart of Montclair. A center for horticulture, education, music, art, and quiet contemplation, the gardens are open to the public for their enjoyment and the house is available to non-profits for meetings and events. The grounds are open every day from 9:00AM to 6:00PM. Virtual tours are also available online. Van Vleck House and Gardens is located at 21 Van Vleck Street in Montclair. Learn more here.
Attend an Exclusive Viewing Dinner of Hell’s Kitchen Season 19
Every Thursday | 7:30PM
Attend an exclusive viewing dinner of the new season of Hell’s Kitchen at MC Hotel’s Allegory in Montclair, located at 690 Bloomfield Avenue. Show participants and chefs will be in attendance. The viewing dinners will be offered until both chefs are eliminated, or crowned victorious. Space is limited. To book, call Allegory at 973-329-5600. Learn more here.
Take a Hike at Eagle Rock Reservation
Open daily | 9:00AM-9:00PM
Take a hike at Eagle Rock Reservation which has more than 400 acres along the Watchung Mountains ridgeline located between West Orange, Montclair, and Verona. The 40 mile Lenape Trail {yellow blazes} skirts the eastern edge of the park. The hiking trails and footpaths that crisscross the woodland {and sometimes boggy} areas of the park are friendly for hikers of all ages and abilities. The Eagle Rock Reservation is located at Eagle Rock Avenue and Prospect Avenue in West Orange. Learn more here.
Kid-Focused Events
Virtual Drawing and Comic Book Club
Registration is now open | Wednesday, March 10th | 7:00PM-8:00PM
Join a virtual drawing and comic book club. The event is open to 5th – 12th graders living in West Orange. Sign up here.
Studio Explorers: Celebrate Friendship Class
Every Saturday until March 20th | 10:00AM-11:00AM
Join a small group of budding artists and a MAM Teaching Artist for the in-person Winter Studio Explorers class. This season’s theme, celebrate friendship, cultivates kindness and community as kids create art inspired by playful companionship. From invisible playmates to beloved animals, and favorite games to acts of kindness, kids will enjoy making friends artistically! Each four-week session will feature different projects. Classes are limited to 12 children who will be spaced 6-feet apart and provided with an individual Creativity Kit of carefully curated mixed-media art materials. Sign up here.
Take and Make Saturdays
Every Saturday | Now-June 12th | 11:00AM-4:00PM
Register for a craft project each week, pick it up on Saturday during the library’s Public Browsing Hours, and do it at home! While supplies last. One kit per child. For all ages. Sign up here.
Dungeons and Dragons Club at West Orange Library
Every Friday | Now-June 18th | 3:15PM-5:15PM
Join an epic quest awaiting teens who join the DnD club. DnD features role-playing, storytelling, strategic thinking, math skills, problem-solving, and teamwork all rolled into one. The event is open to teens living in West Orange. Sign up here.
Visit the Turtleback Zoo
Open daily | 10:00AM-3:00PM
Take a trip to the Turtleback Zoo to catch their incredible Sea Turtle Recovery exhibit, Sea Lion Sound, and much more. Virtual tours are also available through the website. The Turtleback Zoo is located at 560 Northfield Avenue in West Orange. Learn more here.
Greater NJ/NY Events
Watercolor Painting Class at Montclair Art Museum
Every Monday in March| March 1st-March 22nd | 11:30AM-2:00PM
This class is for beginners who want to explore the world of watercolor painting in a comfortable, supportive environment. Various methods will be explored including painting wet on a dry surface, wet on a wet page, dry brush, splatter, and how a flat wash and gradation are done. This class will take place in MAM’s Leir Hall. In the event that the museum must close, the class will continue online via Zoom. Register here.
MAM Conversations: Todd Gray
Thursday, March 4th | 6:00PM-7:00PM
Join MAM Conversations with photographer Todd Gray in Los Angeles. Todd’s work explores issues of black masculinity, diaspora, and power, both historical and contemporary. He is inspired by cultural connections to West Africa, particularly Ghana, which has become his second home. Recent projects will be discussed as well as MAM’s new acquisition of his work, Euclidean Gris Gris: Tropic of Entropy. Register here.
Ways to Give Back Locally
Covenant House New Jersey
Covenant House began more than 40 years ago when six young runaways were given shelter from a snowstorm, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. In 1989, Covenant House began its work in New Jersey by providing basic services to homeless youth on the streets of Newark and Atlantic City. Outreach staff travel in vans to these areas offering food, clothing, counseling, and referrals for shelter. All of the services are free. There is no cost and people do not need insurance. Covenant House New Jersey is there for young people for as long as they need help, which includes even when they are living completely on their own. Learn more here.
Junior League of Montclair-Newark
The Junior League of Montclair-Newark {JLMN} is a volunteer organization of women committed to Promoting Volunteerism, Developing the potential of women, and Improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Their purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The JLMN is a nonprofit organization of trained volunteers. Through hands-on projects and partnerships, members build a better community by promoting education, health and wellness, literacy, and the arts for children at risk each year. Learn more here.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, is the leading anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization in the state. What started as a modest enterprise in the back of our founder Kathleen DiChiara’s station wagon in downtown Newark in 1975, became an incorporated non-profit in 1982 and has grown to two warehouse facilities in Hillside and Egg Harbor Township, the combined size of five football fields. These locations serve area programs and community partners- over 1,000 in 15 of 21 New Jersey counties- within which 760,000 food-insecure neighbors in need reside. Learn more here.
