Whether you’re heading out or staying in, this week’s Montclair, Bloomfield, and beyond events guide has you covered with kid-friendly activities, performances, farmers’ markets, and much more happening in the neighborhood. Check out this list of all the virtual and in-person events happening in Montclair, Bloomfield, and beyond this weekend (October 20th-24th).
Disclaimer: Events are subject to change and some may be weather dependent. For the most up-to-date info, please contact the host directly.
Local Montclair (+ Beyond) Events
South Orange Downtown Farmer’s Market
Wednesday, October 20th | 2PM-7PM
Check out the South Orange Farmers Market every Wednesday in the Sloan St. Lot from 2PM-7PM. Please remember to bring your reusable shopping bags with you. Learn more here.
Fall Cornhole League at Montclair Brewery
Wednesday, October 20th | 7PM-8PM | Every Wednesday
Join the second season of Montclair’s own cornhole league hosted at Montclair Brewery, Wednesday nights 7-8PM. Learn more here.
Halloween Candles + Cupcakes at Alchemy Scent Bar
Wednesday, October 20th | 7PM-9PM
Sign up for Alchemy Scent Bar Halloween event. @sotastyvegan will be teaching a class on how to decorate cupcakes for Halloween like a professional. Also, make a custom-scented candle and have some bubbly. Call the store to reserve your spot: 862-930-2333. Learn more here.
Watchung Booksellers Presents Evening with Authors
Wednesday, October 20th | 7:30PM
Join author, N. West Moss, at Watchung Booksellers to discuss her book Flesh & Blood. Learn more here.
Montclair Film Festival + Partnership with OUT Montclair
October 21st-30th
The tenth annual Montclair Film Festival will entertain film lovers and professionals from across the region and country with ten days of compelling independent films, comedies, documentaries, panels, family events and work by emerging artists. The festival will feature the premiere of many new films including The French Dispatch in addition to a conversation with actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. OUT Montclair has partnered with the Montclair Film Festival. This year’s festival will feature a number of LGBTQ+ themed films, including several that are presented in partnership with OUT Montclair. Learn more here.
Meditation Workshop
Thursday, October 21st | 11:30AM | Every Thursday
Join Bindu Bhatt for a virtual meditation session. No experience necessary. Bindu has practiced meditation for over 30 years and would like to share her insights with you. Learn more here.
Coffee & Crime Mystery Book Club: Practical Magic
Thursday, October 21st | 1PM
Join a live and lively librarian-led mystery book club discussion on Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic. Two sisters from a magical New England family are forced to cover up an accidental death, but the victim just won’t stay underground. Alice Hoffman’s signature blend of wit, lyrical prose, magical realism and strong characters will sweep you away. The first of the “Practical Magic” quartet and the basis for the feature film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. The second book, “The Rules of Magic,” is being adapted as a series for HBO Max. Learn more here.
Beginners Flow Yoga
Thursday, October 21st | 6PM | Every Thursday
This class, hosted by the Union Public Library, will lead you through the foundations of yoga postures, body awareness and alignment, relaxation of the mind and a connection with the breath. You will learn how to improve muscle strength, promote flexibility, and build your own yoga program specific for your mind and body. Learn more here.
Open Mic at Montclair Brewery
Thursday, October 21st | 7:30PM-9:30PM
Stop by Montclair Brewery for an open mic night. There will be music, comedy, poetry, and drama. Come share your talent at Montclair Brewery’s or just watch. Family-friendly and all ages are welcome. Pro sound, lights, and partial backline provided. Learn more here.
The French Dispatch at The Wellmont Theater
Thursday, October 21st | 7:30PM
Stop by The Wellmont Theater on Oct. 21st to watch the premiere of The French Dispatch. Learn more here.
Classes in Mixed-Media Abstract Art
Friday, October 22nd | 1PM
Every Friday, award-winning Roseland artist Evan Stuart Marshall will teach a class on mixed-media abstract art. The topics covered include design and composition, classic abstract layouts, working with shapes, intuitive painting, and more. Learn more here.
Watchung Booksellers Presents Evening with Authors
Friday, October 22nd | 4PM
Join author, Aliya King Neil, at Watchung Booksellers to discuss her book Keep Your Head Up. Learn more here.
All Points West Distillery Tour + Tasting
Friday, October 22nd + Saturday, October 23rd | 5PM-9PM
Join All Points West every Friday and Saturday for a 20-minute tour with spirit samples and a house cocktail. A 10% discount on bottles and additional cocktails are included with the ticket. Learn more here.
Dinner Under the Stars in Bloomfield Center
Friday, October 22nd | 6PM-10PM
The Bloomfield Center Alliance invites you to come out for al fresco dining and live entertainment on Washington Street in Bloomfield Center every Friday. Learn more here.
Gradtoberfest at Montclair Brewery
Friday, October 22nd | 7PM-10PM
Stop by Montclair Brewery for Gradtoberfest. Learn more here.
The Harder They Fall at The Wellmont Theater
Friday, October 22nd | 7:30PM
Stop by The Wellmont Theater on Oct. 22nd to watch the premiere of The Harder They Fall. Learn more here.
Live Music at Montclair Brewery
Friday, October 22nd + Saturday, October 23rd, + Sunday, October 24th | 7PM-9:30PM
Head over to Montclair Brewery for live music every weekend provided by local artists. Learn more here.
DJ Party at Architect Studios
Saturday, October 23rd | 8AM-10AM
Stop by Architect Studios on Saturday for morning classes that will feature DJ Pap. Learn more here.
Saturday Skate Sesh with Boardroom Skate
Saturday, October 23rd | 10AM-12PM | Every Saturday
Join Boardroom Skate for a skate session every Saturday at Rand Courts. Beginners are welcome. Learn more here.
The Pumpkin Patch
Saturday, October 23rd | 1PM-3PM
Join The Lane Team at The Pumpkin Patch for a family friendly event. Learn more here.
Screening of Dionne Warwick’s Documentary at Wellmont Theater
Saturday, October 23rd | 4PM
New Jersey resident, legendary singer, HIV advocate, and Twitter Queen Dionne Warwick will be at the screening of her documentary, part of the Montclair Film Festival. The film is called “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over.” After the screening, Dionne and the director, Dave Wooley, will sit down to do a Q+A which will be moderated by none other than Montclair resident Stephen Colbert. The event will take place at Wellmont Theater at 4PM on October 23rd, tickets can be purchased here.
Essex County Italian Heritage Celebration and Sister City Day Presented by The Montclair Public Library
Saturday, October 23rd
Join The Montclair Public Library for their Italian Heritage Celebration and Sister City Day. There will be a dance workshop, and Italian Show, and more. Learn more here.
Chinese Cooking Classes with Chef Gilley
Saturday, October 23rd | 5PM | Recurring
Enjoy an authentic Chinese culinary experience led by Chef Gilley. In these live online cooking classes, you’ll experience training from Chef Gilley as you prepare a variety of classic Chinese recipes completely from scratch. Learn more here.
Family Roller Skating at Branch Brook Park
Saturday, October 23rd | Multiple Times Available | Every Saturday
Head over to Branch Brook Park for family roller skating every week. It’s open to all ages. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Sign up here.
A Conversation with Maggie Gyllenhaal for the Montclair Film Festival
Sunday, October 24th | 1PM
Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose award-winning career as an actress is full of groundbreaking and thought-provoking performances, is making her directorial debut with her screen adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel The Lost Daughter, starring Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, and Jessie Buckley. For her work on this film, Gyllenhaal will receive the 2021 Montclair Film Festival Breakthrough Director & Writer Award. The event will be moderated by Stephen Colbert. Learn more here.
Good Bottle Montclair’s Zerp Proof Drinks Pop-Up
Sunday, October 24th | 1PM-4PM
Halloween Treat Truck Tour
Sunday, October 24th | 4PM
This week, the city of Newark will be going around the city with M&M’s to provide free totes of candy and Halloween costume accessories to children 12 and under. Learn more here.
Sandra Cisneros’ Martita, I Remember
Sunday, October 24th | 4PM
Join a discussion of Sandra Cisneros’ new book: Martita, I Remember, a poignant lyrical novella about a three-cornered friendship between women that begins with a youthful sojourn in Paris. Learn more here.
Motown Sunday Brunch at Sweet Southern Eatery
Sunday, October 24th
Head over to Sweet Southern Eatery every Sunday for live music during brunch. Learn more here.
Montclair’s Newest Public Art: Reverberations of Reawakenings
Ongoing
Local Artists Lauren Vroegindewey, Marguerite Kaufer, and Nicole Nuzzolo are pleased to present Reverberations of Reawakenings, a 35-by-8-ft. painted mural in partnership with Montclair Diner currently on view at 613 Valley Road.
Girls in Gear Assistant Coach
Now-Nov. 14th
The Dream Project is a non-profit funding organization committed to helping young girls through service and cycling. The cycling trips span thousands of miles across the country and help those in need along the way. The group is e looking for an assistant coach to help on Sundays for six weeks. The coach must be at least 16 years of age, have a bike and helmet, be able to commit to six Sundays in a row starting on Oct 10th, and be ready to help empower young girls looking to grow as community leaders. Learn more here.
Transitional Energy Exhibit at SOPAC
On View Now-Nov. 21st
Transitional Energy: Form, Shape, Color by Curtis Grayson, III is SOPAC’s newest exhibit for the fall season. Learn more here.
Tech/Know/Future/ From Slang to Structure Exhibition Now Open at Montclair State University Galleries
On View Now-December 11th
The Montclair State University Galleries will present the exhibition Tech/Know/Future/ From Slang to Structure from September 14 through December 11, 2021. The new exhibition is the Galleries’ first in-person offering in nearly two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tech/Know/Future/ From Slang to Structure is a critical response to technological systems within art addressing the issues of identity, history and abstraction, placing the viewer at the intersection of the past, present and future. Learn more here.
MAM Premieres New Exhibits
Ongoing
Head over to Montclair Art Museum for the opening event of four exhibits including Color Riot! How Color Changed Navajo Textiles. With Diné perspectives and the technical mastery of weavers at the heart of Color Riot!, this exhibition, featuring 70 bold artworks from 1860–1930 and the present, celebrates the courage and vision to experiment. Learn more here.
Essex County to Administer Covid-19 Booster Shots
Ongoing
Essex County announced that it will administer booster shots to those who are immunocompromised, by appointment only, at its vaccination centers at Kmart in West Orange and Essex County College in Newark. According to the CDC and the FDA, people are considered to have a compromised immune system if they are fighting a disease, undergoing medical treatments or have received an organ transplant. Appointments can be made at EssexCOVID.org or 973-877-8456. Learn more here.
Montclair Film’s Virtual Cinema
Ongoing
Montclair Film’s Virtual Cinema is the best way to watch the latest movies from home while supporting the non-profit organization. Films in the Virtual Cinema are new, independent releases, available for rent at home before becoming available on other platforms, featuring new indies, documentaries, foreign films, and restored classics, with new selections available every Friday. Learn more here.
Point of Action: New Art Installation at Crane Park
Ongoing
Montclair residents and artists Nina Cooke John and Charlie Spademan bring this installation to Montclair at no cost to the township for about four to six weeks. Crane Park is located at 1-9 Greenwood Avenue in Montclair. Learn more here.
Tour Van Vleck House and Gardens
Open daily | 9AM-6PM
Take a free tour of Van Vleck House and Gardens, a center for horticulture, education, music, and art. The gardens are open to the public and the house is available to non-profits for meetings and events. Learn more here.
Kid/Teen Focused Events
Listen on the Lawn
Tuesday, October 26th | 11AM | Every Tuesday
Join The Montclair Public Library for an in-person storytime on the lawn at the Bellevue Avenue Branch. Rain dates are scheduled for Thursdays at the same time. Social distancing required. Registration is not required but is recommended for scheduling updates. Learn more here.
Cuentitos: Bilingual Spanish Storytime (ages 2-5)
Tuesday, October 26th | 4PM
Join The Montclair Public Library for a fun, bilingual Spanish story time session with live music. Children’s books will be read in Spanish and English along with an acoustic guitar and songs in Spanish. Spanish speakers and non-Spanish speakers are invited to join. Learn more here.
Upcoming Weekday Events
Candlelight Vigil for Domestic Violence Victims at Crane Park
Monday, October 25th | 6:30PM
Join SOFIA at Montclair’s Crane Park for a vigil to honor victims of domestic violence. Learn more here.
Bloomfield Farmer’s Market
Tuesday, October 26th | 3:30PM-6:30PM | Every Tuesday
Stop by the Bloomfield Farmers Market every Tuesday in front of the Bloomfield Public Library, 90 Broad Street, from 3:30PM-6:30PM. Learn more here.
South Orange Downtown Farmer’s Market
Wednesday, October 27th | 2PM-7PM | Every Wednesday
Check out the South Orange Farmers Market every Wednesday in the Sloan St. Lot from 2PM-7PM. Please remember to bring your reusable shopping bags with you. Learn more here.
Practical Magic at Alchemy Scent Bar
October 27th | 7PM-9PM
Sign up for the Alchemy Scent Bar Practical Magic event. Make a custom candle, learn basics of Tarot from @3witchway (and take home your own Tarot deck) & get a henna tatoo by @henna_by_priti7. Seats are limited so call the shop for tickets. Call the store to reserve your spot: 862-930-2333. Learn more here.
Free Community Knitting Virtual Class
Wednesday, October 27th | 7PM-9PM | Every Wednesday
Join a free community knitting virtual class every Wednesday. All fiber crafts are welcome. Register here.
Ways to Give Back Locally
Catholic Charities of Newark | 976 Broad Street, Newark
A variety of options are available to support the community. Please contact Sharon Reilly-Tobin via email at [email protected] to learn about the greatest needs. Learn more about this opportunity here.
Communities Promoting Animal Welfare in NJ | 41 Watchung Plaza, Montclair
An opportunity for even the busiest volunteer. With options to help from home, at school, in-person, and virtually, the entire community can help save animals in the area. Volunteers are needed to help educate the community on animal welfare, help organize events, transport animals to and from doctor’s visits, and more. Learn more about this volunteer opportunity here.
Cultural Academic Student Exchange | 211 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
Become a host family for the Cultural Academic Student Exchange (CASE) and house a student studying abroad. The CASE program is always in need of families of all backgrounds to help immerse international students into the culture of the area and to help navigate everyday life during their stay. Learn more about this volunteer opportunity here.
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