Weekending ‘Round The Towns: September 18-20, 2026

Friday, Sept. 18

• Phil Hanley, Stress Factory Comedy Club, 90 Church St., New Brunswick. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Ticket prices are not posted on the venue calendar.
• New Jersey Film Festival: Shorts Program No. 2, Voorhees Hall Room 105, Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton St., New Brunswick. 7 p.m. $15 per screening, with an all-access pass at $100. Also available on demand.
• Gary Gulman, “Grandiloquent”, Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place, Princeton. 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices were not listed on the sources checked.
• Jackson Dean, Starland Ballroom, 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville. Show time and prices were not posted on the listings checked.
• Mercer County Italian American Festival, Mercer County Park festival grounds, West Windsor. Runs Friday through Sunday. Admission not listed.
• Canstruction at the Commons, Bridgewater Commons, 400 Commons Way, Bridgewater. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free. Continues Saturday and Sunday.
• Welcome World to George Washington’s Rockingham, Rockingham State Historic Site, Kingston. 10 to 11 a.m. Free. Repeats Sunday.
• DJ 101, The Underground at Village Brewing Co., Somerville. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Free.
• “Flawless”, Premiere Stages at Kean University, Bauer Boucher Theatre Center, 1000 Morris Ave., Union. 3 and 7:30 p.m. per the company; New Jersey Stage lists 7:30 p.m. only. $18 to $42. Edge of radius, about 21 miles.
• Shoshana Bean, Union County Performing Arts Center main stage, 1601 Irving St., Rahway. 8 p.m. Prices not listed. Edge of radius, about 20 miles.
• “Moana” sing-along, Popcorn and Pajamas Film Series, Hamilton Stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center, 360 Hamilton St., Rahway. 7 p.m. Prices not listed. Edge of radius.
• Friday, Sept. 18, Community Cultural Exchange, Princeton: Hinds Plaza, 65 Witherspoon St., 4 to 6 p.m. Princeton closes out Welcoming Week with a community celebration centered on cultural exchange. Free.
• Friday, Sept. 18, Sustainable Princeton Beer & Garden, Princeton: 5 to 8 p.m. A community beer-garden event in Princeton, one of several downtown Friday evening activities.
• Friday, Sept. 18, Live Music at the Yankee Doodle Tap Room, Princeton: Nassau Inn, 6 to 9 p.m. Nuevo Jazz performs on the patio, weather permitting.
• Friday, Sept. 18, Dancing Under the Stars, Princeton: Hinds Plaza, 7 to 10 p.m. An outdoor evening of dancing in downtown Princeton.
• Friday-Sunday, Sept. 18-20, Fall Family Fun Weekends, Princeton: Terhune Orchards, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with pumpkin picking, pony rides, live music, food and more than 30 seasonal activities.

Saturday, Sept. 19

• Join the Franklin Twp. Trails Advisory Committee and the Franklin Twp. Astronomy Club as we observe the Moon! Astronomy Hike and Moon Watch – FREE COMMUNITY EVENT. John Clyde Memorial Grassland Preserve 1091 Canal Road Princeton (Griggstown) 7:30 p.m. Hike, 8:30 p.m. Guided Nightsky and Moon Watch (telescopes provided by Franklin Twp. Astronomy Club) To Register: https://franklintwp.recdesk.com/Community/Home
• Rutgers football vs. No. 12 Southern California, SHI Stadium, 1 Scarlet Knight Way, Piscataway. 3:30 p.m. Televised on CBS. Promoted as New Jersey Day and a Scarlet Out. Tickets through Rutgers athletics.
• Comedy Night Live, State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. 8 p.m. From $30. Nico Carney, Yvette Sagan and Josh Mandl, hosted by Vinnie Brand. Co-presented with the Stress Factory.
• Pinky Patel, Stress Factory Comedy Club, 90 Church St., New Brunswick. 3 p.m. Prices not posted.
• Phil Hanley, Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Prices not posted.
• Manila Madness 5K Freedom Run and Ruck, Basilone Memorial Foundation, starting at the Basilone statue, Canal Street, Raritan. Check-in 7:30 a.m., start 9 a.m. $30.
• Peter Chesson Memorial Car Show, Moorland Farm, 50 Route 202, Far Hills. Show car gates 8 a.m., spectator gates 9 a.m., awards 1:30 p.m. Car registration $20, patron registration $95. Spectator admission is sold through Eventbrite but the amount is not stated on the show website.
• Terhune Orchards Fall Family Fun Weekend, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $19.95 in advance, $24.95 day of, free for children under 3. Repeats Sunday.
• Arts Council of Princeton Beer and Wine Garden, 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton. 2 to 5 p.m. A fundraiser with Triumph Brewing Co., live music and lawn games. Listed elsewhere at $30 to $85; the council’s own page does not state a price.
• Techno Tribe, The Underground at Village Brewing Co., Somerville. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Free.
• Canstruction at the Commons, Bridgewater Commons, Bridgewater. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free.
• Mercer County Italian American Festival, Mercer County Park festival grounds, West Windsor. Day two.
• New Jersey Film Festival: “The Bond That Broke”, online only. Streaming from 12 a.m. No in-person screening in New Brunswick this date.
• “Flawless”, Premiere Stages at Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave., Union. 3 p.m. per the company; New Jersey Stage lists 3 and 7:30 p.m. $18 to $42. Edge of radius.
• Rahway ArtsFest, downtown Rahway. 2 to 6 p.m. Free. Edge of radius, about 20 miles.
• Cheap Trick, All Washed Up Tour, Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown. 8 p.m. $91 to $169, fees included. Edge of radius, about 24 miles.
• New Jersey Astronomical Association observatory open house, 300 Observatory Road, Glen Gardner. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. At or just past the radius, about 26 miles.
• Welcome World to George Washington’s Rockingham, Franklin Township: Rockingham State Historic Site, 84 Laurel Ave., 10 to 11 a.m. The program explores Washington’s final Revolutionary War headquarters, with reproduction artifacts and information about site tours. Free.
• Colonial Kids Adventure, Watchung: Wilson Memorial Church, 7 Valley Road, 11 a.m. to noon. Children ages 8 to 12 and their families can explore colonial toys, clothing and artifacts and make a whirligig and tricorn hat. Free.
• Fall Music Series, Princeton: Palmer Square, 1 to 3 p.m. Outdoor live music in downtown Princeton.
• Alec Baldwin: In Conversation on Music, Princeton: Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University, 3 p.m. Baldwin appears as part of the Princeton University Concerts series for a discussion centered on music.
•  “Seuls en Scène” French Theater Festival, Princeton: Princeton University presents “Nom” at 5 p.m. and “Barbara (par Barbara)” at 8 p.m. as part of its annual French theater festival.

Sunday, Sept. 20

• The Town I Crow About: East Millstone Stories from the Heart of Raymond Hills. 2-4 p.m., Millstone Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Amwell Road. The Town I Crow About is a collection of stories that 94-year-old Raymond Hills told his daughter, Donna, as he looked back on his life growing up in East Millstone, New Jersey, a small, once industrious town with a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Presented in conjunction with the East Millstone Historical Society Annual Meeting, the event will feature slides, an author reading, conversation, and refreshments. Books will be available for purchase. For more information: www.thetownicrowabout.com
• John Basilone Parade, Raritan. Memorial Mass at the Church of St. Ann, 10:30 a.m.; historical displays at the Raritan Public Library, 10:30 a.m.; parade steps off from the Raritan train station at 1 p.m.; commemorative ceremony at the Basilone statue on Canal Street about 2:15 p.m. Free.
• Arts in the Park, downtown Highland Park, centered on Raritan Avenue. 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free.
• Slovak Heritage Festival, 655 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. Program opens with a service at 10:30 a.m. $20, children free with an adult.
• North Brunswick Humane Association Dog Walk-a-Thon, North Brunswick Community Park, 2053 Route 130 South, North Brunswick. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free to $15.
• Jon Bramnick, Stress Factory Comedy Club, 90 Church St., New Brunswick. 7 p.m. Prices not posted.
• Terhune Orchards Fall Family Fun Weekend, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $19.95 in advance, $24.95 day of.
• Welcome World to George Washington’s Rockingham, Rockingham State Historic Site, Kingston. 10 to 11 a.m. Free.
• Canstruction at the Commons, Bridgewater Commons, Bridgewater. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free. Final day.
• Mercer County Italian American Festival, Mercer County Park festival grounds, West Windsor. Final day.
• Festifall Street Fair, Central Avenue, Westfield. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission not listed.
• “Flawless,” closing performance, Premiere Stages at Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave., Union. 3 p.m. $18 to $42. Edge of radius.
• Air Supply, Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown. 7:30 p.m. Prices not listed. Edge of radius.
• Arts and Cars downtown art festival, Springfield Avenue, Summit. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Edge of radius, about 20 miles.
• Young Patriots Day, Princeton: Princeton Battlefield State Park, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The family history event includes colonial games, Continental Army demonstrations, opportunities to sign a reproduction Declaration of Independence and appearances by interpreters portraying George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
• Downtown Somerville Music Fest: Main Street and Division Street, noon to 6 p.m. Live music on multiple stages includes High in the Mid 80’s, Not Leaving Sober, Nine Deez Nite and Epic Soul, plus local performers, karaoke, food vendors, artisans, family activities and a beer garden. Admission is free.
• Princeton University Art Museum Open Studio and Tours: The museum’s Creativity Lab is open noon to 4:30 p.m., with collection tours at 1 and 3:30 p.m. and a special exhibition tour at 3 p.m.
•  “Nom,” Princeton: Princeton University’s Seuls en Scène French Theater Festival continues with a 5 p.m. performance at the Hearst Theater.

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