Compiled by Katrina Langer and Kevin Coughlin
It’s Presidents Day Weekend, and the Big Two–George and Abe–are duly commemorated with special programs in Greater Morristown.
On a serious note, there also is a rally against gun violence, to mark two months since the Newtown massacre.
On the lighter side, you can enjoy a romantic Valentine’s concert or some lovely hockey. Simon Gallery has a new exhibition and our friends from Hub Hollow are stomping through The Minstrel.
If this isn’t enough to keep you busy, check our handy calendar for more fabulous choices.
THURSDAY, FEB. 14, 2013:
The National Society of Arts and Letters sponsors artist and master print maker Ahni Kruger, as she discusses different printmaking processes and shows examples of etching, engraving, lithography and more. The general public is welcome. The History and Technique of Print Making starts at 1 pm, at the Morristown & Township Library, One Miller Road, Morristown.
The Morris Area Committee to Reduce Gun Violence will mark the two-month anniversary of the Newtown massacre with an hour-long rally and candelight vigil on the Morristown Green, starting at 5 pm. Ministers Sidney Williams Jr. and Alison Miller will speak, along with medical experts, and a children’s choir will sing. The public is asked to make heart-shaped memorial messages and wear them, and to bring glow-sticks, flashlights or candles.
At 7:14 pm it’s…a meeting of the North Jersey American Revolution Round Table, at Washington’s Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place, Morristown. Admission: Free. This week’s featured speaker is Barnet Schecter, a Manhattan-based writer and historian. This week’s topic: The Battle for New York; the story of how the city became a religious and political pivot point of the American Revolution. As usual, the program will end with Dick Floersheimer’s trivia questions.
A special Valentine’s Day concert! Love songs, romantic favorites and music that touch the heart, as performed by Liz Callaway (Cats, Miss Saigon),Anthony and Will Nunziata, and stars from the New York City cabaret and Broadway scene, at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown. Admission: $29-$49. Call 973-539-8008 for more.
Morristown High School’s hockey team starts its quest for the Mennen Cup at 8:15 pm, against Chatham at Mennen Arena in Morris Township. Go Colonials!
FRIDAY, FEB. 15:
The public is invited to a reception for artist David Moore, whose works are displayed through March 16 at the Simon Gallery,48 Bank St., Morristown. The reception runs from 6 pm to 8 pm.
As part of its ongoing commitment to local musicians, The Minstrel in Morris Township presents Hub Hollow with Dave Rimelis at 8 pm. The multi-talented Dave Rimelis has been seen many times at The Minstrel, backing up other acts – but this time, his guitar, fiddle, and mandolin talents take center stage with Hub Hollow, one of the nation’s leading bluegrass bands.
You can catch a peek of Hub Hollow in this video, from our Earth Day show last year:
The Blues Brothers® Revue shuffles into the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown at 8 pm. This rollicking concert combines humor, music and mayhem as Jake, Elwood and the band perform your favorite Blues Brothers hits (“Soul Man,” “Gimme Some Lovin'”) while paying homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, gospel and soul music. Featuring Wayne Catania as Jake and Kieron Lafferty as Elwood. Officially sanctioned by Dan Ackroyd and the Belushi estate. Tickets: $29-$59. At 100 South St. Call 973-539-8008 for more.
SATURDAY, FEB. 16:
We’ll drink to that: The Big Brew Beer Festival will fill the Morristown Armory from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Sample exotic new beers, and enjoy music by the Nerds, in a benefit for Morris Rugby. General admission is $50 online and $60 at the door; a special $10 “Designated Driver” ticket also is available, along with special service to drive patrons and their cars home. The Armory is at 430 Western Ave. in Morris Township. Free parking. Special VIP events have sold out; you may want to call ahead to 973-927-2794 or check the website.
The Mayo Performing Arts Center presents its 75th Celebration Concert: Songs from the Silver Screen, at 8 pm. The 50-piece Westfield Symphony, conducted by David Wroe, takes a trip down memory lane of Hollywood’s greatest movie themes, from epics such as Gone with the Wind and Lawrence of Arabia, to the Golden Age of the Musical, including West Side Story and Oklahoma, to modern favorites such as Star Wars, ET and Harry Potter. Tickets: $29-$69. At 100 South St., Morristown. Call 973-539-8008 for more.
SUNDAY, FEB. 17:
Celebrate President’s Day by remembering the guy who started the whole president thing: George Washington. Join a Park Ranger to discover the early years of Washington’s life and see how he became the man Americans love and idealize, at the Washington’s Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place in Morristown. Tours at 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Admission: $4 per adult. Call 973-539-2016 x 210 for details.
At 4:30 pm, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum in Morristown welcomes Museum member and decorative arts collector Ken Miller for a brief examination of the early silver industry in the Colonies and newly born United States, in a talk entitled, From Masters to Manufactures – The Silver Industry and Early American Life. A Naval Flight Officer who retired from the finance industry in 2003, Miller is now a Gubernatorial appointee to the Board of the New Jersey Historic Trust – and his passion for history, architecture and decorative arts has been expressed through collecting, studying and preservation. At 45 Macculloch Ave. Call (973) 538-2404 for admission prices.
Morristown’s Sunday Night Portrait Drawing Sessions have returned to ArtSpace at 14 Elm St. Sessions run from 6 pm to 9 pm and feature live models and camaraderie for $10.
MONDAY, FEB. 18, PRESIDENT’S DAY:
The Macculloch Hall Historical Museum honors President’s Day with a new family program: Abraham Lincoln Remembered, at 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown. Families use “travel cards” to learn about significant events that took place during Lincoln’s famous whistle-stop train trip from Washington, DC in 1861. The program concludes with an art activity for children. Morning and afternoon sessions, please call (973) 538-2404 to pre-register or e-mail cwinslow@maccullochhall.org to learn more.
