Compiled by Katrina Langer and Kevin Coughlin
Rummage for hidden treasures. Run for Humanity. Relish a ruby-throated sparrow.
It may be vacation time, but if you’re not Shore-bound, there is plenty to do around Greater Morristown this weekend!
And don’t forget to check our handy calendar for even more entertainment choices.
THURSDAY, AUG. 21, 2014:
Register today for Saturday’s Third Annual Family Camp Out and Movie Night in Morris Township! The camp-out at Ginty Field will include a kickball game, crafts and coloring tables, s’mores and a bonfire after an outdoor screening of Despicable Me 2. The movie is free to all; the camping costs $12 per family. Today is the registration deadline, at the Township Municipal Building on 50 Woodland Ave. Campers will get a breakfast of bagels and juice on Sunday morning.
Summer’s winding down and you’re starting to think about back-to-school shopping, right? Well, you’re in luck. The Woman’s Club of Morristown will host its annual Rummage Sale this weekend. It starts with a preview party at 6 pm at the Dr. Lewis Condict House, at 51 South St. The inventory includes clothes, jewelry, housewares, accessories, artwork, antiques, and more. All proceeds support the Club’s charitable programs, and help maintain the historic Condict house. There is a $10 admission for the preview party, and light refreshments will be served. The rummage sale will open at 9 am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
It’s time for the Share the Care 5K Run/Walk, to benefit Habitat for Humanity. It starts at 7 pm at Central Park, on the former grounds of Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris Plains. Register here or call (973) 891-1934, ext. 122 for more details. The event is sponsored by the RPI design firm and the borough of Morris Plains. 
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents The Alchemist, a bawdy comedy about 15th century con men, at 8 pm. Tickets are $15-$75, at the F.M. Kirby Theatre on the campus of Drew University, 36 Madison Ave., Madison. Shows also on Friday night, and two shows on Saturday and Sunday. Call 973-408-5600 for more details.
FRIDAY, AUG. 22:
“Quarter Past July,” by Christine DeLeon
Christine DeLeon, whose shimmering voice has made her a Folk Project favorite, will take the stage at The Minstrel at 8 pm. The show’s opener, Mike Del Vecchio, is more than just Christine’s sound tech/husband. He’s a fine guitarist whose love for the railroad comes through in his songs. This duo is sure to please! Admission is $9 for adults, children 12 and under are free. At the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morris Township.
SATURDAY, AUG. 23:
The Garden State Comic Book Festival comes to the Hyatt Morristown from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission: $10. Meet illustrators of The Green Lantern, The Incredible Hulk, Ren & Stimpy and many more; explore the worlds of comics, toys and pop-art.
Dr. Jude M. Pfister’s new book, America Writes Its History, 1650-1850: The Formation of a National Narrative, probes the development of written American history over 200 crucial years. At 1 pm, Pfister will talk about how civil unrest and the Revolution shaped the American narrative. He will speak at the Morristown National Historical Park (NHP) , in the Washington’s Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place in Morristown. The talk is free, but there is a $4 admission charge for those who want to tour the Ford Mansion. The book will be sold in the gift shop; all proceeds benefit the Morristown National Historical Park and the Washington Association of New Jersey.
Bring a lawn chair or beach blanket to Ginty Field in Morris Township for a free screening of Despicable Me 2. The movie will start around 8 pm. And if you pre-registered (see Thursday entry), bring a tent, too, for the Township’s Third Annual Family Camp Out Night.
SUNDAY, AUG. 24:
The Morristown Farmers Market is back for its 24th season, courtesy of the Morristown Partnership and its sponsors. From 8:30 am to 2 pm, you can find produce from North Jersey farms, baked goods, and more, in municipal parking lot 10, behind the post office. Lots of entertainment and wellness events will be sprinkled throughout the year. The Farmers Market is open on Sundays through the end of November.
The Friends of Fosterfields and Cooper Gristmill are hosting locally-sourced foods and wines: A five-course “Heritage Dinner,” prepared by some top local chefs, and based on late 19th/early 20th century menus and recipes from the Fosterfields archives. Proceeds benefit educational programs at the Fosterfields Living Historical Farm on Kahdena Road in Morris Township. For details, or to make reservations, call 973-285-6534. Cost: $150 per person.
British hard rock legends Deep Purple (Smoke on the Water, Hush, Highway Star) come to the Mayo Performing Arts Center at 8 pm. Tickets are $69-$159. At 100 South St., Morristown. Call 973-539-8008 for more details.
The Minstral:
Christine De Leon was lovely. Really candid, as she shared some of the reasons her songs came into being. Mike DelVecchio is an example of “Men and boys–the size of their toys”
He not only has a hobby of saving antique railroad trains, he sings about them too.The two together are a living Valentine to music, lore, and sensitive creativity.