– Heritage Day returns to North Brunswick
North Brunswick’s 33rd annual Heritage Day Festival will be held on Sept. 19 at Community Park, 2053 Route 130 South, North Brunswick. The rain date is Sept. 20.
There will be music, dancing, food, rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, crafters and business displays beginning at 1 p.m.
Scheduled events include the Snakes, After the Reign, Ray Rodriguez & Swing Sabroso, Sensational Soul Cruisers, Timbo the Clown, Virago Music, Audrey Davis African Dance, Mad Science and the Roadies.
Winners for the Heritage Day art competition will be chosen at 5 p.m. All art will be on display throughout the day.
At 7 p.m., the Ann Marie Chandlee Heritage Day Award will be presented, prior to a live band and fireworks show.
Anyone interested in joining Heritage Day as a business vendor, nonprofit, school, crafter or performance group should contact Giovanna Branciforte at 732-247-0922, ext. 475 or [email protected].
– Dog-loving author to speak at library gala
The South Brunswick Library will hold a gala book and author dinner with David Rosenfelt at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 18 at the library, 110 Kingston Lane, Monmouth Junction.
The bestselling author has saved nearly 4,000 dogs through the Tara Foundation. A former marketing executive with Tri-Star Pictures, he left the corporate world for a writing career.
Tickets are $65 each and include hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert, a book signing and one of two recently released Rosenfelt books: “Who Let the Dog Out” or “Lessons from Tara: Life Advice From the World’s Most Brilliant Dog.”
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Animal Rescue Force.
For tickets, visit the library or purchase online at www.sbpl.info.
– Township employees to meet residents
Township employee James Asprocolas will hold a lecture about the Department of Public Works at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the South Brunswick Senior Center, Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction for township seniors age 55 and older.
Police Sgt. Eugene Rickle will discuss recent crime trends and prevention tips at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Senior Center.
For more information, call 732-329-4000, ext. 7670.
– Blood drive set at Monroe church
New Jersey Blood Services will conduct its Fall Blood Drive 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at Nativity of Our Lord Church, 185 Applegarth Road, Monroe.
Donors must be at least 17 years of age (16-year-olds need a parent’s permission letter), weigh at least 110 pounds and may not have donated blood within the last 56 days. Individuals above age 76 may donate if they meet the criteria and present a letter from their physician. The procedure is done by a specially trained technician and takes approximately 10-12 minutes. Donors, who will have a brief medical exam prior to donating, will rest afterward. Refreshments will be served. Participants should bring official identification. Platelets also will be collected.
For more information regarding the donation process, call N.J. Blood Services at 1-800-933-2566. For directions to the parish, call 609-371-0499.
– UCPAC to host Sing-a-Long-a Grease Sept. 19
Celebrate “Summer Lovin’” when Sing-a-Long-a Grease rolls into the Union County Performing Arts Center Mainstage on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m.
The classic movie musical becomes an interactive show, complete with on-screen lyrics and the chance to become a Pink Lady or T-Bird for the night and enter the costume competition. Sing-a-Long-a Greasers will be decked out in their own versions of ’50s high school garb worn at Rydell High, including poodle skirts and saddle shoes, black leather biker and powder-pink bomber jackets, chiffon scarves and skinny ties. Costumes are definitely encouraged, but singing is mandatory!
Every performance starts with a Sing-a-Long-a host who warms up the audience, trains them how to “hand-jive,” use the contents of their free magic moments fun packs and heckle in all the right places.
Tickets start at $12 and discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. UCPAC’s Mainstage is located at 1601 Irving St. in Rahway. To purchase tickets, call the box office at 732-499-8226 or visit the website at www. ucpac.org.
– Rock concert proceeds will aid cancer panel
The Starland Ballroom, 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, will present “Shepstock 2015,” a classic-rock concert to benefit the Best Answer for Cancer Foundation 7 p.m. Sept. 12. The foundation supports integrative oncology research and assists cancer patients.
Featured guest performer will be guitarist John “The Cat” Gatto of the Good Rats. A buffet dinner will be provided by A Sterling Affair of New York City. Sam Ash Music has donated a Fender Stratocaster guitar, valued at $600 and signed by the four surviving members of The Good Rats, to be raffled off at the event.
Tickets cost $15-$75 and are available for purchase at www.shepstock.com. For more information on the foundation, log on to www.bestanswerforcancer.org.
– Healing mission coming to St. George’s
Jack and Anna Marie Sheffield will lead a healing mission Sept. 11-13 at St. George’s Church, 56 Main St., Helmetta. Registration will begin at 6 p.m. Sept. 11; soup and sandwiches will be served. The healing service will follow at 7 p.m.
The weekend will feature worship, praise, teaching and prayer groups. Admission is free of charge.
For the full event schedule, log on to www.stgeorgeshelmetta.org, call the parish office at 732-521-0169, or email [email protected].
– ‘The Producers’ will open Sept. 11
Playhouse 22, East Brunswick’s community theater, will present “The Producers,” the award-winning musical comedy by Mel Brooks, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 11-27, at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road. There will be no performance Sept. 19; however, there will be two performances, 3 and 8 p.m., Sept. 26.
The production is directed by Tom Frascatore, with music direction by A.J. Meeker and choreography by Shona Roebuck. Due to language and content, the show is suitable for mature audiences.
Tickets cost $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students, and are available by logging on to Playhouse22.org, by calling the box office at 732-254-3939, or at the box office window.
– Alborada to mark 20 years of dance
The Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre will premiere its newest home-season production, “20 Years of Flamenco and Spanish Dance in New Jersey,” 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at Crossroads Theatre, 7 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. The show will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Alborada as a nonprofit dance company.
Tickets cost $30 for VIP front-row seating, $25 for general seating, $18 for seniors and students.
For ticket orders by credit card, log on to http://alborada.bpt.me or call 1-800-838-3006. For ticket orders by check or for more information, call 732-598-3979, email [email protected] or log on to www.AlboradaDance.org.