Events in Bridgewater today

Trainer and behaviorist Jeannette Rybak leads a playful Trick Dog class that channels your dog’s energy into fun, brain-boosting skills. Teams work on cooperative tricks such as high fives, backward walking, slaloming through your legs, barking on cue, spinning, crawling, tunneling, and even playing dead. The focus is on mental enrichment and confidence building while strengthening the bond between you and your dog. Because the exercises can be tailored to each participant, this training offers a welcoming option for older, mobility-limited, or shy pups as well as energetic learners. Pricing is $200 per month for four classes, or $35 per class with pay-as-you-go flexibility. When a month offers an extra weekly session, you can choose any four to attend. Enrollment is capped at six dogs per session to keep training personal. Please bring a standard non-retractable leash and plenty of tasty treats.

Spinning Wheel Diner hosts recurring Cruise Nights featuring a showcase of cars, trucks, and bikes. It is free for participants to display their vehicles and free for attendees, with food available from the diner and a lively, welcoming atmosphere. The event highlights eye-catching vehicles and a relaxed celebration of car culture.

A Walk to Believe returns for its 16th year at SHI Stadium, bringing together the Rutgers and Team LeGrand community. Eric leads a pregame parade along the Rutgers Boardwalk, followed by a tailgate and the Rutgers vs. Howard football game. Registration includes a T-shirt, tailgate access, and a ticket to the game. Proceeds support Team LeGrand of the Reeve Foundation, helping advance efforts for the 5.5 million people living with paralysis. Share photos or video on social using #WalkToBelieve and tag @ReeveFoundation. Please note that an RSVP on Facebook does not complete registration, and a paid registration is required.

A fall flea market is planned, and vendor spaces are available for $15 each. A rain date will be in place if needed. For space reservations or questions, call Diane at (908) 720-5731.

Savor a full day of flavors, tunes, and family-friendly fun at the Raritan Borough Food Truck & Music Fest, held in support of Relief Hose Company #2. Fifteen gourmet food trucks serve a wide range of bites, and live performances from Jenny Barnes, The Full 9, and Captains of Leisure keep the music going throughout the event. A dedicated garden pours an array of drinks, including Lone Eagle Brewing selections like Flemington Fog, Station Haus Lager, Sunshine Honey Blonde, and Plucky Sour, plus Señor Sangria in red and white, regular and strawberry margaritas and daiquiris, and strawberry vodka lemonade. Kids can dive into activities such as pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, sand art, inflatables, a bungee trampoline, the Dixie Twister and Toxic Meltdown attractions, mini golf, knockerball, and more. Explore the vendor village between sets, and bring a blanket or lawn chairs for a relaxed day with family and friends. Admission is $5 at the gate, and children under 5 are free. Attendees are encouraged to bring a canned or boxed nonperishable item to help support the local food pantry and families in need.

The Bridgewater Eagle Riders music festival returns for its second year with live sets from six bands. Food will be available to buy and vendors will be on site. All proceeds support pancreatic cancer research.

An uncommon evening 5K returns to the Rt. 206 Bypass in Hillsborough on a completely closed highway, featuring a fast out-and-back course. New this year, it serves as the USATF New Jersey Open Men’s and Women’s Championship, attracting top competitors while remaining friendly to runners and walkers. Masters awards are included for ages 40 and up. A total of $5,000 in prize money is available, covering elite awards, local categories, and random $100 finisher giveaways. After the finish, a relaxed post-race gathering features music and a Flounder Brewing beer garden. There is a one-hour course limit, roughly a 19:20-per-mile pace. Designed for front runners, mid pack, and back of the pack participants, this race offers something bigger than the typical 5K.

BMW CCA NJ presents a season-ending autocross at TD Bank Ball Park - Somerset Patriots with a special focus on drivers of MR2 and All-trac GR Carolla models. The goal is to gather more than 20 participants for a privately timed and scored competition. The lot supports courses that typically produce runs of about 40 seconds, and most cars stay in second gear. Non-members should choose the NON-Member option when registering. Early pricing for non-members is $110, increasing to $125 for late registration. Drivers must be at least 17 years old and hold a full driver’s license.

At La Finca NJ LLC, Jen from La Finca and Jenn, founder of Wildflower, present a unique combination of horseback riding and yoga. Participants take a guided group trail ride through the scenic landscapes of Hunterdon County, led at an easy pace by friendly, experienced trail guides and well suited to beginners. After the ride, an all level yoga session focuses on opening the hips and gentle stretching to rebalance the body after time in the saddle, with attention to the hips, back, and shoulders. The experience includes a 60 minute guided ride with La Finca guides, a photo opportunity on your horse, and a complimentary authentic Spanish lunch prepared on site by La Finca owner, Ray, served after the event concludes. Capacity is limited to 10 people.

Relive the Jazz Age at an outdoor celebration featuring Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra. The Canarsie Wobblers will lead dance lessons as attendees mark 100 years of the Charleston, the famed song and dance created by New Brunswick’s James P. Johnson. Alongside the music and dancing, enjoy food and beverages, vintage cars, photo opportunities, theatrical performances, and historical interpreters. A vintage DJ will spin recordings from the early 1900s through the 1930s on wind-up phonographs, with an Orthophonic Victrola featured. 1920s attire is encouraged. Admission and parking are free, and a complimentary shuttle from the New Brunswick train station will be available.

Enjoy a relaxing, hands-on pottery workshop where you transform a slab of clay into a custom ceramic cheese board. Learn how to roll and shape your piece, then personalize it with textures, patterns, stamps, or your own design. After you finish, your board will be dried, fired, and glazed so it is both beautiful and functional, ready to use at home or to give as a gift. No prior pottery experience is required, and the workshop welcomes participants ages 8 and up. Choose your size with pricing options of 8 inch for $40, 10 inch for $50, or 12 inch for $60.

Flounders Brewery hosts a talk exploring the Bonnell Tavern, a 1738 landmark that has stood empty for about three quarters of a century beside Interstate 78 near Exit 15 in Clinton and Union Township. Henry Bonnell, the tavern’s eighth-generation owner, shares the building’s history and its connections to militia and minutemen organized there. Whether you have deep roots in Flemington, Union, or Clinton, or you are new to the area and curious about the site’s significance, this program offers a chance to learn how the tavern fits into local heritage.