Events in Essex County today

NJIT’s Homecoming Weekend brings alumni, families, and friends back to campus to celebrate, reconnect, and share Highlander pride. The lineup includes athletic competitions, alumni reunions, academic offerings, guided campus tours, family-friendly activities, and signature traditions, with options for all ages. During registration, participants can tailor their visit by selecting the events they want to attend. A 20 percent registration discount is available with code EARLYHOCO26. For questions, contact Briana Curtis, Director, Alumni Engagement, at briana.curtis@njit.edu or (862) 449-2703, or Michael Davis, Director, Office for Student Involvement and Leadership, at michael.a.davis@njit.edu or (973) 596-3694.

Presented by Bachata Heaven Social, this night blends bachata and salsa at Lancer's Night Club in Newark, NJ. It features a Salsa On 1 lesson and a Sensual Bachata lesson led by a Daniel and Desiree Sensual Bachata certified instructor, followed by social dancing with music by DJ Carliita and JdaBachata. There is no cover, and a free class is included. Parking is available in a lot and on the street, and $12 mixed drink specials are offered.

Celebrated as the largest biennial poetry gathering in North America, this festival unfolds over three days of readings, live performances, and workshops. Founded in 1986 and presented by NJPAC, it brings together acclaimed poets, slam champions, and songwriters in downtown Newark, New Jersey, building community through the spoken word. Ticket access includes a public onsale along with member and local presale options.

This Farmers Market takes place at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children's Hospital of New Jersey. It is held in the Newark Strong Lobby, and guests can enter through the Lyons Avenue entrance.

Spend an evening focused entirely on bachata, with space to practice the moves you picked up during the week. The lineup includes Level 1 and Level 2 classes, followed by a social dance that is free to attend. Expect 100% bachata throughout, with no salsa or merengue. Walk-ins are welcome for the classes at $15 per class, and registration is available for one or both since they are designed to connect. Open to beginners and seasoned dancers, the night features music by JDABACHATA and DJ Carliita. Free parking is available at Lancers Night Club.

Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant 2026 marks its 10th anniversary with the Unbreakable edition, celebrating confidence, talent, advocacy, and excellence within the blind and visually impaired community. The event uplifts women who own their stories and their power, honors past and current Queens along with dedicated allies, and welcomes new Queens to guide the pageant into its next decade. Pageant Day spotlights Competition Day at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark. The celebration continues with an Awards and Crowning Banquet at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center in Branch Brook Park. Every ticket supports Eyes Like Mine Inc. in providing resources and opportunities, and in promoting independence and public awareness.

At The Feast of St Gerard, this freestyle celebration highlights the genre’s legends and the classic tracks that shaped its prime. The set draws on signature hits associated with Exposé, Stevie B, TKA, The Covergirls, George Lamond, Johnny O, Cynthia, Coro, Lisa Lisa and Noel, creating a dance-focused atmosphere that honors a beloved era.

At New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Patti Smith returns to her home state for an evening of songs and stories as part of the Dodge Poetry Festival. Recognized as a pioneering poet of punk, her impact for more than five decades spans literature, music, visual art, politics, and global culture. She has written many books, including the National Book Award winning Just Kids. Her landmark 1975 album Horses has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. Her honors include France's Legion of Honour, Sweden's Polar Prize, and the PEN Literary Service Award.

Kickstart your fitness journey with a welcoming community workout at Colosseum Gym. House of Fitness hosts a session led by Coach Rueben and Coach Darlene, with music by DJ Mook. The workout is designed for beginners and open to all experience levels. Bring a pair of hand weights and plenty of energy.

Louise Pigott Art will participate in the 27th Annual Rose Squared Art Show in Brookdale Park-Fall. Taking place in Brookdale Park in Bloomfield, this Rose Squared Art Shows event offers an opportunity to see her artwork in person over the weekend.

A reading with Kundiman at the Dodge Poetry Festival brings together poets Fatimah Asghar, Sanam Sheriff, and R. A. Villanueva. The program explores kinship and community, considering how our bonds with others can shape understanding and response to social and political life. Expect work attentive to the body, presence, and relationship, offering space to reflect on connection and belonging. Festival passes are required for entry. The event takes place at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, NJ.

At HealHaus, What Falls Away offers a two hour, community-centered workshop devoted to releasing what no longer serves and rekindling joy, purpose, and inner light. Rooted in the wisdom of autumn, it invites participants to let go like trees shedding their leaves and to welcome new energy. The sunflower is embraced as a symbol of resilience, hope, and a deliberate turn toward light through times of change, with the experience created to help lighten the load after a demanding year. This immersive gathering weaves spirituality, personal growth, community, contemplation, and ritual. Participants move through guided reflection, shadow work journaling, a ritual of release, a guided visualization practice, setting intentions, a practice to activate joy, and a cacao ceremony to close. The intention is for attendees to depart with clarity, softness, strength, renewed self-trust, and a tangible reminder of the work completed. Capacity is limited.

Marking a decade of the Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant, the Unbreakable Edition uplifts blind and visually impaired women by celebrating confidence, talent, advocacy, and achievement. The awards and crowning banquet recognizes past and present Queens and allies, then welcomes new Queens who will help lead the pageant into its next decade. Ticket purchases support Eyes Like Mine Inc., furthering its mission to expand resources and opportunity, promote independence, and raise public awareness. The celebration spans two days at venues tied to Newark’s history, with competition on the first day at The Robert Treat Hotel and the second day banquet at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center in Branch Brook Park.

At New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Danny Simmons presents a Def Poetry Reunion for the Dodge Poetry Festival, honoring the legacy of the HBO series Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam. The event brings together celebrated alumni with live music and a spirit of activism to pay tribute to influential poets. It offers a welcoming celebration of language, with flowing wordplay, vivid imagery, and the vibrant energy associated with Def Poetry.

Bink International Charity organizes a recurring bread and pastry distribution that reduces food waste while getting fresh baked goods to neighbors in need. Volunteers gather breads, pastries, cakes, and desserts donated by Paris Baguette in Livingston, New Jersey, then share them with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, or financial hardship. The distribution takes place every Wednesday, every Saturday, every Sunday, and on the first and third Friday of each month. This effort focuses on making sure quality food nourishes people rather than going to waste. Volunteers can assist by picking up donations, sorting and packing items, loading and unloading, and helping with distribution so more community members are reached, whether as a one-time effort or on a regular basis.

At New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Do the Write Thing: Dodge Poetry Festival highlights author and filmmaker Nelson George, a lifelong Brooklyn resident known for the documentary Brooklyn Boheme and the memoir City Kid: A Writers Memoir.

Ringside Pub hosts Emo Night with It's Not A Phase Mom, a celebration of 2000s emo, alt, and pop punk. The music draws from favorites like Blink 182, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, All American Rejects, Avril Lavigne, Good Charlotte, and more.

Experience a lively open air marketplace celebrating Newark’s creative spirit at the Makers Market at Makerhoods. Local artisans, makers, and small businesses offer handmade goods, unique gifts, fresh produce, and food from local vendors, all in a welcoming courtyard setting with music and community vibes. Browse at your own pace, meet the people behind the products, and find something different each visit. Admission is free, it is family friendly, and the market takes place outdoors, weather permitting. Makerhoods supports entrepreneurs and creatives through a collaborative live and work community, and this market reflects that mission.

My Hero Academia in Concert transforms the world of the anime into a live music experience at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. A 15-piece band performs Yuki Hayashi’s signature score while vivid scenes from across the series appear in sync, tracing the story from Deku’s early steps to high-stakes battles. Spanning eight seasons, the performance highlights courage, heartbreak, and hard-won victories, creating an immersive journey through the moments that define the saga.