MercerMe

Film Screening: Robot & Frank
2026-03-08 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street, Pennington, NJ, 08534, United States
In the near future, Frank is a retired cat burglar living alone while his successful son, Hunter, tries to care for him from afar. Finally, Hunter gets him a robot caretaker, but Frank soon learns that it is as useful as a burglary aide. As Frank tries to restart his old profession, the uncomfortable realities of a changing world and his worsening dementia threaten to take beyond what any reboot can recover.
Join us for a screening of this heartwarming sci-fi dramedy, followed by a community conversation. We’ll be exploring the ethics of AI, the future of caregiving, and what it truly means to be a “friend.” Rated: PG-13
About Our Discussion Leaders:
Jacob Hoefer has acclimated to central New Jersey like a tomato to acidic soil. A Rutgers-trained full-stack engineer who found an unexpected calling running Dungeons & Dragons games in Lawrenceville, Jacob is a lover of art history, musical soundtracks, and genre fiction (which he wishes we’d take both more and less seriously). When he isn’t wishing he had more time for ASL practice or studying Kanji for an upcoming trip to Japan with Matt, he’s showing off his five Ursula K. Le Guin tattoos. He is a firm believer that community-centered library programs are what keep his feet on the ground.
Matt Smith has served as Organist and Choirmaster at Haddonfield UMC since 2021. An award-winning organist and graduate of Westminster Choir College, he frequently collaborates with regional ensembles like the Atlantic Brass Band and the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. Outside of music, Matt is a dedicated book collector and bibliophile who has worked at Labyrinth Books and currently volunteers at Bookhaven in Philadelphia.
Registration Required
For more information: PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondthePage
This event is part of our 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.

Tavern Tunes and Trivia a Fundraiser for Voices Chorale
2026-03-08 16:00 - 19:00 | Music Together Worldwide, 225 Pennington-Hopewell Rd, Hopewell, NJ, 08525, United States
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of music and friendly competition to support Voices Chorale NJ!
Admission includes: a trivia showdown with local favorite Mike Haller, special performances by our talented Choral Scholars, casual supper and delicious desserts, wine and beer, and a curated Silent Auction with must-have items.
Gather your friends, test your trivia skills, enjoy great tunes, and raise a glass for the arts. It’s the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon — and support a wonderful cause!

Heads Up! -- A Fall Prevention and Pedestrian Safety Program for Older Adults
2026-03-12 14:00 - 15:00
Designed for older adults, this workshop on Thursday, March 12, 2:00 pm focuses on strategies to best prevent falls. It also includes strategies for pedestrian safety as well as safe driving strategies. Presented by Katie Law, Public Education Coordinator, of the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey. BIANJ is a statewide nonprofit that aims to improve the quality of life for anyone impacted by brain injury by providing support, advocacy, and information, while promoting brain injury prevention. Please visit events.mcl.org to register to receive the link to the program.

Good Grief Spring Institute 2026: Holding Space for Grief
2026-03-14 09:00 - 17:00 | The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Rd, Basking Ridge, NJ, 07920, United States
Good Grief invites educators, mental health professionals, caregivers, and community members to its annual Spring Institute on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
This year’s theme, “Holding Space for Grief,” explores how we support children, teens, and families experiencing loss — especially when we can’t fix what has happened.
The day includes a keynote address by nationally recognized grief expert Donna Schuurman, interactive workshops across three tracks (Professional, Facilitator, and our brand-new Grief Curious community track), and a powerful lived-experience panel titled “What Helped, What Didn’t.”
Participants will leave with practical tools, research-based insights, and a deeper understanding of what truly helps grieving individuals over time.
Continuing Education credits are pending approval.
Location: 131 Martinsville Rd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMRegistration: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/2026springinstitute/event/2026si/
Space is limited.

Democracy on the Corner
2026-03-14 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-21 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-03-28 13:00 - 14:00
Join community members every Saturday from 1 to 2pm at the corner of Greenwood and Broad for a peaceful, visible demonstration of resistance. Participants bring signs and stand together in opposition to what they describe as illegal, unhealthy, and unconscionable actions by the current federal government. The weekly gathering offers comfort, connection, and solidarity among like-minded neighbors, and serves as a reminder to commuters that the community continues to stand up and speak out. The gathering typically lasts about an hour.

Film Screening: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2026-03-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Hopewell Valley Central High School, 259 Pennington-Titusville Road, Hopewell , NJ, United States
Registration: https://BTPeternalsunshinefilmdiscussion.eventbrite.com
If you could delete your greatest regret, would you?
When Joel Barish discovers his ex-girlfriend has undergone an experimental procedure to erase him from her memory, he decides to do the same. But as his memories begin to dissolve, Joel finds himself sprinting through the crumbling architecture of his own mind to save the very heartbreak he was trying to forget.
Join us for a screening followed by a deep-dive discussion on the ethics of memory and the messy beauty of love.
Part of our Beyond The Page series of films & shows related to AI, technology, and memory.

Princeton Community Works 2026
2026-03-17 08:00 - 12:30 | Mercer County Community College Conference Center, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ, 08550, United States
Princeton Community Works is pleased to announce Princeton Community Works 2026, a community-wide gathering designed to bring together board members, staff, and volunteers of nonprofits, along with students, faith communities, civic leaders, and local organizations for a dynamic morning of inspiration, engagement, and practical learning.
A hallmark of this year’s program is a series of thoughtfully designed workshops that will each produce three practical outcomes participants can use immediately in their work, volunteer efforts, and community life. These sessions are intended to move beyond discussion to deliver tangible tools, strategies, and relationships that can be applied right away.

Humuments art class with Mickey Waring
2026-03-18 13:30 - 15:30 | Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 W Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ, 08525, United States
Come join artist Mickey Waring in creating one-of-a-kind Humument art. The word “Humuments” was coined in 1956 when Tom Phillips set himself a task—to find a second-hand bookstore and alter every page of a bargain book by circling certain words and painting in between the lines and margins. The first version of his idea was printed by the Tetrad Press in 1973.
We will be taking a page of text—I often will use poetry books or sheet music with lyrics that I find at second-hand book stores—but any topic of interest will be fine. The originator of the form used only one book for all of his humuments! Then we’ll circle words that pop-out and inspire imagery—filling the empty negative spaces with color, patterns and design!
Add collage, color pencil, watercolor and other mixed media elements will also be integrated into the artworks.
Participants are asked to bring a page of text of a poem or passage in a book that is meaningful for them. Texts will be available if participants are unable to bring one.

Catharine "Caty" Greene: Eyewitness to the American Revolution
2026-03-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual, N/A
Carol Simon Levin portrays Catharine “Caty” Greene, the indomitable wife of Nathanael Greene, one of Gen. George Washington’s most valued officers. Known as a witty raconteur, she enlivened the spirits of officers and troops alike as the war ranged from New Jersey to South Carolina, famously dancing for 3 hours straight with George Washington. Her pluck and spirit carried her through victories and tragedies not only during the war but throughout a remarkable life of resilience and reinvention. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lawrence Library on Wednesday, March 18, 7:00 pm. Please visit events.mcl.org to register to receive the link to the program.

In Conversation with Dr. Cal Newport (via Zoom)
2026-03-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Online
Registration via Zoom required: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/QekQY1DeROCiL80vn4Cv3g
Join us for a fascinating Q&A with Cal Newport, a Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University and a leading voice on the intersection of technology and ethics. As the New York Times bestselling author of eight books—including Deep Work and Slow Productivity—Dr. Newport’s work explores how to live and work with intention in an increasingly distracted world.
Beyond his books, which have sold over three million copies, he is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and host of the Deep Questions podcast. We invite you to be part of the conversation: you may submit questions for Dr. Newport via the registration form or contribute them live during the event.
This event is part of our 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.

Tech Night In
2026-03-20 17:00 - 21:00 | At Home
How well do you know your child’s digital world?
Tech Night In is an evening for families to explore and share technology together. Technology doesn’t have to be a wall between us—it can be a bridge. This initiative provides resources and prompts for interactive, tech-based family activities that spark creativity and connection.
This program is in partnership with the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance, Digital Wellness Initiative, and Hopewell Valley Regional School District.
This event is part of 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.

2nd Annual Hopewell Quarry Polar Plunge
2026-03-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Hopewell Quarry, 180 Crusher Road, Hopewell, NJ, 08525, United States
While we experience our first tastes of Spring, the Hopewell Quarry is still encased in a sheet of ice! Join us at the Hopewell Quarry March 21st, from 10am-12pm for the 2nd Annual Hopewell Quarry Polar Plunge Fundraiser. All proceeds will go towards the Hopewell Quarry. Spectator tickets will be available again for those souls unwilling to brave the frigid Quarry waters. For more information on our fundraising objectives, please click here!
2nd Annual Polar Plunge
When: March 21st, 10am-12pm
Where: The Hopewell Quarry, 180 Crusher Road, Hopewell, NJ 085525
Pre-Registration: Now until March 20th, 6pm
Special Donations can be made to Hopewell Swift Water Rescue and EMS.
Want to sponsor this event? Please email hello@hopewellquarry.org
Pre-Registration for the 2nd Annual Hopewell Quarry Polar Plunge begins today!
Get your reduced tickets now!
Pre-Registration ends March 20th at 6pm.

Spring Artisan Market
2026-03-21 12:00 - 2026-03-22 17:00 | Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes, NJ, 08551, United States
Local artisans will be lining our tasting room barn on March 21 and 22, 12-5PM. Live music and food each day. Wines available in tastings, flights, by the glass, bottle, or case to go. Grab a glass of your favorite wine and shop from local vendors! Antimos Italian Kitchen on property Saturday, Sunday food vendor soon to be announced. Music will also be announced soon.

If you are interested in being a vendor, please reach out to terese@unionvillevineyards.com or call (908)788-0400 ext 2. Terese Lecusay, the winery’s Tasting Room Manager, is the only official contact for this event. She will not message you from any other Facebook, email, or phone number.

The Founding Mothers: Women Who Shaped a Nation
2026-03-23 19:00 - 20:00
Monday, March 23, 7:00 pm
The “Mothers” of America—women whose influence on the early United States echoed for centuries—are often overlooked. Beyond the familiar names of Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, countless women played vital roles in shaping the nation. From soldiers and spies to writers, printers, scholars, farmers, and artists, their courage and contributions—whether during years of war or in a single heroic act—had lasting impact. In this talk, Laura Keyes highlights these remarkable women, exploring their bravery, achievements, and enduring legacies as eyewitnesses to the nation’s founding. Please visit events.mcl.org to register to receive the link to the program.

The Secrets of Butterfly Gardening - What do Butterflies Really Need?
2026-03-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 W Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ, 08525, United States
Discover the secrets to creating a thriving butterfly garden by learning what these delicate pollinators truly need. This workshop covers essential elements like host plants, nectar sources, and the basics of habitat design to attract and sustain butterflies. Gain insights into their behavior, life cycle, and role in a healthy ecosystem while picking up practical tips to transform any space—big or small—into a butterfly-friendly haven. Join us to bring your garden to life with color, movement, and biodiversity.
Light refreshments will be provided. We will also have a variety of native butterfly host plant seeds to help you start your garden! Participants are encouraged to bring their own collected or extra seeds to share and exchange with others.
Speaker Bio:
Kirsi Bhasin is passionate about butterflies and dedicated to native plants and sustainable land stewardship. Winner of the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve Land Ethics Award, she serves on the Hopewell Township Environmental Commission and leads the Hopewell Valley Gardens for Wildlife team. A Rutgers Environmental Steward with training from the “Knowing Native Plants” course at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, she is committed to promoting conservation and ecological restoration. Her work has been featured in NABA’s Butterfly Gardener magazine.
Registration required.

The Great Silence of Lichens: Biology, Ecology, and Listening via Zoom
2026-03-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Online
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 @ 7 PM via zoom
Registration Required
What do lichens—those quiet crusts on rocks and trees—have to do with intelligence, communication, and loss? Lichens are not single organisms but living partnerships between fungi and photosynthetic partners, thriving in some of the harshest environments on Earth and recording ecological change over centuries. Their slow growth, long lives, and sensitivity to disturbance make them powerful indicators of what we notice—and what we overlook—in the natural world.
In this online talk, biologist and author Dennis Waters explores the remarkable biology and ecology of lichens through the lens of Ted Chiang’s acclaimed short story The Great Silence. No background in biology or literary theory is required—just curiosity about the living world and the stories we tell about it.
About Our Presenter: Dennis Waters is a retired Internet publisher. He recently stepped down after 12 years of service as Lawrence Township Historian. Currently he is a visiting scientist at the Chrysler Herbarium at Rutgers University. Dennis serves as president of the Lawrence Township Environmental Education Foundation, and trustee of the Lawrence Township Community Foundation.
A Beyond The Page program in partnership between The Pennington Public Library and The Sourland Conservancy.

Caring for Our Kids: A Community Event on Student Mental Health
2026-03-26 00:00
he Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance, in collaboration with the Hopewell Township Health Department and Victory Bay are pleased to announce this upcoming event.

Caring for Our Kids: A Community Event on Student Mental Health
📅 Date: Saturday, November 15
🕕 Time: 10AM-12PM
📍 Location: Hopewell Valley Central High School Community Room
🎟️ Free and open to all parents, caregivers and community members
🗣️ Keynote Presentation: “Recognizing When Your Child Needs Support”
Join us for a morning focused on supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of students of all ages. This community event will feature a keynote presentation by a mental health expert offering practical tools for recognizing when children may be struggling—and how to help them cope and thrive.

The morning will also include access to local resources and community support services, along with opportunities to connect with others who care about the well-being of our youth.
Whether you’re a parent, caregiver or community member, your presence makes a difference.
🧠 Let’s work together to ensure every child feels seen, heard, and supported. Please help us spread the word by sharing this email with friends and colleagues! The event flier can be viewed here.

RSVP is preferred but walk-ins are welcome!

New Beginnings: Preparing for a Move as a Senior
2026-03-26 00:00
Friday, October 10, 1:00 pm

When your home starts to feel oversized and maintenance becomes daunting, you have a whole new set of choices and challenges to consider. The idea of downsizing and moving can feel overwhelming. Where to start? Who can help me? Where would I go? This workshop will highlight various aspects of the process and the preparation needed when making a move as a senior.

Registration is requested.

Hopewell Branch

245 Pennington-Titusville Rd.

Pennington, NJ 08520

609-737-2610

The “What If?” Art Show
2026-03-27 08:00 - 2026-04-03 17:00 | Global Neurosciences Institute (GNI), 10 Route 31 North, Pennington, NJ, United States
Location: Global Neurosciences Institute, 10 NJ-31 N, Pennington, NJ
When: March 27 – April 30, 2026
Visiting Hours: Mon–Thu (8 am–8 pm) & Fri (8 am–6 pm), closed Saturdays & Sundays
Admission: Free and open to the community

What Happens When We Let Our Minds Wander?
We are excited to announce The “What If?” Art Show, a special exhibition hosted at the Global Neurosciences Institute in partnership with the Hopewell Valley Arts Council and the Pennington Public Library.

This collection features 14 local artists of all ages. You’ll find everything from whimsical robots and upcycled works to thoughtful reflections on nature and abstract dreams—echoing the inventive spirit of Ted Chiang’s Exhalation by exploring the ‘what ifs’ of our own existence. It’s an intimate, cozy space designed to offer a moment of quiet inspiration for everyone.

Families are encouraged to stop by! It’s a wonderful way to spark “What If?” conversations with the kids!

Come celebrate the diverse voices of our community!
We invite the public to enjoy this exhibition at their own pace. As this an active medical space, we thank you for your quiet presence as you celebrate the diverse voices our community.

Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt in Lawrence Twp.
2026-03-28 12:00 - 15:00 | 1 Bishops’ Drive, Lawrenceville, N.J., 08648, 1 Bishops’ Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648, United States
Lawrence Healthcare Campus Partnering with Lawrenceville Main Street
Hop on down to Lawrence Healthcare Campus for a Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 28, at noon. Located at 1 Bishops Drive, the campus is once again partnering with Lawrenceville Main Street to bring the Easter Bunny to Lawrence Twp. for this free-admission, family-friendly program.
This popular annual hunt is open to the public. Attendees can enjoy pictures with the Easter Bunny and live music from local band BK Rivers. Gorecki General Construction and Nosh Homemade Empanadas are also sponsoring the event.
Lawrenceville Main Street, a small community non-profit organization, is dedicated to building community, supporting and developing small businesses, and beautifying the historic Main Street. The organization relies entirely on community support through donations and sponsorships.
The Lawrence Healthcare Campus is a continuing care senior living and skilled nursing community. It includes assisted living at The Terraces at Lawrence, and skilled nursing care at The Meadows at Lawrence, Lawrence Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center  and Lawrence Rehabilitation Hospital.

L.O.V.E. Jazz Band Performance at UUCWC March 29th
2026-03-29 12:00 - 14:00
UUCWC HOSTS JAZZ CONCERT March 29 at 12 pm
Looking for an opportunity to hear amazing jazz? Join the congregation at the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing on Sunday, March 29th at 12 p.m. for a performance by the L.O.V.E Jazz Orchestra, a large jazz ensemble featuring the most in-demand jazz musicians in Philadelphia. The group will perform big band arrangements of jazz standards, as well as brand new compositions by members of the band. Prioritizing diverse musical perspectives and voices in the vein of big band greats Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, L.O.V.E.J.O. aims to elevate the amazing musicians in the city of Philadelphia by presenting new works to receptive audiences. With Najwah Parkins, voice.
The concert takes place at 268 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, N.J. Suggested donation is $20 for adults and $10 for children. UUCWC is ADA-accessible. All are welcome!
For more information, call (609) 737-0515 or visit www.uucwc.org.

Westminster Community Orchestra presents Love and Fate
2026-03-29 15:00 - 16:30 | Hillman Performance Hall, Westminster Choir College, 101 Walnut Lane, Princeton, NJ, 08540, United States
Join the Westminster Community Orchestra and Dr. Ruth Ochs on March 29th at 3:00 p.m. for “Love and Fate,” a concert featuring soprano Ally Christiansen performing arias—Mozart’s “Ruhe sanft” from Zaide and Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges’, “Du tendre amour” from L’amant anonyme, plus Louise Farrenc’s Overture No. 2, Adoration by Florence Price, and the first movement of John Baston’s Concerto in C Major for Recorder and Strings, performed by Juliana Correa Ogihara. The program concludes with Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No 5 in C minor.
Ally Christiansen is a 2024 Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy graduate from Rider University’s Westminster Choir College. During her time at Westminster, she sang in the Westminster Symphonic Choir as well as in the prestigious Westminster Singers. The second-place winner in the Westminster Conservatory Concerto Competition, Juliana Correa Ogihara was born in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and began recorder studies at the age of seven. She moved to New Jersey in 2024 and attends Millstone River School.
The concert will take place in Hillman Hall, in the Cullen Center, on the Westminster campus, Walnut Lane, in Princeton. There are no tickets required; a suggested admission of $10/person cash will be collected at the door. For more information, please contact the Westminster Conservatory office by phone, 609-921-7104, email, conservatory@rider.edu, or visit https://www.rider.edu/about/events/westminster-community-orchestra-love-and-fate

A Question of Humanity: A Feature Of Two TV Episodes
2026-03-29 15:00 - 17:00 | Pennington Public Library, 30 North Main Street, Pennington, NJ, 08534, United States
Man or Machine: Where Do We Draw the Line?
Explore the “Question of Humanity” through two iconic episodes of The Twilight Zone and Star Trek. Join our community discussion on AI, ethics, and the soul. Is it life, or is it just hardware? You decide.
This event is part of 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.

Camille Claudel and Frida Kahlo: Two Unwavering Artists!
2026-03-30 19:00 - 20:00
Monday, March 30, 7:00 pm
Camille Claudel was a visionary French sculptor whose emotionally charged works in bronze and marble explored love, loss, and human psychology. Overshadowed in her lifetime and long linked primarily to Auguste Rodin, she died in relative obscurity. Today, her art is being rediscovered and celebrated through major international exhibitions. Frida Kahlo was a groundbreaking painter known for her vivid, often surreal self-portraits exploring identity, pain, gender, and Mexican culture. Though her talent was not fully recognized during her lifetime, her work is now celebrated worldwide. In November 2025, her painting “The Dream, The Bed” set a new auction record, underscoring her lasting impact and continued rise in recognition. Both women lived lives of extraordinary creativity alongside deep personal struggle — and both are now widely celebrated for the lasting impact of their art. Presented by Jeanne Johnson, docent at the Princeton University Art Museum as well as Morven Museum and Gardens. Please visit events.mcl.org to register to receive the link to the program.

Trenton City Museum announces Juror and Call for Art for annual Ellarslie Open
2026-04-01 - 2026-05-06 | Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, 1 Theater Lane, Trenton, NJ, 08618, United States
(Trenton, NJ) Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie announces the 2026 juror and the Call for Art for its annual Ellarslie Open juried art show. Adam Welch, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton, will jury the 2026 show. Artists are invited to submit artwork online, from April 1 through May 6, for consideration by the juror.
Showcasing contemporary work by artists from across the NJ-PA-NJ region and beyond, the Ellarslie Open, which debuted in 1983, is one of the area’s premier annual juried shows. In 2025, out of over 520 entries, 110 diverse works were selected. The 2026 show will open with an Artists’ and Members’ Reception Saturday, June 6, and will remain on view through September 6. Gallery talks and other related programming will be announced.
Cash awards are given for Best In Show Overall, five category prizes, and special sponsored awards. Artists may submit up to four pieces. Full instructions, timeline, and entry link are found at ellarslie.org/eo43.
ABOUT THE JUROR
Juror Adam Welch is the Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton. He serves on the Princeton University Art Museum’s Community Leadership Council and trustee of the Witherspoon–Jackson Historical and Cultural Society. Until recently, he also served as a commissioner on the Hightstown Cultural Arts Commission. An artist, critic, educator, and amateur historian, Welch joined the Arts Council of Princeton after a long tenure at Greenwich House Pottery, where he worked from 2003 to 2020. He was appointed Assistant Director in 2007 and became Director in 2010. That same year, he was appointed a lecturer at Princeton University, where he taught until 2021. Welch holds an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BFA, with a minor in Art Education, from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. He lives in Hightstown, New Jersey, with his wife Rachel, a fashion designer, and their two daughters, Amelie and Finley.
ABOUT TRENTON CITY MUSEUM AT ELLARSLIE
Trenton City Museum is housed in Ellarslie Mansion, an 1848 Italianate Villa in the heart of Trenton’s historic Cadwalader Park, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Ongoing and rotating shows explore Trenton’s history and culture and showcase contemporary regional fine arts. Museum hours are Friday and Saturday from 12 noon to 4 pm and Sundays from 1 to 4 pm. There is no admission charge, but donations in support of the museum’s mission and programs are appreciated. Visit ellarslie.org.
For more on Ellarslie Open 43: ellarslie.org/eo43; exhibits@ellarslie.org; 609-989-1191.
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Caption: The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion encourages artists to enter its Ellarslie Open Call for Art between April 1 and May 6. The show’s Prospectus and entry information available at ellarslie.org/eo43. The annual exhibition, juried this year by Adam Welch, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton, will open Saturday, June 6, and run through September 6, 2026.

New exhibition at Trenton City Museum: African American Abstractions
2026-04-02 - 2026-05-24 | Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, 1 Theater Lane, Trenton, NJ, 08618, United States
Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie announces the new show African American Abstractions, a vibrant and colorful showcase filling three galleries with works by James E. Dupree, Femi J. Johnson, and Kenneth J. Lewis. Janis Purcell worked closely with the artists as the exhibition’s curator. African American Abstractions is on view through May 24. Aligned with the show are a free Family Workshop on Abstract Art Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to noon and an Artists’ Roundtable Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. Information is available on the museum’s website.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
James Dupree has been a practicing artist in the city of Philadelphia for over five decades. With exhibitions and residencies of national and international scope, Dupree has created a legacy within the world of Fine Arts and Culture. His mediums include but are not limited to paint, mixed media, and sculpture.
With 35 different series of work reflecting the life of a contemporary African American Artist, Dupree’s art treads the line between politics, culture, and fine art. What lies beyond the viewer’s initial aesthetic impression, are poignant messages on race and class. As a master of his craft, the intentionality behind his work is supported by the intersection of his expression of color, form, and unparalleled technique. Paired with Dupree’s ardent activism as a stronghold within the Philadelphia community for the last forty years, this artist and agitator carefully impacts all which he touches.
Dupree holds a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design, an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania, and has attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. After, he went on to teach at Arts Centers and Fine Arts Schools, including Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, University of Pennsylvania, and Crewe and Alsager College in England.
Currently, James Dupree owns and operates two Contemporary Fine Art galleries. Dupree Gallery Philadelphia, which has been open since the 1980’s, is located at 703 South 6th Street in Philadelphia, The newest gallery location is located in the vibrant small town of Lambertville New Jersey at 10 North Union Street. Both locations host a variety of solo and group exhibitions of artwork crafted by renowned national and international contemporary artists.
Femi J. Johnson’s abstract storyscapes embody a uniquely raw and permissive form of contemporary abstraction. Floating harmonized color, shaped figural elements, and snippets of line drawing all find their position and coalesce as expressions of Johnson’s worldview. Familiar places, formal or self-educated beliefs, and personal or media-influenced subjects abstractly saturate his mutable compositions, freeing the viewer to explore interchangeable scenarios. Translating chaos into temporary but believable order on canvas, Johnson’s cohesive improvisations exalt the rich connectivity of life.
Femi J. Johnson was born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in Easton, Pennsylvania. His early talent in graphite and charcoal drawing led to a professional career as a Master Draftsman & Designer for companies in Pennsylvania and New York. After thousands of technical drawings over decades of work, Johnson redirected his creative energy back to the fine arts. He studied in a two-year studio art program at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York, where his engagement with contemporary and modernist art in commune with his Yoruba spirituality inspired his emerging studio practice. In 2012 Johnson returned to the Lehigh Valley, where he currently works out of his studio in downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania. He has exhibited extensively across the region and internationally, with works in corporate and private collections.
Johnson is documented in Afrocosmologies: American Reflections at the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut. Shifting Time: African American Artists 2020-2021. A Gathering Of The Tribes#16: The Black Lives Matter Issue.
His work is held in the permanent collections of The Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art in Asbury, New Jersey; the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland, in College Park, Maryland.
In 2016 Johnson was recognized with an Allentown Arts Ovation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Arts. From November 2018 through July 2019, he was named Allentown Art Museum’s Artist-in-Residence, and for five years, Johnson has been a featured artist at the Museum’s Cocktails and Collecting event. He remains actively engaged as a teacher, mentor, and ardent supporter of the arts community.
Kenneth J. Lewis Sr. is a self-taught contemporary visual artist, born and raised in New Jersey. Remarkably, he did not paint at all until the age of 47—creating his first work after experiencing a sudden, overwhelming urge to express himself through art. Since that pivotal moment, he has developed a powerful and personal visual language that blends abstraction, symbolism, geometry, and landscape.
His works often begin with layered and expressive backgrounds. From this abstract foundation, he constructs environments and structures—typically using painter’s tape to shape forms, pathways, and geometric compositions. Kenneth’s pieces feature vibrant acrylics, hand-drawn details, spray paint, pastels, and oil glazes. His process allows for both spontaneous expression and structured design, reflecting the balance between chaos and order in life.
Kenneth’s artistic practice is rooted in passion, energy, and intuition. He lives a creative and stress-free life, often painting for hours at a time in his gallery/studio, the KJL Art Sanctuary in Ewing, NJ. This space serves not only as his personal studio but also as a gallery and community hub for exhibitions, paint parties, and workshops. It accommodates up to 20 people and is available by appointment.
His work has been exhibited in public and private spaces throughout New Jersey and beyond—including Capital Health Gallery in Hopewell, the Hamilton Township Library (where his works have rotated every six months for over six years), Trenton Public Library, Starbucks Trenton, Ewing Municipal Building, Trenton Social, and numerous group exhibitions. He has upcoming solo shows and large-scale projects scheduled through 2026.
Kenneth J. Lewis Sr. is driven not by academic theories or traditional rules, but by the emotional and spiritual force behind creation. His mantra, “One moment. One muse. One masterpiece,” captures the essence of his work: deeply human, rooted in experience, and boldly expressive.
About Trenton City Museum
Trenton City Museum is housed in Ellarslie Mansion, an 1848 Italianate villa in the heart of Trenton’s historic Cadwalader Park, which was designed by the legendary Frederick Law Olmsted. The building, which is on the National Historic Register, is owned by the City of Trenton and operated by the nonprofit Trenton Museum Society, founded in 1973. The museum explores and celebrates Trenton’s history and culture, showcases contemporary art, artists, and performers, and offers a variety of community gatherings, classes, and workshops throughout the year for all ages. Hours are Thursdays through Saturdays, 12 to 4 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. There is no admission to view exhibits; donations are welcomed.
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Caption: Left to right: Artists Kenneth J. Lewis, Sr., James E. Dupree, and Femi J. Johnson spoke at the opening reception for the new art exhibition African American Abstractions, on view at Trenton City Museum through May 24. Learn more about the exhibition and related programs at ellarslie.org and 609-989-1191.

Spring Flower Sale – Pennington Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary
2026-04-02 08:00 - 17:00 | Pennington Fire Company, Pennington, NJ, United States
The Pennington Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary will host its annual spring flower sale Thursday through Saturday, April 2–4, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 120 Broemel Place in Pennington (across from the post office).
The sale will feature a variety of seasonal flowers and plants, with early shopping encouraged for the best selection.
Proceeds support the Pennington Fire Company and its ongoing service to the community.

Spring Flower Sale – Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad, Titusville
2026-04-02 08:00 - 18:00 | Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad, 1396 River Road, Titusville, NJ, United States
The Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad in Titusville will hold its annual spring flower sale Thursday through Saturday, April 2–4, beginning at 8 a.m. each day at 1396 River Road.
A selection of spring flowers and plants will be available for purchase.
Proceeds benefit the fire company and rescue squad’s emergency response services in the community.
