If you feel like braving the cold, there are some great outdoor activities in North Jersey this weekend, like the Meadowlands Eagle Festival and Hibernation Happenings at the Tenafly Nature Center.
Plus, the State Theatre is hosting Winter Prideland, because you don't have to wait until June to celebrate Pride; the Got Sole sneaker convention is in Secaucus; comedian Jessica Kirson performs in Montclair; women's professional hockey is at the Rock; Judith Peck's sculptures are on display in Fair Lawn; and Mina Mendoza's podcast is live in Rutherford.
See below for all the details and the weather forecast, too.
According to the National Weather Service:
State Theatre New Jersey's LGBTQ+ Community Engagement Committee invites you to a Winter Prideland party on Thursday, including live trivia with Revolution Entertainment, catering by Food Architects and other entertainment. Festive attire is encouraged. Plus, enter the Festive Headpiece Combination Contest (any theme you like - Pride, winter, new year, hats, headbands) for a chance to win two tickets to opening night of "The Addams Family" on Jan. 24, plus tickets for the post-show cast party.
Go: Winter Prideland at State Theatre New Jersey studio space, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The party is free to attend but RSVP is required at stnj.org.
Thousands of sneakerheads and young entrepreneurs will come together to buy, sell and trade millions of dollars worth of sneakers, Saturday at the Meadowlands Expo Center. The sneaker convention will feature shoes ranging from $50 to $50,000, special guests, giveaways, clothes, collectibles and more. New York's A Boogie will host the event.
Go: Got Sole at Meadowlands Exposition Center, 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus. Noon to 6 p.m., Saturday. $31.42 general admission (entry at noon with up to three pairs of sneakers); $42.79 VIP admission (entry at 11 with up to five pairs). $20 fee at the door to bring a cart with wheels. gotsole.com
Comedian Jessica Kirson brings her silliness, vulnerability and ridiculous characters to Montclair on Saturday. Her comedic character videos have racked up more than 50 million views on social media and her feature-length documentary, "Hysterical," premiered in 2021. She is a regular on "This Week at the Comedy Cellar" and has appeared on "The Tonight Show" and "The View." She was also a consultant, producer and writer on the film, "The Comedian," in which she also appeared. Her prank call album, "The Call Girls," was released in September and features characters such as old Jewish grandmothers, sexy co-eds, a conservative mother and her gay son, and more. Jessica's characters also come to life in her podcast, Disgusting Hawk. She was awarded Best Female Comic by the MAC association in New York City and received the Nightlife award for Best Stand-up Comedian. She is also a regular contributor to the Howard Stern Show, producing and starring in prank calls.
Go: Jessica Kirson at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour St., Montclair. 8 p.m. Saturday. $35 to $187. wellmonttheater.com.
On Sunday, this event co-hosted by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and the Bergen County Audubon Society will celebrate the majestic raptor and encourage an appreciation for the symbol of our country.
NJSEA and BCAS guides will conduct eagle walks, so bring binoculars to see if you can witness an eagle in flight or perched upon a tree. BCAS president Don Torino will discuss the return of the bald eagle to our area, and Bergen Camera will conduct a program about photographing raptors. Visitors can also stop by the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey table.
The Flat Rock Brook Nature Center is bringing live birds of prey so visitors can experience raptors up-close. A Native American display will feature Marcey Tree In The Wind, an active Ramapough Lenape Nation tribal member, and her husband, Tony Moon Hawk Langhorn, an active member of the Unkechaug Nation. There will be children's games, crafts and table giveaways, and kids are encouraged to bring eagle artwork.
The BCAS Frank M. Chapman Award will be presented, recipients of the Harold Feinberg Conservation Awards will be honored, and bluegrass/folk singer-guitarist Steve Kelman will provide music.
Go: NJ Meadowlands Eagle Festival at DeKorte Park and the Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Free. [email protected], 201-230-4983.
On Sunday, families with children ages 5 and up can learn how cold winter weather finds animals curled up in their dens to stay warm for the winter. Bears, groundhogs, chipmunks and raccoons sleep away the cold weather. Find out which animals are true hibernators and which are merely dormant. Meet a TNC animal ambassador and join a TNC environmental educator for a winter walk to learn which native animals are out and about even in the colder season. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The program will be held indoors or outdoors, but in case of inclement weather, the program will be held indoors.
Go: Hibernation Happenings at TNC, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly. 11 a.m. to noon Sunday. $8 for members; $12 for non-members. Space is limited and advance registration is required. tncnj.org, 201-568-6093, [email protected].
Beginning this season, the Prudential Center is the home of the New York Sirens, one of six teams in the Professional Women's Hockey League, which was began its inaugural season in January. On Sunday, the Sirens will face the Toronto Scepters.
Go: New York Sirens at the Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St., Newark. Noon Sunday; doors open at 11 a.m. $21.50 to $72. prucenter.com.
The opening reception of Peck's exhibit at the public library's Pine Gallery is on Sunday afternoon. The event will include light refreshments. Peck's exhibit will be on view at the gallery through Feb. 3.
Go: Judith Peck's "Sculptural Stories" opening reception at the Pine Gallery, located on Level C of the Maurice M. Pine Public Library, 10-01 Fair Lawn Ave., Fair Lawn. 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. [email protected], 201-796-3400 ext. 5.
Mendoza's podcast, launched in 2020, brings together laughs, insights and a little bit of sass. For the first time, the show is stepping out of the studio and, on Sunday, onto the Williams Center stage. This live late-night talk show experience will feature a monologue from Mendoza, guests, prizes, exclusive merch, live music and more. Two audience members will be selected to play a fast-money game.
Go: The Mina Mendoza Show at the Williams Center, 15 Sylvan St., Rutherford. 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. $15. All ages. williamscenter.co
Have an event coming up? Tell us about it. Write to Daniel Galioto at [email protected].