Giveaway: Hey Montclair, Get Ready To Dancy Dance! Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE! is Coming to The Wellmont

BY  |  Friday, Nov 30, 2012 2:30pm  |  COMMENTS (28)

WINNER: Congratulations to roshaiman! Contest is now closed.

Are You Ready?…Yea? It’s time to dance and get the sillies out right here in Montclair!  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! is coming to The Wellmont Theatre for two shows Sunday, February 10.

The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out. DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans across North America to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! Get the Sillies Out! tour.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is a state-of-the-art production and an interactive experience that offers famlies of all ages the opportunity to witness their favorite characters come to life when DJ Lance Rock and fans say the magic words, “Yo Gabba Gabba!”.Hip-hop legend Biz Markie will join the cast on stage for Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! with Biz’s Beat of the Day. The show will also feature Super Music Friends and Dancey Dance guest performances. Past Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! guest performances have included Cold War Kids, Matt Costa, Moby, DMC (Run DMC), Shaggy, Snoop Dogg, Dave Grohl, Jon Heder, Talib Kweli, Mix Master Mike, Kid Sister, Jason Reitman, Zac Brown and the Drive By Truckers and more!

We gave away tickets to this show last summer when it played at the MSG. And we’re excited to offer a ticket giveaway again to all the Yo Gabba Gabba fans out there: one lucky reader will win 4 tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!: Get the Sillies Out! at The Wellmont Theatre on Sunday, February 10 at 2 pm.

Keep reading to find out how to enter….

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Weekend Highlights: Your Guide to Family Fun

BY  |  Friday, Nov 30, 2012 12:30pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

The first weekend in December is a BUSY weekend for families! We’ve told you about:

And yes, there’s even more.

See, it is a super busy weekend! And there’s even more!

Check our Upcoming Events to find out all the local happenings and details. Also, if you haven’t already, sign up for our newsletter to get some great deals and find out about more great events and subscribe to our daily newsletter so you don’t miss a thing on Barista Kids. While you’re at it, “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and check out our new Pinterest page. We post a lot of important information over there, so you don’t want to miss out.

Here are this weekend’s highlights:

Head over to the Essex Environmental Center to make your own gingerbread house and then enter it in the annual contest! (Saturday, December 1)

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The Special Connection: C Variations Music Workshop for Children on the Autism Spectrum at MPL

BY  |  Friday, Nov 30, 2012 11:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Does your family enjoy Broadway, Folk, Rock n’ Roll and Children’s music? Alex Kveton and Matt Mazur’s C Variations workshop leads children with autism through a program in which they will move, sing, and “C” variations between multiple instruments. C Variations incorporates rhythm intervention techniques that are helpful for body awareness and visual spatial development.

Parents, family members, or caregivers are encouraged to participate with their children in a positive, singular experience. Afterwards there will be a demonstration of instruments including guitars, a viola and an electric violin. Don’t miss this groundbreaking opportunity for families to connect!

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Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts Presents the Annual SMAPA “FUN-RAISER”

BY  |  Friday, Nov 30, 2012 9:30am  |  COMMENTS (0)

For the sixth consecutive year Sharron Miller’s Academy For the Performing Arts (SMAPA) will host a holiday “Fun-Raiser” in support of its three scholarship funds:  The General Scholarship Fund supports deserving children who would not otherwise be able to afford training through partial tuition support; The Joyce Copeland Scholarship awards full tuition to a gifted and talented young student between the ages of 10 and 12 for all of their training for one year with a renewal option for the second year; and finally the Performance Workshop Ensemble (PWE) Scholarship Fund which is merit based and supports up to 15 gifted and talented young dancers between the ages of 12 and 18.

The “Fun-Raiser” not only gives attendees an opportunity to support our scholarship funds, but also gives everyone a chance to join in the fun by participating in free demo classes, bidding in our silent auction, or our raffle, but more importantly, attendees get to see the gifted and talented young people of the Performance Workshop Ensemble who will perform throughout the evening.

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Hear Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama at Watchung Booksellers on Sunday

BY  |  Friday, Nov 30, 2012 8:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Montclair is a diverse place. We just may be the blended family capital of the world. Interfaith families will especially love the storytime at Watchung Booksellers this Sunday. Selina Alko will read her book Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, a  joyous celebration of blended families that will make the perfect holiday gift for the many Americans who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah.

I am a mix of two traditions.
From Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama.
How lucky am I?

Holiday time at Sadie’s house means golden gelt sparkling under the Christmas tree, candy canes hanging on eight menorah branches, voices uniting to sing carols about Macabees and the manger, and latkes on the mantel awaiting Santa’s arrival.

Alko will also read her book B is For Brooklyn. Montclair may also have the most Brooklynites outside of Brooklyn, so it’s an added treat for you.

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Local Teens Collect for Jersey Cares Coat Drive

BY  |  Friday, Nov 30, 2012 7:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Drew Kucy (3rd from left), site coordinator for the statewide 17th Annual Jersey Cares Coat Drive, receives coats from members of the teen group of the Greater Essex County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.  The teens collected more than fifty coats as part of a recent community service initiative to support Jersey Cares, which will distribute the winter coats to men, women, children and infants in need. Pictured (l to r) are Teddi Mattox, Brittany Cooper, Mr. Kucy, Julian LaVergne, Courtney Stith, and Erica Ellison. The local Jersey Cares site, Unity of Montclair, 84 Orange Road, will be collecting new and gently used coats now until December 15.  For more information visit online or contact the Montclair site at  973-746-0259.

(Photo : Alexis Ellison)

WANTED: Your Used, Broken and Unwanted Crayons For Kageno Kids

BY  |  Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 4:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Got piles of broken crayons filling your junk drawer? Or, half boxes of used crayons collecting dust? Of course you do, you have kids right?

The Montclair Jewish Workshop wants them! As part of the school’s rich tradition of helping those in need, they’re holding a used crayon drive from November 30 through December 7.

All crayons will be donated to Kageno Kids, a community development project that transforms African communities suffering from inhuman poverty.

Here’s how it works. Kageno Kids melts unwanted crayons and recycles them into new crayons. They sell these new crayons in the U.S. and send the proceeds to Africa.

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Day Trip: North Pole Express

BY  |  Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 1:30pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

I have to be honest. It doesn’t take much to get me choked up this time of year.  What can I say? I’m a big pile of Yuletide mush. Everything from holiday songs and movies to the look of  joy on my daughter’s face this time of year can evoke an emotion in me.  They all give me that tingly, sniffly, eye-watering, cough-to-hide-the-tears feeling. And that is what I got on the North Pole Express at the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad.

Think Polar Express, but take out the hypnotic animation and replace it with good old-fashioned real people. A man goes from car to car playing Christmas songs on his banjo as you sing along and snack on cookies and hot chocolate in the process. Your children dress in their pajamas just like in the movie. But unlike the movie, Santa and Mrs. Claus themselves are on board. They come around to every child to take a picture, ask what they want for Christmas, and give them each a special little gift.

The whole thing is adorable and takes about an hour and a half as you watch the Bucks County countryside roll by out the window. Just over an hour from Baristaville, this train ride is fun, festive, and memorable. It’s become an annual tradition for us. Tickets are a little pricey and be careful if you’re parking in the lot adjacent to the railroad entrance. That’s pricey too.

But I must say, it’s worth it. For nothing else than to see the look on your child’s face, and maybe even to see a grown man get choked up.

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Barista Kids Hip Hanukkah Music Playlist

BY  |  Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 11:30am  |  COMMENTS (1)

This year Hanukkah begins at sunset on Saturday, December 8, and ends at nightfall on Monday, December 17. While all you’re likely hearing these days is Christmas music, there is some really great Hanukkah music. For those of you who are my age, Hanukkah Song by Adam Sandler is the Hanukkah song you think of the most. But times have changed. There are many fun, hip Hanukkah songs for families.

 

Here are a few of our favorites in our Hip Hanukkah Music Playlist:

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Maplewood Music For Aardvarks Free Holiday Party

BY  |  Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Music for Aardvarks of Maplewood is hosting a fun-filled, rockin’ holiday dance party, open to all families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers.  The party will be held at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts in Maplewood Village on Sunday, December 9 in two sessions: 1-2:30 pm and 3-4:30 pm.

Celebrating Hanukkah? Kwanzaa? Christmas? Solstice?  Go dance to it all!  Music For Aardvarks will also have crafts and other activities to keep little party-goers in the holiday spirit.

The party is co-sponsored by Maplewood’s Cupcake Corral,  who’ll be providing their delectable goodies to all party-goers.

You don’t need to take the class in order to join the party.  But you MUST register in advance online here to reserve your spot.

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