9 Ways To Celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas And Kwanzaa In Central Jersey

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — From Hannukah to Kwanzaa, there are a lot of unique (and free!) ways to celebrate the holidays in Middlesex County. Here's what's planned:

Haunting Stories & Music from America's Frosty Past: From Wednesday, December 6 — Sunday, December 10, join a wintery holiday show in the Indian Queen Tavern at East Jersey Old Town Village in Piscataway. This 75-minute show is appropriate for the entire family and will highlight stories, choral music and poetry by famous authors like Maya Angelou, Charles Dickens, Robert Frost and Mark Twain. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, and at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10. Tickets for this free performance can be found here.

Highland Park menorah lighting: Thursday, December 7 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Celebrate the festival of lights downtown on the first night of Hanukkah. They will have sufganiyot, dreidels, gelt and of course their giant menorah. Event sponsors are CyberKnight Computers, Mordy's Bakery and 1640 WJPR's Mike Greenberg of the Kol Yehudim Show.

Highland Park farmers' markets: Friday, December 8, 11 am - 4:30 pm and Friday December 15, 11 am - 4:30 pm Held at the pavilion next to 212 Raritan Avenue Shop for produce, baked treats, sauces, spices, pickles, flowers and Christmas trees.

Highland Park Night Owl holiday craft markets: Saturday December 9, 4 pm - 8 pm and Sunday December 10, 12 pm - 4 pm Join us in downtown Highland Park for our outdoor markets featuring local artists, artisans, crafters, food trucks, Christmas trees and more! #ShopSmall and do all your holiday shopping in downtown Highland Park.

Holiday Soul party: On Thursday, December 14 from 4-6 p.m. at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, join a public holiday networking event and enjoy an evening of festive entertainment, light refreshments and wonderful company to close out 2023.

Let us Celebrate! An Evening of Holiday Favorites and Music from Around the World: On Friday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. come to St. Andrew’s Church in Avenel for their 15th anniversary edition of the Woodbridge Community Choir’s Winter Concert.

Selfies with Santa and Mrs. Claus: Grab a selfie stick and come to the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center on Saturday, December 16 from 10 a.m. to noon, and strike a pose for a snapshot with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

Meet Santa At South Amboy/Sayreville McDonald's Dec. 17: Learn more here

Community Kwanzaa Celebration: Join the NAACP New Brunswick Area Branch on Thursday, December 28 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. as they celebrate the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. The afternoon will be filled with performances, community lighting of the Kinara, delicious food and children’s crafts. Free and open to all to attend.

Throughout the month of December, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/artsandculture for full details on all the events listed above and many more! Registration details and links to livestream events are available.