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December 2024 ...................... Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Festive Fun in New Brunswick

Concert and Tree LightingDecember 5

Kick off the holiday season with a festive concert and tree lighting at Monument Square Park. Join this celebration and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. Free.


Ice Skating at Monument Square ParkDecember 5-7

Glide into the holiday spirit with free ice skating at Monument Square Park! Pre-register to secure your spot.


An Evening with Chevy Chase and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - December 5

Join the State Theatre New Jersey for an unforgettable evening of cheer and celebration of the holiday classic, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, with a special 35th Anniversary screening of the film and a live Q&A with Chevy Chase and his wife Jayni.


Seasonal Traditions at East Jersey Old TownDecember 7

Step back in time at East Jersey Old Town Village, where you can celebrate the holidays with 18th and 19th-century holiday music, offering a unique look at historic holiday traditions. Free.


Carriage RidesDecember 14, 15, 17, 19, 21

Enjoy a magical ride through the city with family-friendly carriage rides featuring majestic Percheron draft horses. Pre-register to secure your spot.


New Year’s Eve FireworksDecember 31

Ring in the new year with a dazzling fireworks display at Monument Square, near the Heldrich Hotel. The perfect way to end the holiday season with a bang! Free.


Visit newbrunswick.com for a full list of holiday activities!

EVENTS, PERFORMANCES, AND FILMS

The Voorhees Choir performs Reena Esmail's powerful 12-part work, The Love of Thousands, alongside a selection of seasonal songs from around the world at the Voorhees Chapel on December 4. Free.


Join the Rutgers University Kirkpatrick Choir and Glee Club for their annual holiday concert, Christmas in Carol and Song, on December 7-8 at the historic Kirkpatrick Chapel on the College Avenue Campus. This festive concert will feature a beautiful blend of traditional holiday songs and exciting new works.


The Rutgers Jazz Ensemble celebrates the 30th anniversary of Maria Schneider's debut recording, Evanescence. Known for her "evocative" and "majestic" compositions, Schneider's work blurs the boundaries between jazz, classical, and beyond, December 6 at the Nicholas Music Center on the Douglass Campus.


NBPAC presents Swinging with the Rat Pack on December 7. Prepare to be transported into the world of nostalgia, music, and comedy with this tribute to the legendary Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Marilyn Monroe.


Just two months into their graduate studies, the artists of the Mason Gross School of the Arts are already making their mark with PROOFS: MFA Visual Arts First-Year Exhibition, an annual show that highlights the diversity and creativity of their interdisciplinary work, through December 10 at the Mason Gross Galleries. Free.


On December 10, the Mason Gross School of the Arts presents the BFA Sophomore Film Showcase at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. This exciting event will feature a diverse range of films in all genres, created by second-year BFA filmmakers. Experience the creativity and talent of emerging filmmakers as they present their work on the big screen.


Join State Theatre New Jersey for Holiday Spirits: Festive Cocktails and Cheer on December 10. Enjoy an evening on the iconic main stage with festive drinks, live music, and holiday cheer featuring a special interactive performance by The New York Belles, a premier acapella quartet that will perform festive classics and intersperse a singalong.


Experience the heartwarming and hilarious play Gene & Gilda at the George Street Playhouse, running through December 22. This captivating production brings the beloved entertainers Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner to life on stage, taking audiences on a journey through their unforgettable love story.


Join the Zimmerli Art Museum's final program of the Smoke and Mirrors exhibition on December 13 to celebrate the release of the latest work by guest curator and renowned advocate Amanda Cachia, known for her passionate commitment to amplifying the voices of artists with sensory disabilities. Free.


View the American Hungarian Foundation's 36th Annual Festival of Trees December 7-January 7. The trees have been decorated by local organizations who have been invited to share the holiday traditions of their culture. And on December 14, visit their Hungarian Christmas Market featuring food and handmade gifts.


The Stress Factory offers their Annual Holiday Comedy Jam on December 18 featuring the comedian TALENT, with a style firmly grounded in impromptu humor and an instinctive, timely delivery.

LECTURES, PRESENTATIONS, WEBINARS

Registration is now open for the Winter 2025 session at the Rutgers Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI-RU). Whether in-person or online, OLLI-RU offers individuals 50 and older the chance to explore new subjects, expand their horizons, and meet new friends in a stimulating, informal environment. With no tests or grades, OLLI-RU provides noncredit courses that are designed to be engaging and fun.


Holidays got you stressed? Join William Smith, a longtime meditator on December 10 as he discusses the extraordinary benefits of meditation. He will also share a powerful meditation technique that will be explained and practiced during the session. Sponsored by the New Brunswick Free Public Library. Free.


The Rutgers Community Living Education Project and The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development present an online webinar, Trauma Risk and Recovery, that will explore types of trauma events that are common and why people with disabilities are more at risk, December 5. Pre-registration is required. Free.

FOR KIDS

On December 5, learn about the Ice Age at the Rutgers Geology Museum's Late Night at the Museum Series. Free.


Physics can be fun! Don’t miss the 25th Annual Rutgers Faraday Children's Holiday Physics Lecture at the Rutgers Physics Lecture Hall on the Busch Campus. This family-friendly event is always a crowd favorite, offering exciting and interactive demonstrations that make science come to life. December 7-8. Free.


Join the Zimmerli Art Museum's family program Art Together on December 8 for this month's activity, Make Your Own Sketchbook. Afterward, guests are encouraged to explore the Zimmerli's exhibition Boundless: Picture Books About Disabilities, to find illustration inspiration. Free.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

Big Chill Rutgers 5K is open for registration. On December 14, be part of the 22nd annual Rutgers Recreation tradition of giving back by providing toys to children in the local community and raising funds for the No Hungry Knights Scholarship Fund.


The 2024-25 Rutgers Basketball season is in full swing! See the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team at Jersey Mike's Arena on December 11 vs. FDU, December 15 vs. Wagner, December 21 vs. Lafayette, and December 29 as they face off against ranked Big Ten opponent Ohio State. While season tickets for the Men’s team are sold out, you can still experience exciting basketball action on December 21 when the Men’s team takes on Princeton for the Never Forget Tribute Classic at the Prudential Center in Newark.


Rutgers Wrestling kicks off the home season with a match on December 6 vs. Lock Haven University at Jersey Mike's Arena.

SCIENCE AND NATURE

Rutgers Gardens' "Explore with an Expert" seminar series continues with Hall Out Your Holly: A Tour of the Holly Collection and Evergreen Garden on December 14.


Observe the night sky through a 20-inch optical telescope at the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory on Rutgers' Busch Campus. Public open viewing nights are scheduled for December 12, 19, and 26, weather permitting. Free.


Immerse yourself in nature at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve and Natural Teaching Area, a 360-acre wooded preserve between the Busch and Livingston campuses in Piscataway. Free.

AROUND TOWN

The Dinner Ministry at The United Methodist Church of New Brunswick is seeking new volunteers, particularly for weekends, to help prepare and serve meals. Whether you can commit to one day or more you will have a meaningful impact on those in need. In addition, the ministry is collecting donations of new or gently used coats, gloves, beanies, and shoes through January. Donations can be dropped off on Mondays. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Pam Epps at 908-705-3852.


Donate a new or gently used toy to the Marine Toys for Tots at Rutgers through December 11. Donation box is located at the Veterans House, 14 Lafayette Street, College Avenue Campus.


Rutgers University is looking for research study participants to receive a medically and culturally tailored Food is Medicine Program for South Asian Adults with cardiometabolic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome. The study includes ready-made meals for the first half of the program and fresh groceries for the second half. All meals and groceries will be free.


Registration for the Rutgers–New Brunswick Winter Session 2025 begins this month. Winter Session is the perfect opportunity to take a winter course and make progress toward your degree while saving money with in-state tuition.


Discover the vibrant public art around campus with a self-guided walking tour, featuring sculptures, murals, scenic spots, and even public pianos. The walking map created by The Mason Gross School of the Arts Scarlet Arts Rx will lead you through a variety of artistic landmarks. It’s a perfect way to explore the creativity around you at your own pace.


Keep our community healthy! COVID-19 testing and vaccines are available in various locations throughout New Brunswick. Free.

DATES TO KNOW

Rutgers Fall Semester Ends

December 11


Rutgers Fall Finals

December 15-22


Rutgers Offices Closed

December 25-January 2


Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 20


Rutgers Spring Semester Begins

January 21

NEW IN TOWN


Knights Public House, 14 Easton Avenue

George Street Pub & Liquor, 302 George Street

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