Seven things to do make a busy Plainfield Saturday

'Plainfield On The Go' photo exhibit at the Library is one of today's activities.

Besides the Homecoming game, Plainfield offers a variety of Saturday events --

10 AM: SHAKESPEARE GARDEN'S SEASONAL CLOSING

Members of the Plainfield Garden Club invite friends and neighbors to the Shakespeare Garden in Cedar Brook to prepare it for its winter slumber. Dress is casual gardening clothes and folks are invited to bring a tool or two to prepare the garden for winter. Cider and cookies will be served.

The Garden, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been in the care of the Plainfield Garden Club since 1927. The Club is now developing a Friends of the Shakespeare Garden to involve more members of the community in preserving, promoting and protecting this invaluable community asset. Learn more about the Garden and the Club by visiting their website, www.plainfieldgardenclub.org/, or by email at info@plainfieldgardenclub.org.

10 AM: SILHOUETTIST AT SWAIN GALLERIES

Once again, Ann Swain has arranged for silhouettist Ruth Grabner to be available from 10 AM to 3 PM for creating a special gift silhouette of a child, grandchild or pet (or yourself) for the holidays. Ruth is fascinating to watch -- it's really performance art as well. Bust: $25. Full Figure: $50. Duplicates: Half-price. Appointments are recommended (call (908) 756-1707). Swain Galleries is at East 7th Street and Watchung Avenue.

11 AM: PLAINFIELD LIBRARY'S ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST OPENING

'Plainfield On The Go' is the theme of the Library's sixth annual community photo contest, which opens with a reception Saturday morning in the Anne Louise Davis Gallery on the lower level.

Amateur and professional photographers submit photos each year for judging by the library's staff. Entries become part of the Library's permanent record of daily life, activities and sights around town. Awards are made possible by the support of the Friends Of The Plainfield Public Library. The exhibit will hang through December and will then be posted on the Library website.

The Plainfield Public Library is at Park Avenue and 8th Street. There is ample parking in the lot on the corner of Park Avenue and 9th Street.

1 PM: PHS HOMECOMING GAME

Winding up Homecoming Weekend, the Plainfield High School Cardinals will face off against Linden at Hub Stine Field.

Plainfield High's Marching Band will kick off the festivities by marching from the High School to Hub Stine Field. The practice of marching to the field, a custom which old-timers can remember, was recently reinstated by the School District and permission to parade was granted by a unanimous resolution of the City Council.

4 PM: KINGS IN THE KITCHEN AT SHILOH

The men of Shiloh Baptist Church will cook up a storm -- great down home cooking, with flair -- from 4 to 7 PM in a fundraiser for the church's outreach program SHEELD (Shiloh Economic, Entrepreneurial and Lifelong Development Corporation). Under the leadership of Senior Pastor Gerald Lamont Thomas, PhD, Shiloh involves itself in many outreach activities benefiting community youth, seniors and neighborhoods.

$30/Admission, $25/Over 62, $15/12 and under. Shiloh Baptist Church is at West 4th and Liberty Streets. Parking on West 5th Street lot (come in from Plainfield Avenue).

7 PM: BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH BY THE PLAINFIELD SYMPHONY

Continuing its 92nd season, the Plainfield Symphony has a double bill on Saturday evening: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Shostakovitch's Piano Concerto No. 1. A free reception will follow.

Beethoven -- especially the 5th Symphony -- is guaranteed to thrill anyone who comes in the door, aficianado or not. That is both the key to his success with audiences and as a way of introducing new audiences to classical music -- a challenge for all community symphony orchestras, Plainfield's included. Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 will feature Justin Wong, Gold Prize Winner of the Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey.

The Plainfield Symphony performs at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, East 7th Street and Watchung Avenue. For ticket information and more about the program, see my previous post here.

8 PM: ACT IV PRESENTS 'TALKING WITH...'

At the First Unitarian Society, Act IV opens its fall season with a production of 'Talking With...', a collection of monologues by women, including fantasies of a bag lady, the ploys of an actress auditioning for a part and the thoughts of a woman in her 23rd hour of labor. The Act IV production is directed by Barbara Van Savage. Tonight at 8 PM, Sunday at 3 PM (and next weekend). Tickets at the door are $17/person, $14/seniors and students. Info: (908) 756-0750. The First Unitarian Society is at 724 Park Avenue. Parking available in the public lot across Park Avenue.

There are two events for Sunday which I will post later.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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