Weekend Picks: It’s All About Mom

Mother’s Day down the Shore? Mother’s Day in the Jersey countryside? Mother’s Day shopping? In all ways, have we got you covered!

Victorian Ocean Grove has a Mother-Daughter Weekend. Participating inns and hotels are offering special rates and discount coupons for local restaurants. There’s a music and art festival on Saturday, then on Sunday there’s a flower arranging demonstration, jewelry show and carriage tours. All that and the beach, too! More at www.oceangrovenj.com.

Or take Mom to the Mother's Day Food and Wine Festival at Alba Vineyards, in rural Finesville near the Delaware River. There will be (of course) food and wine, plus hot air balloon rides, a horse and carriage tour of the vineyard, and music from the VooDUDES, who combine jazz, rock, and zydeco. Bring the kids for face painting, sand art, moon bounce, pony rides.

If you are still shopping for Mom, we’ve got a special pick. From today through Saturday the Junior League of Montclair-Newark is hosting its Spring Shopping Extravaganza and French Flea Market, where you find seasonal fashions, accessories, jewelry and assorted gifts at bargain prices. Proceeds go to JLMN programs that help children at risk.

If you don’t mind celebrating late, get all your Mom friends together and head to Princeton next Thursday, a week from today. That’s when Palmer Square merchants host a Girls Night Out, 5:30 to 9, with discounts and free gifts from the fabulous boutiques in the area. We are telling you a week ahead of time because you need to sign up (it’s free) to get the gift bag, V.I.P. card, shopping guide and free parking. Email events@palmersquare.com or call (609) 921-2333.

Maybe there’s a play Mom wants to see? If you live in North Jersey, take her to see Enchanted April, staged by The Strollers Community Theatre in Maplewood. And if you live in South Jersey, try Forever Plaid at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman. Both shows are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Also in South Jersey there’s Bordentown’s 11th Annual Iris Festival, with artists, antiques, jazz musicians, and the amateur iris growers competition all nestled among the quaint shops and excellent restaurants downtown.

And everywhere around the state (at least everywhere there’s lots of birds) you might see people wandering around with binoculars. They are competing in the 25th Annual World Series of Birding, sponsored by the New Jersey Audubon Society. An intrepid NJ My Way correspondent will be among them, and report back to you on Monday.

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