50 Things SHOP & 17 EAT Local Every year, from May to November, the Madison Farmers Market runs Thursdays from 1-6 pm, featuring local farmers and other vendors selling fresh produce, eggs and a variety of other foods, plus crafts, flowers and other non-food items. November 16 is the final day of the season this year. —OB Dodge Field, rosenet.org Take a 18 TASTE Why choose one Madison restaurant when you can try dishes from many? Taste of Madison, a highly anticipated event every year, offers an evening of food from the area’s finest restaurants—plus wine tastings and more. This year’s event will be held on March 4, 2024, at the Madison Hotel. Proceeds fund charitable causes, civic improvements and business development. tasteofmadisonnj.org RIDE 19 in Style Opened in 2015, Hilltop Bicycles in Madison is the company’s flagship location and the epitome of a local bike shop. It hosts occasional bike maintenance classes and weekend “shop rides” that typically end with coffee and donuts. —JD 14A Kings Road, 973-822-2453; hilltopbicyclesnj.com 20 8 Experience MADISON 2023 Enjoy a Night at 21 the THEATER The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is the only theater of its kind in the state, as it is completely dedicated to performing classical works. The theater started in Cape May in 1963 before moving locally in 1972. The main indoor stage is the 22,000-square foot F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, located on the campus of Drew University. You are in for a theatrical treat this season. On tap are Waiting for Godot in September, A Man for All Seasons in October, and A Midwinter Night’s Dream in December to end the season. The theater’s Outdoor Stage is located nearby, on the campus of Saint Elizabeth University. In warm weather, there is nothing quite like seeing a production at the amphitheater. Longtime artistic director Bonnie J. Monte announced this year would be her last after 34 years in the position. Brian B. Crowe is set to succeed her in January 2024 and will become the Shakespeare Theatre’s third artistic director in its 61-year history. —TN 36 Madison Avenue; 973-408-5600; shakespearenj.org 22 Find FILMS Madison has long been a favorite destination for film and TV crews. Ads for brands like Charmin, Kit-Kat, Motorola and Tylenol date back to the 1980s and ’90s, while television shows including The Sopranos and MTV’s The State have used Madison as a backdrop. Watch (or rewatch) movies that were shot here and see if you can spot familiar locations. Among some of the more well-known flicks are 2001’s A Beautiful Mind, which filmed at Fairleigh Dickinson University, as well as The Family Stone, Guess Who?, The Incredible Hulk, Hulk, Spinning Into Butter and The World According to Garp. —JM and Julie Gordon BOOK IT to This Shop The new Nature of Reading Bookshop specializes in books for children and adults about the natural world, climate change, conservation and the different seasons. Owner Hailey Brock (favorite authors: Mary Oliver, Susanna Clarke, Anya Seton and Elena Ferrante) aims to use books to connect with and embrace the changing seasons. Brock also offers custom-curated craft and book gift sets. —JD 22 Main Street, 973-996-4700; thenatureofreading.com THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY 23 Learn Local HISTORY Marcellus Hartley Dodge and Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge gifted the impressive Hartley Dodge Memorial Building to the Borough of Madison in 1935 as a way to remember their late son and to serve the Madison community. Located in the heart of Madison, the historic building serves as borough hall. Stroll over and learn about the history of the borough and this beautiful building. A museum, operated by the Madison Historical Society, is in the works for the building. —OB 50 Kings Road, 973-593-3042; rosenet.org 24 Engage in a Talk at the LIBRARY The bustling Madison Public Library is known for its innovative talks and seminars, which are free and open to the public. Recent seminars have included a lively talk about Vikings and their world, a recounting of dinosaur digs with paleontologist Joe Kchodl, and an exploration of forensic anthropology presented by Philadelphia’s famed Mutter Museum. The library also offers mini-courses on subjects such as women and crime, taught by professors from local institutions including Drew University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. The fee is $95 for five-week classes. —JD 39 Keep Street, 973-377-0722; madisonnjlibrary.org Photos: (Theater) Courtesy of Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey; (Books) Jess Baily, Unsplash.com
50 Things WHY SEU? BECAUSE HERE, YOU WILL SOAR! Apply now at steu.edu/apply NJBusiness_<strong>ExperienceMadison</strong>-7x4.875_02.indd 1 6/21/23 3:21 PM THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY Coming up on the Main Stage! WAITING FOR GODOT September 13 – October 1 By Samuel Beckett A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS October 18 – November 5 By Robert Bolt A MIDWINTER NIGHT’S DREAM December 6 – 31 By William Shakespeare "Re-seasoned" by Bonnie J. Monte and Joseph Discher 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940 Get Your Tickets Today! ShakespeareNJ.org | 973.408.5600 rosenet.org 9
Change language