11 Things to Do in Montclair, NJ This November
By The Char Fitness Club team
November in Montclair is a good month to be local. The museum throws a free party, the Wellmont has a strong run of shows, and Thanksgiving morning brings one of the biggest road races in Essex County. Here are the best things to do in Montclair, NJ this November, with dates checked against each organizer's own page. Plans can change, so click through before you go.
Free and family-friendly things to do in Montclair this November
- Free First Thursday: Analog Night at the Montclair Art Museum (Thu, Nov 5, 5–9 PM). Free admission, art activities, board games, gallery tours, a food truck and a cash bar, all screen-free. 3 South Mountain Ave. Reserve free tickets.
- Family Rave at Lackawanna Station (Sat, Nov 7, 2–5 PM). A daytime dance party for kids and parents, with music, games, inflatables and a foam party. Event details and tickets.
- Art in Nature Day at Van Vleck House & Gardens (Sat, Nov 7, 10 AM–12 PM, rain date Nov 8). Outdoor art stations for ages 3 and up, materials included. $30 per family or $15 per person for the public. 21 Van Vleck St. Sign up.
- The Montclair Farmers' Market (Saturdays, 8 AM–1 PM). The summer season runs through November at the Walnut Street train station, 86 Walnut St. Grab your Thanksgiving produce here. Market info.
Holiday shopping in Montclair
- Montclair Flea Holiday Market (weekends, Nov 28–Dec 20). Up to 130 vendors indoors at 1 Lackawanna Plaza, so the weather doesn't matter. It opens on Small Business Saturday weekend. Market dates and hours.
Live music at the Wellmont Theater in November
The Wellmont, at 5 Seymour St. in Montclair Center, has a busy month:
- Best of the Eagles, Thursday, Nov 12, 8 PM
- The Maine, Friday, Nov 13, 7:30 PM
- Dark Star Orchestra, Thursday and Friday, Nov 19 and 20, 8 PM
- Rival Sons, Wednesday, Nov 25, 8 PM, a good night out before Thanksgiving
See the full lineup and tickets on the Wellmont Theater's Ticketmaster page.
Books, history and a night out
- Art Uncorked at the Montclair Art Museum (Fri, Nov 6, 6–9 PM). The museum's fall art auction and cocktail party. Tickets are $150, $125 for members, and $75 for ages 35 and under and for veterans. Get tickets.
- Hometown Trivia with the Montclair History Center (Wed, Nov 11, 6:30–8 PM). Local history trivia at Just Jake's, raising money for the History Center. Details.
- Hometown History Bus Tour (Sat, Nov 14, 10 AM–12 PM). A two-hour bus ride through Montclair's history, leaving from the Crane House & Historic YWCA. Book the tour.
- Patrick Radden Keefe at Open Book / Open Mind (Tue, Nov 17, 7 PM). The Montclair Public Library hosts the author of "Say Nothing" in conversation with D.T. Max about his new book, "London Falling," at First Congregational Church. $40 includes the book. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Get tickets.
- Deck the Halls (Sat, Nov 21, 6:30–10 PM). The Montclair Foundation's holiday fundraiser at the Montclair Art Museum, with cocktails, dinner and a live auction, honoring Betty Jagoda Murphy and the Human Needs Food Pantry. Tickets and details.
Thanksgiving races near Montclair
The Ashenfelter 8K Classic (Thu, Nov 26) starts at Glen Ridge High School, about a mile from our gym, with the 2K at 8:15 AM and the 8K at 9:00 AM. Prices go up after November 14. If you're running it, our Ashenfelter 8K training plan walks you through the last few weeks, and a Stretch class the weekend after helps with the stiffness.
Thinking ahead to December? Registration for the Montclair Doughnut Run on December 6 goes from $50 to $55 after November 5. And if you ran the NYC Marathon on November 1, start with our marathon recovery plan.
Fit a workout into a busy November
With this much going on, workouts are easy to skip. Our classes are 45 minutes to an hour and capped at 12, so you can fit one in before the farmers market or after work before a show. Try The Trilogy if you only have time for one class that week, or Stretch after a long race or a day on your feet. See the class schedule or compare memberships.
New to Char? Start with a free week
If you've never been to Char, try a week of classes on us. Book in Mindbody, then find us at 8 Hartley St., Unit A + B, Montclair, behind the auto shop on one-way Hartley Street, with street parking on Hartley St., Washington St. and Bloomfield Ave.
