5 Things You Need to Know About This Weekend

Here are five upcoming events in Lawrence Township that you need to know about. Additional activities are listed in Lawrenceville Patch’s events calendar.

Friday, May 13 – Slackwood PTO Family Science Night

Slackwood Elementary School PTO, in conjunction with Mad Science, will host a Family Science Night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today, May 13. Tickets are $5 per child, and adults are free with the purchase of a child’s ticket. Food will be available for purchase throughout the event. For more details, see the flyer in the PDF box to the right.

Saturday, May 14 – Ben Franklin PTO Annual Spring Sale

On Saturday, May 14, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. dozens of yard sale sellers, crafters, and professional vendors will fill the circular driveway in front of Ben Franklin Elementary School, 3929 Princeton Pike, for the Ben Franklin PTO’s second annual Spring Sale. There also will be moon bounce rides and face painting for children and raffles and a cash 50/50 drawing for adults. Lawrence High School cheerleaders will perform and interact with kids. The PTO will sell donated flea market items in an area called “Let’s Make a Deal” and Ben Franklin third-grade students will sell refreshments. Last year, close to 100 sellers participated. View the flyer in the PDF box above for more details or visit the BF PTO Spring Sale page of Facebook. Anyone with questions should contact Amy Davis at afdavis814@verizon.net or (609) 883-8808.

Saturday, May 14 – Main Street House Tours

Lawrenceville Main Street will host its sixth biennial house tour, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 14. This year’s theme, “Country Living,” celebrates the rural, agricultural heritage of today’s suburban community. Visitors will have the opportunity to view six residences in Lawrence Township – the earliest built around 1720 – that retain their traditional ties to the land. Some local restaurants will offer discounts for lunch on the day and the Lawrenceville Main Street Artists Network art gallery will be open. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the event. Click here for more information, including a list and photos of the houses to be toured.

Sunday, May 15 – Bird Watching Nature Walk

“Warbling Wonders – Who is Whistling in the Woods?” will be presented by naturalist Rich Dutko at the Lawrence Nature Center at 481 Drexel Ave. at 9 a.m. on May 15. The event is free but registration is required and can be done by calling the township Recreation Department at (609) 844-7067. “New Jersey is world-renowned for our migrating warblers. Countless birds pass through our state in the month of May as they head to northern breeding grounds. Often the birds will ‘drop out’ of the sky into forest patches to forage on spring insects and replenish depleted food reserves from their long journey. Join naturalist Rick Dutko as we walk, watch and listen for birds within the Drexel Woods. Boots are required as the trails are wet and muddy in the Spring. If you have binoculars bring them; some binoculars will be available to borrow for the morning but the number is limited.”

Sunday, May 15 - Lawrence Township Diversity/Cultural Day

Lawrence Township will celebrate the different ethnic and cultural groups living in the community by holding Diversity/Culture Day 2011 from noon to 4 p.m. on May 15 in the commons/cafeteria area of Lawrence High School. The event will feature different cultural foods, music, performances and exhibits.

And here are a few other upcoming local events you might want to take note of:

Monday, May 16 – Slackwood PTO Fundraiser

A fundraiser benefiting the PTO of Slackwood Elementary School will be held on May 16, at the Rita’s ice cream stand at 2070 Brunswick Pike, near Whitehead Road. Anyone who presents a special flyer between noon and 6 p.m. will see 20 percent of their total purchase donated to the school.   

Friday, May 20 – 2011 Lawrence Township Relay for Life

The Lawrence Township 2011 Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society will be held on the Lawrence High School campus at 2525 Princeton Pike  on Friday, May 20, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Click here to register for the event. Anyone with questions should contact Jenn Polakowski at (609) 671-5431 or jpolakowski@ltps.org.

Saturday, May 21 – National Alliance on Mental Illness Walk

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Mercer, in conjunction with Lawrenceville Main Street, will participate in the fourth state-wide NAMI Walk to combat the stigma of mental illness and improve the lives of families affected by it.

The 5K walk will be held on Saturday, May 21 at Rider University, 2083 Lawrence Rd. (Route 206). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by the walk at 10 a.m. There will be community activities until 3 p.m., including a complimentary picnic lunch, music by local bands, games on the field, and a mini-marketplace. Anyone wishing to register for the walk, form a team, become a sponsor or make a donation should visit the website www.namimercer.org or call (609) 799-8994. NAMI Mercer is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.