The Weekend Ahead: Mountain Creek's Fall Fest Opens, a Tricky Tray at the Fairgrounds, and Bob Seger Night in Newton

Good morning, Sussex County. Mountain Creek's Fall Fest opens for its first weekend, Benny's Bodega holds its tricky tray at the Fairgrounds, and the tribute act Hollywood Nights brings Bob Seger's catalog to the Newton Theatre. Here is what is on, and a first look at what your local government did this week.

Friday, September 25

Friday Night Classic Car Show — 4 PM, Lentini Farms. Weekly through October 9.

Benny's Bodega Tricky Tray — 4 PM to 10 PM, Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta.

Music Bingo in Branchville — 7 PM, Milk Street Distillery.

Hollywood Nights: The Bob Seger Experience — 8 PM, Newton Theatre, 234 Spring Street, Newton.

Also running through the weekend and beyond: the Skylands Stadium Jack-o'-Lantern Experience at 94 Augusta Place, through November 1.

Saturday, September 26

Mountain Creek's Fall Fest — 11 AM to 6 PM, 200 Route 94, Vernon. The first of six fall weekends, running through October 25 with a bonus day added October 12. Sky rides, a mountain coaster, bounce houses, a harvest lawn-games area and a pumpkin patch; guided hikes with a sky-ride ticket run at noon, 2 and 4.

Fall Mineral Show — 10 AM to 4 PM, Sterling Hill Mining Museum, 30 Plant Street, Ogdensburg. Discounted rocks, minerals, fossils and crystals.

Karen Ann Quinlan Celebrate A Life 5K Walk — 9 AM to 4 PM, Sussex County Fairgrounds.

Sourdough Starter Class — 10 AM, Hawk Ridge Farm.

Lusscroft Barn Sale and Christmas Cottage Sale — 10 AM, Lusscroft Farm.

Viva Italia! Italian Festival — 11 AM. Details and location.

Thrift Fest — 9 AM, Memory Park.

Also Saturday: a Franklin Borough bus trip to Wind Creek Casino (10 AM, Franklin Borough Hall), a fall market at Madonna Hall, a pressed-flower desk lamp workshop with the Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council (1 PM), a fall fest at Bristol Glen (2 PM) and Smokin' Mo's BBQ at Milk Street Distillery (5 PM). The Sparta Town-Wide Garage Sale runs Saturday and Sunday at homes across the township.

Sunday, September 27

ATHS Metro Jersey Truck Show — 9 AM to 3 PM, Sussex County Fairgrounds.

Hopatcong Monthly Market — 11 AM, Hopatcong Park & Ride / DPW Lot.

Byram Township Free Community Kickball — 3 PM, C.O. Johnson Park.

Also Sunday: "Fool a Fish? — One on One" at the NJ School of Conservation (10 AM), U-Pick Dahlias at Sunset View Farm (1 PM), and Chicken Bingo at Milk Street Distillery (1 PM). Mountain Creek's Fall Fest and the Sparta garage sale both run through Sunday as well.

The full calendar, with times and links, is on our events page.

At town hall this week

The Board of County Commissioners met Wednesday and designated Holly Saraceni as Clerk Pro Tem through the end of the year, rejected all bids for county buses and heavy-duty vehicle repair pending a re-bid, and approved change orders on two construction contracts. Sparta's Township Council and Zoning Board both met this week as well, and the Zoning Board's revised agenda carried two applications. Monday's brief will have the full rundown, including what Franklin's council took up Tuesday.

Ahead: the Newton Advisory Board of Health meets today, with health violations, animal control and new restaurant openings as the standing items. Nothing else had been posted for the week of September 28 as of Thursday; check the Government section as agendas arrive.

Heard around the county

Nothing new this week that we could stand behind. If you know more about anything happening around the county, tell us.

If you spot something we have wrong or missed, use the "Report an error" link on any page.