See all there is to do this weekend in North Jersey: Concerts and more starting July 25

Though there's a chance of rain on Thursday afternoon and evening, it looks like it should be another great summer weekend in North Jersey.

Live music is still plentiful, and a lot of it is outdoors and free - like the Twilight Disciples (pop and rock covers) in Millburn, Jersey Sound ('60s, '70s, '80s hits) in Belleville and Netcong, New York State of Mind (Billy Joel tribute) in Lodi and Separate Ways (Journey tribute) in Florham Park. In addition, the Jazz Room Series is at William Paterson University and the New Jersey Symphony performs the score to a popular Indian film in Newark and New Brunswick.

For some musical theater, check out "The Little Mermaid" in Randolph. If you like dinner theater, there's "Murder on the Menu" in Clifton. And for something unique, go see the free Haitain dance performance by La Troupe Zetwal in Bloomfield.

Plus, there's family fun with music and more all weekend long at Turtle Back Zoo, and a butterfly gardening workshop in Roseland.

See below for all the details and the excellent weather forecast, and enjoy your weekend!

North Jersey weather forecast for July 25-28

According to the National Weather Service:

• Thursday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Then, gradual clearing with a low in the mid-60s.
• Friday : Sunny, with a high in the mid-80s. Mostly clear at night with a low in the mid-60s.
• Saturday : Sunny, with a high in the upper 80s. Mostly clear at night, with a low in the high 60s..
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high around 90. Mostly clear at night with a low around 70.

Family Fun Night and more Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

Wednesday and Thursday nights in July and August are Family Fun Nights with extended hours at the zoo.

Take a sneak peek at what happens behind the scenes at the Penguin House exhibit on Thursday evening. Your ticket includes admission to the zoo, a 30-minute tour of one of our animal facilities, and a meet and greet with the animal keeper. Tour guests do not enter exhibits or touch the animals.

On Friday, take a look at the zoo's nocturnal animal collection with Night Moves, a guided evening tour of zoo exhibits, and learn about different animal senses and adaptations. Grab your flash light and hop on the evening trail. This program is for all ages. Bring a flashlight and wear appropriate gear for walking comfort. No flash photography is permitted.

Music on the Summer Stage includes a DJ Dance Party on Saturday and Ron Albanese on Sunday. Each is included with zoo admission.

A Sophisticated Science Seminar about pesticides will also take place on Sunday. These seminars are conservation programs geared towards more adult audiences, ages 13 to 103. Seminars run throughout the year and span topics such as animal anatomy, habitats and conservation, animal careers and more.

Go: Turtle Back Zoo, 560 Northfield Ave., West Orange. Family Fun Nights are 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Behind the Scenes: Penguin House is 6 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Night Moves is 8 p.m. Friday. The DJ Dance Party is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Ron Albanese is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. The Sophisticated Science Seminar is 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Visit turtlebackzoo.com for information and program registration. 973-731-5800.

Twilight Disciples in Millburn

The Summer Concert Series continues at Taylor Park with Twilight Disciples, a current pop and rock dance cover band, on Thursday. And if you're hungry, food truck offerings will include Il Forno a Legna Pizza, Blue Lady (gourmet hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and specialty fries) and Dags Dippers.

Go: Twilight Disciples at Taylor Park, 110 Main St., Millburn. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday (rain date is Aug. 1). Free. twp.millburn.nj.us

Jersey Sound in Belleville and Netcong

Jersey Sound will perform hits of the '60s, '70s and '80s at its free outdoor shows in Belleville on Thursday and Netcong on Friday.

The band plays a blend of classic oldies, classic rock, Motown, R&B, British invasion and pop; and pays tribute to New Jersey performers like Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Rascals, Joe Pesci, Eddie Rabbitt, The Duprees and Southside Johnny. The group performed at Frankie Valli's Man of the Year dinner in 2006.

Go: Jersey Sound at Belleville High School, 100 Passaic Ave., Belleville, on Thursday; and at DiRenzo Park, 3 Water St., Netcong, on Friday. 7 to 8:30 p.m., both shows. jerseysound.com , belleville.org .

William Paterson University Summer Jazz Room Series

Grammy-nominated saxophonist Tia Fuller and trombonist Wycliff Gordon will perform at the university on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Fuller had completed a master’s degree in jazz pedagogy and performance when she was selected to tour with pop star Beyoncé. She has since recorded five projects with her quartet, including the Grammy-nominated album, “Diamond Cut” (2018); and has performed and recorded with Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding, Dianne Reeves, and the late Aretha Franklin and Nancy Wilson.

Gordon tours the world as a soloist and with his own group. In 2018, he represented the U.S. on the State Department tour to Sri Lanka where he premiered a piece written for Sri Lanka’s 70th anniversary. He was member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He has released 21 CDs, has been named the Jazz Journalist’s Association’s Trombonist of the Year 13 times. His arrangement of the theme music of NPR’s “All Things Considered” is heard daily.

Inaugurated in the spring of 1978, the Jazz Room Series features world-class professionals and WP student ensembles. The Jazz Room has received more than two decades of continuous grant support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, as well as grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. The program is led by Bill Charlap, who accepted the position in fall 2015, and co-led and coordinated by David Demsey.

Go: The Jazz Room Series at William Paterson University's Shea Center for Performing Arts, 300 Pompton Road, Wayne. Tia Fuller at 7:30 p.m. Thursday; Wycliff Gordon at 7:30 p.m. Friday. $18 per show. 973-720-2371, wpunj.edu .

Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' at Brundage Park Playhouse

"The Little Mermaid" comes to Randolph for performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Book by Doug Wright, music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glen Slater. Jeorgi Smith is director/choreographer, Sean Johnson is music director, Chrystina Kepreos is assistant director.

Ariel should be a happy mermaid — she lives in an enchanted undersea country, her father is a king, and she has the most beautiful singing voice. But she is a passionate, headstrong teenager and wants what she cannot have — to live on land. When she falls in love with a handsome human prince, Ariel is more determined than ever to gain a pair of legs. But her only option is to defy her furious father and bargain with Ursula the Sea Witch, giving her voice as the price of entry onto dry land. With the help of Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and officious court composer Sebastian the crab, Ariel must wordlessly gain Prince Eric’s love within three days — or lose her soul to the ambitious witch.

Go: "The Little Mermaid" at Brundage Park Playhouse, 2 Bungalow Lane, Randolph. 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. our.show/bpplittlemermaid . Online ticket sales are $25; and $20 for children under age 12, seniors age 62 years and older, and all military personnel with ID. A $2 handling fee will be added to tickets purchased at the box office. For information, vist brundageparkplayhouse.org or call 973-989-7092.

Butterfly Gardening Workshop at Essex County Environmental Center

Learn about butterfly gardening in the hands-on workshop on Saturday. Families can create their own seed balls with native host and nectar plants to better support New Jersey butterflies in our own neighborhoods.

Go: Butterfly Gardening Workshop at the Essex County Environmental Center, Garibaldi Hall, 621-B Eagle Rock Ave.,Roseland. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The butterfly tent is open until 1:30 p.m. $8 suggested donation; free for children age 1 and under. essexcountyparks.org/calendar , 973-228-8776. Advance registration is required either in person, by mail or online.

Haitian dance performance and workshop in Bloomfield

La Troupe Zetwal is an ensemble representing Haiti’s cultural heritage in sounds, movements and storytelling. On Saturday in Bloomfield, the dance troupe will present a free particiapatory Haitian drum and dance program that aspires to get the whole family moving. The company was initiated in 2001 and produces works that share the living traditions of Haiti venerated from enslaved Africans who hailed from the Kingdom of Dahomey.

Go: La Troupe Zetwal in the courtyard at Bloomfield Public Library, 90 Broad St. 2 p.m. Saturday. Free. bplnj.org . 973-566-6200.

New York State of Mind - Billy Joel tribute concert

This Billy Joel tribute band returns to Lodi on Saturday.

Go : New York State of Mind at Memorial Park Amphitheater, 1 Memorial Drive, Lodi. 7 p.m. Saturday. Free. lodi-nj.org

New Jersey Symphony presents 'Baahubali: The Beginning'

Experience the North American premiere of India’s hit film, "Baahubali: The Beginning," on a vast HD screen while the full New Jersey Symphony orchestra performs M.M. Keeravani’s score live with the motion picture, Saturday in Newark and Sunday in New Brunswick. The movie will be shown in Hindi with English subtitles.

The film tells the story of a young orphan, Shivudu, as he embarks on a journey of a lifetime. Falling in love with the vision of a fearless warrior, Avantika, he follows her on a mission to rescue her queen from captivity in a neighboring kingdom. On this mission in Mahishmati, he encounters Kattappa, a slave warrior and a confidante of the Mahishmati Royal Family. Through him, Shivudu learns the truth of his family and the injustice imparted to them. He takes on the tyrannical ruler in a battle of mythical magnitude to restore to the kingdom their true King.

The New Jersey Symphony will be conducted by Constantine Kitsopoulos, who is music director of the Festival of the Arts Boca and general director of Chatham Opera. He is general director of the New York Grand Opera and is working with the company to bring opera, free and open to the public, back to New York’s Central Park. Since 2021, the Symphony's music director, Xian Zhang, has worked with Daniel Bernard Roumain, the orchestra's Resident Artistic Catalyst, to offer programming that connects with diverse communities throughout New Jersey.

The New Jersey Symphony's programs are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, along with other foundations, corporations and individual donors.

Go: New Jersey Symphony presents "Baahubali: The Beginning" at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, 3 p.m. Sunday. $25 to $49. njsymphony.org , information@njsymphony.org, 800-ALLEGRO.

Theater League of Clifton - 'Murder on the Menu'

This summer dinner/theater production will be performed Saturday and Sunday at Mario's Restaurant. The director is Maren Sugarman, who directed recent Theater League productions of “Man of La Mancha” and “Oliver.” John Traier and Prashant Arora are the producers. Bill Hand is the playwright. Mark Peterson is the president of the Theater League.

Founded in 2005, the Theater League of Clifton is a nonprofit organization and welcomes volunteers in all aspects of performance and production.

Go: "Murder on the Menu" at Mario’s Restaurant, 710 Van Houten Ave. Clifton. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday. $65 theaterleagueofclifton.com . 973-928-7668. Limited reserved seating.

Separate Ways - Journey tribute in Florham Park

Danny Gagliano, Mick Loro, Michael Corsaro, Paul Vassa and Tommy Stewart will re-create the early-to-mid-'80s lineup of Journey - with its nuances, inflections and harmonies - in Florham Park on Sunday.

Go: Separate Ways at the Florham Park Gazebo, 111 Ridgedale Ave. 7 p.m. Sunday. Free. separatewaystheband.com . If the weather is questionable, visit florhamparkgazebo.com for concert status.

Have an event coming up? Tell us about it. Write to Daniel Galioto at galiotod@northjersey.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: See all there is to do this weekend in North Jersey: Concerts and more starting July 25