Chatham's November on Main Street: Free Concerts, Contra Dancing and the Farmers' Market's Final Saturdays

The Chatham Borough Farmers' Market has three Saturdays left in its season. The Borough's schedule lists Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and then Nov. 14, which it marks as the "Final Market," with hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. After that, Chatham's weekends move indoors, and most of what's on the calendar for the next six weeks happens at a few buildings on Main Street. They are St. Paul's Episcopal at 200, the Library of the Chathams at 214, Ogden Memorial Presbyterian at 286 and Chatham United Methodist at 460. Most of what they host costs nothing.

That changes how to plan a Chatham weekend this time of year. Between now and mid-December, the best things to do are mostly in sanctuaries, a parish hall and a library gallery, and they're run by volunteer musicians, dance callers and community groups.

Tonight, before the Main Street run begins

The calendar opens off Main Street. Patch's Chatham calendar lists the Chatham Community Band's Halloween program, "The Band that Goes Bump in the Night," for this Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. at Washington Avenue Elementary School, 102 Washington Ave. The listing doesn't give a price, so check with the band before you go if that matters to you.

Saturday, Nov. 7: produce in the morning, contra dancing at night

Nov. 7 is the next-to-last market Saturday, and it's also a night when Main Street fills up after dark.

That evening, Swingin' Tern holds a contra dance at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 200 Main St. Here is the schedule from the listing:

• 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: beginner lesson
• 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.: dancing, with a snack break at 9
• Caller: Penelope Weinberger
• Live band: Jaybird

The organizers call contra "the cool cousin to square dancing," and their listing says the half-hour beginner lesson "is all you need to enjoy your first evening of dancing." In other words, you can show up with no experience. For more details, the Patch listing links to the Folk Project's event page.

If you miss Nov. 7, Patch's calendar shows another Swingin' Tern dance at St. Paul's on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. That one comes a week after the market's final Saturday, when an evening at 200 Main St. is one of the few things on the weekend calendar.

Sunday, Nov. 8: two free concerts an hour apart

The Sunday after that first dance is the busiest afternoon of the month, and both events are free.

At 2 p.m., Chatham United Methodist Church at 460 Main St. in Chatham Township hosts "Spirituals and More," a free vocal and choral recital.

At 3 p.m., the Concerts on Main series presents a free Bach concert with the Northeast Oratorio Society in the sanctuary at Ogden Memorial Presbyterian Church, 286 Main St. There's no admission charge, and a love offering is accepted.

Concerts on Main has been around a long time. In 2013, TAPinto Chatham described it as a free, all-ages series that was part of Ogden's community mission, usually with about three concerts a year. The building is older still. Ogden's history page says the congregation was incorporated in 1823 and moved to 286 Main St. in 1905, and calls itself Chatham's oldest church.

The recital ends shortly before the Bach program starts, so you can go to both if you leave a little time to get from 460 Main to 286 Main.

The library runs all month

The Library of the Chathams at 214 Main St. sits between St. Paul's and Ogden, and its November events run for weeks instead of a single evening. Its November calendar lists:

• Nov. 2 to Nov. 30: the Drew Art Association's "Fabulous Fakes" exhibition in the Lundt Room
• Nov. 3, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: a virtual author talk with Asha Frost
• Through Nov. 15: the Sewa Diwali food drive, with collection in the library foyer
• Nov. 1 to Dec. 15: a cake-pan challenge

These are easy to fit around the dated events. You can see the "Fabulous Fakes" exhibit before the Nov. 7 dance or after the Nov. 8 concerts. Nov. 15, the last day of the Diwali food drive, is the day after the final market, so you could bring donations on a Saturday errand run. The December calendar also has author talks and seasonal programs, so check it once Thanksgiving is over.

Where to eat between stops

Main Street got a new place to eat this year. According to Shop Morris County, Ori's Cheesesteaks opened at 231 Main St. on Saturday, Aug. 15, in the space that used to be Chashni Café and next door to Namkeen Hot Chicken Joint. The same report says Usman and Amena Chaudhry, a husband and wife, founded Namkeen and Chashni, and that Ori's is their third concept. So the space is still run by the same family, under a new concept. The menu is cheesesteaks, loaded fries and hand-spun milkshakes, and like Namkeen and Chashni, Ori's serves halal.

At 231 Main St., Ori's sits between the library at 214 and Ogden at 286. That makes it a convenient stop before the Nov. 8 concerts or after an afternoon at the "Fabulous Fakes" exhibit.

If you're driving in from the Township side

Chatham Township announced in September that River Road would be milled and resurfaced between Fairmount Avenue and Passaic Street, with a tentative start on Sept. 10 and paving and striping starting Sept. 16. If River Road is part of your route to Main Street, the Township's notice page is the place to check how the work is going before a Sunday concert.

December starts on Dec. 3

Main Street's calendar gets busier again in early December, starting with Thursday, Dec. 3.

That morning at 10:30, the Suburban Music Study Club presents "Music For the Holidays" at Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main St. It's a free classical program with Carolyn Enger, Lauryn Boyle and Guy Dobson.

The same day, the Chatham Players open "A Christmas Carol," which runs Dec. 3 through Dec. 20, 2026. The company calls it "a family friendly musical for all," and tickets are sold through the Players' website. It's the one major event this season that isn't free, and with a run of nearly three weeks, there's plenty of time to plan a family night around it.

The Borough tree lighting at Reasoner Park hasn't been scheduled yet. In past years it was an early-December evening event, but there's no 2026 date so far. The Borough calendar will post it when it's set.

The Main Street calendar at a glance

Community calendars can change after they're posted, and Patch's listings ask readers to confirm details with each organizer before heading out.

I grew up going to events like these, and they're a big part of why I care so much about this corner of New Jersey. If you're working out which Main Street Sunday suits your family or want an idea for hosting visiting relatives over the holidays, I'm always happy to talk it through with you. Jillian Nolan. Let's Connect.