(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Every year the town of Princeton celebrates with an irrational number of events! From March 10 through March 14, a celebration honors Pi, mathematics, science, famous Princeton geniuses, local merchants and, of course, Einstein’s big day. Events ranging from pie eating contest to Einstein look alike contests to nerd smart phone pub crawls are held throughout the heart of Princeton. The week concludes on Einstein's birthday, March 14.
Pie Eating, Pie Judging, Pie Throwing, Pi Recitation, Pizza Pie and Cupcake Decorating Contests! For the Einstein Look A Like and Pi Recitation Contests, winners take home $314.15! For the Princeton Pi Pizza Contest, winner gets free pizza for a year! For the House of Cupcake Contest, winner gets free cupcakes for a year! This year a New Jersey resident will attempt to break the American Pi Recitation Record by reciting over 20,000 digits of Pi!
For the non- competitive types, there are Surprise Birthday Parties and Dinky Rides with Einstein, live musical performances – one artist toured with Adele and Rihanna and is launching his solo album during the event, a Pi-Rade, a children’s violin demonstration with a Pulitzer and Grammy winning guest, family friendly self-guided Grub Crawls, a Pi Day inspired family movie, live theater performances, biking, running and walking tours. Adults can enjoy self-guided Pub Crawls and an “Inventors Only” Cocktail Making Course.
“Pi Day Princeton is a real treat for anyone who loves Pi, Pie, and Einstein!” says founder and coordinator for the delightful event. When asked how the event was started, Mimi credits the remarkable collaboration between Princeton businesses, academic institutions and residents: “In 2009, I approached the Princeton Public Library and they agreed to host the first incredible celebration. The librarians and I called in a ton of favors from shop owners, local officials, family and friends and created the first Pi Day Princeton which attracted nearly 4,000 visitors! Over the years, crowds grew so large I had to ask the Nassau Inn if the major contests could be held in their famous Prince William Ballroom. The Inn phoned me back within 15 minutes of the request and offered the space! I am so grateful because now we can truly accommodate the nearly 9,000 participants and spectators that come throughout the weekend!”
“The town of Princeton is nuts for this quirky event and hopes the Universe will come visit our town to celebrate Pi Day Princeton! If you can’t make it in person, we hope you’ll celebrate at online with us!”
Thursday, 3.10.16
7:00 p.m. Prize Winning Author Lecture — The Hunt for the Vulcan: And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe – Community Room of the Princeton Public Library –
66 Witherspoon Street– Thomas Levenson, Professor of Science Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the author of several other books, including Einstein in Berlin and Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World’s Greatest Scientist. He has also made ten feature-length documentaries (including a two-hour Nova program on Einstein) for which he has won numerous awards.
Friday, 3.11.16
7:00 p.m. "Constant Commentary,” at The Arts Council of Princeton Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ. -- Musician and composer Wilbo Wright will perform a Pi Day concert!! Suggested donation - $3.14. For more information, please visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org or call (609) 924-8777.
Saturday, 3.12.16
9:00 a.m. — Pie Eating Contest at McCaffrey’s in the Princeton Shopping Center – 301 North Harrison Street – 2nd Floor Space – First come, first serve ….
10:00 a.m.— Surprise Birthday Party for Albert Einstein at Morven Museum and Garden – 55 Stockton Street. All little genius must pre-register for this popular event since space is limited. Email abixby@morven.org to reserve your spot today!
10:30 a.m. — Jimmy Neutron – Boy Genius – 160 Nassau Street at Princeton Garden Theater - $4 per person; Free to members.
11:00 a.m. — Einstein Look-A-Like Contest – 10 Palmer Square inside the Nassau Inn Prince William Ballroom –Register your ‘lil genius and email princetonmimi@gmail.com. Winner receives $314.15 check!
11:00 a.m. — Pi X Pi(e) Bike Tour – begins at Kopp’s Cycle Shop at 38 Spring Street. For more information and to register and pay for the event, contact NJ bike tours directly!
Noon —Kids of All Ages Violin Exhibition – 10 Palmer Square – inside the Nassau Inn Prince William Ballroom for kids 3yrs – 6yrs. All participants will win free Pi Day Princeton commemorative bracelets and PSO ticket vouchers! In attendance will be Caroline Shaw who won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition Partita for 8 Voices, written for the Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Roomful of Teeth. Caroline Shaw will be performing on Sunday, March 13th at 4pm at Richardson Auditorium. For more information and to register, please email sfeingold@princetonsymphony.org
Noon — Nerd Herd Smart Phone Grub Crawl – 10 Palmer Square inside the Nassau Inn
Noon — Dinky Train rides with Einstein – Arts/Transit Train Station on Alexander Street – Departing Princeton Station at noon, 12:27 p.m. and 1 p.m.; departing Princeton Junction Station at 12:11 p.m., 12:37 p.m. and 1:11 p.m. $2.75 per adult each way, up to two kids (ages 5-11) can ride free with a passenger paying any valid fare.
1:00 p.m. — Serious Inventors Only Cocktail Making Class inside Einstein’s first residence – Peacock Inn 20 Bayard Lane – You and a friend will learn how to construct the perfect cocktail and receive an exclusive tutoring session with a Master Mixologist. $53.14 per person. To pre-purchase tickets to this exclusive event contact the Peacock Inn directly.
1:00 p.m. – World Premiere of “The Future” with Selan – 10 Palmer Square inside the Nassau Inn Prince William Ballroom
1:30 p.m. — Pi Recitation Contest at 10 Palmer Square inside Nassau Inn in the Prince William Ballroom. All participants will win a free Pi Day Princeton commemorative wrist band and Winner of the Youth Category (aged 7yrs – 13yrs) compete to win $314.15! Email princetonmimi@gmail.com to register your child 13yrs and younger. PLEASE ARRIVE BY 12:15P TO REGISTER IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO REGISTER ONLINE PRIOR TO THE EVENT! For older contestants, please bring proof of age. Immediately following is the Princeton Pi-Rade where the winner of the Pi Recitation Contest will be the Grand Marshall and lead everyone through Palmer Square as everyone is lined up in order of Pi.
1:59 pm. Pizza Pi Competition - 86 Nassau Street! All contestants will win a free Pi Day Princeton commemorative wrist band and winning participant will win one free medium cheese pizza each month for the remainder of 2016!
2:00 p.m. – Watch a Pi-Recitation Champion Break the American Record (and train to break the World Record by 2017) – 10 Palmer Square in the 2nd Floor Palmer Room – Sebastian James will recite over 20,000 digits of Pi.
2:45 p.m. — Best Apple Pie in Princeton Contest at 10 Palmer Square inside the Yankee Doodle Tap Room, Nassau Inn –The first 50 guests who arrive will serve as judges. Winning baker wins the all the bragging rights until 3/14/17!
3:14 p.m. — Pie Throwing Event at the Palmer Square Green. $1 per throw with all proceeds to benefit the Princeton Educational Fund Teacher Mini-Grant Program.
3:30 p.m. Interactive Session for Children Ages 6-10yrs – Third Floor of the Princeton Public Library
4:00 p.m. Cupcake Decorating Contest – 32 Witherspoon Street - All contestants will win a free Pi Day Princeton commemorative wrist band and winning participant will win a free cupcake each month for the remainder of 2016!
5:00 p.m. — Nerd Herd Smart Phone Pub Crawl – 10 Palmer Square inside the Nassau Inn and go to Yankee Doodle Tap Room to receive your nerd glasses and Smart Phone Pub Crawl route!
(Only nerds 21 yrs and above will receive access to the map of participating bars!)
Sunday, 3.13.16
9:00 a.m. — Walk a Pi Event sponsored by YMCA Princeton – 59 Paul Robeson Place. Grab your gym bag and head to the new work out facility at YMCA at 59 Paul Robeson Place. Log 3.14 miles on one of the state of the art treadmills or elliptical trainers, take a photo of your Pi Mile and post it on the Pi Day Princeton Facebook Page! All participants will win free two week trial membership with a waived joiner fee if you join the YMCA!
9:00 a.m. – Einstein Inspired Running Event sponsored by Princeton Running Company – 108 Nassau Street. Join the weekly running group for a 6-8 mile run – at 3.14 miles the group will sing “Happy Birthday” to Princeton’s favorite genius! All participants dressed as Einstein will win a free commemorative Pi Day bracelet!
10:00 a.m. — Hourly Guided Tours of Einstein Museum – 10a thru 4p sponsored by Landau at 102 Nassau Street! Join Princeton Tour Company tour guides to see the only museum dedicated to Time Magazine’s Man of the Century! First come, first served. Groups limited to 25 each hour. Commemorative tee shirts for sale at the only Einstein Museum in North America inside Landau at 102 Nassau Street!
11:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. Einstein in Princeton Guided Walking Tour – Join Tim Fagin at 102 Nassau Street in front of Landaus to see the homes and hangouts of Princeton’s most beloved genius. These are brisk paced walks and cover nearly 3 miles. If you’re worried about keeping up with the group, consider the hourly tours of the museum at Landau. First come, first serve. Groups limited to 50 per group.
2:00 p.m. — 4:00p.m. Einstein in Princeton Guided Walking Tour – Join Tim Fagin at 102 Nassau Street in front of Landaus to see the homes and hangouts of Princeton’s most beloved genius. These are brisk paced walks and cover nearly 3 miles. If you’re worried about keeping up with the group, consider the hourly tours of the museum at Landau. First come, first serve. Groups limited to 50 per group.
Monday, 3.14.16
12:00 p.m. — 1:59 p.m. Nerd Herd Smart Phone Grub Crawl – 10 Palmer Square inside the Nassau Inn – provided by princeton genius tours – Check in at the Nassau Inn Lobby to receive your official Pi Day Princeton glasses and Smart Phone Grub Crawl route! (Some participating restaurants have Pi inspired foods that all smartypants will adore!)
6:30 p.m. — Nerd Herd Smart Phone Pub Crawl – Check in 10 Palmer Square inside the Nassau Inn and provided by princeton genius tours – go to Yankee Doodle Tap Room to receive your nerd glasses and Smart Phone Pub Crawl route! (Only nerds 21 yrs and above will receive access to the map of participating bars!) We’ll sing Happy Birthday to Albert Einstein and let the party begin!
