Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival -- Brew-lovers from New Jersey and beyond will flock to Atlantic City this weekend for the annual Beer and Music Festival, featuring well over 100 local and national breweries. Sample the ales, lagers, stouts, ciders and meads which taking in some top tunes. Emo favorites Taking Back Sunday headline Friday's drink-a-thon, and longtime rockers Everclear take the stage on Saturday. Sessions take place Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at noon and 6 p.m.; Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Blvd., Atlantic City; Tickets are $55 per session, available here.

Girl group newcomers Fifth Harmony will play Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank this weekend. (Courtesy of Epic Records)

Fifth Harmony -- Girl group newcomers Fifth Harmony stop in Red Bank this weekend on their first headlining U.S. road trip. The Reflection tour, in support of the fivesome's eponymous debut released in January. The girls each auditioned separately for the "X Factor" television show in 2012, but were placed in a group together by judge Simon Cowell. They finished in third place on the program and have quickly become the most successful act to rise from the now-canceled contest. Fifth Harmony's single "Sledgehammer" reached the Billboard Top 40 earlier this year. Show is Friday at 7 p.m.; Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank; Tickets from $61 available on Stubhub.

Ringling Bros. Circus -- Izod Center's final event before closure takes place this weekend, with the storied Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus filling the arena with nine shows between Wednesday and Sunday. "The Greatest Show on Earth" currently touts its "Circus XTreme," which follows a pair of adventure seekers all over the world. The show features speeding BMX riders, daring acrobats, ferocious animals and much more. Shows are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m, 3 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 5 p.m.; Izod Center, 50 NJ-120, East Rutherford; Tickets from $33 available here.

Lewis Black -- Outspoken and oft-screaming comedian Lewis Black returns to Borgata, two years after releasing a live DVD and CD from his stand-up performance at the Atlantic City casino. The Maryland native's Rant is Due Part Deux tour features two sets this weekend, kicking off a two-month U.S. tour. Prepare for some sort of criticism of the U.S. government and lots of swearing. Black's voice will reach many more in a few months, as he's featured in the upcoming Disney Pixar flick "Inside Out." Shows are Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m.; The Music Box at Borgata, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City; Tickets from $75 available here.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill Playhouse; Left to right: Michael Arden (Quasimodo) and Ciara Renee (Esmeralda).

The Hunchback of Notre Dame -- Inspired by the classic Victor Hugo novel, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" has been spun into a musical and takes the Paper Mill Playhouse this weekend. "Hunchback" is the work of two Broadway veterans, Alan Menken (Disney's "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Newsies," "Little Shop of Horrors"), and Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked," "Godspell," "Pippin") and sheds a new spotlight on the tale of passion and hope. Shows run Thursday at 1:30 and 7 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1:30 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 and 7 p.m.; Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Dr, Millburn; Tickets from $80 available here.

"Sweet Paleo" book signing -- It's the battle of increasing gluten-free trends versus our ever-persistent sweet tooth. New Jersey author Lea Valle's new cookbook tries to marry the two with "Sweet Paleo: Gluten-free, Grain-free Delights." Valle will be signing her book at The Squirrel and the Bee, a new gluten-free bakery in Short Hills. Some of Valle's recipes will be on hand for sampling, including Chocolate Bacon Almond Bark and Meringue Kiss Cookies. Books will be available for purchase. Signing is Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m.; The Squirrel and the Bee, 515 Millburn Avenue, Short Hills.

St. Patrick's Day Parades -- The holiday will have passed by this weekend, but many New Jersey towns will still be celebrating with an array of parades marching through the streets. Get ready for all those bagpipe players, step-dancers and seas of green. Check out parades in Trenton, Bayonne, Hamilton and more.

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook.