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On New Year's Day the 13th Annual Polar Bear Plunge, sponsored by Sons of Ireland, will take place right outside Convention Hall in Asbury Park.

(Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

ASBURY PARK POLAR PLUNGE

Start off 2016 with charity and insanity in Asbury Park. On New Year's Day, the Sons of Ireland will be holding the 13th annual Asbury Park Polar Bear Plunge. The plunge will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County, Stephy's Place (a grief and support center), and Family Promise (a group that advocates for innovative solutions to ending family homelessness). Plungers can register and sign in from 10 a.m. to noon at Convention Hall. At 12:45 p.m. they will be led from Convention Hall to the beach by a bagpiper. Once the national anthem is performed at 1 p.m., it's off to the Atlantic for the plunge. There will be post-plunge parties around the boardwalk following. Register here. Friday, 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 1300 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park.

FIRST NIGHT IN MORRISTOWN

Morristown won't be rocking on New Year's Eve just because of the nightlife scene. First Night is an all-ages, family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration of the arts that will present the city of Morristown as a "stage" for art of all types. There will be more than 80 performances, ranging from dance to music to theater to performance art at 24 venues across the city. If you have little ones, get there early for the two hours of kid-oriented programming starting at 4:45 p.m. There will be live entertainment and games at the Morristown Green, which will serve as one of the central hubs of First Night. All venues are within walking distance of the Green, but there is a free shuttle available if you're not up for the walk. The night will be capped off with not one but two fireworks shows at 9:15 p.m. and midnight. $25. Thursday, 4:45 p.m. - midnight. Morristown. 973-539-8008.

Badfish, A Tribute to Sublime, returns to the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville for its annual New Year's weekend show.

BADFISH KICKS OFF 2016 AT STARLAND

The Starland Ballroom kicks off the new year with a tradition that's become as welcomed as the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." On Saturday Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime returns to Sayreville for its annual New Year's weekend performance. The band has become a staple at Starland, warming up frigid early January nights with its covers of the fun-and-sun reggae/punk vibes of Sublime. 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of original Sublime lead singer Brad Nowell's passing, yet the demand for his music is still high -- as evidenced by the packed houses Badfish has been drawing for years. Local favorites Eastbourne, Small Town Scoundrels and Backyard Superheroes will open up. $20 in advance, $25 day of. Saturday, 7:00 p.m. 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, 732-238-5500.

OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES AT GEORGE STREET

"Old Jews Telling Jokes" will take the stage for its final run at The George Street Playhouse this weekend. The play, based on the popular 2009 web series created by Eric Spiegelman and Tim Williams, "showcases five actors in a revue that pays tribute to and reinvents classic jokes of the past and present." The series has found success in all types of media -- it was produced Off-Broadway, published as a book in 2010, and produced a sitcom in the U.K. for BBC Four in 2011. $45-$65. Thursday Dec. 31 (7:00 p.m.), Friday Jan. 1 (8:00 p.m.), Saturday Jan. 2 (2:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), Sunday (2:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.). 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. 732-846-2895.

The Harlem Globetrotters will present a New Year's Day matinee of basketball hilarity at The Prudential Center in Newark.

THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS AT THE ROCK

The Harlem Globetrotters bring their brilliant blend of comedy and athletic prowess to The Prudential Center in Newark on Friday. The team is currently celebrating its 90th anniversary with an intense touring schedule that sees them play across the country nearly every day from now until the beginning of May. The Friday game will take place at 3 p.m., but there is a special 30-minute pre-show "Magic Pass" that allows fans to take the court with the Globetrotters for autographs, photos, and to learn a couple of tricks of the trade. Friday, $25-$193.50. 25 Lafayette Street, Newark. 973-757-9000.

ATLANTIC CITY POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

There will be plenty of people down in Atlantic City for New Year's Eve, but what kind of hangover cure do they have? Hair of the dog? A hearty breakfast? A run on the boardwalk? Well, a dip in the Atlantic for a good cause actually might be the best hangover cure. The Atlantic City Polar Bear Club will hold its annual New Year's Day plunge in front of Resorts Casino starting at 11 a.m. The official plunging begins at noon, but you should arrive early to register and get your place in line. The admission fee is a donation to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America and/or Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Now be warned, the AC Polar Bear Club takes plunging seriously, and if you want to receive an official Polar Bear certificate, you must go completely underwater. There's no wading in to the waist -- it's all or nothing. Donation. Friday. 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 1133 Boardwalk (in front of Resorts), Atlantic City.

VIDEO GAMES LIVE AT NJPAC

Video games and the symphony have had a long, fruitful marriage for decades. So many games have employed string sections, dramatic vocal choruses and bombastic percussion to create drama, suspense, levity, and drama. On Saturday "Video Games Live," an interactive show combining the symphony with audio visual wizardry, comes to the NJPAC. The show is hosted by renowned video game composer Tommy Tallarico (he's worked on everything from "Earthworm Jim" to "Prince of Persia" to "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater"), who created the concert concept in 2005. Music from games like "Asteroids" and "Zelda" among favorites that will be performed by the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. $39.50-$69.50. Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.