The annual Pi Day celebration of physicists and former Princeton resident Albert Einstein features a series of events that start on Thursday, March 10, and culminate on Monday, March 14 — a date that marks the birthday of Einstein, one of history’s greatest thinkers, and reflects the numerical value of mathematics’ greatest constants: Pi, expressed as an irrational number that starts with 3.14.
Some highlights in the series of events — ranging from egghead to pie face — include:
Thursday, March 10: “The Hunt for the Vulcan: And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe,” a lecture by science writer, MIT professor, and documentary filmmaker Thomas Levenson, 7 p.m., Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street.
Friday, March 11: “Constant Commentary,” a performance by regional musician and composer Wilbo Wright, 7 p.m., Arts Council of Princeton Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon Street, suggested donation is $3.14.
Saturday, March 12: Pie Eating Contest at McCaffrey’s in the Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, 9 a.m.; Surprise Party for Einstein, Morven Museum and Garden, 55 Stockton Street, 10 a.m.; Einstein Look-A-Like Contest, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square, 11 a.m.; Pi X Pi(e) beginning at Kopp’s Cycle Shop, 38 Spring Street, and traveling to Terhune Orchards for pie, 11 a.m.
Pi Recitation Contest, Nassau Inn,10 Palmer Square; Best Apple Pie in Princeton Contest, Nassau Inn, Yankee Doodle Tap Room, 10 Palmer Square; and Pie Throwing at the Palmer Square Green, a $1 per throw activity with proceeds benefiting the Princeton Educational Fund Teacher Mini-Grant Program, 3:14 p.m.
Sunday, March 13: Walks and runs organized respectively by the YMCA, at 59 Paul Robeson Place, and Princeton Running Club, 108 Nassau Street, both at 9 a.m.; hourly tours of the Einstein Museum at Landau’s at 102 Nassau Street, starting at 10 a.m. and continuing to 4 p.m.; and Einstein in Princeton Guided Walking Tours, starting at 102 Nassau Street, two hours, leaving at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Monday, March 14: Nerd Herd Smart Phone Grub Crawl, with “Pi inspired” food, 10 Palmer Square, starts at noon, and a Nerd Herd Smart Phone Pub Crawl, for ages 21 and above, 10 Palmer Square, 6:30 p.m.
No matter how you divide Pi Day, there is a lot going on, so check the complete listing of events at www.pidayprinceton.com.
