Every cloud has a silver lining, right? The Midsummer Marketing Showcase, planned by the Princeton Regional Chamber for Tuesday in Palmer Square, was rained out. The good news is that you didn’t miss it — you still have a chance to go! The rain date is Thursday, July 15, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. There’ll be more than 70 vendor tables, a DJ, and area restaurants will provide free food tastings. The event is free (609-924-1776 or http://www.princetonchamber.org).

Look for Rich Rein at the U.S. 1 Newspaper table and get a coupon for U.S. 1 Business Directory at half price.

And look for me and fellow Methodists at the table sponsored by Princeton United Methodist Church. With the theme “Help Us Help Others” we’re featuring ways to pitch in to help with five charities — Appalachian Service Project, Isles, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, The Salvation Army, and the United Front Against River Blindness. We’ll even have a wheel game with a chance to win a free T-shirt.

But stop, there’s more. Same location, next night, a different kind of free showcase: “Dancers in the Square” presents professional dancers from the Princeton YWCA, Princeton Ballet School, and the Princeton Dance and Theater Studio. Marie Alonso Snyder will present a site-specific dance, “Homelands.” Among the works in “A Choreographer’s Showcase” will be those by Christine Colosimo, Dawud Jackson, Loretta diBianco Fois, Mary Pat Robertson, Janell Byrne, Susan Tenney, and Henri Velandia (609-921-2333 or visit http://www.palmersquare.com). It’s at 7 p.m., Friday, July 16, and it’s free!

Velandia will teach salsa dancing afterward, Venezuelan style. Cap your evening and start your weekend with salsa! Bring lawn chairs or blankets.

Photo on the flyer by Eliot Gordon.