Jersey Shore Magazine, Fall/Holiday 2025

SAINT PETER SCHOOL

November

January

Welcome to the fall/holiday edition of JERSEY SHORE, the magazine celebrating the Jersey Coast in Ocean and Monmouth counties.

The off-season at the Jersey Shore is a time of beauty and peace, and for many local residents and visitors, it is a favorite time. JERSEY SHORE Magazine and JERSEY SHORE Publications Online are designed to bring you a wealth of information to help make life more enjoyable during the Shore’s “quiet time.” If you’re a local resident or a long-time visitor, you may find things you haven’t discovered or be reminded of offerings you may have forgotten. When using these resources, you’ll find a myriad of information to make your time at the Shore more rewarding and exciting.

In addition to our numerous guides, this issue’s feature articles once again highlight many of the on-going themes that define this magazine—the unique people, places, history, and natural world that make up our lives at the Jersey Shore.

On our cover and throughout our pages, we are proud to present paintings and photographs by the Shore’s most talented artists and photographers. This edition’s “Jersey Shore Images” feature presents the seasonal paintings of Seaside Park artist Ann Hayes. These works capture beautifully the offseason at the Jersey Shore. On our cover is Ann’s painting, “Whitesbog Asters,” depicting a fall day along wetlands in the New Jersey Pinelands. Throughout our guides, you’ll find many places to go and things to do. Our Calendar of Events and Theater and Concert Events sections will guide you through the cultural happenings of the fall and winter seasons in the two counties. This edition’s guides include Attractions and Activities, Parks and Recreation Areas, Historic Sites and Museums, a Fall Farm and Fun Guide, a Choose and Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Guide, and more. You’ll also find guides to Stores and Shops, Art Galleries, and Dining Out and Food among others.

Also inside are our annual Holiday Shopping & Dining Guide, offering gift giving ideas as well as holiday dining suggestions, and our Catalog of Books about the Jersey Shore. Be sure to visit our Jersey Shore Books website at www.jerseyshorebooks.com.

Page through JERSEY SHORE Magazine and visit us online. May you find inspiration and discoveries to enrich your life along the beautiful New Jersey Coast.

—George Valente, Editor and Publisher

www.jerseyshoremagazine.com • www.jerseyshorebooks.com

Subscriptions and Book Orders, Toll Free: 888-22-SHORE

2025 marks our forty-second year of publishing magazines, guidebooks, maps, internet sites, and beautiful books about the Jersey Shore. In addition to our two seasonal issues of JERSEY SHORE (spring and fall/holiday), we also publish during the summer months our popular guidebooks and maps, JERSEY SHORE Vacation Magazine, the JERSEY SHORE Vacation Map, and LONG BEACH ISLAND Vacation Magazine. Our publications include two companion websites, JERSEY SHORE Publications Online (www.jerseyshoremagazine.com), the internet’s largest and most informative site about the central and northern New Jersey Coast, and our JERSEY SHORE Books website (www.jerseyshorebooks.com).

6 BOOKS ABOUT THE JERSEY SHORE Catalog 6 – 9

1 0 BEACHCOMBER

ON OUR COVER:

“Whitesbog Asters” by Ann Hayes • www.annhayesart.com

Originals and prints are available at Jersey Shore Moments Gallery, Manasquan; Picture Perfect Gallery, Toms River; Frederick Gallery, Spring

A potpourri of Jersey Shore flotsam and jetsam. Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village. For three decades, the display has filled the young, and young-at-heart, with a touch of holiday magic and nostalgia. 10

Autumn Stargazing. Cooler months bring into focus celestial viewings at the Jersey Shore. 12

The Ocean County Library. The largest library system in New Jersey celebrates its centennial this year. 14

16 A FALL FARM & FUN GUIDE

A guide to pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, farm stands, corn mazes, hayrides, pony rides, petting zoos, haunted attractions, and more!

1 7 C ALENDAR OF EVENTS

A guide to events from October through December. Guide 17 – 24

25 CHOOSE & CUT YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE GUIDE

A guide to choose and cut your own Christmas tree farms.

26 THEATER & CONCERTS

A guide to theater and concert events from October through December. Guide 26 – 29

30 JERSEY SHORE PLACES

A Wineries Tour At The Jersey Shore. Wine made locally in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

3 6 CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE & TOURISM INFORMATION

INTERNET: www.jerseyshoremagazine.com and www.jerseyshorebooks.com. Email: JSVacation@aol.com.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION: please phone: (732) 892-1276 or access us on the internet at www.jerseyshoremagazine.com. Email: JSVacation@aol.com. Write: Jersey Shore Publications, P.O. Box 176, Bay Head, New Jersey 08742-0176.

Lake; The Jolly Tar, Bay Head

36 ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES

A guide to attractions and activities. Guide 36 – 37

38 PARKS & RECREATION AREAS

A guide to parks, recreation areas, trails, and scenic overlooks. Guide 38 – 39

40 HISTORIC SITES & MUSEUMS

A guide to historic sites, museums, and lighthouses. Guide 40 – 41

42 JERSEY SHORE PROFILE

The Return Of New Jersey Oystering. A once flourishing industry is experiencing a new rising tide.

4 7 STORES & SHOPS

A guide to stores and shops plus accommodations, art galleries, pets, private schools, taxi and limousine services, and more! Guide: 47 – 49

50 JERSEY SHORE IMAGES

Autumn Sonata. The seasonal paintings of artist Ann Hayes.

62 HOLIDAY SHOPPING & DINING GUIDE

Our annual holiday guide to shopping and dining.

63 DINING OUT & FOOD

A guide to restaurants and nightlife plus catering, specialty food markets, and more. Guide 63 – 65

66 HOME PORT

Of Oysters & Ospreys. A new essay by Christine Menapace.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $24.95. You’ll receive: Jersey Shore Magazine (spring and fall/holiday issues), Jersey Shore Vacation Magazine, Jersey Shore Vacation Map, and Long Beach Island Vacation Magazine (summer issues). To subscribe, visit us online at www.jerseyshoremagazine.com. Or please call our Toll Free Subscription Hotline, 24 hours-a-day: 888-22-SHORE (888-227-4673). Please have your credit card ready. Or send your name, address, and a check or money order for $24.95 to: Jersey Shore Publications Subscriptions, P.O. Box 176, Bay Head, NJ 08742-0176. Your subscription will begin with our next issue.

BeauTiful BooKS CelebRaTing

Books From The Publisher of Jersey Shore Magazine!

These regional bestsellers from Jersey Shore Publications will delight lovers of the Jersey Shore and make perfect gifts for special occasions and the holidays!

When you order direct from us, shipping is always free, plus you’ll receive a free one year subscription to Jersey Shore Magazine (a $24.95 value) as our bonus gift to you!

To order, visit us online at www.jerseyshorebooks.com or call toll free: 888-22-SHORE.

Our titles are also available at independent bookstores, gift shops, art galleries, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and other online retailers.

Our books will give you many days of reading and viewing pleasure, and they make lasting, memorable gifts. You, your family, and friends will treasure them for years to come.

Coffee Table Books Beautifully Printed and Bound with Many Features Not Found in Most Books...

• Oversized to enhance your reading and viewing experience

• Precious gold type and accents, stamped on the covers and spine, adding distinctive, classic beauty

• Superbly printed on archival quality, acid-neutral paper that will not yellow with time

• Sturdy hand-sewn binding (Smyth-sewn), inspected at every stage, for extra strength and durability

Our Gift to You!

With your order from the publisher, you’ll receive a FREE one year subscription to Jersey Shore Magazine (spring and fall/holiday issues), Jersey Shore Vacation Magazine & Map (summer issues), and Long Beach Island Vacation Magazine (summer issues), the magazine, guidebooks, and maps, to sun and fun in Ocean and Monmouth counties at the Jersey Shore. A $24.95 value!

Where to Purchase

Some stores may not carry all titles. Please call the store for more information.

www.amazon.com

Barnes & Noble Booksellers www.barnesandnoble.com

Asbury Park

Asbury Book Cooperative 644A Cookman Avenue

Barnegat Light

Wildflowers By The Lighthouse 410 Broadway

Bay Head

The Grenville Hotel & Restaurant 345 Main Avenue

The Jolly Tar, 56 Bridge Avenue

Beach Haven

The Bywatyr Shop 13001 Long Beach Boulevard

The New Jersey Maritime Museum, 528 Dock Road

Brick

David Beaton & Sons 72 Beaton Road

Cranford

Periwinkle’s Fine Gifts 19 North Union Avenue

Edison

Middlesex County College B&N Bookstore 2600 Woodbridge Avenue

Fair Haven

River Road Books 759 River Road

Island Beach State Park

Island Beach State Park Office (732) 793-0506

The park office is located about 3.5 miles past the entrance in between the two bathing pavilions. Open 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Note: This location only sells “Island Beach - A Sonnet In the Sands” by Gordon Hesse.

Island Heights

Ocean County Artists Guild Ocean and Chestnut Avenues

Lavallette

Ben Franklin 1205 Grand Central Avenue

Little Silver

Little Silver Family Pharmacy 10 Church Street

Manasquan Booktowne, 171 Main Street

Jersey Shore Moments 209 Route 71

Manchester

The Expressive “U” Colbye Commons Shopping Ctr., 1900 Route 70, Suite 2

Point Pleasant Borough

Butler’s Pharmacy 2301 Bridge Avenue

Point Pleasant Beach

Garden State Yacht Sales 101 Route 35 South

Rumson

The Rumson Pharmacy 22 West River Road

Seaside Heights

The Dock Outfitters 5 Route 35 South

Seaside Park

Shore & More General Store 100 5th Avenue

Spring Lake

Frederick Galleries 1405-1 Third Avenue

Kate & Company 1108 Third Avenue

Toms River

Ocean County Historical Society Museum, 26 Hadley Avenue

Picture Perfect Gallery 1307 Route 37 East

Tuckerton

Tuckerton Seaport 120 East Main Street

Wall Township

Colfax Pharmacy 2510 Belmar Boulevard

Visit the Jersey Shore Magazine website: www.jerseyshoremagazine.com

Precious gold type and accents Sturdy Smyth-sewn bindings

$39.95

288 pages

Hardcover with dust jacket

More than 385 photographs and images

Actual size: 9 1/4" x 12 1/4"

Holiday

November 26 - December 31

Up to 55% Off + Free Subscription to JERSEY SHORE Magazine! ($24.95 value)

WINNER of the 2018 National First Place Award for “Nonfiction Books - History” by the National Federation of Press Women

Island Beach – A Sonnet in the Sands –by Gordon Hesse

The Crown Jewel of the

Jersey Shore

This limited-edition, oversized volume by Gordon Hesse, author of All Summer Long - Tales and Lore of Lifeguarding on the Atlantic, tells the story of the park from the time before Europeans arrived to present day.

Part One, “A Sonnet in the Sands,” features the park’s plant and animal life as well as its history.

Part Two, “The Lure and Lore of Island Beach,” features memories and stories of the good gone days at Island Beach from people who spent much of their lives there.

Part Three, “Images of Island Beach,” presents numerous unique historic and current photographs of the park.

Throughout the book are more than 385 exquisite photographs. These stunning images capture every aspect of the park in all four seasons— from the dunes and maritime forests, to the beaches, to the park’s historic and current buildings, and to the sportsmen’s shacks, past and present. Numerous historic photographs reveal the ultimate view into the park’s past as well.

Island Beach - A Sonnet In The Sands captures the beauty of the park second only to the park itself. It is a window into its past and present, a vision now preserved for future generations.

To The Shore Once More, Volume III

– Life at The Jersey Shore –Prose, Poetry, and Works of Art

Prose and Poetry by Frank Finale Works of Art by 45 Contemporary Artists

Jersey Shore Publications is pleased to bring you To The Shore Once More, Volume III, the third and final volume in Frank Finale’s bestselling series of coffee table books about the Jersey Shore.

Join once more acclaimed author and poet Frank Finale as he captures “Life at the Jersey Shore” while exploring universal themes that touch us all. This oversized volume contains more than 130 resplendent paintings by forty-five contemporary artists and features some of the loveliest landmarks and locations at the Shore.

Frank and the artists take readers on a journey through the past and present, from Sandy Hook to Long Beach Island, and these graceful personal essays, poems, and paintings will elicit an emotional response and lingering memory. The book is divided into four chapters by season and takes place in many of the towns and regions along the coast.

This companion volume is one of the most enchanting and beautiful books about the Jersey Shore ever published and will make a great gift for special occasions and holidays. It will bring you closer to the places you love at the Shore and is sure to bring many days of reading and viewing pleasure—you, your family, and friends will treasure it for years to come.

$48.00

204 pages

Hardcover with dust jacket

More than 130 paintings

Actual size: 12 1/4" x 12 1/4"

A Jersey Shore Dream...

BeauTiful BooKS CelebRaTing

$48.00 hardcover with dust jacket 180 pages 12 1/4” x 12 1/4”

$50.00 hardcover 152 pages 9 1/4” x 12 1/4”

$50.00 hardcover with dust jacket 284 pages 12 1/4” x 12 1/4”

$50.00 hardcover with translucent dust jacket

208 pages 12 1/4” x 12 1/4”

$39.95 softcover edition includes extended cover panel flaps

176 pages 9" x 12"

200+ photographs

All Summer Long –Tales and Lore of Lifeguarding on the Atlantic by Gordon

$24.95

208 pages

Hesse

Hardcover with dust jacket

6 1/4" x 9 1/4"

$39.95 softcover edition includes extended cover panel flaps

240 pages 9" x 12"

325+ photographs

The Poets of New Jersey –From Colonial to Contemporary Hardcover with dust jacket: $24.95 Softcover: $19.95

240 pages 6 1/4" x 9 1/4"

Spring Lake, Revisited – A Portrait of the Victorian Era at the Jersey Shore by Patrick Smith

The Bluffs – A Story of a Hotel at the Jersey Shore by Francine LaVance Robertshaw

Long Beach Island Rhapsody – Paintings of the Island by Sixty Contemporary Artists

Dick LaBonté – Paintings of the Jersey Shore and More

Aftermath, Volume I, Ocean County Images of Superstorm Sandy at the Jersey Shore by David Turton

Aftermath, Volume II, Monmouth County Images of Superstorm Sandy at the Jersey Shore by David Turton

the JeRsey ShoRe

Annual Holiday Book Sale!

www.JerseyShoreBooks.com

November 26 - December 31

Up to 55% Off + Free Subscription to JERSEY SHORE Magazine! ($24.95 value)

To The Shore Once More – A Portrait of the Jersey Shore Prose, Poetry, and Works of Art

Prose and Poetry by Frank Finale Works of Art by 11 Contemporary Artists

$44.00

hardcover with dust jacket, 168 pages, 12 1/4" x 12 1/4"

written by Frank Finale • illustrated by Margie Moore

$22.00

hardcover with dust jacket, 36 pages, 10 3/4" x 10 3/4"

A Gull’s Story, Part 3 –Colors at the Shore

Written by Frank Finale

Illustrated by Margie Moore

$22.00

board book, 32 pages

8 1/2" x 8 1/2"

To The II Jersey

To The Shore Once More, Volume II – A Journey Down The Jersey Shore Prose, Poetry, and Works of Art

Prose and Poetry by Frank Finale Works of Art by 41 Contemporary Artists

$48.00

hardcover with dust jacket, 180 pages, 12 1/4" x 12 1/4"

written by Frank Finale • illustrated by Margie Moore

$22.00

hardcover with dust jacket, 36 pages, 10 3/4" x 10 3/4"

For more information and to order: www.jerseyshorebooks.com

With your order, our gift to you: a free one year subscription to Jersey Shore Magazine!

Also available at bookstores, gift shops, art galleries, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and other online retailers.

“Let us take a journey down the Shore to see what we can find… ”

Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village

Holiday Nostalgia is on Track in Spring Lake

Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village & Display will once again fill the young, and young-atheart, with a touch of holiday magic and nostalgia.

It all began with a beloved business owner’s vision to create a small window train display to bring holiday joy to children. This man’s kind gesture would continue three decades later as a gift that keeps on giving.

Today’s multi-level display (located at Duggan Hall, 313 Washington Avenue), with its decorative pieces and Christmastime, German-made, Lehmann Gross Bahn [LGB] trains, started with primitive roots at Clayton Limousine and Livery Service (1207 Third Avenue).

Owner Richard Clayton said his father, Walter, loved Christmas. In 1990, a small train display was built by the storefront’s 8-by-4-foot window. The 10-by-8-foot display used HO-scale trains running on a looped track with a few small trains, buildings, trees, and figurines. The few pieces his father purchased back then evolved into today’s magnificent display.

“We would have to clean the window every day because the children

were against the window,” said manager Pete Casagrande. “It was a riot.”

Spanning three generations, Clayton Limousine and Livery opened in 1917 with a horse and carriage and is the oldest Third Avenue business. Clayton and his brother, Tom, took over the business after their father’s death in 1995, working in the same 8,000 square foot building where their grandfather, Jesse, had housed his horses.

In 1997, Clayton and Casagrande expanded the display and built a 30-by-12-foot main platform with additional elevations making the display three-tiered. They also added LGB trains and larger buildings. The display was moved into the office itself and was so big the main office had to be rearranged to make it fit. The duo also used the display to help local charities including Ronald McDonald House in Long Branch (which closed in 2022), Fulfill (formerly The FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties), and the Spring Lake Community House.

Each year, starting mid-October and taking about three weeks to complete, Casagrande would build the

platforms, lay out track, and time the trains, while Clayton would lay out the buildings and accessories.

“Once we came in the office, it just exploded. You did not have to promote it. Here you are in a downtown. Nobody does this and takes half of their office and gives it away,” Clayton said. “We were getting up to 4,000 people, and it was becoming disruptive to the company.” After 2014, the men decided to call it quits, with no plans to continue. The crowds, growing to as much as 5,000 annually, became overwhelming for the small business.

Plans changed in 2015 after Spring Lake officials pitched Clayton and Casagrande with an idea: have the display at the newly renovated Duggan Memorial Building also known as Duggan Hall. The building, formerly the home of the Spring Lake First Aid and Emergency Squad, would provide an ideal setting for the LGB, G-scale trains and generate interest for the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We had two weeks to get it done,” said Casagrande. After the borough’s public works built a sturdy, strong, 33-by-13-foot (429-square-foot) raised platform, the impressive display showcased three levels, twenty animated amusement park rides, several trollies, four to five train sets, an estimated four hundred or more figurines, three hundred trees, and sixty or so G-scale buildings, as well as lakes, bridges, automobiles, and even an airplane flying overhead.

“Kids like the motion and colors. Adults like to stand there and figure out how it works,” said Clayton, “as no one stands there with controllers and it amazes people that the train display seems to be running on its own.”

The LGB trains belong to Casagrande. “Rather than HOs, which are hard to run on a longer basis, these things—turn them on and let them run,” he said.

Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village & Display at Duggan Hall on Washington Avenue is free and open to the public.

courtesy of Clayton Limousine Service

It takes forty to sixty hours to set it up, with work beginning in midOctober. Volunteers from the St. Rose High School track team in Belmar also participate. “They are good helpers. They help us unpack and with our direction, they do the bare-bones stuff,” said Clayton.

It takes twenty or so hours to take it all back down. Having the items—thousands of pieces—stored offsite helps make the job easier. “It reminds me of a TV or movie set,” said Clayton. “It is built to look good, but it is meant to take down easily.”

On a cold February morning in 2009, a large cardboard box was sitting by their office door as Clayton and Casagrande were coming to work. The contents inside revealed more than a dozen pieces of a 1980s Department 56 Dickens Village set. There was no name—just a note that read, ‘I hope you can use this.’ Clayton said “these sets can cost up to a couple of thousand dollars today.” Because the pieces are not in scale, they are set in the display like a distant village. For years, they did not know who left the box. “We think we know who that person is, but we are not sure,” said Clayton.

Every year, the two men get more offers of items nobody wants or needs. “People say their kids don’t want this anymore…they don’t want the crystal and the china,” said Clayton. “So, they let it go somewhere that it can do some good.”

Adding to the charm are buildings replicating downtown businesses, from storefronts to awnings. A local business owner’s persistence jumpstarted this idea. Butcher Block’s Alan Lacy had jokingly taped his shop name to the side of one of the display buildings. Casagrande said Lacy came in three days in a row with his business card saying, ‘I want this building’ and handed them $100. to donate to a charity of their choice. Clayton and Casagrande soon purchased additional buildings that replicated downtown Spring Lake and allowed other businesses to participate with a $100. donation to a designated charity. Today, more than forty businesses participate, and there’s a waiting list. The businesses’ buildings raise about $6,000. annually, and additional donations are given from individuals, including an anonymous donation of $11,000. one year, said Clayton.

Although the Christmas Train Village is open to the public free of charge, donations benefit Common Ground Grief Center in Manasquan, a 501(c)3 non-profit that supports children from Monmouth and Ocean counties who have lost a parent, sibling, or friend. Clayton currently serves as board chair.

Common Ground’s founder and director, Lynn Snyder, said funds raised from this year’s display will go directly toward an anticipated program expansion. “We are very grateful for their money that comes from the train display,” said Snyder, who estimated the Grief Center receives $9,000. to $10,000. annually from the exhibit.

Fundraising and grants are important, as it costs an estimated $1,500. for a child or teen to go through a program. Common Ground currently has sixty-five volunteers and only two paid staff members, she said.

Snyder continued, “There is so much time, effort, love, and community spirit that is put forth in creating this display each year. It is quite mesmerizing when you see it.”

Many families visit the Christmas Train Village every year. Some came twenty years ago with their children and have come back to recreate another family photo. What also touches Casagrande’s heart is “watching an eighty-year old man walk in and get lost for hours.” Some of the older generation say “they haven’t seen such a display since they were kids,” he said.

Clayton and Casagrande are hopeful someone new will step up to keep this tradition going around the track for many more years. “It is Christmas, trains, and kids,” said Clayton. “And—it’s nobody’s hobby. We just do it.”

—Caren Caterina May

Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village & Display is located inside historic Duggan Hall, 313 Washington Avenue in Spring Lake. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays, November 29 through December 31, from noon to 5:00 PM. The display is free and open to the public.

Spring Lake’s downtown business district is recreated with model buildings, shown here are along Third Avenue. More than forty businesses donate each year to have their buildings included, benefiting Common Ground Grief Center in Manasquan, a non-profit that supports local children who have lost a parent, sibling, or friend.

courtesy of Clayton Limousine Service

Autumn Stargazing

Cooler Months Bring Into Focus Celestial Viewings

The cool, crisp air of autumn brings with it longer night skies, creating the perfect canvas for planets, constellations, and more. Whether a novice or seasoned astronomer, learning all about stargazing is closer than you think.

Society of Telescopy, Astronomy, and Radio (S*T*A*R)

The Society of Telescopy, Astronomy, and Radio’s President, Robert Nunn, has loved astronomy since he was eight, when his father taught him about the constellations. The Monmouth County-based amateur astronomy club was founded in 1957, and Nunn joined fifteen years ago upon a friend’s recommendation.

“We like to look at things that are far away,” said Nunn. “There are many things you can look at and spend many years finding.”

Members enjoy sharing telescopes and helping budding astronomers understand how they work and which one is right for them. Guest speakers are also a club highlight. “We have astronomers doing very important research who come and talk to us. It is wonderful,” Nunn said. Topics range from the study of Mars to an analysis of gas clouds closest to the solar system.

Star parties provide opportunities to connect with other enthusiasts while stargazing. “Sandy Hook is an ideal location because it is far from the city, offers different horizons, has open space, and there are no local lights, trees, or houses,” explained Nunn.

The fall season brings into better viewing the constellation Orion. To find “the Hunter,” look to the east and locate the row of three stars that make up his belt.

Saturn is also coming into view in the east just above the horizon at sunset. Although you can see it with the naked eye, “a telescope will help you see the planet’s rings in more detail,” Nunn said.

Pleiades, the famous “Seven Sisters,” “are several quite bright stars that are close together,” said Nunn. Located northwest of the constellation Taurus, near Orion, the Pleiades can be seen without a telescope.

The constellation Perseus, another fall favorite, hosts the Perseids meteor shower each year. (This year, it peaked on the night of August 12 and early morning of August 13.)

Looking south during fall months brings to view more interesting objects including some of the constellations in the ecliptic. As fall

begins, “the ecliptic is at its lowest in evening skies,” Nunn said. He added that “anyone can start their astronomy journey with binoculars instead of a telescope.”

One of Nunn’s favorite experiences was seeing a transit of Mercury passing across the sun during a rare event at Dorbrook Park, Colts Neck in 2019. This phenomenon, which occurs thirteen or fourteen times per century, is expected to happen again in 2032.

“Looking at the sky…there is lots to see,” Nunn said. “Research in astronomy is wonderful, and there is so much to learn. The next generation will find out much more about the universe, and it will be exciting to see what scientists learn in coming decades.”

The Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area (A.S.T.R.A.)

In Ocean County, the Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area has been bringing together folks who are interested in astronomy and space science since 1977. “We have a good group of people willing to work with others on what their interests may be,” said club President Jim Webster, a member since 2017.

Also an astrophotographer, Webster grew up in Brooklyn and was interested in astronomy as a child. “All I could see was the moon,” he laughed. “Looking out your building window with a telescope was frowned upon.”

The Milky Way, as seen from Island Beach State Park (June 2019).

courtesy of Jim Webster

Members of S*T*A*R set up their telescopes for a star party.

courtesy Robert Nunn

The fall brings seasonal constellations which can be observed without a telescope. Out of the eighty-eight constellations in the northern hemisphere, New Jersey has access to thirty-six of them. “Constellations can be found in different parts of the sky depending on the season and can appear smaller or larger,” Webster explained.

Webster said constellations are good observations for helping find deep sky objects, which include celestial bodies outside our solar system such as galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. In the past, constellations gave sailors navigation reference points for where they were going. “They would look for the North Star and have an idea where they needed to go,” he explained.

The northern hemisphere’s largest constellation is the Big Dipper, which is part of Ursa Major, also known as “the Great Bear.” “The Big Dipper is good for knowing what season you are in and is close to the horizon on autumn evenings,” Webster said. September through December are known for a number of notable constellations from which the signs of the zodiac are derived, according to Webster. Many of the constellations in the northern hemisphere are based on Greek mythology and include Aries, Triangulum, Aquarius, Cetus, Pisces, Pegasus, Perseus, and Andromeda. One of the largest constellations is Draco, “the dragon guarding golden apples.” Cassiopeia, “The Queen,” can be found high in the sky on October and November evenings, not far away from Polaris, “the North Star.” To locate Polaris, first find the Big Dipper in the northern sky. Identify the two “pointer stars” that form the outer edge of the Big Dipper’s bowl. Extend an imaginary line through these two stars, and it will lead to Polaris, the bright star at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.

Planets and the Geminid meteor showers (December 13-14) are also autumnal highlights, as are sightings of the International Space Station and Starlinks, the “satellite trains” that Elon Musk launches.

“Occasionally, comets are visible to the naked eye,” said Webster.

Ever wonder if you’re looking at a star or planet? Stars tend to twinkle while a planet will be a solid object in the sky. “Sirius, known as ‘the Dog Star,’ is one of the biggest stars in the night sky,” said Webster.

“Let your eyes adjust to the night sky, and you can pick out more and more features,” Webster said. A few tools can also make your astronomy experience better. Using a red flashlight or headlamp is the preferred method of illumination for reading star charts and adjusting telescopes while protecting your night vision.

Apps such as Stellarium, SkySafari, Star Tracker, and Star Walk are helpful in identifying objects. A smart telescope enables astronomers to utilize apps by hooking up a smartphone onto their telescope.

Public star parties are a favorite for A.S.T.R.A. and are held at locations such as Jake’s Branch County Park in Beachwood and Island Beach State Park. “On a good night at Island Beach, you can make out the Milky Way,” said Webster.

A DarkSky International advocate and founder of DarkSky New Jersey, Webster stresses the impact light pollution has on astronomy and nature. Webster is also a SciStarter ambassador and was part of a citizen science project, ‘Globe at Night,’ which studied light pollution and asked people to count how many constellations they could see. “It is important, as doing this study helps us with astronomy,” Webster said. Light pollution also has an environmental impact on sea turtles, bird migration, and pollinators, as well as our health including sleep patterns at night.

Robert J. Novins Planetarium

The Robert J. Novins Planetarium at Ocean County College in Toms River is perfect for exploring the universe indoors. Patrons can see stars and planets via laser shows, sky shows, and full dome movies inside the 103-seat theater.

“At the planetarium, it is always clear skies for us,” said associate director Cara Muscio. “Come

learn more about the autumn day and night skies from live presenters during sky talks offered on Saturdays.” Their program ‘Stars In My Backyard’ engages children and discusses stars, planets, constellations, and more. Another program, ‘Wonders of the Seasonal Sky,’ is for older audiences and goes into detail on deep sky objects.

Muscio commended A.S.T.R.A., which holds meetings at the planetarium, for the tremendous job they do observing the natural night sky in Ocean County and for getting people out on a telescope.

She leaves budding astronomers with three important words: “Keep looking up.”

—Caren Caterina May

S*T*A*R hosts meetings, observing nights, star parties, trips, and special activities such as amateur telescope making and public astronomy programs, in addition to assisting local schools and Scouts. Meetings are currently held via Zoom on the first Thursday of the month from SeptemberJune at 8:00 PM. No registration is necessary and anyone interested in learning more about the club or attending a Zoom meeting can reach out by visiting www.starastronomy.org.

A.S.T.R.A. is open to individuals of all ages and levels of experience who are interested in astronomy, space sciences, and astrophotography. Beginners are especially welcome. Monthly meetings are held on the second Friday of each month at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium at Ocean County College, Toms River at 7:00 PM. The club’s calendar has two upcoming star parties: Saturday, November 15 at 6:00 PM at Patriots County Park, 485 Bowman Road, Jackson, and Saturday, November 29 at 6:00 PM at Jakes Branch County Park, 1100 Double Trouble Road, Beachwood. To learn more about A.S.T.R.A., visit www.astra-nj.com.

The Robert J. Novins Planetarium is located at Ocean County College, 1 College Drive, Toms River. In addition to public shows, the planetarium offers programs for school and camp groups, birthday parties, and special themed events. The Planetarium box office is open Wednesday - Saturday from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Call (732) 255-0343 or visit www.ocean.edu/ planetarium to learn more including hours, events, and ticket information.

The Ocean County Library

Celebrating A Centennial

In1925, Calvin Coolidge was serving his term as the thirtieth president of the United States, a gallon of milk cost roughly thirty-five cents, and the first factory-assembled Ford Model T truck was introduced.

It was also this year during the Roaring Twenties—a time where the impact of Prohibition, inventions, and tourism brought cultural changes to the Jersey Shore and across the country—that earmarked the beginning of a century-long milestone for one of Ocean County’s most important contributions: the Ocean County Library.

“A centennial anniversary is such a historic milestone and a testament that libraries have stood the test of time and grown over the years,” said Ocean County Library Public Information Officer and Librarian Sherri Taliercio, who works out of the Toms River headquarters.

The Ocean County Library—the largest public library system in New Jersey—turns its pages forward to the next successful chapter by continuing to bring the community together for a lifelong love of literature and learning. Currently, the library has twenty-one locations (nineteen branches and two smaller reading centers) that serve thirty-two municipalities.

1925 - The Library Begins

Library history tells us that legislative enactment allowed New Jersey counties to establish library systems in 1920. In November 1924, Ocean County residents voted to create a free library, and the Ocean County Library opened its doors to the public on September 19, 1925.

The Lonan Building, a small library cottage that stood on the county courthouse grounds in Toms River, was open to the public one day a week. It was staffed by Miss Elizabeth Wurts,

the first librarian. A Model T paneled truck—purchased for $997.—was used as one of the first ‘bookmobiles’ to bring library service to the rural county of 28,000. It stopped at thirty-two schools as well as twenty-three ‘stations’ encompassing post offices, stores, enclosed porches of private homes, and even Coast Guard stations.

Subsequently, the Ocean County Library grew to a system headquartered in Toms River, with a new 101 Washington Street location built in 1981, that provided space for collections and community events.

Thanks to the accrued assets of local author and cranberry farmer Nathaniel Bishop III, the official public library of Toms River, Bishop Hall, was built in 1941. According to library history, Bishop Hall was used until the Ocean County Library constructed the Dover Township Branch in 1976. In 2009, Bishop Hall received a renovation and is utilized for special library events, meetings, and office space.

With Ocean County’s population growing, independent municipal libraries decided to join the system, and branches were built in towns that never had a library. In 1956, the library system’s first branch opened on Long Beach Island in a Long Beach Township Municipal Building room. The first independent town library to join the county system was Point Pleasant Beach’s branch in 1968.

The Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library at 101 Washington Street.

courtesy of the Ocean County Library

In the mid-1920s, a Model T paneled truck was used as one of the first ‘bookmobiles’ to bring the library’s services to Ocean County’s rural community of 28,000.

courtesy of the Ocean County Library

A Lot More Than Books

Taliercio said the one-hundredyear old library system once began as a repository for books. “Back then, what they had was sufficient,” she explained. “As the community grew, they saw a need to expand and grow the collection for the needs of the community.” The ability to be fluid, grow, and shift with the times are attributes that make libraries so important, she added. “There will always be a need for libraries and books,” said Taliercio. “But, we are a lot more than books.”

Taliercio stated that the county library system offers a wide range of programs, services, and collections to meet the community’s diverse needs and has grown over the decades into meeting spaces, materials for the digital-age, museum pass programs, and much more, with many resources available on the county library website. Each branch offers top-notch programming for children and adults.

Adapting to the Times

The advancement of technology has been the biggest change over the years. Taliercio recalled when patrons had to look through the card catalog to find a book. Before computers were invented, librarians put information about their books on cards that were filed in cabinets. A patron checking out a book would bring the book to a desk, where they had to get their name and the book’s due date recorded—either handwritten or by stamp—on the borrowing card, which was inserted in a small pocket in the book. “It was always fun seeing who checked out the book prior,” Taliercio said.

Ocean County Library has continued adapting to remain relevant to the times, including “increasing the number of digital book formats and allowing patrons to check out books using their phone or tablet,” said Taliercio.

Taliercio noted that stepping away from the screens and finding respite in a library setting is as important as ever, especially for today’s youth. “There is something to be said from disconnecting from technology and social media,” said Taliercio, encouraging the younger generation to come

to the library where they can sit, have peace and quiet, and enjoy reading a book or listening to music.

While technology has paved the way for newer innovations—one attribute has never wavered over the past one hundred years: it’s a place people feel at home. “We have something for every social-economic class, whether you are nine or ninetynine,” said Taliercio. “We have something for you…and that is why we have such an outstanding reputation in the community.”

Toms River and Jackson branches offer sensory space rooms where equipment is tactile, soothing, and interactive. A sensory space is also anticipated for the Stafford branch. Ocean County Library’s Spark’s Lab, which is a public makerspace, offers a hands-on creative environment, including a 3D printer and sewing machine. Creativebug provides unlimited access to thousands of online art and craft classes that can be accessed for free with a library card.

Amped Up Programming for the Centennial

A centennial celebration wouldn’t be complete without a big party.

On the official anniversary date of September 19, a ‘Dancing Through the Decades’ gala was held at the Toms River branch thanks to the Ocean County Library Foundation.

The Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization established in 2001, helps enhance services and opportunities offered to all users. The Foundation supports the library’s mission of: “Connecting People, Building Community, and

In the good gone days prior to computers, library patrons used the card catalog to find a book.

Transforming Lives.”

The fun is always continuing, Taliercio said, and the calendar of events “is always packed with good stuff.” “It is exciting…it is overwhelming,” exclaimed Taliercio. “There are so many things going on this year. It is really amped up with programming.” The system’s branches have also been celebrating with special events, historical banner exhibits, ticket drawings for ‘100 prizes for 100 years’ anniversary swag, and even birthday cake.

Limited-edition Ocean County Library cards commemorating one hundred years are available on a firstcome, first serve basis at all branches. The cards are available to new library members, and current members can exchange their current card for one of these.

And, long after the one-hundred birthday cake candles are blown out— the many “champions” of the Ocean County Library will keep cheering this library system on, said Taliercio, including volunteer-based Friends groups who preserve, strengthen, and support the library through advocacy, fundraising, programs, donations, and volunteerism.

“And, that is why we exist,” said Taliercio. “We will be here in another one-hundred years to celebrate two-hundred years, and I hope, one-thousand years.”

—Caren Caterina May

For more information about the Ocean County Library System, visit www.theoceancountylibrary.org. Please refer to page 18 for this season’s events.

courtesy of the Ocean County Library

A FALL FARM & FUN GUIDE

To Pick-Your-Own Apples & Pumpkins, Farm Stands, Corn Mazes, Hayrides, Pony Rides, Petting Zoos, Haunted Attractions, and More!

Although every effort was made to provide accurate information, please call or check the website before attending. Weather, heavy picking, and business conditions can affect hours of operation and crop harvesting.

ALLAIRE COMMUNITY FARM

1923 Baileys Corner Road, Wall (732) 796-3298

www.allairecommunityfarm.com

Petting zoo, market, pumpkin patch, barrel train rides, and more. Visit website for up-to-date seasonal activities and events. Open Mon. - Sat. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sun. 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Closed on Thanksgiving.

ANTONIO CASOLA FARMS, NURSERY & GREENHOUSES

178 Route 34, Holmdel, (732) 332-1533

www.acasolafarms.com

Pumpkin patch, unhaunted corn maze, hayrides, picnic area, petting zoo, pony rides, and farm stand. Fri. and Sat. night pumpkin picking. Call or visit website for hours.

ARGOS FARM

1250 Lacey Road, Forked River (609) 693-3513

www.argosfarm.com

Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayrides, train rides, pony rides, pig races, rubber duck races, farm animals, and seasonal activities. Admission fee. Call or visit website for hours.

ATLANTIC FARM MARKET

1506 Atlantic Avenue (Route 524) Manasquan, (732) 528-8660

www.atlanticfarmmarket.com

Hayrides, corn mazes, petting farm, pick-your-own pumpkin patch, face painting, picnic area, and more. Hayrides available through Dec. 31. Open Mon. - Fri. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sat and Sun. 10:00 AM5:00 PM.

BATTLEVIEW ORCHARDS

91 Wemrock Road, Freehold (732) 462-0756

www.battlevieworchards.com

Pick-your-own peaches, apples, pumpkins. Hayrides on weekends. Country store. Open year-round, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Closed Tues.

BULLOCK FARMS

83 Emleys Hill Road, Cream Ridge (609) 758-8726

www.bullockfarms.com

Hayrides, pumpkin patch, corn maze, sunflowers, and kids’ corner. Open mid-Sept. - Oct. 26, Fri.Sun. 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Closed Mon. - Thurs.

C. CASOLA FARMS

131 Route 79 South (2.5 miles south of Route 520), Marlboro, (732) 946-8885 www.hauntedcasola.com

Haunted hayrides, wooded trail, corn maze, barn, and zombie breakout. Pumpkins, hayrides, pony rides, seasonal “bootique,” and witches brew refreshments. Open mid-Sept. - Nov. 1, Fri. and Sat. 7:00 PM - 10:30 PM; Sun. and Halloween 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM.

DEARBORN MARKET

2170 Route 35, Holmdel, (732) 264-0256 www.dearbornmarket.com

Pumpkin patch, corn maze, straw crawl, pony rides, picnic area, and organic turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner. Private parties. Open daily year-round 8:00 AM8:00 PM. Fall Festivities on weekends through Oct. 26.

DELICIOUS ORCHARDS

320 Route 34, Colts Neck, (732) 462-1989 www.deliciousorchardsnj.com

Country food market, pumpkins, apples, and outdoor café. Pick your own apples at Eastmont Orchards. Open year-round, Tues. - Sun. 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM.

EASTMONT ORCHARDS

181 Route 537 East (one mile east of Route 34), Colts Neck, (732) 542-5404 www.eastmontorchards.com

Pick-your-own apples, peaches, and pumpkins. Open daily till the end of Oct., Mon. - Fri. 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM; Sat. and Sun. 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM.

EMERY’S BERRY FARM

346 Long Swamp Road (off Route 539) New Egypt (609) 758-8514

www.emerysfarm.com

Pumpkin patch, farm market, farm animals, hayrides, and corn maze. No pets please. Call for hours.

HALLOCK’S U-PICK FARM

38 Fischer Road (off Route 528) New Egypt, (609) 758-8847

www.hallocksupick.com

Pick-your-own produce including pumpkins and a farm stand. Open Mon. - Fri. 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM; Sat. and Sun. 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

KROWICKI’S FARM MARKET & GREENHOUSE

862 Route 539, New Egypt, (609) 752-5591

www.facebook.com/KrowickisFarmMarket

Pick-your-own apples. Pumpkins and seasonal baked goods made with ingredients grown on the farm. Open daily through Oct. 31, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

NIGHTMARE AT GRAVITY HILL

Hosted at Cicconi Farm

1005 Farmingdale Road, Jackson (848) 207-8963

www.nightmareatgravityhill.com

A haunted walkthrough at the abandoned ghost town of Gravity Hill, its graveyard, and haunted fields. Featuring over a dozen different creepy scenes and adventures and a cast of terrifying ghouls, zombies, creepy clowns, and other denizens of the night. Thirtyfive minutes of spine-chilling, walkable, haunted trails spread out over five acres! Open Sept. 12 - Nov. 1, Fri. and Sat. dusk till 10:00 PM/11:00 PM.

PATTERSON GREENHOUSES & FARMS

636 Adelphia Road, Farmingdale (732) 431-5271

www.pattersongreenhouses.com

Pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, cornstalks, straw, mums, and fall produce. Call for hours.

SILVERTON FARMS

1520 Silverton Road, Toms River (732) 244-2621

www.silvertonfarmsnj.com

Organic pumpkin patch, educational hayrides, cider press demonstrations, and antique farm equipment museum. Open through the end of Oct., Tues. - Sat. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Sun. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

TWIN POND FARM

Country Market: 1473 Route 9 North Howell, (732) 863-9363

Garden Center: 1459 Route 9 North Howell, (732) 863-0755

www.twinpondfarm.com

Country market, seasonal plants and decorations, hayrides, corn maze, pumpkins, gourds, games. Open Mon. - Sat. 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Sun. 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Garden Center open Mon. - Sat. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Sun. 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

WEMROCK ORCHARDS

100 Wemrock Road, Freehold (732) 431-2668

www.wemrockorchard.com

Farm market, country bakery, haunted hayrides, corn maze, pick-your-own pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, Indian corn, cider. Open Sun. - Wed. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Thurs - Sat. 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

PLACES TO GO & THINGS TO DO

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Monmouth and Ocean Counties

Although every effort was made to provide accurate information, please call or check the website for up-to-date information before attending.

October, November, and December 2025

ALL SEASON LONG

OCEAN COUNTY:

Events at Mathis House in Toms River Advance ticket purchase required.

The Mathis House, 600 Main Street, Toms River, (732) 818-7580

www.mathishouse600main.com

10-25: Murder Masquerade Dinner

Tickets: $75.; seniors: $55., 7:00 PM

11-19: Blue Tea Bingo

Tickets: $20., 6:30 PM

10-28: First Responders Day Teatime

Tickets: $25., call for time

10-29: Tea Club Meeting

Complimentary, 6:00 PM

10-31: Halloween Watch Party

12-13: A Dickens Christmas Tea

Tickets: $75., 7:00 PM

12-17: Winter Ice Queen Tea Party

Tickets: adults: $20.; children: $10., 6:30 PM

12-19: Elvis Tribute Dinner Show

Tickets: adults: $75.; seniors: $67.50., 7:00 PM

Tickets: $25.; children 12 and under: $15., 5:00 PM

11-8: Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Murder Mystery Dinner

Tickets: $75.; seniors: $67.50., 7:00 PM

11-9: Breakfast at Tiffany’s Buffet Brunch

Tickets: $50., 10:00 AM

11-12: Princess Tea with Belle

Tickets: adults: $20.; children: $10., 6:30 PM

11-13, 11-23: Friendsgiving Dinner

Tickets: adults: $50.; seniors: $45.00., 7:00 PM

11-14: Holiday Romantic Steak Dinner with Live Piano Music

Tickets: adults: $75.; seniors: $67.50., 7:00 PM

11-28: Breakfast with Santa

Tickets: $25., 9:00 AM

12-31: Great Gatsby Roaring 20s Jazz Band

Tickets: $100., 7:00 PM

Fun and Food at Laurita Winery in New Egypt

Laurita is more than just a winery—it’s a destination for entertainment. From high-energy Dueling Pianos shows and epic 80s Dance Parties to side-splitting Comedy Nights and thrilling Murder Mystery Dinners, there’s always something exciting happening. Music lovers can sway to live bands and tributes to legends while foodies can indulge at gourmet food truck festivals paired with award-winning wines. Please visit the website for a current event schedule. Advance tickets recommended. 35 Archertown Road, New Egypt, (609) 758-8000 www.lauritawinery.com

10-24: Throwback 90s/2000s Dance Party, 7:00 PM

10-25 - 10-26: HallowWine Food and Wine Festival, Sat.: 11:00 AM9:00 PM; Sun.: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM 11-6: Murder Mystery: Hoedown Homicide, 7:30 PM

11-8 - 11-9: Jeep Festival, Sat.: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM; Sun.: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

11-14, 12-12: Country Line Dancing, 7:00 PM

11-15 - 11-16: Chili and Chowder Festival, Sat.: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM; Sun.: 11:00 AM7:00 PM

11-22: Wade Preston’s Tribute to Billy Joel, 7:00 PM

12-5: Murder Mystery: Santa’s Slay, 7:30 PM

12-13: Christmas With the King! Elvis Tribute Christmas Concert, 7:00 PM

12-14: New Jersey Chamber Singers Winter Concert, 4:00 PM

Tours of Navy Lakehurst

Experience the amazing history of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Naval Air Station. Tours include The Cathedral of The Air, The Hindenburg Crash Site, The Navy Lakehurst Heritage Center, The Ready Room, The POWMIA Room, and Historic Hangar One. Due to security requirements, you must pre-register two weeks prior to your tour. To register: (732) 600-8055 or tours@nlhs.com. No walkins or additions to the group will be accepted on the day of the tour.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Naval Air Station, Route 547, Lakehurst, (732) 323-6547 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM www.nlhs.com

April - October: Every Wednesday and 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month November - March: Every Wednesday and 2nd Saturday of the month

continued on page 19

“January Thaw, Island Heights” by Theresa Troise Heidel Ridgefield Park, NJ

Events at Ocean & Monmouth County Libraries

The Ocean County Library System encompasses twenty-one locations (nineteen branches and two smaller reading centers) that serve thirty-three municipalities. The year following each branch is the year the location was added to the Library System.

The Monmouth County Library System encompasses thirteen locations that serve fiftythree municipalities.

Online pre-registration is required for most programs. Visit the website for registration information and additional events including arts and crafts, mindfulness and movements, groups for movies, books, writing, library support, and more. Unless otherwise noted, programs are open to all ages.

OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY • www.theoceancountylibrary.org

BARNEGAT BRANCH (1980)

112 Burr Street, Barnegat, (609) 698-3331

11-15: Beyond the Sea: The Life and Music of Bobby Darin, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11-20: Memory Loss, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease with the Ocean County Health Department, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

BEACHWOOD BRANCH (1973)

126 Beachwood Blvd., Beachwood, (732) 244-4573

11-3: Redhawk Native American Song and Dance, 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

11-8: Thank-A-Soldier Drop-in Cards, 10:00 AM2:00 PM

11-20: Sound Bowls, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

BERKELEY BRANCH (1981)

30 Station Road, Bayville, (732) 269-2144

11-4: Almost Sunrise Documentary, 11:00 AM12:45 PM

11-12: Musical Revue - 40s to 80s, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 11-14: Cactus Gratitude Garden, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM 11-24: Woodland Fairy Craft, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

BRICK BRANCH (1965)

301 Chambers Bridge Rd., Brick, (732) 477-4513

This branch offers regular, free bereavement support groups. Contact the branch for more information.

11-4: Deadlock: An Election Story, 10:00-11:00 AM 11-4, 12-9: Book Lovers Book Café, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-5: Healthcare and Tech at a Glance, 10:00 AM11:30 AM

11-6: Ocean County Health Department Vaccine Clinic, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

11-12: Reiki and Self Care for the Holidays, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-13: Coffee and Coloring, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

11-14: Vietnam Combat: Firefights and Writing History, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

11-18: Memory Loss, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease with the Ocean County Health Department, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11-18: Sip and Switch: A Mug Swap Social, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-20: Bottle Dancers USA, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

ISLAND HEIGHTS BRANCH (1978) 121 Central Ave., Island Heights, (732) 270-6266

11-25: Dream Catchers Craft, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

JACKSON BRANCH (1978)

LAKEWOOD BRANCH (Reading Ctr.) (1999) 301 Lexington Ave., Lakewood, (732) 363-1435

This branch offers regular, free homework help and English conversation groups as well as events in both English and Spanish. Contact the branch for more information.

10-31, 11-21: Book Rec Corner, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

11-5: Find Your Next Read with Novelist, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

11-6: Canva Greeting Cards, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

11-13: Documentary Screening: We Breathe Again, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-14: Art for the “Non-Artist,” 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

11-18: Bottle Dancers USA, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

11-20: Tangible Tarot, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

LITTLE EGG HARBOR BRANCH (1996) 290 Mathistown Road, Little Egg Harbor (609) 294-1197

2 Jackson Drive, Jackson, (732) 928-4400

This branch offers regular, free English conversation groups. Contact the branch for more information. 11-6: Broadway Up Close: An Intimate Evening with Deb Lyons, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

11-8: Navesink Brass Concert in Awareness of Veterans Day, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-12: George Washington Remembers New Jersey, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

11-14: Thankfulness Drop-in Craft, 10:00 AM2:00 PM

11-15: Mindfulness Meditation: On SelfCompassion, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

11-18: Making Mocktails, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

LACEY BRANCH (1976)

10 E. Lacey Road, Forked River, (609) 693-8566

11-13: The Strength of Song and Dance, 6:30 - 7:30 PM

11-15: Bling Sale, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

11-19: Thanksgiving Cricut Craft, 6:00-7:00 PM

12-3: Ocean County Health Department Vaccine Clinic, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

11-13: Blending Fun with Amy: Fall Soups, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-14: Afternoon Documentary: The American Bald Eagle, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-20: Cyanotype Card Workshop, 2:00 PM3:00 PM

11-24: Crow Part and Craft, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

LONG BEACH ISLAND BRANCH (1956)

217 S. Central Ave., Surf City, (609) 494-2480

11-1: Dancing on Paper, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

11-4: Blood Pressure Clinic, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11-4: Redhawk Native American Song and Dance, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

11-7: Art for the “Non-Artist,” 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-8: Hand Sanitizer Workshop, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

11-12: Yogalates, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

11-12: Italian Cultural Society of LBI Movie Screening, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

11-20: Stress Management, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

11-25: Tangled Feather Art, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

MANCHESTER BRANCH (1990)

21 Colonial Dr., Manchester, (732) 657-7600

11-5: Ultimate Johnny Cash: Late and Alone, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

11-10: Introduction to AI, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-12: Micro Memoir Writing Workshop, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

11-13: Redhawk Native American Song and Dance, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

11-25: Comedy Magic and Mentalism, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

PLUMSTEAD BRANCH (1974) 119 Evergreen Rd., New Egypt, (609) 758-7888

11-3: The Acoustic Musician’s Guild, 7:00 PM8:30 PM

11-12: Ocean County Health Department Vaccine Clinic, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

POINT PLEASANT BORO BRANCH (1989)

834 Beaver Dam Road, Point Pleasant (732) 295-1555

11-6: Open Mic Night, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 11-14 - 11-15: Bling Sale, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

12-10: 2026 Vision Boards, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

STAFFORD BRANCH (1980) 129 North Main Street, Manahawkin (609) 597-3381

This branch offers regular, free English conversation groups, as well as support groups for those with Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, as well as caregivers. Contact the branch for more information.

11-6: Documentary: Medicine Woman, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

11-13: Friend’s Adventures: Old Barney, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

TOMS RIVER BRANCH (1925)

101 Washington Street, Toms River (732) 349-6200

This branch offers regular, free English conversation groups, and support groups for caregivers. It also has a sensory space with open hours throughout the week. Contact the branch for more information.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH BRANCH (1968) 710 McLean Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach (732) 892-4575

This branch offers regular, free English conversation groups. Contact the branch for more information.

11-8: Books and Bowls Meditation Session, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11-10: Redhawk Native American Song and Dance, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

11-13: Devon’s Kitchen Culinary Demonstration, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

11-17: The Vietnam War: 1964 - 1973, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

11-3: Cyanotype Bookmarks, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

11-6: Family Fun Country Line Dancing, 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM

11-14: Getting Started with Ancestry, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

11-19: Jazz Performance with Brian Betz and Behn Gillece, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

12-1: Block Print Tea Towels, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

12-8: Elvistory: Christmas with the King, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

12-9: Craft with Pride, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

TUCKERTON BRANCH (1972) 380 Bay Ave., Tuckerton, (609) 296-1470

11-3: Ultimate Johnny Cash: Late and Alone, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

11-10: Honoring Veterans Day: The Greatest Bond Documentary, 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM

UPPER SHORES BRANCH (1995) 112 Jersey City Avenue, Lavallette (732) 793-3996

11-15: Winter Seed-Sowing, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 11-6, 12-4: Live Piano - The Great American Standards, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM 11-15, 11-18: Documentary in the Library: Rumble, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

11-20: Reiki and Self Care for the Holidays, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

12-2: Upper Shores 30th Anniversary, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

12-2: NGXB: Classical Crossover Elegance with a Seasonal Touch, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

12-17: History of Lavallette (1887-1920), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

WARETOWN BRANCH (1982)

112 Main St., Waretown, (609) 693-5133

11-1: The Inspiration Story of Agnes Negra: Waves of Hope, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11-3: Holiday Cricut Creations, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

12-12: Grapevine Wreath Ornament Workshop, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

MONMOUTH COUNTY LIBRARY

www.monmouthcountylib.org

ALLENTOWN BRANCH

16 S. Main St., Allentown, (609) 259-7565

11-19: The Vietnam War - 1964-1973, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

12-3: Fire in the Pine Barrens, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

EASTERN BRANCH, SHREWSBURY

1001 Rt. 35, Shrewsbury, (732) 683-8980

11-5: Patchwork for Wildlife presents Ecofriendly Garden Maintenance, 7:00 PM8:00 PM

11-6: The Benefits of Mushrooms, 7:00 PM8:00 PM

11-15: Local Authors Book Fair, 11:00 AM3:00 PM

12-3: Local Author Nick Corasaniti - I Don’t Want to Go Home, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

HOLMDEL BRANCH

Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Road Suite 2110, Holmdel, (732) 946-4118

11-12: Pre-Diabetes - Are You At Risk?, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

12-3: Holiday Book Discussion and Recipe Swap, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

12-10: Eating Well with Diabetes During the Holidays, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

12-10: Winter Melodies - Band of Two Rivers Concert, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

HOWELL BRANCH

318 Old Tavern Rd., Howell, (732) 938-2300

11-14: Native Seed and Plant Swap, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

12-6: Tea Time - Educate, Make, and Take Class, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

12-20: Winter Melodies - Band of Two Rivers Concert, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

MANALAPAN HEADQUARTERS BRANCH

125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan (732) 431-7220

This branch offers regular, free bereavement support groups. Contact the branch for more information.

11-6: Battle of the Bulge, December 1944: The Greatest American Battle, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM 11-9: A Rockin’ Country Afternoon with Big Hix, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

11-12: Discover the New Jersey Cranberry, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

11-16: Classic Rock Reimagined, 2:00 PM4:00 PM

12-1: Neil Diamond: Singer, Songwriter, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

12-2, 12-15: Winter Themed Therapeutic Pottery, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

12-14: Tim McLoone and The Shirleys and The Atlantic Coast Band Holiday Concert, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

12-19: Swingin’ the Season, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

MARLBORO BRANCH

1 Library Ct., Marlboro, (732) 536-9406

This branch offers regular, free bereavement support groups. Contact the branch for more information.

10-30: Classic Radio Road Show presents: War of the Worlds, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

71st Annual Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic

Prizes for tournament’s largest striped bass and bluefish. Special categories and prizes for juveniles, ladies, and senior citizens. Daily and weekly winners. One of East Coast’s longest running fishing contests. Entry fee. www.lbisfc.com Through 11-30

Holiday Market in Loveladies

A showcase of handmade works in all mediums and price points, including clothing, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, home decor, and more. Socialize, shop small, and shop local with food and fun for all.

The Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, 120 Long Beach Boulevard, Loveladies, (609) 494-1241

Weekdays: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; weekends: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.lbifoundation.org 11-15 - 12-14

Events at Tuckerton Seaport

Please call or check the website before attending. Tuckerton Seaport, 120 West Main Street (Route 9), Tuckerton, (609) 296-8868 www.TuckertonSeaport.org

Please refer to the listing on page 36.

Tuckerton Creek Boat Tours 10-18, 10-19, 10-25, 10-26, 11-1, 11-2: Legends and Lore Creek Tours. $16. Various times.

11-5: Sunset Sail. $30. 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Classes and Learning At The Seaport Registration is required for all classes. (m) = member; (nm) = non-member

10-24: Daily Tote Weave Craft with Mary May. $96. (m); $104. (nm). 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

10-26: Carve Your Own Wand with Brad Koller. $36. (m); $39. (nm). 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM

11-1: Glove Basket Workshop with Niki Giberson. $36. (m); $39. (nm). 10:00 AM12:00 PM

11-8: Vintage Harvest Tier China Workshop with Terri McCabe Frezza. $47. (m); $51. (nm). 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

11-15: Ears of Corn Weave with Mary May. $36. (m); $39. (nm). 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11-15: Paper Sunflower and Wooden Butterfly Sign Workshop with Mallorie Evans. $48. (m); $52. (nm). 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

11-22: Cyanotype Bookmarks with Kate Sanchez. $24. (m); $26 (nm). 11:00 AM2:00 PM

12-6: S’mores Basket with Niki Giberson. $48. (m); $52. (nm). 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

12-13: Coastal Christmas Tree Workshop with Mallorie Evans. $48. (m); $52. (nm). 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

12-14: Slow Stitch Ornaments with Kate Sanchez. $36. (m); $39. (nm). 11:00 AM2:00 PM

MONMOUTH COUNTY:

Farmers’ Markets in Monmouth County Farmers and artisans offering fresh, local produce and handmade goods.

Multiple Days: Englishtown: Englishtown Auction, 90 Wilson Avenue, (732) 446-9644, Sat. and Sun.: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM www.englishtownauction.com (year-round)

Holmdel: Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Wed.: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Sat. and Sun.: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM www.asburyfresh.com (through 12-20)

Saturdays: Highlands: Huddy Park, Bay and Waterwitch Aves., (732) 291-4713, Sat.: 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM www.highlandsnj.com (through 11-22)

Sundays:

Red Bank: The Galleria, corner of Bridge Avenue and West Front Street, (732) 5307300, Sun.: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM www.thegalleriaredbank.com (through 11-16)

Manasquan River Group of Artists

Pieces from members of the Manasquan River Group of Artists will be on display. www.mrga38.org

10-30 - 1-8: Wall Township Library Show, 2700 Allaire Road, Wall, (732) 674-2038; opening reception Nov. 15, 12:00 PM2:00 PM.

Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village and Display

Visit the trains on display. Open to the public free of charge. See page 10. Duggan Hall, 313 Washington Avenue, Spring Lake

Wednesdays - Sundays, 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM www.springlakechamber.org www.visitspringlake.com 11-29 - 12-31

Sunday Brunch with Santa in Freehold

Bring your wish list and your appetite to The American Hotel’s famous Sunday Brunch with Santa. Reservations required.

The American Hotel, 18 East Main Street, Freehold, (732) 431-3220

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.downtownfreehold.com Sundays, 11-30, 12-7, 12-14, 12-21

Tours of New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Holmdel

Self-guided tours are welcome 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Guided tours and group tours are available by request. The Vietnam Era Museum is open Tues. - Sat. 10:00 AM4:00 PM.

New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, GSP Exit 116, 1 Memorial Lane, Holmdel, (732) 335-0033 www.njvvmf.org

OCTOBER

Kids Boo Fest and FrightFest at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Dare to enter the Halloween event of the season, featuring family-friendly attractions during the day and thrills once the sun goes down. Kids Boo Fest features family friendly trick-or-treating, unique fall festivities, fun character photo opportunities, and delicious treats.

Six Flags Great Adventure, Route 537, Jackson, (732) 928-1821

www.sixflags.com/GreatAdventure Select dates through 11-2

EVENTS AT OCEAN COUNTY PARKS

OCEAN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

1198 Bandon Road, Toms River, 1-877-OC PARKS; www.oceancountyparks.org

Please refer to the listing on page 39.

Pre-registration is required for all programs. Visit the website for registration information and additional events including day trips, hiking and kayak tours, recreation/health/wellness programs, and more. Unless otherwise noted, programs are open to all ages.

CATTUS ISLAND COUNTY PARK AND COOPER ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

1170 Cattus Island Boulevard (off Fischer Boulevard), Toms River, (732) 270-6960 or 1-877-OC PARKS

Nature Walks: Saturdays and Sundays through 12-28 (except 12-13), 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Free. 11-17: Chunky Yarn Snowman (ages 14 and up), 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Fee.

11-18: Introduction to Card Making (ages 14 and up), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Fee.

11-19: Cattus Island Living Shoreline Restoration Project (ages 12 and up), 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Fee.

12-2, 12-3, 12-5: Evergreen Holiday Wreaths (ages 10 and up), various times. Fee.

12-13: Winter Solstice Celebration, 10:00 AM2:00 PM. Free.

12-14: Family and Pet Photos with Santa Claus, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Free.

12-26 - 1-4: Gingerbread House Voting, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Free.

CEDAR BRIDGE TAVERN

JAKES BRANCH COUNTY PARK AND NATURE CENTER

1100 Double Trouble Road, Beachwood, (732) 281-2750 or 1-877-OC PARKS Drop in and Discover (ages 3-5 years): Saturdays through 12-20, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM. Free.

200 Old Halfway Road, Barnegat (732) 929-4769 or 1-877-OC PARKS

11-9: Dream Catcher Weaving (ages 12 and up), 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Fee.

11-16: The Great War in Ocean County in Barnegat, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Fee.

11-18: Wheat Weaving: Wreath (ages 15 and up), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Fee.

12-7: The Affair at Cedar Bridge (snow date: 1-4-26), 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

12-12, 12-15: Reevestown Cemetery History Walk (ages 9 and up), 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Fee.

12-27: Cedar Bridge Skirmish History Walk (ages 9 and up), 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Fee, 12-27: The War at the Shore, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Fee.

CLOVERDALE FARM COUNTY PARK 34 Cloverdale Road, Barnegat 1-877-OC PARKS

Live Animal Talks: Sundays through 12-21, 1:30 PM. Free.

Discovery Nature Walks: Sundays through 12-21, 2:00 PM. Free.

10-27, 11-10, 11-24, 12-8, 12-22: Maker Monday’s Kids Craft Drop In (ages 3-5), 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Free.

10-28: Buggin Out! Drop-In Storytime (ages 3-5), 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Free.

11-1: Awesome Autumn Fun (all ages), 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Free.

11-7, 11-8: Habitat Fragmentation and Its Impact on Species Survival, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM. Fee.

11-7: Herbal Brooms (ages 14 and up), 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Fee.

11-9: Autumn Pressed Leaf Bookmarks (ages 10 and up), 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Fee.

11-15: Fall Needle Felting (ages 16 and up), 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Fee.

10-25, 11-15, 12-13: Monthly Bird Walk (ages 9 and up), various times. Free. 10-25, 11-15, 12-13: Armchair Birding (ages 9 and up), various times. Free.

11-7 - 11-9: Plein Air Weekend, 8:00 AM4:00 PM. Free

11-14: Nesting Footstools (adults), 10:00 AM4:00 PM. Fee.

11-16, 11-23: Shorebird Decoy: Dunlin (adults), 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Fee.

11-21: Decoy Painting Skills (adults), 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Fee.

12-5: Christmas Stocking Basket (adults), 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Fee.

12-6: Nature Walk with Santa (ages 2 - 7 with parent/guardian), 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Fee.

12-7: 2D Felting: Winter Scene (adults), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Fee.

11-18: Excellent Eagles, Outrageous Owls, and How-Cool Hawks! Drop-In Storytime (ages 3-5), 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Free.

11-22: Medicinal Herbs (ages 14 and up), 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM. Fee.

11-28: Natural Christmas Ornaments (ages 14 and up), 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Fee.

11-29: Night of the Stars with ASTRA, 6:00 PM8:00 PM. Free.

12-1: Evergreen Holiday Wreaths (ages 10 and up), 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Fee.

12-12 - 12-15: Lighting Up Nature Holiday Light Display, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Free.

OCEAN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

1198 Bandon Road, Toms River, 1-877-OC PARKS

12-13: Wheat Weaving: Harp (ages 15 and up), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Fee.

12-14: Snowman Craft (ages 8 and up), 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Fee.

12-20: Holiday Centerpiece Craft (adults), 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM. Fee.

11-20: Harvest Corn Basket (adults), 6:30 PM8:30 PM. Fee.

12-4: Holiday Porch Décor (adults), 6:30 PM8:30 PM. Fee.

12-11: Farmhouse Holiday Rag Tree (adults), 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Fee.

OCEAN COUNTY PARK

659 Ocean Avenue (Route 88), Lakewood 1-877-OC PARKS or (732) 506-9090

10-24 - 10-25: Family Campout at the Beach Complex (ages 5 and up), 6:00 PM - 10:00 AM. Fee.

12-3: Evergreen Holiday Wreaths (ages 10 and up), 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Fee.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

OCTOBER, continued from page 19

10-25: 5K for Pizza Seaside Heights

A deliciously fun run (or walk!) along the scenic Seaside Heights Boardwalk. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just in it for the ‘za, this flat and fast course is perfect for all paces. 10:30 AM www.exit82.com

10-25: 16th Annual Monster Dash 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/ Walk in Point Pleasant Beach

A fun, flat, fast run along the boardwalk and inlet! Wear and race in your costumes! Top finisher and costume prizes awarded. Post-race party at Jenkinson’s. Online registration. Chip Timing by Elite Racing Systems. Benefits the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad. For more information: PtBeachFun@gmail.com or (732) 899-0146. Jenkinson’s main pavilion, Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 899-0146

9:30 AM: 1-mile Fun Run (from the Aquarium to the Inlet and back).

10:30 AM: 5K (starts and ends in front of Broadway Bar and Grill at the boardwalk). www.facebook.com/MonsterDashPointBeach

10-25: Annual Bay Head Halloween Parade and Costume Contest

Pre-registration suggested. Line up on Mount Street and Lake Avenue. Costume Contest at Centennial Park after the parade. Registration begins 11:15 AM; Parade: 12:00 PM www.bayhead.org @ILoveBayHead

10-25: Haunt The Downtown in Toms River

Spooky family fun in downtown Toms River. Trick or treating, costume contest, and face painting. Downtown Toms River, Washington Street, (732) 341-8738 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM www.downtowntomsriver.com

10-25: Bonfire and Storytelling in Barnegat Light

Join us for a relaxing evening of entertainment with storyteller Robin Moore. Watch the sun go down with beautiful Barnegat Lighthouse in the background. Bring a beach blanket and/or beach chair and remember to bring a stick and marshmallows to roast over the fire! Sponsored by Ocean County Parks, the Borough of Barnegat Light, and Friends of Barnegat Lighthouse. Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, Broadway, Barnegat Light, (609) 494-9196 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM www.oceancountyparks.org www.barnegatlight.org www.friendsofbarnegatlighthouse.org

10-25: Trick or Trunk in Ocean Grove

This sponsored community event is hosted annually in the South Parking Area of the Jersey Shore Arts Center and is free and open to the public. This Halloween event features a free holiday inspired craft, Halloween display, and over twenty volunteer trunks for trick-ortreaters to visit.

Jersey Shore Arts Center, 66 South Main Street, Ocean Grove, (732) 502-0050

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM jerseyshoreartscenter.org

10-25: Be-Witched Craft and Psychic Fair and Haunted Witch Walk in Keyport Sponsored by the Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative.

Broad Street Parking Lot, Keyport, (732) 344-0590 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM www.visitkeyport.org

10-25 - 10-26: Boo at the Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach

The Boo-Tastic package returns with favorite boardwalk fun including crafts, face painting, trick-or-treating, entertainment, limited kiddie rides, underwater pumpkin carving, and more. See website for additional information. Tickets can be purchased at Guest Services in front of the aquarium.

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, Ocean Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 892-0600 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM www.jenkinsons.com

10-25 - 10-26: Halloween Food Truck and Music Festival in Asbury Park

Live music with some incredible bands, kid activities, pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, inflatables, sand art, and more. Bring your family, friends, appetite, lawn chairs, pop-ups, and blankets. Dogs permitted! Admission: $5. Kids 10 and under are free.

Bradley Park 101 5th Avenue, Asbury Park (908) 801-6008 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM www.asburyparkchamber.com

10-26: Savor the Shore Trolley Tour in Spring Lake Hop aboard the trolley and enjoy some of the best local food and beverage spots! This one-of-a-kind tasting event lets you explore multiple locations, enjoy delicious samples, and experience the flavors of the community—all while riding in style on a classic trolley! Participating venues include: Nick & Son’s Bakery, Spring Lake Tap House, Third Avenue Chocolate, The Shore Club, Sun & Waves, Drew’s Market, Jean Louise Candies, St. Stephen’s Green, and Amelia’s-By-The-Sea. Tickets: $35. Visit the chamber website to purchase and for more information. Limited spots available.

Meet at: The Shore Club, 700 Route 71, Spring Lake, (732) 449-0577 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM www.springlakechamber.org www.visitspringlake.com

10-31: 86th Annual Toms River Halloween Parade

The second largest Halloween Parade in the world! Over 100,000 spectators. Thousands of participants and floats! Sponsored by the Toms River Fire Company #1. Rain date: 11-1-25. Main and Washington Streets, Toms River, (732) 349-0144 7:00 PM www.tomsriverhalloween.com

EVENTS AT MONMOUTH COUNTY PARKS

MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM

805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, (732) 842-4000; www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Please refer to the listing on page 39. Pre-registration is required for all programs. Visit the website for registration information and additional events including day trips, hiking and kayak tours, recreation/health/wellness programs, and more. Unless otherwise noted, programs are open to all ages.

COUNTYWIDE SCAVENGER HUNT:

ROCKIN’ THE TRAILS

4-15 - 12-31: Set out on a cross-county scavenger hunt while exploring Monmouth County parks! Complete this challenge by using the “Rockin’ the Trails” brochure (available on the website) to find hidden trail markers. Return your completed brochure to be entered for a grand prize drawing.

AT THE PARKS:

BAYSHORE WATERFRONT PARK

719 Port Monmouth Road, Port Monmouth (732) 783-3033 or (732) 842-4000

Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays through 10-31: Seabrook-Wilson House Tours, 1:00 PM4:00 PM. Free.

10-26: Lantern Tours of the Historic SeabrookWilson House, 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Fee.

10-29: Nature Lecture Series: The Real Story of the Jersey Devil, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Free.

11-12: Nature Lecture Series: Hammerhead Sharks of the Jersey Shore, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

BIG BROOK PARK

Main Entrance: 521 Route 520, Marlboro Activity Center: 80 Boundary Road, Marlboro (732) 842-4000

10-27: Forest Eats and Wild Treats (adults), 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Fee.

10-29: Awesome Autumn Amble, 10:00 AM11:30 AM. Free.

CLAYTON PARK

HISTORIC WALNFORD COUNTY PARK

62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold (609) 259-6275 or (732) 842-4000

Cookstove Demonstrations: Saturdays through 11-22: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

10-26: Trick-or-Treat in the Park, 10:00 AM12:00 PM. Free.

11-15: The Little Red Hen at Waln’s Mill (ages 3-7 with adult), 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM. Fee.

HOLMDEL PARK AND HISTORIC LONGSTREET FARM

Trail Head Parking: 61 Emley’s Hill Road Imlaystown; Activity Center: 202 Davis Station Road, Imlaystown, (609) 259-5784 or (732) 842-4000

11-12: Awesome Autumn Amble (adults), 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Free.

FORT MONMOUTH RECREATION CENTER

2566 Guam Lane, Tinton Falls (848) 456-4278 or (732) 842-4000

11-8: Fall Craft Show, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Free.

FRENEAU WOODS PARK

360 Monastery Lane, Aberdeen Township (732) 264-7277 or (732) 842-4000

11-16: Mindful Birdwatching (adults), 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Fee.

11-19: Awesome Autumn Amble, 10:00 AM11:30 AM. Free.

11-22: Family Nature Days! (ages 4 and up, under 18 with adult), 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Fee.

11-22: S’more Fun In the Fall (ages 5 and up with adult), 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM. Fee.

HARTSHORNE WOODS PARK

Buttermilk Valley Entrance, 300 Navesink Avenue, Locust

44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel (732) 946-3758 or (732) 842-4000

10-25, 11-8, 11-22: Cookstove Demonstrations, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

10-25, 11-9, 11-22: Morning Farm Chores (ages 4 and up), 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM. Fee.

11-2: Keeping Backyard Chickens (adults), 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Fee.

11-8: Accordion Melodies of the 1890s, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Free.

11-10 - 11-24: Registration for December Gingerbread Contest, “Winter on the Farm.” To register: (732) 946-3758.

11-15: Piano Ballads from the Turn of the Century, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Free. 11-16: Cider Making Demonstration, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM. Free.

11-23: Hot Mulled Cider, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM. Free.

HUBER WOODS

25 Brown’s Dock Road, Locust section of Middletown, (732) 872-2670 or (732) 872- 0336 Fridays and Saturdays through 10-25: Creatures of the Night Wagon Rides, various time. Fee.

Rocky Point Entrance, 1402 Portland Road Highlands Claypit Creek, 239 Locust Avenue, Locust (732) 872-0336

Wednesdays - Sundays through 11-24: Historic Portland Place Tours, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM. Free.

10-27: Critters and Jitters (all ages), 10:00 AM11:15 AM, 10:45 - 12:00 PM, 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM. Fee.

MANASQUAN RESERVOIR

Park and Visitor Center: 311 Windeler Road Howell, (732) 919-0996 or (732) 842-4000 Environmental Center: 331 Georgia Tavern Road, Howell, (732) 751-9453 11-11: Casual Birder (ages 10 and up), 9:00 AM. Free.

THOMPSON PARK

805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft (732) 842-4000 ext. 4312

11-2: Climb Time (ages 8 and up), 12:00 PM3:00 PM. Free.

11-2: Open Mic Poetry: Resilience and The Holocaust, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM. Free. 11-8: Open Shoot Archery (ages 10 and up), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Fee.

11-22: Family Paper Turkey Hunt (ages 9-12 with adult), 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM. Fee.

TURKEY SWAMP PARK

200 Georgia Road, Freehold Township (732) 462-7286 or (732) 842-4000

10-25 - 10-26: Family Halloween Camping, 12:00 PM - 12:00 PM. Fee.

THE HISTORIC VILLAGE AT ALLAIRE

Allaire State Park, 4263 Atlantic Avenue (Rt. 524), Farmingdale, Park: (732) 938-2371 Village: (732) 919-3500 www.allairevillage.org www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ allaire.html

Please refer to the listings on pages 38 and 40.

The Village Craft Shops and Historic Homes are open Fri., Sat., and Sun. 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM from April through November and for special events only from December through March.

The Bakery and General Store are open Fri., Sat., and Sun. 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM from April through December and for special events only from January through March.

General admission is free on Fri. and $5 on Sat. and Sun.. (ages 4 and up). Special events admission price varies. Allaire members are free. Advance ticket reservations are recommended or required for all events. Please call or check the website for more information and for off-season and holiday hours.

11-7 - 11-9: Stocking Stuffer Sale

Handcrafted items including ornaments, scarves, decorations, quilts, and more.

Friday and Saturday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Sunday: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-8: Late Fall Flea Market

Hunt for bargains among vintage treasures including thrifted items, upcycled furniture, handmade items, collectibles, knick-knacks, artwork, books, signs, bottles, and more! Fee. Rain date: 11-9-25. 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

11-9: History Kids Club

History Kids Club is designed for children, ages 5-12, who want to experience history first hand and learn the different trades, tasks, and lifestyles of an 1830s Howell Iron Works villager. This month’s theme: Make your own Sachet and Pomanders! $12. Pre-registration required. 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11-15: Holiday Craft Show

Featuring crafters, artisans, demonstrations, and more. Fee. Rain date: 11-10-24. 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

12-12, 12-13, 12-19, 12-20: Christmas Lantern Tours

Celebrate the holiday season with a stroll through the lantern lit village and learn about Christmas in 1836. Music, history, and a little bit of theater. Not recommended for children. Fee. Advance ticket purchase required. 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM

12-12, 12-13, 12-19, 12-20: Christmas Lantern Tours & Holiday Strolls

Take a guided tour through the lantern lit village and learn about Christmas in 1836. Music, history, and a little bit of theater. Not recommended for children. Or, do a self-guided stroll on your own at night. Fee. Advance ticket purchase required. Guided Lantern Tours: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Self-Guided Holiday Strolls: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

12-14, 12-21: Christmas at Historic Allaire Village

Come celebrate the joys of Christmas past. Experience the sights and smells of an early American Christmas with hearth cooking, singing, dancing, wagon rides, and St. Nicholas. Fee. 11:00 PM - 4:00 PM

NOVEMBER

11-1: Beers on the Boards in Point Pleasant Beach

Price includes select, local craft beer from over thirty breweries, spiked seltzers, hard ciders, a free buffet, and live music. Sponsored by the Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce. Tickets can be purchased through the chamber’s website: $65.

Martell’s Tiki Bar, 308 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 899-2424

Two tasting sessions: 12:00 PM and 5:30 PM www.pointchamber.com

11-1: 17th Annual St. Peter School Fisherman 5K and Donut Dash in Point Pleasant Beach

The races wind through the scenic streets and boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach. Pasta dinner and race packet pick-up on 10-30-25. For more information, visit www.spspta.org or email: saintpeterpta@gmail.com. St. Peter School, 415 Atlantic Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 892-1260

Registration: 8:00 AM. Donut Dash Kid’s Run: 9:30 AM. 5K Run: 10:00 AM www.raceforum.com/fisherman5k www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= 61565583669886

11-1: 9th Annual Run the VineyardsLaurita 5K and After-Party in New Egypt

A yearly family and friends’ tradition that developed through friendly team competition. Post-race after-party, award winning wine, live music, beautiful picnic area, and relaxing family atmosphere. Charity partner is Mary’s Place by the Sea in Ocean Grove, a place for women with cancer to heal mind, body, and soul. Check-in: 8:30 AM. Race: 10:00 AM. www.lauritawinery.com

11-1: Fall Festival in Barnegat

Food trucks, live music, vendors, activities for children, beer tasting, and more. Proceeds benefit the Alex Hoffman Memorial Fund for Barnegat Students. Fee. Rain date: 11-2-25. Across from the firehouse, 14 Birdsall Street, Barnegat 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM www.barnegat.net

11-2: 9th Annual Striped Bass Bash in Manahawkin

History and Cultural Pavilion. Free admission. Toms River High School South, 55 Hyers Street, Toms River, (609) 339-9134 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.oceancountyhistory.org

11-7: Tour of ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood

Home of the Jersey Shore Blue Claws, ShoreTown Ballpark first opened its gates in 2001. This state-of-the-art facility features 6,588 reserved seats, sixteen luxury suites, two party decks, two picnic areas, and an 1,859 square-foot video scoreboard. The tour includes the BlueClaws dugout, locker room, and the team’s batting cages. The BlueClaws are a minor-league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Meet under the Tower by the ticket booth. Free. Sponsored by Ocean County Parks; advance registration required. Note: Due to possible stadium upgrades, this tour may be altered or cancelled.

ShoreTown Ballpark, New Hampshire and Cedar Bridge Avenues, Lakewood, 1-877-OC PARKS

11:00 AM and 12:00 PM www.oceancountyparks.org

11-8: 47th Annual St. Peter School Craft Festival in Point Pleasant Beach

This popular, indoor craft show features a variety of artists, crafters, raffles, 50/50 prizes, music, kids’ activities, Santa, and more! Over fifty unique participants with local artisan and handmade goods. Food will be available for purchase in a designated outdoor area. Lots of fun and free admission.

St. Peter School, 415 Atlantic Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 892-1260 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.stpschool.org

11-11: Veterans Day Ceremony in Holmdel

New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, GSP Exit 116, 1 Memorial Lane, Holmdel, (732) 335-0033 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM www.njvvmf.org

All-boat tournament and family fish fry. All proceeds benefit The Maximilian Foundation, a non-profit focused on strengthening kids to prevent destructive behaviors, such as substance abuse.

Manahawkin Elks Lodge #2340, 520 Hilliard Boulevard, Manahawkin 12:00 PM www.themaximilianfoundation.org/fishingtournament

11-2: Holiday Gifts, Crafts, and Collectibles Faire in Toms River

The Ocean County Historical Society will be hosting a Holiday Gifts, Crafts and Collectibles Faire with over fifty vendor tables, historical and cultural displays, a model train exhibit, a snack bar, baked goods for sale, used book sale, and more! This event, sponsored in part by the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, will feature an Ocean County

11-13: Ladies Night Out in Manasquan Main Street and the business district, Manasquan, (732) 223-8303 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM www.manasquanchamber.org

11-15: Asbury Park Thanks-4-Giving Turkey Dash 5K and Turkey Splash Plunge Dash like a turkey and run on the boardwalk through scenic Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, and Bradley Beach…or ready to go Cold Turkey?

Take a chilly dip in the Atlantic! Benefits the 25,000 athletes that Special Olympics New Jersey serves.

Grand Arcade on the Boardwalk, Asbury Park, (609) 896-8000

Check-in: 9:30 AM. 5K: 11:30 PM. Plunge: 1:00 PM. Post-Plunge Bash: 1:30 PM (at Wonder Bar). www.thx4giving.org

11-16: OCHS Speaker Series in Toms River: Native American Wisdom

Presented by Ande Three Ravens, an Indigenous American artist of Misikita Black Foot and Mandan ancestry. He is a master flute player, instrument maker, percussionist, and vocalist

who specializes in the rich, ancient, indigenous traditions of South, Meso, and North American Native Indian music and storytelling. In-person, free, limited seating. To reserve your seat, send your name, email address, zip code, and the date of the program to: oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.

Ocean County Historical Society, 26 Hadley Avenue, Toms River, (732) 341-1880 2:00 PM

www.oceancountyhistory.org/events

11-21: Ladies Night in Lavallette Participating businesses, Lavallette, (844) Enjoy-LAVA 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM www.enjoylavallette.com

11-22: Annual Manasquan Turkey Run

All participants receive a long sleeve, mock turtleneck t-shirt. Manasquan Little League Baseball Field, 69 Second Avenue, Manasquan 1 Mile: 10:00 AM. 5 Mile: 11:00 AM. www.runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Manasquan/ ManasquanTurkeyTrot

11-23: Thanksgiving Farmers’ Market in Barnegat Rain or shine.

Barnegat Municipal Lot by Gazebo Park, East Bay Avenue and Route 9, Barnegat, (609) 548-6319 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM www.barnegat.net

11-29: Small Business Saturday Shop locally and show your support for the small businesses in your community.

11-29: Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Kick-Off Celebration

Christmas tree lighting at 6:00 PM. Afterwards, there will be performances by Spring Lake Community House dancers and Santa, and Mrs. Claus will arrive by firetruck. Families can stroll to the Spring Lake Community House to meet them. Kids can enjoy Hayrides and Santa’s Workshop. Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village will be on display at Duggan Hall. Shops open until 8:00 PM. Portions of Third and Morris Avenues will be closed. Many shops stay open and serve Christmas treats and hot chocolate. Sponsored by The Spring Lake Recreation Department and the Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce. Third and Morris Avenues, Spring Lake, (732) 449-0577 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM www.springlakechamber.org www.visitspringlake.com

11-29: Holiday Open House at The Ocean County Historical Society in Toms River

Bring your children, grandkids, and camera to meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. Tour the Victorian style house and museum, complete with holiday music and decorations, and enjoy refreshments and gifts for the children. Free. Ocean County Historical Society, 26 Hadley Avenue, Toms River, (732) 341-1880 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.oceancountyhistory.org/events

11-29: Holiday Craft and Vendor Fair in Toms River

First two hundred shoppers will receive a free shopping tote with their purchase. Sponsored by The American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 129. 2025 Church Road, Toms River, (732) 272-6552

10:00 AM - 2:30 PM www.alpost129.org

11-29: Santa’s Viking Christmas Village in Barnegat Light

Over forty crafters and artisans with music and merriment. Santa arrives by fire truck at 1:00 PM and will be available for visits and pictures.

Historic Viking Village, 19th Street and Bayview Avenue, Barnegat Light, (609) 361-7008

10:00 AM - 4:30 PM www.vikingvillage.net www.vikingvillageshows.com

DECEMBER

Breakfasts and Brunches with Santa and Free Horse and Carriage Rides in Point Pleasant Beach!

Throughout December, the Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce sponsors many festive holiday events including Breakfasts and Brunches with Santa and free Horse and Carriage Rides on Arnold and Bay Avenues all month long! Dates and times t.b.a. Call or check the chamber website for detailed information. 1-888-772-3862 www.pointchamber.com

Winter Wonderland in Point Pleasant Beach

Date t.b.a. A winter holiday festival filled with holiday lights, entertainment, fun activities, and festive treats! There will be a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, crafts, games, inflatables, music, and a Toys for Tots donation box. Visit website for date and to confirm time. Pleasure Park, between Trenton, St. Louis, and Forman Avenues, Point Pleasant Beach

4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

www.ppbrecreation.org www.facebook.com/pointpleasantbeachrecreationcommittee

Wreath Walk in Downtown Toms River Main and Washington Streets, (732) 341-8738

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM www.downtowntomsriver.com Through 12-31

12-4: Holiday Shopping Soirée in Spring Lake Shops will stay open until 8:00 PM offering incentives for shoppers to come downtown, shop, and enjoy an evening with friends. Sponsored by The Spring Lake Business Improvement District and the Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Third and Morris Avenues, Spring Lake, (732) 449-0577

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

www.visitspringlake.com www.springlakechamber.org continued on page 24

Christmas Tree Lightings

11-28: Point Pleasant Beach

Tree lighting on Bay Avenue and Santa’s arrival by fire truck. Live DJ and refreshments, take-your-own pictures with Santa, free horse and carriage rides, fire truck rides, children’s activities, and more! A festive night of family fun. Rain date: 11-29-25. Bay and Arnold Avenues, Point Pleasant Beach, 1-888-772-3862

5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

www.pointchamber.com

11-28: Barnegat Light

Tree lighting, Santa greeting, and caroling. Coast Guard Boat Ramp, 10th Street, Barnegat Light, (609) 494-9196

6:30 PM

www.barnegatlight.org

11-28: Red Bank

Tree lighting at 5:30 PM then parade up Monmouth Street for a free concert by Holiday Express at 7:00 PM. Edmund Wilson Plaza (near Triumph Brewing and the Two River Theatre), 1 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, (732) 842-4244

5:30 PM

www.redbank.org

11-29: Ship Bottom

Municipal Boat Ramp, 10th and Shore Avenue, Ship Bottom, (609) 494-2171 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM www.shipbottom.org

12-5 - 12-6: Bay Head

44th Annual Bay Head Christmas Walk. Please refer to the event listing on page 24. Throughout town, Bay Head, (732) 892-0223 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM www.bayhead.org

12-5: Manasquan

Christmas tree lighting and candy cane hunt. Squan Plaza, Abe Voorhees Drive, Main Street, and the Business District, Manasquan, (732) 223-0544 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM www.manasquanchamber.org

12-5: Toms River

Library and Town Hall Courtyard, Washington Street, Toms River, (732) 341-8738 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM www.downtowntomsriver.com

12-6: Lavallette

Tree lighting and festivities. 1306 Grand Central Ave., Lavallette, (844) 365-6592 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM www.enjoylavallette.com

12-6: Seaside Heights

Free Carousel rides, Santa and Mrs. Claus, fireworks, and more!

Outside the Carousel Pavilion on the Boardwalk 5:00 PM www.exit82.com

12-6: Barnegat

Fred Watts Gazebo Park, 352 N. Main St., Barnegat 5:00 PM www.barnegat.net

12-6: Beach Haven

Indoor program at L.B.I. Historical Association Museum, 129 Engleside Avenue. Tree lighting at Veterans Memorial Park, 100 Engleside Ave., Beach Haven, (609) 709-1425 Program: 7:00 PM; Tree lighting: 7:30 PM www.beachhavencap.org/event/christmas-treelighting www.lbihistoricalmuseum.org

12-5 - 12-6: 44th Annual Christmas Walk in Bay Head

Two days of holiday festivities sponsored by the Bay Head Business Association. For more information: (732) 475-6813.

Friday, 12-5: Candlelit streets and festivities at Bay Head businesses, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Ceremonies begin, 6:00 PM. Christmas tree lighting, pictures with Santa, musical performances, bell choirs, holiday brass band, Candy Cane Express, hot cocoa, light bites, and open house at the shops. Step back in time and enjoy a ‘Hallmark-like’ night. Everyone is welcome.

Saturday, 12-6: Santa’s Workshop with crafts for children at the Bay Head Firehouse, 10:00 AM. Trolley rides, shopping, and dining around town. Visit the Historical Society Museum for the annual Victorian Christmas Open House. Enjoy the Scavenger Hunt throughout Bay Head. Everyone is welcome.  www.bayhead.org @ILoveBayHead

12-6: Point Pleasant Boro High School Band Boosters 50th Annual Holiday Craft Show and Gift Auction Crafters, food, music, gift auction, 50/50 raffle.

Memorial Middle School, Laura Herbert Drive, Point Pleasant 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM www.pointpleasantborobandboosters.org

12-6: Community Carol Sing in Spring Lake

Several hundred people attend from the greater shore area to kick-off the holiday season. The hour-long caroling event is open to everyone.  The Church of the Holy Trinity, Third and Monmouth Avenues, Spring Lake, (732) 449-5240 5:00 PM www.holytrinityspringlake.org

12-6: Christmas Inn and House Tour in Spring Lake Tour inns and homes decorated for the holidays throughout Spring Lake. Sponsored by The Greater Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce. Throughout town, (732) 449-0577 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM www.springlakechamber.org www.visitspringlake.com

12-6: Ocean Grove Holiday House Tour Visit website for more information. Sponsored by the Ocean Grove Area Chamber of Commerce. Ocean Grove, (732) 774-1391 www.oceangrovenj.com

12-6: Farm and Crafter Holiday Pop-Up Market in Barnegat Vendors and holiday entertainment. Fred Watts Gazebo Park, 352 North Main Street, Barnegat 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM www.barnegat.net

12-6: 46th Annual Christmas Parade in Ship Bottom Rain date: 12-7-25. On Long Beach Boulevard from 5th to 25th Streets, (609) 494-2171 1:00 PM www.shipbottom.org

12-6: Holiday Boutique in Keyport Ring in the season with a festive tradition of shopping local, handmade treasures, and seasonal delights. Support small businesses, find one-of-a-kind gifts, and soak in the holiday spirit at this beloved community event. Town and Country Inn, 48 Route 35, Keyport 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.visitkeyport.com

12-6 - 12-7: Hometown Christmas Weekend in Lavallette

Throughout the Lavallette Business District. See website for hours and additional details. Participating Businesses, Lavallette, (844) Enjoy-LAVA www.enjoylavallette.com

12-7, 12-21: Holiday Market in Asbury Park

A curated collection of twenty-five local artisans coming together for a holiday celebration. Porta, 911 Kingsley Street, Asbury Park 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM www.asburyfresh.com

12-7: 243rd Anniversary of the Skirmish at Cedar Bridge in Barnegat

Experience the story of skirmish between John Bacon and local militia at Cedar Bridge Tavern with a re-enactment of the last documented land engagement of the Revolutionary War. A tour of the newly refurbished Cedar Bridge Tavern will also be available. Sponsored by Ocean County Parks and the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Snow date: 1-4-26.

Cedar Bridge Tavern, 200 Old Halfway Road, Barnegat, (732) 929-4779

10:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Skirmishes at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

www.oceancountyparks.org

12-12 - 12-13: Jolly Trolley in Freehold Sponsored by Downtown Freehold. Along East Main Street, Freehold, (732) 431-7000 Fri.: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM; Sat.: 3:00 PM8:00 PM www.downtownfreehold.com

12-13: Winter Craft and Vendor Event in Point Pleasant Vendors, crafters, food, and more. Sponsored by Point Pleasant Fire Department Station 75. 1 Memorial Drive, Point Pleasant, (732) 892-9187

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM www.facebook.com/ PointPleasantBoroStation75

12-14: Holiday Gift Market in Keyport

Free entry to the public, free door prizes and giveaways.

335 Maple Place, Keyport (908) 340-5112 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM www.visitkeyport.com

12-13: Breakfast with Santa in Freehold Reservations required.

Sweet Lew’s Cafe, 6 East Main Street, Freehold, (732) 845-5440

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM www.downtownfreehold.com

12-13: SantaCon in Seaside Heights

A non-denominational, non-commercial, non-political, and non-sensical Santa Claus convention that occurs for absolutely no reason other than spreading holiday cheer in the most magical and absurd way possible. Hooks, 1320 Boulevard, Seaside Heights 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM www.santaconshnj.com

12-13: Wreaths Across America Day Ceremonies

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, their mission to ‘Remember, Honor, and Teach’ is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 3,400 additional locations in all fifty U.S. states as well as at sea and abroad. There are numerous ceremonies throughout the Jersey Shore. Contact your local government for locations and times. www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

12-14: Ocean County Historical Society 75th Anniversary Celebration

The day will commence with a guided tour of the Elizabeth Sculthorp Force House and Museum at 12:30 PM. You will be able to view the museum’s new display commemorating 75 years of OCHS history. Then join them for birthday cake at 1:30 PM. At 2:00 PM, renowned musicians Anne and Ridley Enslow will be performing a concert of Revolutionary War music. This is part of OCHS’s commitment to celebrating the 250th anniversary of American Independence. To reserve your seat, send your name, email address, zip code, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory. programs@gmail.com.

Ocean County Historical Society, 26 Hadley Avenue, Toms River, (732) 341-1880 12:00 PM www.oceancountyhistory.org/events

12-18: Carolers in Freehold

Sponsored by Downtown Freehold. Along East Main Street, Freehold, (732) 431-7000 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM www.downtownfreehold.com

12-19: Ladies Night in Lavallette

Participating businesses, Lavallette, (844) Enjoy-LAVA 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM www.enjoylavallette.com

12-31: First Night Ocean County in Seaside Heights

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with fun and games for the entire family! Fireworks at 5:00 PM. Wristbands available December 1. Lucky Leo’s Coin Castle, Casino Arcade, and Shake Shoppe at the Seaside Heights Boardwalk, 1-800-732-7467 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM www.exit82.com u

Compiled from and various local, county, and municipal websites.

For many families, cutting their own Christmas tree is a tradition that becomes one of their fondest memories of the holiday season. However, the Choose & Cut Your Own farms are slowly disappearing in recent years, so enjoy this tradition or make it a new one while you can!

Listed are farms in Monmouth and Ocean Counties where families can choose and cut their own tree—or purchase one freshly cut by the workers on the farm. No axes or chain saws are permitted. Customers can either bring their own saw or the farm will provide one. Please call ahead to make sure trees are still available and to ask questions that will help make your visit more enjoyable.

Monmouth County

ANNE ELLEN

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

114 Daum Road

Manalapan Township, (732) 786-9277

www.anneellenfarms.com

2,500 trees. Species: Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Pine, Douglas Fir, and Fraser Fir. Trees cut by grower for retail at farm. Customer saws provided and allowed. Drilling for pin type stands. Decorations, ornaments, stands, grave blankets, Christmas shop, meals, Christmas Village. Tree farm open daily Nov. 16 - Dec. 24, 9:00 AM4:00 PM;. (Cut your own fields close at 4:00 PM. Pre-cut fields open until 8:00 PM.) Village open select dates Nov. 8 - Dec. 30, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM; check website for event dates; advance online ticket purchase for village entrance; reservations not necessary to visit tree farm or shops.

BULLOCK FARMS

83 Emleys Hill Road, Cream Ridge (609) 758-8726

www.bullockfarms.com

250 trees. Species: Norway Spruce, White Pine, and Douglas Fir. Customer saws provided and allowed. Decorations, ornaments, stands, grave blankets, Christmas shop, drilling for pin type stands. Check website or call for 2025 opening and closing dates. Hours: Fri. - Sun. 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

COLLIGAN FARM

1092 Lakewood/Farmingdale Road (Route 547), Howell, (732) 546-5881

LINCROFT CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

523 Newman Springs Road (Route 520), Lincroft, (732) 747-4381

700 trees. Species: Blue Spruce, White Pine, Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, and Fraser Fir. Trees cut by grower for retail at farm. Tagging permitted. Customer saws provided and allowed. Decorations, ornaments, stands, Christmas shop. Open the Fri. after Thanksgiving and weekends to Dec. 21, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

PATTERSON GREENHOUSES & FARM

200 trees. Species: Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Pine, and Concolor Fir. Balled trees available. Customer saws provided. Open daily Dec. 6 - 21, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

THE FIR FARM

166 Hillsdale Road, Colts Neck www.thefirfarm.com

The Fir Farm has been a Christmas Tree farm for over forty years and also grows hops and harvest honey from their beehives. Blue Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, and other varieties. Open the Sat. after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, Fri. - Sun. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

KAVETT CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

471 Casino Drive, Farmingdale (732) 431-2152

www.facebook.com/CasinoDrive ChristmasTrees

2,000 trees. Species: Blue Spruce and Norway Spruce. No chemicals used, 100% organic, and all trees are hand-pruned by the owner. Open on the Fri. after Thanksgiving, then Sat. and Sun. 10:00 PM – 4:00 PM until they sell out, which is usually early December.

636 Adelphia Road, Freehold (732) 431-5271

www.pattersongreenhouses.com

1,000 trees. Species: Colorado Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Norway Spruce. Tagging permitted. Wreaths, boughs, garlands, decorations. Tree shaking and free tree trimmings provided. Open the Fri. after Thanksgiving to Dec. 23, Mon. - Sat. 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Sun. 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM.

TOWERING PINES FARM

329 Wilson Avenue, Aberdeen (732) 583-6436

www.instagram.com/toweringpines farmnj

200 trees. Species: Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Scotch Pine. Balled trees and firewood available. Customer saws provided. Wreaths, garlands, grave blankets. Open Dec. 6 - 21, Sat. and Sun. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

WOODFIELD CHRISTMAS TREE PLANTATION

310 Route 537, Colts Neck (732) 542-7672

www.instagram.com/woodfieldcn

Ocean County

THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

18 Buckalew Lane, New Egypt (609) 992-2630

www.instagram.com/thelittleChristmas treefarm18

Choose and cut Christmas trees. Species: Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, and Douglas Fir. Precut Fraser Firs available. Open on the Fri. after Thanksgiving (9:00 PM - 4:00 PM) to Dec. 23, Mon. - Fri. 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM; Sat. and Sun. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

500 trees. Species: Norway Spruce, White Pine, Douglas Fir, and Fraser Fir. Customers can cut their own tree, or someone will cut it for them. Boxwood kissing balls, custom centerpieces, decorations, ornaments, hot complimentary cocoa and coffee in shop. Tree tagging for 2025 will only be available on the weekend before Thanksgiving, Nov. 22 and 23, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (weather permitting).

WORTH / EVERGREEN LANE

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

4409 Belmar Boulevard, Wall (732) 319-4478

www.worthfarming.com

Choose and cut Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, decorations, and more. Species: Balsam Fir, Blue Spruce, Canaan Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Scotch Pine, White Pine, and White Spruce. Open weekends 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Call for weekday hours.

OLD SILO FARM

139 Brynmore Road, New Egypt (908) 839-2214

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= 100085211928443

350 trees. Species: Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, and Cannan Fir. Customer saws provided. Open the Fri. after Thanksgiving to Dec. 23, Sat. and Sun. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

PICEA ACRES

50 South New Prospect Road Jackson, (732) 370-8733

www.piceaacres.com

200 trees. Species: Norway Spruce, White Spruce, White Pine, and Douglas Fir. Customer saws provided. Decorations, ornaments, stands, grave blankets. Open the Fri. after Thanksgiving to when sold out, Mon. - Fri. 11:00 AM - dark; Sat. and Sun. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

YULETIDE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

138 Evergreen Road, New Egypt (732) 349-2705 www.yuletidefarmnj.com

Over 500 trees. Species: Blue Spruce, Canaan Fir, Norway Spruce, White Pine, and Douglas Fir. Customer saws provided. Open daily the Sat. after Thanksgiving to Dec. 23, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Information compiled from the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers’Association (www.njchristmastrees.org), the National Christmas Tree Association (www.christmastree.org), www.pickyourownchristmastree.org, and www.findjerseyfresh.com.

THEATER & CONCERTS

Monmouth and Ocean Counties

Although every effort was made to provide accurate information, please call or check the website before attending.

October - December 2025

ABERDEEN/MATAWAN REPERTORY THEATRE

Spotlight Players, P.O. Box 108, Matawan NJ 07747

Performances at: First Presbyterian Church Route 34 and Franklin Street, Matawan (732) 583-7874

www.spotlightplayers.org

Spotlight Players is a community theater with the goals of entertaining, educating, and enriching members of the community. They aim to allow and encourage members to grow, develop, and take artistic risks.

11-7 - 11-16: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, various days and times

ALBERT MUSIC HALL

131 Wells Mill Road (Route 532), Waretown (609) 971-1593

www.alberthall.org

Since 1974, every Saturday night the hall comes alive with the sound of Pinelands, Bluegrass, Country, Old Timey, Americana, and Folk music welcoming five or six bands throughout the evening. Immerse yourself in the rich musical heritage of the region and tap your feet to lively tunes in a welcoming, community-oriented atmosphere. Snacks and gifts available. 50/50 drawing. Admission: $6.; children under 12: $1. See website for dates and times of special events.

Every Saturday night: doors open 5:30 PM; music begins 6:30 PM.

Special Events: Various times. Check website.

11-1: Jersey Devil Show

11-8: Veterans Show

11-15: Homeplace Show

12-6: Bluegrass Holiday Show

12-13: Singin’ with Santa

ALGONQUIN ARTS THEATRE

60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan (732) 528-9211

www.algonquinarts.org

Algonquin Arts was founded in 1992 to provide cultural enrichment for the residents and visitors of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Their programming includes dramatic and musical theatre, dance, musical concerts, film, and mixed media presentations. These presentations are offered to the public in the setting of the 540-seat Algonquin Arts Theatre, which reopened to the public in 1994 following an extensive renovation. Algonquin Arts also enhances the educational experiences of area students with diverse performances and artist-lead educational workshops. Call the box office or check the website for more information.

10-25: Let’s Hang On - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons tribute, 2:00 PM

10-26: Good Stuff: The Music of Sting and Steely Dan, 3:00 PM

10-31: The Rocky Horror Picture Show - A Special Halloween Film Screening, 9:00 PM

11-1: The Billy Joel Songbook featuring Chris Pinnella, 2:00 PM

11-2: Cinema Classics and Broadway Favorites, 3:00 PM

11-9: We’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered starring Michelle Berting Brett, 3:00 PM

11-23: Swingin’ In A Winter Wonderland featuring Gimme Four, 3:00 PM

12-6 - 12-14: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, various days and times

12-20: John Denver Christmas featuring Chris Collins and Boulder Canyon, 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM

12-21: Have Yourself a Merry Little Big Band starring Zack Alexander, 3:00 PM

12-31: FJ - Tribute to Foreigner and Journey, 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM

ASBURY LANES

209 4th Avenue, Asbury Park, (732) 774-7100

www.asburylanes.com

Asbury Lanes is a vintage bowling alley and bar with live performances including local talent with rock and hip-hop veterans, indie, and pop stars. Advance ticket purchase recommended. Check website for updated schedule and times.

11-1: Cosmic Jerry Band, 7:00 PM

11-14: CG5, 6:00 PM

11-18: Black Stone Cherry, 7:00 PM

11-22: Momma + Narrow Head, 7:00 PM

12-7: Dexter and The Moonrocks, 7:00 PM

ASBURY PARK THEATER COMPANY

P.O. Box 1086, Asbury Park, NJ 07712 (732) 455-2296

Performances at: The Palaia Theater inside the Jersey Shore Arts Center

66 South Main Street, Ocean Grove www.asburyparktheatercompany.org

From new works to reimagined classics to provocative high-energy musical performances, APTC’s mission is to bring professional level theater to Asbury Park and the surrounding area. Home

to established, emerging, and local professional theater artists, they are dedicated to creating and providing powerful, invigorating, and transformative professional theater and theater-arts education that inspires, celebrates, and enriches the community.

12-13: A Big Band Holiday To Remember, time t.b.a.

AXELROD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Vogel Auditorium, 100 Grant Avenue

Deal Park

Box Office: (732) 531-9106 ext. 14 (opens two hours before events)

www.axelrodartscenter.com

This state-of-the-art, 520-seat performing arts center features a year-round performance schedule of concerts ranging from rock, jazz, classical, klezmer, Broadway, and Yiddish, as well as theatrical performances, film festivals, festival of books, and children’s events. A cultural gem at the Jersey Shore for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Mainstage Season:

11-6 - 11-23: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, various days and times

BELL THEATER AT HISTORIC BELL WORKS

101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel Box Office: (732) 531-9106 ext. 14 (open one hour before events)

www.belltheater.org

Bell Theater is a new cultural hub that opened in Spring 2024 at the historic Bell Works. Their mission is to provide exceptional cultural programming to the community in a state-of-the-art facility. Every detail from the stage to the seating has been carefully designed to create a comfortable and immersive environment. Bell Theater strives to offer an array of diverse cultural programming that includes professional theater, dance, concerts, film, comedy, and more.

10-24: Matt O’Ree Band Does Led Zeppelin, 7:30 PM

10-25: Late For The Sky - Jake Thistle’s Jackson Browne Tribute, 8:00 PM

11-6: Comedy Night with Bobby Collins, 7:30 PM

11-7: Marc Ribler and Friends present Bob Dylan, The Band, The Byrds - A Folk Rock Retrospective, 7:30 PM

11-14: Top of the World - A Carpenters Tribute, 7:30 PM

11-15: Hallelujah - The Songs of Leonard Cohen, 8:00 PM

11-21 - 11-23: The Little Mermaid, various times

12-12: A Carole King Christmas, 7:30 PM

12-13: Shadows of the 60s - A Holiday Tribute to Motown, 8:00 PM

Albert Music Hall in Waretown.

www.alberthall.org

Bell Theater in Holmdel.

John Posada

BRICK CHILDREN’S COMMUNITY THEATRE

Mantoloking Road Playhouse

266 Mantoloking Road, Brick, (732) 920-9041 www.bcct.org

www.mantolokingroadplayhouse.com

Founded in 1992, BCCT is non-profit, community theater group dedicated to the children of Ocean and Monmouth counties. The group educates and enriches the children of the local community through outstanding theatrical workshops and productions. 10-24: October Comedy Night, 8:00 PM 11-21: Left Center Right, 7:00 PM 12-4 - 12-7: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr., various days and times

CENTER PLAYERS

Mailing Address: 31 Birch Hill Road Freehold, NJ 07728; (732) 462-9093

Email: info1@centerplayers.org

https://centerplayers.org

Center Players programming includes Signature Series shows (fully staged productions that run for five weekends and include gourmet desserts and coffee), Applause Series events (“black-box” presentations with shorter runs that include original works, theater-for-children, musical events, and guest-theater presentations), and open house play readings (monthly staged readings of new and under-appreciated works under consideration for future seasons).

Editor’s Note: The Center Playhouse was formerly located on South Street in Freehold; currently, the Center Players are looking for a new location. In the meantime, theater will continue at the venues indicated.

Reading at the American Hotel, 16 E. Main Street, Freehold:

11-3: The Seven Year Itch by David Conover, 7:00 PM

COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank (732) 842-9000 www.thebasie.org

Founded in 1926, this 1,400-seat theater is known for first class entertainment in an intimate setting. The Center’s mission is to inspire, educate, and entertain through distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that reflect the diversity of the region. Family shows, musical plays, comedians, and famous political commentators have all appeared here. The Basie’s vision for the future is to evolve into a world-class center for arts education, culture, and the performing arts. This evolution includes an industrious expansion, potentially doubling the number of its performance, educational, and cultural offerings, while reaching a wider sector of the community through new partnerships and programs. The Vogel, a state-of-the-art performance venue, was unveiled in October 2020.

EVENTS AT THE HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH THEATRE AT THE BASIE:

10-24: Remember Jones - Bat Out of Hell Live, 8:00 PM

10-25: Disney’s Fantasia in Concert, 2:00 PM

10-26: Little Feat: Strike Up The Band Tour, 7:00 PM

10-28, 10-29: Beetlejuice Jr., 7:00 PM

10-30: Mania - The ABBA Tribute, 7:30 PM

10-31: Sasha Velour, 7:00 PM

11-1: Vic DiBitetto, 8:00 PM

11-2: The Mavericks, 7:00 PM

11-3: Il Divo By Candlelight, 7:00 PM

11-14: Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Juke Box, 7:30 PM

11-15, 11-6: Brad Williams: The Growth Spurt Tour, 7:00 PM

11-7: Ancient Aliens Live, 7:30 PM

11-8: Rene Vaca 2025 Tour, 7:30 PM

11-11: PlayStation The Concert, 7:30 PM

11-12: Twilight in Concert, 7:30 PM

11-14: Justin Willman: One for the Ages Tour, 7:00 PM

11-21 - 11-23: Phoenix Productions presents Meredith Willson’s Miracle on 34th Street, various times

11-26: Boz Scaggs: Rhythm Review 2025, 7:30 PM

11-28: Champions of Magic: Holiday Spectacular, 7:30 PM

11-29: Eric D’Alessandro, 7:00 PM

12-1: RAIN - A Beatles Christmas Celebration, 7:30 PM

12-2: Wheel of Fortune Live!, 7:30 PM

12-5: Stand by Me: The Film and Its Stars 40 Years Later, 7:30 PM

12-6: Holiday Doo Wop

12-7: Elf in Concert, 2:00 PM

12-12 - 12-14: The Nutcracker, various times

12-16: Holiday Express, 7:30 PM

12-17: Matteo Bocelli: Falling in Love Tour, 7:30 PM

12-18: Vienna Boys Choir, 7:30 PM

12-19: Darlene Love - Love for the Holidays

12-21: Monmouth Civic Chorus - A Joyous Day, 4:00 PM

12-23: Christmas Carolmania!, 7:30 PM

12-28: Black Nativity, 4:00 PM

12-31: Chris Distefano, 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM

EVENTS AT THE VOGEL AT THE BASIE:

10-23-10-24: Dead on Live, 7:30 PM

10-27: Thomas Dolby, 7:30 PM

10-31: Andy Bell of Erasure: Ten Crowns Tour, 7:30 PM

11-2: Count Basie Center Dia de Muertos Celebration, 5:00 PM

11-4: Richard Thompson, 7:30 PM

11-7: The Discoteks: Friday Night Disco Dance Party, 8:00 PM

11-8: Three American Troubadours: Celebrating Taylor, Simon, and King, 7:30 PM

11-9: An Evening with Acoustic Alchemy, 7:00 PM

11-13: Michael Yo: Issa Truuue! Tour, 7:00 PM

11-14: Total Mass Retain: YES Experience, 8:00 PM

11-15: Jimmy Kenny and The Pirate Beach Band, 7:30 PM

11-17: Count Basie Center Gospel Choir: Giving Thanks, 7:00 PM

11-21: The Amish Outlaws, 8:00 PM

11-22: Donna the Buffalo, 8:00 PM

11-23: Maz Jobrani, 7:00 PM

11-28: Reality Bites Band, 7:30 PM

11-29: Rocky Mountain High Experience: John Denver Christmas, 7:30 PM

11-30: The Al Lambert Big Birthday Bash, 3:00 PM

12-5: A Peter White Christmas, 7:30 PM

12-6: LaBamba’s Holiday Hurrah, 4:00 PM

12-7: Atlanta Rhythm Section, 7:00 PM

12-11: Bob Schneider and Steve Poltz, 7:30 PM

12-12: Frontiers: The Ultimate Journey Tribute Band, 7:30 PM

12-13: The Sensational Soul Cruisers, 7:30 PM

12-14: Sal Valentinetti, 2:00 PM and 6:30 PM

12-20: The Weeklings and Friends: Holiday Hullabaloo, 7:30 PM

12-21: Chris Pinnella: Christmas in Red Bank, 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM

12-26: Joe Matarese: It’s in the Wooder Tour, 7:00 PM

12-28: Adam Ezra Group, 7:00 PM

DUNCAN SMITH THEATRE

Holmdel Theatre Company, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, (732) 946-0427

www.holmdeltheatrecompany.org

This historic, 125-year-old barn has been transformed into a modern, fully air-conditioned facility with 99 comfortably cushioned seats that allow for flexibility in stage and seating arrangements to suit the specific requirements of a production. Artists are given the opportunity to explore more experimental modes of performance, and the intimate space allows the audience to connect with the performers offering a front row seat to exciting and imaginative theater.

11-7 - 11-23: Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - APT. 2B, various days and times

EARTH ROOM CONCERTS

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County

1475 West Front Street, Lincroft (732) 747-0707

www.earthroomconcerts.org www.uucmc.org

Series of folk/acoustic/singer-songwriter concerts sponsored by and held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County. Excellent national performers in the beautiful, intimate Earth Room setting (capacity approximately 200).

10-25: The Nields, 7:30 PM

12-6: Joe Jencks, 7:30 PM

FIRST AVENUE PLAYHOUSE

123 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands (732) 291-7552

www.firstavenueplayhouse.com

This charming, intimate dessert theatre features year-round entertainment for adults and children. Performances include musicals, dramas, and comedies. Patrons sit at tables and have coffee and dessert and enjoy Broadway shows (Thurs. - Sun.). Call for reservations.

10-10 - 10-25: Death of a Salesman, various days and times

GREATER SHORE CONCERT BAND

Mailing Address: 47A Brynmore Road

New Egypt, NJ 08533

Email: greatershoreconcertband@yahoo.com www.greatershoreconcertband.org

The Greater Shore Concert Band was founded by the noted band director, musicologist, and educator, Dr. Henry Melnik, and held its first rehearsal on September 26, 1967 at the Meadowbrook School in Eatontown where it continues to enjoy their hospitality. Although the band performs mainly in Monmouth and Ocean counties, their travels have taken them to many places including Carnegie Hall, Princeton University, and Europe. The band plays all periods and styles, including Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary music, and is made up of players of all ages and many professions and vocations, including doctors, lawyers, band directors, engineers, teachers, homemakers, businesspersons, and middle school, high school, and college students. Their objective is to unite their interests and talents in “making music together” for the listening pleasure of music lovers. The band also offers their services to organizations to perform as a fundraising vehicle. Their concert schedule runs from September through May.

Holiday Concert Series:

12-7: St. John’s Methodist Church, 2000 Florence Street, Hazlet, 2:00 PM

12-9: Equestra (for residents only), Route 33 at East San Marco Boulevard, Farmingdale, 7:30 PM

12-14: St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 135 Salmon Street, Brick, 2:00 PM

The Vogel at the Basie in Red Bank.

courtesy of the Count Basie Center for the Arts

HOUSE OF INDEPENDENTS

572 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park www.houseofindependents.com

Asbury Park’s House of Independents is back hosting an eclectic mix of music, theatre, dance, film, comedy, oddities, and late night fare. The recently renovated facility supports a wide spectrum of uses with convertible attributes including a retractable seating system and movable stages. Stadium-style seats can be implemented for theatre productions, movie premieres, and conferences or they can be hidden away to open the floor space for concerts, weddings, and fundraisers.

10-24: I Love R&B Party, 9:00 PM

10-25: Shrek Rave, 10:00 PM

10-29: Born of Osiris - Through the Shadows USA Tour, 5:30 PM

10-31: Haunted House! - Jersey Shore’s Largest Halloween Party, 9:00 PM

11-2: Local Only!, 4:00 PM

11-3: Carter Vail - The Coydog Tour, 7:00 PM

11-6: Chris Franjola, 7:00 PM

11-7: State Champs, 7:30 PM

11-8: Spitafield, 7:00 PM

11-9: As It Is, 6:30 PM

11-12: Emblem3 - The Fever Dream Tour, 6:00 PM

11-13: Skizzy Mars, 7:00 PM

11-14: Yacht Lobsters, 7:00 PM

11-14: Vedo, 7:00 PM

11-20: BKTHERULA - The Lucy Experience, 7:00 PM

11-21: Five Iron Frenzy, 7:00 PM

11-22: Bingo Loco presents Name That Song, 5:00 PM

11-23: Chris Webby, 7:00 PM

11-29: Dayshift - World’s Biggest 30+ Day Party 12-6: DD Verni and The Cadillac Band, 4:00 PM 12-12: The Taylor Party, 8:00 PM

JERSEY SHORE ARTS CENTER

66 South Main Street, Ocean Grove (732) 502-0050

www.jerseyshoreartscenter.org

Housed in the historic Neptune High School building (constructed in 1896), the Jersey Shore Arts Center supports local artists and arts educators and provides affordable workspace to artists, educators, and groups who develop opportunities for the community to experience and engage in the arts. The building is maintained by the Ocean Grove Historic Preservation Society and serves as a home for the cultural arts and a venue for events, dramatic and musical productions, as well as instruction in the arts, dance, music, theater, pottery, and ceramics. Commercial and nonprofit groups, as well as individuals, can rent studio space, classrooms, two dance studios, a ballroom studio, a magnificent 400-seat theater with dressing rooms and box office, a café space with two additional studios

and food service capabilities, and a 75-seat theater. Check their website for up-to-date events, programming, and performance schedules as well as rental information.

Wednesday Nights: Café Artiste - live original music, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Saturday Nights: ComedySportz Jersey Shore - live improv comedy, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

11-8, 12-10: Split Level Concert Series (check website for performing artists), 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

LIZZIE ROSE MUSIC ROOM

217 East Main Street, Tuckerton (609) 276-6758

www.lizzierosemusic.com

The Lizzie Rose Music Room is a “Listening Room,” not a bar or restaurant. Established in 2014 to bring live music to Tuckerton, its extensive line-up including Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Country, Rock, Soul, Singer/Songwriters, and more.

10-24: JC Cole, 7:30 PM

10-25: Brown Sugar, 7:30 PM

10-26: The Outcrops, 3:30 PM

10-31: Richard Shindell, 7:30 PM

11-1: Eliza Neals, 7:30 PM

11-2: Ronnie Baker Brooks, 7:30 PM

11-5: Michael McDermott, 7:30 PM

11-7: Singer/Songwriter Evening, 7:30 PM

11-8: The Weeklings, 7:30 PM

11-9: Mike Farris, 7:30 PM

11-14: Griffith House, 7:30 PM

11-15: Live At The Filmore, 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM

11-16: Shemekia Copeland, 7:30 PM

11-21: Stanley Jordan and Friends, 7:30 PM

11-22: Barbara Lin Band, 7:30 PM

11-29: Bell Bottom Blues, 7:30 PM

12-5: David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach, 7:30 PM

12-6: Floyd Pink, 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM

12-12: Lucy Wainwright Roche, 7:30 PM

12-13: Damn The Torpedoes, 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM

12-14: Vanessa Collier, 2:00 PM

12-14: Rock This Town Xmas, 7:30 PM

12-18: Cassie and Maggie, 7:30 PM

12-19, 12-20: Steve Forbert, 7:30 PM

LUMIA THEATRE

New Jersey Repertory Company

179 Broadway, West Long Branch (732) 229-3166

www.njrep.org

The New Jersey Repertory Company is dedicated to developing and producing new plays with diverse themes. It is also devoted to creating an atmosphere where classics can take on a fresh look and forgotten plays can find a home.

10-30 - 11-23: The Drop Off, various days and times

12-4 - 12-14: Just Another Day, various days and times

MIDDLETOWN ARTS CENTER

Dunbar Repertory Company

36 Church Street, Middletown (732) 706-4100

www.middletownarts.org

The Middletown Arts Center is an award-winning, state-of-the-art facility which opened its doors to the public in March 2007 and is dedicated to bringing quality arts programming and events to New Jersey. The building is owned by Middletown Township and operated by the Middletown Township Cultural and Arts Council, whose mission is to enhance the quality of life of residents by supporting and promoting the arts. The needs of the community drives arts program planning. The 240-seat theatre is fully ADA-compliant and produces professional-quality productions and performance for thousands of patrons each year. The theater is available for rentals. The MAC’s resident

theater Company, Dunbar Repertory Company, is committed to its mission of perpetuating and appreciation of cultural diversity and celebrating African American Culture through live literary readings, mainstay theatrical productions, education programs, and services.

10-17 - 10-26: Urinetown, the musical, various days and times

11-8 - 11-16: Dunbar Rep: A Soldier’s Play, various days and times

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch Box Office: (732) 263-6889 www.monmouth.edu/arts

ADULT EDUCATION SERIES: Fee-based events. Register online in advance.

10-28: The Beatles’ Rubber Soul (Virtual/Zoom), 7:30 PM

11-6, 11-13, 11-20: History of Motown Records (Virtual/Zoom), 7:30 PM

12-11, 12-16, 12-18: Disco Inferno! (Virtual/Zoom), 7:30 PM

TUESDAY NIGHT VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB: Free virtual events. Register online in advance.

11-11: Martin Amis, The Zone of Interest (Virtual/ Zoom), 7:30 PM

12-9: Salman Rushdie, Midnight’s Children (Virtual/ Zoom), 7:30 PM

TUESDAY NIGHT RECORD CLUB: It’s just like the book club but with albums! Free events in person in The Great Hall Auditorium and virtual. Register online in advance.

11-4: The Smithereens, Especially for You (The Great Hall Auditorium/Virtual), 7:30 PM

12-2: The Beatles, Rubber Soul (The Great Hall Auditorium/Virtual), 7:30 PM

POLLAK THEATRE: This 700-seat theatre presents live music, theatre, and dance by national touring artists. The Pollak also screens HD broadcasts of the MET Opera, the National Theatre of London, and the Bolshoi Ballet, along with children’s theater and other programming presented by the Center for the Arts.

10-30: Halloween Classics (Candlelight Concerts), 7:00 PM

11-6: Hamlet (National Theatre: Broadcast in HD), 7:00 PM

11-7: Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin Together Onstage (Performing Arts Series), 8:00 PM

11-8: La Bohème (The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD), 1:00 PM

11-10: Lucian Freud: A Self Portrait (Art on Screen), 7:00 PM

11-14: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles (Candlelight Concerts), 7:00 PM

11-21: A Night with Monique Marvez (Performing Arts Series), 8:00 PM

11-22: Arabella (The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD), 1:00 PM

The Spring Lake Theatre at the Spring Lake Community House.

Kelly S. Andrews

House of Independents in Asbury Park.

Judy Cardella

12-4: Tribute to Adele (Candlelight Concerts), 7:00 PM

12-5: Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea (Performing Arts Series), 8:00 PM

12-8: Rembrandt (Art on Screen), 7:00 PM

12-12: Christmas Classics (Candlelight Concerts), 7:00 PM

12-13: Andrea Chénier (The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD), 1:00 PM

OCEAN COUNTY COLLEGE

JAY AND LINDA GRUNIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

1 College Drive, Toms River, (732) 255-0500 www.grunincenter.org

The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, located on the campus of Ocean County College (OCC), is home to the OCC Theatre Company and the OCC Concert Band. Professional programs include Living Legends, Singer/Songwriters, Classical Music, Musical/ Theatre, Country/Folk, Jazz, Dance, and Family. MidWeek Jazz Series concerts and School of Performing Arts productions take place all season long.

10-26: Chris Ruggiero and Clint Holmes, 4:00 PM

10-28: Basil Camu, 11:00 AM

11-6: Magic Rocks: Illusionist Leon Etienne, 7:00 PM

11-8: So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience starring Robert Neary, 7:00 PM

11-19: Without Arrows Film Screening, 12:30 PM

11-21: Radliff-Niessen, violin and piano, 2:00 PM

11-22: The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, 3:00 PM

12-3: Chris Botti, 7:00 PM

12-6: A Christmas Carol, 1:00 PM

12-6: OCC Concert Band: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, 7:00 PM

12-12: Broadway for the Holidays 5, 7:30 PM

12-13: Ballet for Young Audiences: The Nutcracker, 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM

12-13 - 12-21: Broadway for the Holidays 5, various days and times

12-14: Cherish the Ladies, 7:00 PM

12-20: Celtic Christmas Celebration by Darrah Carr Dance, 7:00 PM

SPRING LAKE THEATRE

AT THE SPRING LAKE COMMUNITY HOUSE

300 Madison Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 449-4530

www.springlaketheatre.com

Since 1978, the theatre has been the home of the Spring Lake Theatre Company. Renovated in 1986, the theater seats over 350 patrons. The Spring Lake Theatre Company produces Broadway-quality musicals, comedies, and dramas, with professionally talented casts and lavish sets and costumes. Each year, the company puts on six different shows, with the opening night ticket sales of each donated to different area charities.

Evening Curtain: 7:30 PM; Matinee Curtain: 2:00 PM

10-10 - 10-26: Grease, various days and times 12-4 - 12-21: Scrooge, various days and times

THE STAFFORD TOWNSHIP ARTS CENTER

1000 McKinley Avenue, Manahawkin (609) 489-8600

www.stacnj.com

The Stafford Township Arts Center (STAC) is south Jersey’s resource for artistic and cultural experiences. Live music, dance, and theatrical programs offer enrichment for people of every age. Programmed and managed by artistic director Marybeth Weidenhof, STAC features state-of-the-art amenities and plays host to the finest amateur and professional talent.

10-25: Fleetwood Macked and Refugee, 7:30 PM

10-30: The Edwards Twins, 7:30 PM

11-1: New York Bee Gees - Bee Gees Tribute, 7:30 PM

11-15: ABBAMANIA, 7:30 PM

11-30: It’s A Shore Holiday!, 3:00 PM

12-7: Holiday Oldies, 3:00 PM

12-13: The American Ride - Tobey Keith Tribute, 7:30 PM

12-31: Shadows of the 60s, 8:00 PM

THE STONE PONY

AND THE STONE PONY SUMMER STAGE

913 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park (732) 502-0600

www.stoneponyonline.com

The legendary Stone Pony has been a driving force of the Jersey Shore music scene since it first opened its doors in 1974. From independent, local talent to internationally known headline acts, music fans will never be disappointed with the Stone Pony’s schedule of events. During the summer, enjoy open-air concerts at the Stone Pony Summer Stage. Advance ticket purchase recommended for both venues.

THE STONE PONY:

10-24: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, 7:00 PM

10-30: The Wrecks, 6:00 PM

10-31: Splintered Sunlight, 7:00 PM

11-1: Fantastic Cat, 7:00 PM

11-6: Fortunate Youth, 7:00 PM

11-12: The Crane Wives, 7:00 PM

11-15: Surfing for Daisy, 7:00 PM

11-26: Brian Kirk and The Jirks, 7:00 PM

12-6: Sinderella’s Ball, 7:00 PM

12-12, 12-13: Jesse Malin, 7:00 PM

12-19: Low Cut Connie, 7:00 PM

THE STRAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS

400 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood (732) 367-7789

www.strand.org

Built in 1919, The Strand is known as one of the best acoustical theatres in the nation. This fully restored theatre features a variety of musical, dramatic, and comedic events by some of the country’s top performers.

10-25: The Wag’s Halloween Spectacular, 7:00 PM

11-1: Ronstadt Revue featuring Gesenia, 8:00 PM

11-15: MEET LOAF: A Tribute to Meat Loaf, 8:00 PM

12-6: A Doo Wop Christmas with the Doo Wop Project, 8:00 PM

12-13: The Wag’s 5th Annual Christmas Spectacular, 7:00 PM

SURFLIGHT THEATRE

Engleside and Beach Avenues, Beach Haven, (609) 492-9477 www.surflight.org

Producing large-scale musicals and plays with a resident company of professional actors, the Surflight has been performing live theater in a classic summer stock situation since 1950. In addition, Surflight offers Children’s Theater from mid-June through September and a Celebrity Concert series. Please call or visit the website for shows, times, prices, and group pricing.

MUSICALS AND PLAYS:

11-29 - 12-21: Elf, the Musical, various days and times COMEDY:

11-8: Comedy Night Fundraiser for the Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Company, 7:30 PM

CONCERTS:

11-15: Bizet’s Carmen, 7:30 PM

12-31: New Years Eve’s Bubbly Bash - David Clark, The Music of Billy Joel, 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM

TWO RIVER THEATER CO.

21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank (732) 345-1400

www.tworivertheater.org

Opened in Red Bank in the fall of 2005, this is a state-of-the-art performance space. The main theater seats 350 people and is home to the main

stage season. Centered around a thrust stage, the furthest seats are no more than thirty-six feet from the performers. The new facility also includes the 99-seat Marion Huber Theater, a black box theater that is host to more experimental works, readings, classes, and rehearsals.

11-1 - 11-23: The Monsters, various days and times

12-6, 12-7: The Nutcracker, various times

12-9: A Christmas Carol, 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM

THE WONDER BAR

1213 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park (732) 455-3767

www.wonderbarasburypark.com

The Wonder Bar features a lineup that will appeal to fans of all types of music. Kick back, relax, and enjoy the positive vibes at this iconic establishment. Advanced ticket purchase recommended.

10-24: Mac Saturn, 7:00 PM

10-25: Black Pistol Fire, 7:00 PM

11-8: Kyle Smith, 7:00 PM

11-13: Durry, 7:00 PM

11-15: Mountain Jam Band, 7:00 PM

11-20: Stephen Day, 7:00 PM

11-22: Marshall Crenshaw, 7:00 PM

11-26: So Watt, 7:00 PM

ALSO OF INTEREST:

NEW JERSEY CHAMBER SINGERS

P.O. Box 394, Manasquan, NJ 08736 (732) 389-5426

www.njchambersingers.org

The New Jersey Chamber Singers (NJCS) seek to engage, enrich, and inspire audiences through the performance of high-quality choral music. Founded in 1978, NJCS soon emerged as the premier vocal chamber ensemble at the Jersey Shore. The group generally performs in smaller, more intimate spaces because of the unique bond chamber music creates between the performers and audience. More recently, NJCS has begun to expand its audience beyond the Jersey Shore to all of New Jersey. NJCS has performed at the American Choral Directors Association conventions in Baltimore and Philadelphia, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The ensemble’s sensitive artistry, imaginative concert themes, and eclectic repertoire have become their signature. Call or check the website for current schedule.

12-6: Messiah Sing at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Innocents, 410 S. Atlantic Avenue, Beach Haven, 4:00 PM (free)

12-14: Winter Concert at Laurita Winery, 85 Archertown Road, New Egypt, 4:00 PM

12-14: Winter Concert at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 6 Osborn Avenue, Manasquan, 7:30 PM u

The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park.

Judy Cardella

A Wineries Tour at the Jersey Shore

Wines Made Locally in Monmouth & Ocean Counties

by Paula Casale-Laramee

As the air becomes crisp and the leaves turn brilliant, the fall season becomes one of the shore’s best kept secrets.

Autumn is a perfect time of year to tour the beautiful wineries located in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Laurita Winery in New Egypt.

photo: Kate Devine

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”

— Nathaniel Hawthorne

Wine making in New Jersey began with a contest. The first grapes were planted in 1758 when Great Britain’s Royal Society, intending to replicate wines from France, offered a cash incentive to colonists who could produce “five tuns” of quality red or white wine. (A “tun” is an archaic English unit equivalent to 252 gallons.) Colonists William Alexander and Edward Antill were the victors and put New Jersey on the winemaking map.

Years later, winemaking came to an abrupt halt with the arrival of Prohibition, as well as a restrictive, post-prohibition law that limited only one winery license per one million residents, which rendered them nearly impossible to obtain. (At that time, there were just over four million residents in New Jersey.) This law was repealed in 1981 with the passing of

the New Jersey Farm Winery Act, and the state’s wine making industry was able to flourish.

Currently, there are four wineries in the two counties.

Laurita Winery

85 Archertown Road, New Egypt (609) 752-0200

www.lauritawinery.com @lauritawinery

In Central Jersey, in the serene New Egypt section of Plumsted Township, you’ll find Laurita Winery, where over twenty-five years of tradition and sustainability are at the heart of each expansive lawn, terrace, pergola, and precisely crafted wine. The name “Laurita” derives from the first names of owners Randy Johnson and Ray Shea’s mothers, Laura and Rita, to whom the winery is dedicated.

Kate Devine

Upon entering, Laurita’s interior will charm you. Built mostly from recycled and reclaimed materials, the building is comprised of two 150-year-old barns, relocated from the neighboring towns Cream Ridge and Manalapan, that were destined for demolition.

Located in the Outer Coastal Plain American Viticultural Area, the winery exudes a deep passion for the land on which their grape varieties are grown. Their first twenty acres of Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot were planted between 1998 and 2000; in 2002, another twenty acres were added of Pinot Gris, Lemberger, Chambourcin, Norton, and Zweigelt.

Favorite selections include Down the Shore Windswept White, Down the Shore Relaxing Red, and their Chardonnay and Merlot. Another Laurita favorite is their Chocolate Therapy Wine.

Laurita offers vineyard and winery tours as well as an onsite marketplace

continued from page 31

where you can purchase a cheese platter or a quick bite to pair with your drink.

The winery also offers a variety of crowd-pleasing festivals that feature activities, food trucks, and live music. This year’s events include its popular Fall Festivals (Oct. 4-5 and Oct. 11-12), Oktoberfest (Oct. 18-19), HallowWine Food & Wine Fest (Oct. 25-26), Jeep Fest (Nov. 8-9), and the Chili & Chowder Festival (Nov. 15-16).

In past seasons, HallowWine included gourmet food trucks, face painting, costume contests, and allday live music as well as a Pumpkin Painting Workshop that teaches how to paint a hand-carved, cedar pumpkin with a vine topper made from the winery’s grapevines.

Other fall activities include a scenic wagon tour and a walk through their pumpkin patch. Pick the perfect pumpkin and then relax with a glass of one of their award-winning wines

or sangria and enjoy the live music while the children (and certain adults) can enjoy launching apples from cannons.

The fall season at Laurita makes for a perfect day of enjoying fall foliage and family-friendly activities that capture the essence of this beautiful time of year.

Laurita’s charming interior is built mostly from recycled and reclaimed materials.

Autumn at Laurita Winery.

courtesy of Laurita Winery

4JG’s Vineyard

127 Hillsdale Road, Colts Neck (908) 930-8066

www.4jgswinery.com

@4jgswinery

Nestled in Colts Neck amidst county farm markets, horses, and hayrides, you’ll find 4JG’s Vineyard, a charming, historic farm and winery whose farming practices have stood the tests of time.

Named after the four owners, all with the initials “JG,” the Giunco family and their storied legacy in agriculture and good farming practices steep this winery in a rich history befitting their philosophy that only the best grapes grown on their farm are selected to go into the bottle.

The family has farmed in Monmouth County for over sixty years, and the winery, founded in 1999, is located on a working farm with barns and houses that date back to the early 1700s. 4JG’s tasting room is a renovation of the original farmhouse. The farm’s original owner, Colonel Smock, was a patriot during the American Revolution.

In 2002, the Giunco family made their first barrel of wine from a handpicked selection of grapes grown on the farm. That first barrel became known as Chambourcin Riserva and won its first gold medal in the 2004 New Jersey Wine Competition.

The vineyard produces a variety of wines including dry reds and whites as well as unique blends. A few of their notable varieties include Chambourcin and Cayuga.

The winery borders Big Brook, one of the most famous fossil beds on the east coast. Dating from the Late Cretaceous Period, out-of-place shells are often found while digging in the

vineyard. Among their wine offerings are Big Brook Red, a “slightly sweeter Chambourcin with hints of blackberry,” and Big Brook White, described as “sweet and full of fruit flavors.”

The venue offers outdoor seating, a tented area, and fire pits in cooler weather, providing a perfect backdrop for a relaxing afternoon. Guests appreciate the laid-back vibe, enjoying the sunset and live piano music, and are allowed to bring their own small picnics to enjoy with their wine.

Topping off the season, they close with the ever-popular Soup and Sip Saturday (Nov. 8), when guests sample soups paired with wines and relax by the firepits. Soon after, the winery turns into a Christmas wonderland, with over ten acres of Christmas trees. You pick, they cut. People come to have a glass of wine, take a family photo, and bring home the holiday tree.

With over thirty-three acres of grapes, both reds and whites, this winery follows the relaxed rhythm of the Jersey Shore in fall.

4JG’s Big Brook Red.

continued on page 34

4JGs Vineyard in Colts Neck.

Danielle Ford

Paula Casale-Laramee

Cream Ridge Winery

145 Route 539, Cream Ridge (609) 259-9797

creamridgewinery.com

@creamridgewinery

Set into the countryside of the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold Township is Cream Ridge Winery. Founded in 1988 by Tom and Joan Amabile, today Tim and Jackie Schlitzer and their amazing staff continue the family’s tradition of making unique wine.

Cream Ridge is proud of the bounty of New Jersey and supports local farmers. They use local blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries in their products, such as their Blackberry Wine and Sangria made from the blackberries they grow. Another popular selection is their Blue Mooney Wine, chock full of local blueberries.

The winery also makes traditional wines like Merlot, Cab Franc, Chambourcin, and Traminette that are all grown close to home, as well as non-traditional wines with mangos, passionfruit, pineapples, and more—truly embracing diverse wines for diverse living.

During the year, Cream Ridge participates in numerous farmers’ markets from Stafford Township to Matawan. You can also find them at Manahawkin Lake at the annual Stafford Harvest & Wine Festival (Oct. 11-12) as well as the Holiday Wonderland & Christmas Market (Dec. 13). Bring a chair and enjoy the music and their AlmondBerry Wine, their all-time bestseller.

In late September, they opened a tasting room, Cream Ridge Coastal,

from page 33

at The Shops at Reynolds at 201/227 East Bay Avenue in Manahawkin. It is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 5:00 PM.

Cream Ridge practices giving back. Fifty cents from each bottle sold of their Poco Loco(l) Sangria (the label is a reproduction of a 1920s Asbury Park ride ticket) is donated to farmland preservation and education. Additionally, Cream Ridge partners with the Jetty Rock Foundation and Jetty Life in producing their Tropical Storm Wine, helping to raise funds for Jetty’s shore relief program.

Guests are welcome to bring small

snacks or order food from nearby restaurants. They also sell small, pre-packaged goods including meats, cheeses, dips, honey, olives, crackers, chips, pretzels, and chocolates to snack on while enjoying a glass or bottle. The tasting bar area is twentyone-plus and pets are allowed outside.

A fall visit to the Cream Ridge Winery, when their Harvest Sangria makes a showing, allows the opportunity to tour the vineyard or relax on the patio, sipping and sampling with friends, while enjoying the stunning view across the fourteenacre property.

Cream Ridge Winery.

A fall evening on the patio at Cream Ridge.

Cream Ridge offers a diverse selection of wines, both traditional and non-traditional.

Tim Schlitzer Tim Schlitzer

Mark Krajnak at JerseyStyle Photography

Fox Hollow Vineyards

939 Holmdel Road, Holmdel (732) 772-0330

Foxhollowvineyard.com

@foxhollowvineyards

In Holmdel at Fox Hollow, you’ll discover a vast forty-five acres of vineyards with over twenty varieties of grapes. Owned and operated by the Casola Family, sixth generation farmers, the winery is truly a family affair. Family members oversee each process, from planting, to getting down and dirty with hoeing and mowing, pruning grapes, thinning, and all the heavy machinery operations in between. The family ensures their extensive knowledge and notable history of agriculture is preserved and showcased in the wines that they produce.

Tony Casola is a lifelong, passionate farmer. His expertise allows for superior growing, and he knows how to get the best performance from the vines. The quality of Fox Hollow’s wine comes from spending a lot of time in the field with the grapes, ensuring that they are premium, which shines through when made into wine.

All grapes are grown at the vineyard and produced on site, with more than twenty varieties generating White, Red, Rosé, and Sparkling wines as well as dry, semi-sweet, and sweet wines. They also offer wine spritzers, wine sorbet floats, wine

slushees, frozé, sangria, and nonalcoholic beverages.

Open every day, the vineyard is a destination for adults to relax, learn about, and enjoy wines. The vibe is enhanced by live music every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and features a variety of local musicians playing assorted styles. Fox Hollow also offers a variety of lawn games such as Corn Hole, Connect 4, Jenga, Tetris, and more.

Indoor and outdoor seating is available as well as picnic areas. Fire pits are lit in the cooler weather, and the venue is dog and pet friendly. There is also an onsite market featuring local foods and gifts. Food menus are available to complement their wines. Wine tastings and pairings are offered with handcrafted chocolates by Chocolate Legends of Colts Neck.

Fox Hollow Vineyards is leaving their mark by producing highquality wines made from grapes grown in Monmouth County that people enjoy and remember.

With their beautiful properties, exceptional wines, and enjoyable events, Monmouth and Ocean counties’ four wineries are can’t-miss additions to your fall itinerary. u

The Market at Fox Hollow Vineyards in Holmdel.

The vineyards at Fox Hollow.

Fox Hollow Vineyards

Fox Hollow Vineyards

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE & TOURISM INFORMATION

JERSEY SHORE

ATTRACTIONS and

Activities in Monmouth and Ocean Counties

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

1856 Highway 35, Wall, (732) 280-8800

www.JSCCnj.com

Amusement Parks, Rides, & Boardwalks

ASBURY PARK

Asbury Park, (732) 502-5749

www.apboardwalk.com

www.CityofAsburyPark.com

Indoor Ice Skating

HOWELL ICE ARENA

269 Squankum Road, Farmingdale (732) 919-7800

www.jerseyshorearena.com

THE ICE PALACE

Please refer to our ad on page 64. Help your business grow and prosper by joining this premiere networking and business-generating organization. As a member of the Jersey Shore Chamber of Commerce, you will automatically open doors to more than 70 networking opportunities throughout the year! You’ll enjoy weekly breakfast meetings, informative business seminars, tasteful after hours, dinner and cocktail events. You will also have access to the business development tools and resources available at our convenient and welcoming chamber office. You will have the ability to connect with a premiere network of professional business men and women…people who want to do business with you! Yet, the success of the JSCC is no accident. Guiding the Chamber for more than 20 years is Executive Director Evelyn Mars and her very hardworking Board of Directors. Thinking of joining? Visit www.JSCCnj.com or call the chamber office at (732) 280-8800.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

517A Arnold Avenue Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 899-2424 or 1-888-772-3862

Email: info@pointpleasantbeachnj.com www.pointchamber.com

Please refer to our ad on the inside back cover.

One of NJ’s top ten beaches, unique shops and restaurants on the boardwalk plus Convention Hall and the Paramount Theatre.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH BOARDWALK

Point Pleasant Beach Chamber Of Commerce, (732) 899-2424

www.pointchamber.com

Mile-long white sand beach, boardwalk, aquarium, arcades, restaurants, stores, and rides. Beach admission fee in season. GSP Exit 98.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS BOARDWALK

Borough of Seaside Heights, George E. Tompkins Municipal Complex

100 Grant Avenue, Building B Seaside Heights, (732) 793-9100

www.seaside-heightsnj.org

Seaside Heights Business Improvement District/Tourism, P.O. Box 43, Seaside Heights, 833-4SEASIDE www.exit82.com

Three-mile-long beachfront that has white sandy beaches and a mile-long boardwalk in Seaside Heights overflowing with games, rides, waterpark, restaurants, and shops.

Historic Villages

HISTORIC VIKING VILLAGE

19th Street and Bayview Avenue Barnegat Light

www.vikingvillage.net www.vikingvillageshows.com

197 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick (609) 755-5885 www.theicepalace.net

JERSEY SHORE ARENA

1215 Wyckoff Road, Wall, (732) 919-7070

www.jerseyshorearena.com

RED BANK ARMORY ICE COMPLEX

76 Chestnut Street, Red Bank (732) 450-9001

www.redbankarmory.com

WINDING RIVER SKATING CENTER

1211 Whiteville Road, Toms River (732) 244-0720 www.tomsrivertownship.com/213/ Winding-River-Rink

Party / Charter Boats

POINT PRINCESS

Docked at Spike’s Fishery, 415 Broadway Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 996-2579

www.PointPrincess.com

The Jersey Shore’s premier family vacation resort town! From our mile-long white sand beaches and landmark boardwalk to incredible shopping, dining, and special events, Point Pleasant Beach has it all! Visit our historic downtown shopping district, with numerous retail stores, antique shops, restaurants, and eateries. Fabulous dining and entertainment can be found all over town with dozens of choices, from fine to fun to waterfront and oceanfront dining. Our landmark boardwalk features arcades, rides, Jenkinson’s Aquarium, miniature golf, dining, entertainment, and more! Free beach events all summer long including Jenkinson’s Music Festival on Wednesdays and Fireworks every Thursday night. For the best in deep-sea fishing, our party and charter boat fleet offers a variety of choices for every angler, from novice to experienced. Contact us for a complimentary Point Pleasant Beach Guidebook or visit us online! UPCOMING EVENTS: 10-12: 7th Annual Inlet Tug; 10-18: Annual Beach Sweeps; 10-23: Ladies Night Out; 11-1: Beers On The Boards; 11-28: Annual Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival; Dec. dates t.b.a.: Breakfasts and Brunches with Santa and Free Horse & Carriage Rides!

THE HISTORIC VILLAGE AT ALLAIRE Allaire State Park, Route 524, Wall (732) 919-3500

www.allairevillage.org

Please refer to page 19 and the listings under “Parks” and “Historic Sites & Museums.”

TUCKERTON SEAPORT

120 West Main Street, Tuckerton (609) 296-8868

www.TuckertonSeaport.org

Please refer to page 19.

Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village, is located along the Tuckerton Creek. This one-of-akind attraction, in the heart of historic Tuckerton, brings the Jersey Shore’s maritime traditions of the past and present to life through people, exhibits, and hands-on activities. Discover the Jersey Shore’s unique maritime heritage and the interaction between culture and nature on the Barnegat Bay. Experience the rich traditions of the Jersey Shore and its Baymen through the Seaport’s recreated and historic buildings, demonstrations, interpretive exhibits, events, festivals, live aquatic displays, and more. Decoy carvers, boat builders, basket makers, and baymen entertain, educate, and delight visitors of all ages. Stroll the 3/4 mile boardwalk and experience life on the Tuckerton “Crik.” Identify birds and plants on our 1/4 mile nature trail. Tour our site and view garveys, sneakboxes, cruising yachts, and party boats displayed on land and water. Open Saturday to Wednesday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

Please refer to our ad on page 37. The newest addition to the Queen Mary Fleet (see page 37) is the large, 75’ Point Princess. Boasting new 2025 John Deere twin engines, all-new electronics, and USCG safety equipment, the Point Princess offers a Daily 1/2 Day 4-hour Family Fun Fishing Excursion, May – September, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. The Point Princess also offers Private Charters for large or smaller groups and specializes in inshore fishing excursions plus afternoon and sunset cruises. Captains David and Cole Riback, father and son, along with their experienced crew, are there to show your group a fantastic trip aboard. Targeting: Summer Flounder (Fluke), Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bonito, and more. Sharpie to novice, bring your own equipment or use their supplied custom equipment and tackle. They supply ice to preserve your fish, and the crew will expertly fillet and package your day’s catch.

PURPLE JET SPORTFISHING FLEET

Docked at Spike’s Fishery, 415 Broadway Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 996-2579

www.PurpleJet.com

The Purple Jet Sportfishing Fleet offers six boats from 34’ to 85’ and features a fun family atmosphere, fast cruising speeds, and quality custom tackle. Whether you desire a pleasant day of inshore action or a serious offshore/canyon tuna battle, Captain Dave Riback and crew will share their thirty-plus years of knowledge and experience. Private fishing trips from 2 to 100 passengers catering to both novice and professional. Fish inshore or offshore for Striped Bass, Blues, Fluke, or Canyon Tuna. Full day, half day, and evening trips. Party Cruises, Whale Watching, and Fireworks Cruises. Half Day Afternoon Family Fishing Special (up to 5 passengers): $1,050.!

QUEEN MARY

Docked at Spike’s Fishery, 415 Broadway Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 899-3766 www.NJQueenMary.com

Please refer to our ad on page 37.

Voted #1 on the Jersey Shore, the legendary, 85-foot Queen Mary’s crew has over 30 years of experience and a solid reputation for providing an excellent deep sea fishing experience. Fishing daily April - Dec., 6:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Amenities include fast twin diesels, a large comfortable cabin with plenty of seating, a spacious sun deck, and separate ladies’ restroom. Family fun atmosphere and children are welcome. Rods available. Fish cleaning service. Striped Bass and Bluefish: late April - early Dec.; Stripers: late April - first week of June and Oct. 15 - Dec. 15; Bonito and False Albacore: Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. Weekdays: Adults: $99. Seniors 60+: $90. Kids 12 and under: $65. Weekends: Adults: $125. Seniors 60+: $105. Kids 12 and under: $75. Reservations not required. In summer, try one of our Friday evening Live Music Sunset Cruises, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Available for private party cruises and charters. Please call for more information.

Petting Farms & Zoo

ALLAIRE COMMUNITY FARM

1923 Baileys Corner Road, Wall Township (732) 796-3298

www.allairecommunityfarm.org

This non-profit farm rescues animals and supports special needs populations—teens suffering from mental health issues, veterans with PTSD, and local families battling cancer. Enjoy zoo tours, scenic tractor-pulled barrel train rides, wagon rides, and more. At the petting zoo, visitors will encounter Nigerian Dwarf goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, guinea hens, ducks, geese, Tofu the Turkey, a donkey, a ninehundred-pound pig named Lily, Al the Alpaca, Lola Grace the cow, and a number of horses. Entrance and ride fees. On-site horseback riding lessons available for ages six through adult. The farm market sells fresh produce, eggs, fair-trade products, seasonal items, and goods from local vendors. Open Tues. - Sat. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM and Sun. 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Visit Facebook for daily postings and operating updates.

ATLANTIC FARM MARKET

1506 Atlantic Avenue, Manasquan (732) 528-8660

www.atlanticfarmmarket.com

Operating farm market and petting zoo with seasonal hayrides and activities. The market offers seasonal plants, fruit, and vegetables—100% farm-grown and 100% locally sourced. The petting zoo offers a memorable experience for kids and adults. Pet, feed, and interact with a wide variety of family-friendly animals. In the fall, there are pick-your-own pumpkins, hayrides, corn-mazes, and face painting. In winter, there are handmade decor items, Christmas trees, wreaths, and more. They also host birthday parties, class trips, and private events.

POPCORN PARK ANIMAL REFUGE

Humane Way at Lacey Road

(Bamber Lake), Forked River, (609) 693-1900

www.ahscares.org

Located in the heart of the Pine Barrens and originally established in 1977 as a refuge for wildlife which could no longer survive on their own in the wilderness, Popcorn Park Refuge now has over two hundred domestic and exotic animals living in large surroundings. Each animal has its own story. Open daily for children and adults alike.

To The Public Gun Rentals Available Lessons And Sales No Experience Needed 12 Rifle & Pistol Lanes Firearm Supplies Gift Certificates Available

730 Airport Road Lakewood, NJ

Off GSP Exit 89C in the Lakewood Industrial Park 732-905-6888

www.shoreshotpistolrange.com

Pistol Range

SHORE SHOT PISTOL RANGE

730 Airport Road, (off GSP Exit 89C in the Lakewood Industrial Park) Lakewood, (732) 905-6888 www.shoreshotpistolrange.com

Please refer to our ad on page 37.

Shore Shot offers twelve indoor firing positions for rifles, pistols, and small bore shooting as well as lessons with our top, NRA-certified instructors. Ages 12 and up can fire on the range, and no experience is needed. Gun rentals are available for range use; no permit or license required. Our retail shop has a complete line of new and used firearms as well as accessories for all of your shooting needs. Hourly rates and special membership plans are available. Gift certificates available. Come on down and have a blast with us! Open Mon. 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM; Tues. - Sat. 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM; Sun. 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. u

Point Princess.

PLACES

TO GO & THINGS TO DO

PARKS

and Recreation Areas in Monmouth and Ocean Counties

ALLAIRE STATE PARK

THE HISTORIC VILLAGE AT ALLAIRE

4263 Atlantic Avenue (Route 524) Farmingdale, Park: (732) 938-2371 Village: (732) 919-3500

www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ allaire.html www.allairevillage.org

Please refer to page 22. This park boasts a restored early-nineteenthcentury bog iron mining community. You’ll find picnicking, playgrounds, campsites, walking and riding trails, a Nature Center, general store, living history, and the Pine Creek Railroad steam trains. See also “The Historic Village At Allaire” under “Historic Sites & Museums.”

BARNEGAT LIGHTHOUSE STATE PARK

Route 72, Long Beach Island, (732) 494-2016 www.njparksandforests.org/parks/barnegat lighthousestatepark.html www.friendsofbarnegatlighthouse.org

A one-time hideout of Captain Kidd and his pirates, this panoramic beach now offers fishing, swimming, trails, birding, and picnicking. Historic “Old Barney” lighthouse is here, too, and you can learn the story behind the lighthouse at the Interpretive Center. Park open daily 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Lighthouse open daily Memorial Day - Labor Day, 10:00 AM4:30 PM. Lighthouse admission: ages 12 and older: $3.; children 6 to 11: $1.

CATTUS ISLAND COUNTY PARK AND COOPER ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

1170 Cattus Island Boulevard (off Fischer Boulevard), Toms River (732) 270-6960 or 1-877-OC PARKS www.oceancountyparks.org

The unspoiled beauty of nature is the main attraction at Cattus Island County Park. For nature lovers, this 530-acre park offers panoramic bay views, hiking trails, a 1000-foot ADA compliant boardwalk through the wetlands, a conservation area, bird watching, crabbing and fishing, picnic areas, a playground, a beautiful Butterfly Garden, and cross-country skiing in the winter. This environmentally sensitive park boasts 7 miles of trails, many offering lovely vistas of Barnegat Bay. Cattus Island is home to the Cooper Environmental Center, where visitors of all ages can enjoy hands-on displays including a live view osprey cam, a habitat and tree tunnel, a bird viewing area, a children’s activity corner, and a spectacular collection of live reptiles and fish. The center hosts numerous programs and presentations for the community year-round.

CLOVERDALE FARM COUNTY PARK

34 Cloverdale Road, Barnegat 1-877-OC PARKS

www.oceancountyparks.org

Get acquainted with this tucked away, 90-acre jewel, the newest park in the Ocean County system. A former cranberry bog and tree farm, the natural beauty of the park lends itself to a unique 1.4-mile self-guided nature trail that meanders through the farm and into undisturbed woodlands offering an escape from every day life. Also on the grounds are original buildings from the Collins’ family farm, dating back to the early 1900s. The Nature Center, opened in May 2015, contains exhibits that highlight the natural beauty and historical significance of the park and is open on Fri., Sat., Sun., and by chance during the rest of the week.

DOUBLE TROUBLE STATE PARK

Double Trouble Road West, Berkeley or 581 Pinewald Keswick Road, Bayville (732) 341-6662

www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ double.html

Double Trouble State Park offers an outstanding example of the Pine Barrens ecosystem and a window into Pine Barrens history. The park provides the protection and interpretation of over 8,000 acres of significant natural, cultural, and recreational resources representative of the Pinelands National Reserve. Rich with natural and cultural heritage, visitors can enjoy trails, fishing, hiking, biking, canoeing, and kayaking. Double Trouble Village is a well-preserved historic village featuring New Jersey’s cranberry agriculture, logging, and milling industries. Experience the cranberry bogs, restored village buildings, and Interpretive Center. The park is open 8:00 AM to dusk. The Interpretive Center is open Wed. - Sun. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

HENRY HUDSON TRAIL

Northern Section: Aberdeen to Highlands Southern Extension: Freehold to Marlboro and Aberdeen Activity Center: 945 Route 36, Leonardo Popamora Point: 369 Shore Drive Highlands, (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com

This paved, 10-foot wide, 24-mile long trail is a former railroad right-of-way. It is relatively flat, traveling through both man-made and natural environments. Much of the trail is tree-lined, though some parts have views of surrounding wetlands, streams, and fields. The northern section runs 12 miles (just north of and parallel to Route 36) from the Aberdeen/Keyport border at the intersection of Lloyd Road and Clark Street to the Leonardo section of Middletown/Atlantic Highlands border at Avenue D. After sharing the road, the trail resumes at the Atlantic Highlands Marina and continues along Sandy Hook Bay to Popamora Point at the Atlantic Highlands/Highlands border. Currently, the southern extension of the trail runs 4 miles from Route 537 in Freehold to Big Brook Park in Marlboro. The trail then resumes at Station Road in Marlboro and continues for five miles to Church Street in Matawan. Future plans for the Trail include linking these two sections as well as providing a connection to the original, northern section. The trail totals 100 acres. The Henry Hudson Trail is part of the National Rails-to-Trails Network because of its wonderfully changing landscapes, varied scenery, and beautifully maintained conditions.

HOLMDEL PARK AND HISTORIC LONGSTREET FARM

44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel (732) 946-3758 or (732) 842-4000

www.monmouthcountyparks.com

This 572-acre park features hiking and fitness trails, fishing and skating ponds, tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic areas, a sledding hill, and more. Historic Longstreet Farm, located in the park, is a living history farm that maintains life as it was during the 1890s. Costumed interpreters work the farm as it was over a hundred years ago. Come see the 14-room farmhouse, live animals, agricultural fields, and barnyard. The park is also home to the David C. Shaw Arboretum, a 22-acre educational and horticultural display devoted to trees, shrubs, and other woody plants that grow in Monmouth County. Activities, guided tours, and children’s programs are available. Open every day except Christmas. The farmhouse is open only on weekends from March through December. No pets are allowed on the farm.

ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK

2401 Central Avenue, Seaside Park (732) 793-0506

www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ island.html

Friends of Island Beach State Park: www.friendsofibsp.org

One of the few remaining undeveloped barrier beaches on the North Atlantic, Island Beach State Park stretches for ten miles between the Atlantic Ocean and the historic Barnegat Bay. Over 3,000 acres of pure beauty offer habitat to maritime plants and diverse wildlife, including New Jersey’s largest osprey colony. Bathing areas, food, botanical preserve, trails, natural areas, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, the Sedge Island Conservation Zone, and the Emily DeCamp Interpretive Center. Open Mon. - Fri. 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM; Sat., Sun., and holidays 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM. Access to fishing in the park is 24 hours-a-day. Mobile sportfishing vehicle permits are available through the Park’s Visitor Contact Station at the entrance gate. Please check the website for current entrance fees (charged by vehicle).

JAKES BRANCH COUNTY PARK AND NATURE CENTER

1100 Double Trouble Road, Beachwood (732) 281-2750 or 1-877-OC PARKS www.oceancountyparks.org

Known as “The Gateway to the Pines,” the 400acre Jakes Branch County Park offers a balance of active and passive recreation opportunities. The Nature Center highlights the beauty, history, and natural surroundings of the Pine Barrens and offers recreational and environmental education programs year-round. Breathtaking views of the seemingly endless pine forest can be taken in from the observation deck atop the Nature Center. Jakes Branch also offers soccer, baseball/softball, tennis, and basketball in addition to miles of nature trails and a discovery playtrail.

JOHN C. BARTLETT, JR. COUNTY PARK AT BERKELEY ISLAND

399 Brennan Concourse

Berkeley Township 1-877-OC PARKS

www.oceancountyparks.org

Situated on a scenic peninsula jutting out into the calm waters of Barnegat Bay, John C. Bartlett, Jr. County Park’s location provides one of the best views of the bay in Ocean County. Reconfigured and reconstructed after Superstorm Sandy, the park’s 25 acres feature a family-oriented spray park, playground, walking paths, small picnic area, bit stations, and more. The 100-foot crabbing and

Island Beach State Park.

Jorge Moro

fishing pier is one of the County’s most popular. Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day sunning, fishing, or crabbing. Picnic area, grills, playground, pavilion, horseshoe pits, bocce courts.

MANASQUAN RESERVOIR

Park and Visitor Center: 311 Windeler Road Howell, (732) 919-0996 or (732) 842-4000

Environmental Center: 331 Georgia Tavern Road, Howell, (732) 751-9453 www.monmouthcountyparks.com

This popular recreation area sits on a 770-acre reservoir and features 1,208-acres of land and water. Hike or bike its 5.1-mile perimeter trail or walk its 1.1-mile nature trail through woods and wetlands. For boating or fishing, rent or put in your own canoe, kayak, rowboat, or electric powered rowboat. There are daily or seasonal ramp fees. The reservoir is open year-round for fishing and is stocked with large and small-mouth bass, hybrid striped bass, tiger muskie, bullhead catfish, and panfish species. A state fishing license is required for anglers age 16 and over. Or tour the reservoir on a thirty-six foot pontoon boat with a park naturalist who will introduce you to the area’s plants and wildlife. Forty minute weekend tours are available from Memorial Day to the end of September. $6. for adults and $4. for twelve and under. There are also picnic areas, a playground, and a visitor’s center with boat and bicycle rentals, a bait shop, vending machines, and a bicycle repair station. In the winter, depending upon weather conditions, the reservoir is open for ice skating, ice boating, and ice fishing. Be sure to visit the Environmental Center at 331 Georgia Tavern Road. It provides experiences of learning and discovery of wetland ecology and wildlife as well as habitat protection. It is open daily 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM with free admission.

MONMOUTH BATTLEFIELD AND MONMOUTH

BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK

16 Business Route 33, Manalapan (732) 462-9616

www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ monbat.html

Friends of Monmouth Battlefield: www.friendsofmonmouth.org

One of the largest battles of the American Revolution took place on the fields and in the forests that now make up Monmouth Battlefield State Park. This is where Molly Pitcher became famous, and it was on Monmouth Battlefield that General Washington and General Sir Henry Clinton faced each other. This victory convinced the British that the revolutionaries were a force to contend with and not just a ragtag rabble. This is also the setting for the historic Craig House, a restored Revolutionary War farmhouse (See Historic Sites & Museums.) You can learn more about the rich history of Monmouth Battlefield through its award-winning Visitors Center and wayside exhibits located on Perrine Hill, Combs Hill, and the Hedgerow. The park preserves a splendid, rural 18th-century landscape of hilly farmland and hedgerows that encompasses miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. There are picnic areas, playgrounds, trails, birding, and sledding and cross-country skiing in winter. Also within the park is Battleview Orchards. From May to October, they offer pick-your-own strawberries (end of May), sour cherries (end of June), peaches and nectarines (mid-to-late July), apples (September), and pumpkins (October). A country store is open all year. The Applegate family, who has been farming the area since 1908, own and operate the Orchards. Visit www.battlevieworchards.com or call (732) 462-0756 or (732) 462-0970 for picking hours and more information.

MOUNT MITCHILL SCENIC OVERLOOK

460 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Highlands (732) 842-4000

www.monmouthcountyparks.com

This is the Jersey Shore’s highest point—266 feet above sea level—and is the second highest point on the Atlantic seaboard (after Maine’s Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park). The overlook’s 12 acres offer spectacular views of Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay, and the NYC skyline and features picnic tables and a playground. Mount Mitchill is home to Monmouth County’s 9/11 Memorial, a tribute to the 147 men and women born, raised, or residing in Monmouth County who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

OCEAN COUNTY PARK

659 Ocean Avenue (Route 88), Lakewood 1-877-OC PARKS or (732) 506-9090 Park Naturalist: (732) 506-5122

www.oceancountyparks.org

This magnificent 323-acre facility in Lakewood has a rich and fascinating history. The park was originally part of financier John D. Rockefeller’s vacation estate. White pine, hemlock, and other unique specimen trees, now mature, were imported by Rockefeller from all over the country. Fitness and bike trails, open playing fields, tennis courts, beach volleyball, canoeing, fishing, and even a driving range, all free of charge, appeal to adults of all ages. Children will delight in using the playgrounds or swimming in the large, clean lake on hot summer days. Ocean County Park has a large, accessible picnic facility. Reservations are available for a nominal fee for up to 600 persons. Warm weather isn’t the only time to enjoy this park. Transformed into a lovely and silent winter wonderland after a snowfall, it’s a great site for cross-country skiing. Of course, there is no charge for casual use of the park, the beach, or its many facilities. An off-leash dog park area is also available. Yearly fee applies. Visit website for details.

SANDY HOOK:

GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, SANDY HOOK UNIT

SANDY HOOK LIGHTHOUSE

FORT HANCOCK HISTORIC DISTRICT

SANDY HOOK VISITOR’S CENTER

Off Route 36, Highlands, (732) 872-5970 www.nps.gov/gate www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/sandyhook.htm

Friends of the National Park Service at Sandy Hook: www.sandyhookfoundation.com

The Sandy Hook region of the Gateway National Recreation Area features seven miles of beaches (with lifeguards in summer), evening beach concerts, hiking trails, salt marshes, and over three hundred species of birds. Ranger (and self-guided) tours are available year-round. The park is open daily, sunrise to sunset. Located near the tip of this seven-mile barrier peninsula, is the historic Sandy Hook Lighthouse. Built at the request of New York merchants wanting to protect their ships entering the harbor, it was lighted for the first time on June 11, 1764. The octagonal tower was the fifth lighthouse in the colonies and remains the oldest operating lighthouse in the U.S. today. The Lighthouse was occupied by British soldiers during the American Revolution and was bombarded by cannons served by Patriot troops. It was also the sanctuary to local refugees who were sympathizers of the King. While there, also visit the Fort Hancock Historic District. Built in 1898, Fort Hancock includes gun batteries and over one hundred buildings. Start your visit at the Fort Hancock Post Museum; then visit History House, an 1890s

officers’ home. The Sandy Hook Visitor’s Center is located at the Lighthouse Keepers Quarters in Fort Hancock. It features exhibits on the peninsula’s natural environment. An 1894 U.S. Life-Saving Station at Spermaceti Cove was closed after Superstorm Sandy and is currently not open to the public. Special use fees for beach parking are charged, while entry to the historic district is free. The park is open 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM daily, except by permit. The Visitor’s Center is open on weekends from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

SEVEN PRESIDENTS OCEANFRONT PARK

221 Ocean Avenue North, Long Branch (732) 229-7025 or (732) 842-4000

www.monmouthcountyparks.com

This 38-acre park was named to honor seven presidents who vacationed in the immediate area. In the summer, its guarded beach is a great place to swim, sun, and surf. During the off-season, it is a nice place for a quiet walk. Park features include an activity center, access to launch personal watercraft, fishing, a playground, swimming, sand volleyball, pavilion with snack bar, and restrooms. New improvements include a regulation in-line skating rink, a skate park, a shelter, and parking area. The park is open every day from 8:00 AM to dusk. u

MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM

805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft (732) 842-4000

www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Please refer to page 21.

Over 16,175 acres of preserved open spaces are available for your fitness and relaxing pleasure at more than thirty county parks. From hiking trails and campsites to golf courses and historic sites, there are opportunities for all. Visit us on-line or call for brochures and directions.

OCEAN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION

1198 Bandon Road, Toms River,1-877-OC PARKS www.oceancountyparks.org

Please refer to page 20.

On more than 4,000 acres in twenty-seven facilities, The Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation offers programs for adults and children including classes, sports events, trips, festivals, and more! All of the parks have at least a few picnic tables, and some parks are able to accommodate large groups. Two parks offer swimming facilities: Ocean County Park in Lakewood and A. Paul King County Park in Stafford Township have beautiful, freshwater lakes and sandy beaches, playgrounds, restrooms, picnic facilities, and are staffed with lifeguards from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM daily from mid-June until Labor Day (conditions permitting). There is no charge to use any of the county facilities. Call or visit the website above for brochures and directions.

FISHING LICENSE INFORMATION

Before heading out to fish, make sure you have the proper documentation.

SALTWATER registration (free): www.dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/saltwater-registry

FRESHWATER license information and registration (fee applies): www.dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/fresh water/buy-a-license

PLACES

TO GO & THINGS TO DO

HISTORIC SITES

and Museums in Monmouth and Ocean Counties

BARNEGAT LIGHT MUSEUM

501 Central Avenue, Barnegat Light (609) 494-8578

www.BL-HS.org

Considered one of the best maritime museums on the East Coast, the Barnegat Light Museum features artifacts, replicas, and photographs depicting the history of Barnegat Light, Long Beach Island, and the fishing industry. The museum, once a one-room schoolhouse for Barnegat Light, is now on the National Register of Historical Places. Open daily in July and Aug. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Open weekends June, Sept., and Oct. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Tours are available by appointment. The beautiful Museum Gardens are open all year.

BAY HEAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM

1643 Bay Avenue (corner of Bay and Bridge Avenues), Point Pleasant (732) 892-0223

www.bayheadhistoricalsociety.com

The 1867 Loveland Homestead houses artifacts, memorabilia, photographs, furniture, decoys and other treasures from the early years at the head of Barnegat Bay. Worthy of note are original Gerard Hardenburgh paintings and carved decoys by Kenneth Loveland, the Birdsall family, and many others. The museum’s wonderful collection of photographs, contributed by William C. Schoettle, is particularly noteworthy for its comprehensive look at the head of Barnegat Bay as it was in its heyday (the mid 1880s to about 1940). The Slade Dale Cottage is a tribute to a man who, as a youth, was a noted sailor in this area and who continued throughout his life to engage in memorable sea voyages and bay races. On display are several boat models that represent his life of adventure as well as the Emma C. Berry tender. The museum and Slade Dale Cottage are open to the public June through December on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Visit their website for more information and current hours and exhibits.

CEDAR BRIDGE TAVERN HISTORIC SITE

200 Old Halfway Road, Barnegat Township 1-877-OC PARKS or (732) 929-5769 www.oceancountyparks.org

Historic Cedar Bridge Tavern, located on 5 acres and surrounded by Bass River State Forest, dates back to 1816; however, the history of the site reaches back much further. It is rumored that the last skirmish of the American Revolution occurred here on December 27, 1782. A ceremony commemorating this event is held at the site each year on the Sun. closest to December 27. Due to its two-hundredyear history as a hub for locals and a crossroads for travelers, the tavern is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. The newly renovated tavern and property dates back to the 1800s and stands as a historical showpiece in the Ocean County Park System. Visitors, including school and group tours, are welcome to visit the landmark tavern and experience its role in history. Open yearround. Check website for hours.

THE CHURCH OF THE PRESIDENTS

1260 Ocean Avenue, Long Branch www.churchofthepresidents.org

In the late 1800s, Long Branch prospered and grew from the nation’s first seashore resort to the “summer capital of the nation.” Seven U.S. Presidents (Grant, Hayes, Wilson, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, and McKinley) all chose to summer here and worship. In 1881, the St. James Episcopal Chapel was built and consecrated. Constructed in the tradi-

tional shape of a cross, its architecture resembles a cottage of the pseudo-Tudor design which was popular in the 1880s. Now the home of the Long Branch Historical Museum, it contains artifacts and memorabilia relating to Long Branch’s national historical role, the original altar, transepts, and part of the nave are preserved. While there, visit Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park on the corner of Ocean and Joline Avenues (732-842-4000). This 38-acre park was named to honor the seven presidents who vacationed in the immediate area.

HAVENS HOMESTEAD MUSEUM

521 Herbertsville Road, Brick (732) 785-2500

www.bricktwphistoricalsociety.com

Restored 1827 homestead of farmer and fish peddler Josiah Curtis Havens. See original 14’ x 15’ single room home plus 1846 addition created as a tavern and inn for stagecoach passengers. The homestead contains many historic items from our area. Open April - Oct., Sat. 10:00 AM - noon; Sun.: noon - 2:00 PM. Closed holidays.

THE HISTORIC VILLAGE AT ALLAIRE

ALLAIRE STATE PARK

4263 Atlantic Avenue (Route 524) Farmingdale, Village: (732) 919-3500 Park: (732) 938-2371

www.allairevillage.org

www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ allaire.html

Please refer to page 22.

The Historic Village at Allaire is a non-profit, educational institution and outdoor history museum. Through collections, exhibits, and daily programs, the village presents events in the everyday lives of the inhabitants of Howell Works, an industrial community established between 1822 and 1850 when bog ore was smelted. The purpose is to create an understanding of the lives and times of the men, women, and children who lived and worked there. Grounds are open year-round. The Village Craft Shops and Historic Homes are open Fri., Sat., and Sun. 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM from April through November and for special events only from December through March. The Bakery and General Store are open Fri., Sat., and Sun. 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM from April through December and for special events only from January through March. General admission is free on Fri. and $5 on Sat. and Sun. (ages 4 and up). Special events admission price varies. Allaire members are free. Advance

ticket reservations are recommended or required for all events. Please call or check the website for more information and for off-season and holiday hours. See also “Allaire State Park” under “Parks & Recreation Areas.”

INFOAGE SCIENCE AND HISTORY MUSEUMS

2201 Marconi Road, Wall, (732) 280-3000

www.infoage.org

InfoAge is located in Wall Township at the site of the former Camp Evans, a World War II historical site and National Historic Landmark. It is home to over two dozen museums and exhibits as well as community groups and volunteer organizations. Part of InfoAge’s mission is the stewardship of Camp Evans and preservation of its heritage including the historic Marconi station and major WWII radar laboratory buildings as well as the development of an “Information Age Learning Center.” Visit the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the NJARC Museum in the Marconi Cottage. Enjoy an escorted tour of the Marconi Hotel, and see the WWII Living Memorial. They have ten rooms filled with computer, radar, radio, and shipwreck exhibits. Open Wed., Sat., and Sun. 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Admission: $12. (ages 13 and up); $8. (ages 4-12); younger children are free.

LONG BEACH ISLAND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION MUSEUM

Engleside and Beach Avenues

Beach Haven, (609) 492-0700

www.lbimuseum.com

This museum reveals life on Long Beach Island during the Victorian era. Come view their collection of early photographs ranging from the big hotel era to hurricanes that tore through the Island. The museum also displays an extensive collection of recovered shipwreck artifacts and documents the lives of the early Barnegat Baymen and seafarers. Admission: $5. per adult; children are free. Open daily July - Aug. 10:00 PM - 4:00 PM; Sat. and Sun. in June and Sept. 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM and by appointment.

LONGSTREET FARM AND HOLMDEL PARK

44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel Park Holmdel, (732) 946-3758 or (732) 842-4000 www.monmouthcountyparks.com

A living history farm located in Holmdel Park that maintains life as it was during the 1890s. Costumed interpreters work the farm as it was over a hundred years ago. Come see the 14-room farmhouse, live animals, agricultural fields, and barnyard! Activities, guided tours, and children’s programs are available. Open everyday except Christmas. The farmhouse is open only on weekends. Holmdel Park’s 572 acres

The Historic Village at Allaire in Allaire State Park, Farmingdale.

Andy Kazie

features hiking and fitness trails, fishing and skating ponds, tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic areas, a sledding hill, and more.

MONMOUTH BATTLEFIELD

AND MONMOUTH BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK

16 Business Route 33, Manalapan (732) 462-9616

www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/ monbat.html

This is where Molly Pitcher became famous during a Revolutionary battle. It was on the Monmouth Battlefield that General Washington and General Sir Henry Clinton faced each other. This victory convinced the British that the revolutionaries were a force to contend with and not just a ragtag rabble. This is also the setting for the historic Craig House. Learn more about the rich history of Monmouth Battlefield through wayside exhibits located on Perrine Hill, Combs Hill, and the Hedgerow. Visitors center, birding, picnic areas, trails, and playgrounds. Sledding and cross-country skiing in winter.

MONMOUTH COUNTY

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

70 Court Street, Freehold, (732) 462-1466

www.monmouthhistory.org

Five 18th century historic houses have been preserved by the association. They include the Tavern Museum at Allen House in Shrewsbury, Covenhoven House in Freehold, the Holmes-Hendrickson House in Holmdel, and Marlpit Hall and the Taylor-Butler House, both in Middletown. Its headquarters in Freehold offers a fine library and museum featuring changing and permanent exhibitions. Museum hours: Wed. - Sun. 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Thurs. 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM. The historical houses are open on a rotating schedule. Please call or visit the website for locations and times.

MONMOUTH MUSEUM

Brookdale Community College

765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft (732) 747-2266

www.monmouthmuseum.org

The Monmouth Museum, founded in 1963 as a Museum of Ideas, presents changing exhibits in the fields of art, history, and science to educate and entertain while providing a destination for creative expression and life-long learning to the diverse community it serves. Changing exhibitions featured in the Museum’s Main Gallery and the Nilson Gallery present a wide variety of art in all media. Children will have exciting learning experiences in the popular Dorothy V. Morehouse WonderWing and Becker Children’s Wing. Located on the campus of Brookdale College. Admission: $10./person; children under two: free. Main Gallery and Nilson Gallery open Tues. - Sat. 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Sun. noon5:00 PM. Dorothy V. Morehouse WonderWing and Becker Children’s Wing hours: call or check website.

NAVY LAKEHURST HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Naval Air Station, Route 547, Lakehurst (732) 323-6547

www.nlhs.com

The society staffs a Heritage Center featuring Naval Air Station Lakehurst’s amazing and distinguished history. Although the base will forever be remembered as the site of the Hindenburg disaster, it was also the nation’s first international airport and the western terminus for the commercial transatlantic flights of the German dirigibles Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelin. The base was also home of a military lighter-than-air fleet including the rigid airships (ZRS-1) Shenandoah, (ZRS-3) Los Angeles, (ZRS-4) Akron, and (ZRS-5) Macon as well as many U.S. Navy blimps. In addition, the station has served as a center for research into aircraft ejection seats

Re-enactors at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan.

and carrier aircraft launch and recovery techniques. Many other significant events have taken place here, and there are extensive artifacts from its past on display. Tours include The Cathedral of The Air, The Hindenburg Crash Site, The Navy Lakehurst Heritage Center, The Ready Room, The POW-MIA Room, and Historic Hangar One. Due to security requirements, you must pre-register two weeks prior to your tour. To register: (732) 600-8055 or tours@nlhs.com. No walk-ins or additions to the group will be accepted on the day of the tour. Tours are held 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM. April - October: Every Wednesday and 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month; November - March: Every Wednesday and 2nd Saturday of the month.

NEW JERSEY MARITIME MUSEUM

528 Dock Road, Beach Haven, (609) 492-0202 www.NJMaritimeMuseum.org

Dedicated to the preservation of New Jersey’s rich maritime history, this beautiful museum’s two floors of exhibits feature shipwreck artifacts, an 1827 Aurora exhibit, a Morro Castle room, and a rare postcard collection. The museum also features a lending library, a New Jersey shipwreck database, and gift shop. WiFi Internet access and computer stations are available for use. Guest presentations are held throughout the year. Free admission. On-site parking. Handicapped accessible. Open all year. June - Aug. daily 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sept.May, Fri., Sat., Sun. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

NEW JERSEY MUSEUM OF BOATING

Johnson Brothers Boat Works, Building 13 1800 Bay Avenue, Point Pleasant (732) 701-2581

www.njmb.org

New Jersey’s only museum dedicated to the history of boating throughout the state. Its mission is to celebrate New Jersey’s rich boating history, preserving, presenting, and interpreting boats, marine equipment, and materials built and used on New Jersey’s waters. Exhibits bring to life famed New Jersey boatbuilders, fishing fleets, sail and motor boats, and important events in New Jersey boating history including the history of steamboats on New Jersey waters, the origins of the U.S. Life Saving Service along the Jersey Coast, the pound boat fishing industry, the sport of waterfowling, and more. Year-round programs include both guided and self-directed tours, and summer programs include boating safety, sailing classes, and boat building. Open Fri. - Sun. noon - 4:00 PM; May - Labor Day, Wed. - Sun. noon - 4:00 PM. Admission is free. Group tours and school groups welcome.

NEW JERSEY SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

At InfoAge Science and History Museums 2201 Marconi Road, Wall, (732) 456-5045

Email: info@njhda.org www.njhda.org

The New Jersey Historical Divers Association’s New Jersey Shipwreck Museum contains artifacts recovered from area shipwrecks. The NJHDA identifies wrecks by recording with video, taking photographs, obtaining accurate measurements, and

recovering artifacts. The museum includes a time line of wrecks that are significant to New Jersey maritime history. Hands-on exhibits that teach aspects of science as they relate to shipwrecks and artifact recovery are also on display. Available for researchers are books, maps, plans, records, and photographs of shipwrecks. Open Wed., Sat., and Sun. 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Admission to InfoAge is $12. (ages 13 and up); $8. (ages 4-12); younger children are free.

NEW JERSEY VIETNAM VETERANS’ MEMORIAL AND VIETNAM ERA MUSEUM

1 Memorial Lane (Exit 116 off the Garden State Parkway), Holmdel, (732) 335-0033 www.njvvmf.org

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation is committed to sharing the experiences of the Vietnam Era and its enduring legacy. The Memorial recognizes the valor of New Jersey’s Veterans and the sacrifices of their families and communities. The Museum collections encourage learning by exploring the Vietnam Era through an inclusive and objective lens. The Memorial is free and open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Free guided tours with Vietnam Veteran guides are held Tues. - Fri. 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM and Sat. 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. The Vietnam Era Museum is open Tues. - Sat. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Admission: Adults - $7. Seniors/Students - $5. Veterans, Active Duty Military, and Children Under 10 - Free.

OCEAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM

26 Hadley Avenue, Toms River, (732) 341-1880 www.oceancountyhistory.org

Telling the stories of Ocean County since the time of the Lenni Lenape to the present day, the Ocean County Historical Society offers a Research Center, open Tues. and Wed. 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM for historical and genealogical research. The Victorian Museum features docent-led tours of the collections of treasures in the Pierson-Sculthorp home Tues. and Thurs. 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM and the first Sat. of each month 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Trips to points of interest in the tri-state area as well as enjoyable and education programs are available to members and non-members.

SQUAN BEACH LIFE SAVING STATION

124 Ocean Avenue, Manasquan (732) 447-6419

www.squan-lss.org

Established in 1902, the Squan Beach Life Saving Station is located about 1,000 feet from the Atlantic Ocean in Manasquan. This Duluth-style facility served to house volunteers and equipment used to save victims of shipwrecks off the Manasquan area coast. Today, the restored station serves as a museum and contains artifacts recovered by the New Jersey Historic Divers Association from shipwrecks along the New Jersey and Atlantic coasts as well as artifacts used in the U.S. Life-Saving Service and U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Operations, including a Francis Life-Car. Admission is free. Hours: May – September: Thurs. 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM; Sun. 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

VINTAGE AUTO MUSEUM OF NEW JERSEY

Johnson Brothers Boat Works

1800 Bay Avenue, Building 13

Point Pleasant, (732) 899-0012

www.vintageautomuseum.org

The Vintage Automobile Museum of New Jersey is the perfect place for children and adults to admire vintage vehicles, classic cars, race cars, memorabilia, libraries, and more. Every vehicle on display has a plaque describing the mechanics of the vehicle and its history. Since the displays rotate every two months, guests can enjoy a new fleet of classic cars and a different experience every visit. Open Fri.Sun. 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM. u

Danielle Garske

The Return of New Jersey Oystering

A Once Flourishing Industry is Experiencing a New Rising Tide

by Christine Menapace

It’s an unpredictable, stormy day at the Barnegat Oyster Collective. The crunch of oyster shells beneath one’s feet and a sign of caution reminds visitors that this site is not just a charming bayside restaurant and farm stand, but a working commercial oyster farm. One could easily miss it, tucked away along the Double Creek Watershed on East Bay Avenue in Barnegat, across Barnegat Bay from the bustle of popular Long Beach Island beaches. Here, the wetlands and quietude dominate.

Opposite page, top: Harvesting “Sugar Shack Oysters” at one of Forty North Oyster Farms’ locations. These oysters are grown in Barnegat Bay off Mantoloking, Barnegat Light, and Rose Cove in Little Egg Harbor. They are known for their deep cup, hit of salt, and lingering sweetness.

Opposite page, bottom: Floating cages, a common gear choice for the modern oyster farming industry, are transported via pontoon barge to their lease in the Barnegat Bay for the growing season. They are attached one to the next in a longline, with an anchor on each end to secure their location. Floating cages take advantage of the wave energy at the surface of the water, tumbling the oysters with each passing swell and toughening up the shells for a more durable and easy to shuck product.

courtesy of the Barnegat Oyster Collective

Above: Fresh harvest of Valhalla Oyster Company’s “Dune Fox Oysters” at the Barnegat Oyster Collective in Barnegat. These oysters are grown near Swan Point in Barnegat Bay and are known for their beautiful cup, hit of brine, and creamy finish.

“Working waterfront is hard to come by in New Jersey,” comments Scott Lennox, co-founder of the Collective and co-owner of Forty North Oyster Farms (located in Mantoloking, Barnegat Light, and Rose Cove, Little Egg Harbor), one of currently twelve farms that comprise the Collective. “We were lucky enough to find this marina and bought it in 2022 for production.” By 2024, the site had opened a restaurant and retail store. This past summer, caterer Haute Feast was brought on board, offering a raw bar—with popular Dollar Oyster Mondays—and a rotating farm to table menu.

On this August day, Haute Feast owners Carey Semprevino and Pablo Toxqui grace the table with an heirloom tomato gazpacho with poached shrimp and toasted sourdough breadcrumbs; a fluke ceviche with cucumber, lime, tajin, and a bright, citrus flavor; and of course, a sampling of raw oysters, fresh from the continued on page 44

Kyle Gronostajski

courtesy of the Barnegat Oyster Collective

THE RETURN OF NEW JERSEY OYSTERING, continued from page 43

Collective’s farms. Shucked by the Haute Feast experts, these oysters contain ‘the liquor.’ “The liquor is an ‘old-timey’ term for the purified bay water inside the oyster. It’s an indication the oyster is fresh,” says Lennox. “In my opinion, if you open an oyster and it’s dry, don’t eat it. It’s also a red flag if a shucker at a raw bar is rinsing out the oyster because then you’re not enjoying a very incredible piece of what the oyster provides. A good shucker will not only not damage the oyster meat, but will keep that liquor. It’s a hard thing to do.”

A helpful sign on the wall at the Collective provides guidance as to the distinctive taste of each farm’s oysters. For instance, Forty North’s Sugar Shack oysters are among the briniest and a favorite, like tasting the sea itself; Sloop Point Oyster Farms’ shellfish (located in Mantoloking) are among the sweetest, with a creamy taste; while Violet Sky oysters from Schramm’s Shellfish (located in Beach Haven) are among the most robust and meaty.

Flavors and other characteristics are determined by factors such as the farm’s distance from the ocean (closer

equals saltier) and the “tumbling” or amount of wave action (natural or labor-induced) the oyster receives while growing. The greater the tumbling, the deeper the “cup” of the shell, affecting the meat to shell ratio.

“Grading” is another common

term you’ll hear in oystering—and it relates to the size of the oyster. As oysters grow, they are shuffled into different sizes or grades of mesh that line the cages. The mesh must be large enough to let water pass easily, but not so large that the oysters fall through. Consider that bay oyster seeds, called spat, can be as tiny as the size of a grain of rice when purchased from a hatchery.

The farms of the Collective use a “surface culture” of floating cages and tidal lines, where oysters grow relatively quick, feeding off the more nutrient-dense surface water, and benefitting from sunlight as a natural decontaminate. Oyster farmers in the Delaware Bay, however, such as Sweet Amalia, which offers farm tours (see page 66), capitalize on the exceptional tidal range in that area by using a “rack and bag culture,” where racks, or cages, of oysters are stationary and mounted into the bed of the bay, naturally receiving exposure to air at low tide. This air exposure is a necessary element of oyster farming.

“We don’t have those low tides and air exposure that keeps a lot of things from growing on the oysters that would degrade shell quality,” says Lennox. “So we have to mimic air exposure. We have to go along

“Sugar Shack Oysters” at the Barnegat Oyster Collective restaurant on East Bay Avenue in Barnegat.

courtesy of the Barnegat Oyster Collective

Christine Menapace

thousands of cages and muscle them into flipping over. It’s very labor intensive.” While machines do exist for such labors, costs, overall efficacy, and marshland integrity all come into play, says Lennox. Keep in mind that during the oystering heyday of the 19th century, packing plants lined coastal marshlands and waterways—a situation few residents would welcome today. And New Jersey is a small state without remote areas of coastline where industry could flourish out of sight. “We have to share this space,” says Lennox.

Of course, floating cage oyster farming also naturally carries greater risk in storm situations. And here is where one could tell the story of how Forty North, founded in 2011 by Lennox and partner Matt Gregg, lost ninety-five percent of their oyster crop in the first year, when Superstorm Sandy hit one week after their first harvest in October 2012. Or how the frustrations of navigating all the red tape and a “complex quilt of regulations” to “produce a private crop on public lands,” as Lennox aptly describes it, led to the duo “spending much of our early years fighting inertia and bureaucracy.”

These early challenges led to a realization that a coalition was necessary. “The lesson we learned is: You can’t do this alone, and you can’t do it in one location. You need support from an industry. You need to be part of the agriculture establishment.”

Thus, Lennox and Gregg founded the Barnegat Oyster Collective in 2016. Tom Burke, owner of Sloop Point, was one of the earliest—and youngest— oyster farmers and also one of the earliest Collective participants. Burke grew up on Barnegat Bay and started his oyster farm while still in college.

Since those early days, the oyster industry has flourished in New Jersey. From just two oyster farms in 2011, today, says Lennox, there are approximately forty-two farms at last count— and more are established each year. Forty North’s farm itself has grown from its initial site in Mantoloking, to three sites including Rose Cove in Little Egg Harbor and its “prize jewel” of twelve acres in Barnegat Light.

Altogether, Forty North now has thirty acres of farm growing upwards of four million oysters.

While the New Jersey’s oystering industry is clearly coming back, what exactly killed it in the first place? With a rich history of oystering, how was New Jersey down to just two farms in 2011 and why the rapid resurgence in the last fifteen years? It’s easy to assume water pollution was the main issue. But it was one of just several factors, including the introduction of deadly oyster diseases known as MSX and Dermo, which decimated oyster populations in the Delaware Bay. Here’s some background.

Rise and Fall of a Tidal Industry

With its abundance of bays and tidal estuaries, it’s as if coastal New Jersey was designed to be an oyster nursery. The indigenous Lenape people used the humble marine bivalve mollusk not only for food, but for tools and trade, leaving behind large shell deposits called middens. When European settlers arrived, the local oyster trade developed into an industry, reaching a peak of large-scale commercial harvesting in the decades between 1880 and 1930. With the arrival of the railroad in 1876, New Jersey oysters were now being supplied across the nation. According continued on page 46

Floating cages are deployed on oyster leases in the spring, populated with oyster seed, and allowed to grow until they’re ready for harvest. They’re often removed during the winter months to avoid damaging ice flows and adverse weather conditions. Pictured here is Dylan Parks, a Barnegat Oyster Collective alumni.

Kyle Gronostajski

to New Jersey Tourism, by the late 1880s, the southern New Jersey village of Bivalve was shipping more than ninety railcars full of oysters a week to cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago, making the state one of the country’s largest suppliers. Oystering even had ties to the Underground Railroad. According to the state’s Tourism site, “In the state’s north, freed enslaved individuals Thomas and John Vreeland Jackson pursued careers as oystermen along the Hudson River. The two brothers used their profits to purchase property that served as a major stop along the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved African Americans escape to freedom. Down south, thousands of people—mostly Black—were making their way up the Chesapeake to manage the oyster farms, sail the dredging ships, and shuck the bounty of the Delaware Bay.”

Yet over-harvesting was an issue recognized as early as 1719, when a law was passed to limit overfishing of oyster reefs. Despite this, the industry remained largely unregulated. While over-harvesting and pollution were taking their toll on the industry, the arrival of two deadly oyster diseases, MSX and Dermo, was the final nail in the coffin. MSX, which arrived in the 1950s and remains today, is

thought to have been introduced by the Pacific oyster (Crassotrea gigas), which is resistant to the disease. It decimated the eastern oyster (Crassotrea virginica) population and “almost completely wiped out the oyster industry all over the east coast,” comments Lennox.

But hope was to be found in the efforts of Harold Haskin, director of Rutgers Oyster Laboratory, who began a breeding program in the 1950s of the few eastern oysters who displayed MSX resistance. Interestingly, “about twenty-five percent of this diseaseresistant strain bred by Haskin had a genetic marker—a distinctive stripe on its shell later deemed the Haskin stripe,” said Lennox. New England oyster farmers, becoming aware of the breeding program, “started to take this root stock and breed it with their own oysters.” Over the years, such disease resistant eastern oysters have been proliferated by hatcheries and the industry has rebounded.

While the Haskin stripe was typically an indication of a disease-resistant oyster produced in a hatchery, Lennox says the naturally occurring spawn of farm-raised oysters (which are released into the water and attach wherever they can find hard, submerged surfaces—yet have very low survival rates) are slowly repopulat-

ing New Jersey waterways. “The wild population is starting again…today, you can find that Haskin stripe in the wild,” says Lennox.

Of course, we’ve all heard how oysters actually clean waterways, but Lennox has seen it firsthand. While oyster farmers are restricted from areas of large eelgrass populations, which serve as crucial nurseries for juvenile marine species, Lennox has seen his Barnegat farm rejuvenate the ecosystem. “It was a barren sandbar, basically a dead sandbar, surrounded by eelgrass areas. Since we moved our farm there and added thousands of cages of oyster reefs, it has changed the flow of the water in that area. Now eelgrass is completely overtaking our lease area,” he comments.

Whether one’s interest in New Jersey oysters is historical, gastronomic, ecological, or economic, it’s an exciting time as a once-thriving industry is reborn. u

The Barnegat Oyster Collective is located at 483 East Bay Avenue in Barnegat. You can pick up oysters at their retail market or dine at their restaurant. It also has an online farm shop where you can have oysters delivered to your door. The Collective’s retail market and restaurant are open in the Fall on Thursdays and Fridays from 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM and Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from noon to 8:00 PM. Mondays are Dollar Oysters.

For orders, reservations, and to confirm hours, visit www.barnegatoyster.com.

For more interesting history and information on New Jersey oysters, visit: https://visitnj.org/article/best-oysters-in-nj https://hsrl.rutgers.edu/about-us/history

Bottom cages are another option for oyster farmers. Bottom gear is self-anchored and a safe, year-round choice for storing oysters. In order to rid the macroalgae (seaweed) from fouling the cages and shells, farmers will tip them up at low tide before setting them down to allow the oysters to feed again.

Roasting oysters is an easy and delicious way to serve bivalves in your backyard. Directly on the grill, fire pit, or in this handy cedar box known as the “Oyster Roast Kit,” offered seasonally by the Barnegat Oyster Collective.

Kyle Gronostajski

Kyle Gronostajski

STORES & SHOPS

Bay Head

THE JOLLY TAR

56 Bridge Avenue, Bay Head (732) 892-0223

www.jollytarbayhead.com www.Facebook.com/JollyTarBH

Please refer to the ad for “Anchor & Palette Gallery” on page 49.

Point Pleasant Beach

BREE ANA

FEATURING STYLES IN SILVER 715 Arnold Avenue, (732) 899-9408

DEENA’S

704 Arnold Avenue, (732) 899-0369 www.shopdeenas.com

GOLD FEVER…CATCH IT

636 Arnold Avenue, (732) 892-3535 or (800) 540-3534

www.goldfevercatchit.com

Please refer to our ad on the back cover and our listing on page 47. We offer diamond, platinum, and sterling silver jewelry plus a wonderful selection of sea life

jewelry by international designer Denny Wong. A large selection of vintage and antique jewelry. We sell GIA, AGS, and EGL certified diamonds at wholesale prices. Diamonds in all shapes and fancy colors. Jewelry repairs and laser eyeglass repairs done on premises. We buy gold, diamonds, and high-grade watches. Highest prices paid. Trusted in business for over forty years. Open seven days a week.

GOLD FEVER…WATCH IT

636 Arnold Avenue, (732) 892-3535 or (800) 540-3534

www.goldfevercatchit.com

Please refer to our ad on the back cover and our listing above. Come see the largest selection of pre-owned Rolex* watches at the Shore, all serviced and refinished to new condition. Vintage and antique Rolex also in stock. Unusual and hard to find models are here to see. Rolex and Breitling accessories available. We broker all major watch brands. We buy all high-grade watches. We will waterproof and guarantee your watch the day it’s brought in. We have a certified watchmaker and a full watch service and repair facility on premises. Open seven days a week. *Not affiliated with Rolex, USA.

STELLA E LUNA

500 Bay Avenue, (732) 714-2221

www.stellaeluna.com

Instagram: @stellaelunashop

Facebook: stellaelunagiftshop

Tinton Falls

PURR’N POOCH PET RESORT

86 West Gilbert Street, (just off the GSP exit 109), (732) 842-4949

www.purrnpooch.com

Please refer to our ad on page 49 and our listings on page 48.

Purr'n Pooch is an exceptional pet care resort with 50 years of experience, state-of-the art facilities, and grounds uniquely designed for the comfort and care of your pet. Purr'n Pooch understands that no two pets are alike and celebrates the uniqueness of each guest by offering a wide variety of services and amenities that include lodging, daycare, catteries, spas, grooming, training, swim parks, pet massage, individual and group play, aquatic exercise at our Wall Township location, and special guest services. With two central Jersey Shore locations in Tinton Falls and Wall Township, Purr'n Pooch is staffed 24 hours a day and open 365 days a year for your peace of mind and the enjoyment of your pets. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Cattails, Little Silver” by Judy Stach

Oceanport, NJ

Wall Township

PURR’N POOCH PET RESORT

2424 State Highway 35 (1/4 mile south of the Manasquan Circle) (732) 528-8100 www.purrnpooch.com

Please refer to our ad on page 49 and our listing on page 47.

Accommodations

THE HISTORIC GRENVILLE HOTEL & RESTAURANT

345 Main Avenue, Bay Head (732) 892-3100 www.TheGrenville.com

HOTEL LBI

350 West 8th Street, Ship Bottom (609) 467-8000 www.hotellbi.com

THE WHITE SANDS OCEANFRONT RESORT & SPA

1205 Ocean Avenue Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 899-3370 www.TheWhiteSands.com

Art Galleries

ANCHOR & PALETTE GALLERY

P.O. Box 96, Bay Head, NJ 08742 info@anchorandpalette.com www.dicklabonte.com

Please refer to our ad on page 49. The Anchor & Palette Gallery, Bay Head is online! All of the Dick LaBonté prints, representing thirty years of painting, are on display and available for sale at www.dicklabonte.com. Each painting on the site has a story and a detailed description, a combination of actual historical facts and LaBonté’s creative imagination. Some of the writings are from the artist’s book, Dick LaBonté - Paintings of the Jersey Shore and More (published by Jersey Shore Publications - see page 8.) The rest has been added based on several books about the Jersey Shore and other research. To quote the artist, “When you look at my pictures, you are not supposed to wear a serious expression. You are expected to smile, perhaps wistfully and with a sense of loss. Often while I paint, I laugh aloud. You have my permission to do likewise.” So please visit the website and enjoy memories of the Jersey Shore along with a little history. If you want to order, just click on the button under the print. Or, if you would prefer to make arrangements to pick up the print from one of our galleries, all of the information is on the website and in the ad in this magazine. Be sure to ask about Dick LaBonté originals currently available!

ANGRY FISH GALLERY

624 Bay Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, (848) 241-2744

www.angryfishgallery.com

THE FREDERICK GALLERIES

1405-1 Third Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 974-0376

www.thefrederickgalleries.com

GALLERY 619

619 Boulevard, Seaside Heights (732) 830-3700 www.thegallery619.com

JERSEY SHORE MOMENTS

Fine Art Gallery & Custom Framing 209 Highway 71, Manasquan (732) 223-1334

www.jerseyshoremoments.com

Please refer to the ad for “Anchor & Palette Gallery” on page 49.

JIM INZERO GALLERY

502 Bay Avenue Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 451-2666 www.jiminzero.com

PICTURE PERFECT GALLERY

1307 Route 37 East, Toms River (732) 929-3636 www.pictureperfectgalleryand framing.com

WILDFLOWERS TOO!

506 Broadway, Barnegat Light (609) 361-1101 www.wildflowersbythelighthouse. com

Pets

PURR’N POOCH PET RESORT

86 West Gilbert Street, (just off the GSP exit 109), Tinton Falls (732) 842-4949

2424 State Highway 35 (1/4 mile south of the Manasquan Circle) Wall Township, (732) 528-8100 www.purrnpooch.com

Please refer to our ad on page 49 and our listings on pages 47 and 48.

PURR’N POOCH FOUNDATION FOR ANIMALS

P.O. Box 7352, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702

Email: SaveLives@PurrnPooch Foundation.org www.purrnpoochfoundation.org

Please refer to our ad on the inside back cover.

Too often we hear about the millions of unwanted animals killed in shelters across the country each year. Fortunately, there are selfless, passionate individuals quietly saving lives—hands-on, one animal at a time. With pure hearts, boundless energy and few resources, they work day in and day out

to rescue animals in distress, heal their wounds, restore their confidence, and teach them to trust and love again. The Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals is committed to helping these unsung heroes pursue their missions. Regardless of species served, the Foundation provides financial support and educational resources to non-profit, no-kill animal rescue organizations. Visit purrnpoochfoundation.org for more information.

Private School

ST. PETER SCHOOL

415 Atlantic Avenue

Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 892-1260

www.stpschool.org

Please refer to our ad on the inside front cover.

Discover the Difference at St. Peter School. At St. Peter School, excellence isn’t just a goal—it’s a tradition. St. Peter School has been shaping young minds and hearts for over 100 years. Serving students from Pre-K through 8th grade, our mission is built on the enduring values of Respect, Reverence, and Responsibility. Families across southern Monmouth and Ocean counties choose St. Peter School for its strong academic foundation, values-based learning, and strong sense of community. Our students are challenged to reach their highest potential through rigorous curriculum, dedicated teachers, and an environment that nurtures curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning. We also offer full-day Pre-K and a flexible aftercare program to support today's families. Named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and a New Jersey State School of Character, St. Peter School stands as a beacon of academic integrity, moral development, and personal growth. Come see where tradition meets innovation—and where your child can thrive in mind, body, and spirit. Call today to schedule your tour. Experience the St. Peter School difference.

Taxi & Limousine Service

BRIGGS TRANSPORTATION

1104 Richmond Avenue

Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 892-0465 or (732) 892-1313

www.briggstransportation.com

Please refer to our ad on page 48. Call Briggs—your local and experienced transportation company who has been servicing the Jersey Shore for more than 60 years! Serving Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant Boro, Bay Head, and Mantoloking as well as northern Ocean and southern Monmouth counties. Briggs will take you anywhere you want to go! Reliable, safe, private car service and consistent, competitive pricing for all of your transportation needs. Briggs offers a fleet of black cars, vans for shuttle or large groups, local taxi service, and wheelchair accessible vehicles for non-emergency medical transportation. Service to all airports and RR terminals too! Credit cards accepted. Gift cards available. Find us on Facebook and Twitter. u

Please

Indoor

Cattery

refer to page 48

Dick and Mary Palazzo and daughters

Betsy and Koren thank you for choosing Purr‘n Pooch as your pet’s

Dick and Mary Palazzo

Koren

Purr‘n Pooch

Mermaids”

Morning After Labor Day”

Autumn Sonata

The Seasonal Paintings of Ann Hayes

LLike many New Jersey families, we spent our summers at the Jersey Shore. But unlike some others, we made the pilgrimage year-round as well. Long weekends, winter school breaks, Easter vacations, and random holidays were all opportunities to pile in the station wagon and head to our shore house. This was all pre-cable and pre-internet—there was no television, not much radio reception, no phone line in the off-season, and very few neighbors. What we did have was plenty of time to comb the beach, gather treasures and observe, and always a box of art supplies on hand to draw and paint what I found.

“Cattus Island Clouds,” 12" x 24", oil on canvas

People are often surprised to learn there is snow on the beach in winter. That the dunes have a seasonal change of color and the wildlife has migration patterns as well. Even the boardwalk amusement pier has its own “off-season” vibe after all the tourists have left.

All of these images are implanted in my memories of the shore. I spend most winters taking photos of the pared-down beauty of the beach, windswept and empty. And exploring the secluded stretches of Barnegat Bay, the Pinelands, and Cattus Island Park trails.

The bounty of summer visitors may have left, but the Jersey Shore has a wealth of scenery and secrets to explore off-season.

—Ann Hayes

continued

Opposite page: “Monarch Dunes,” 13" x 17", watercolor on paper

Right: “Milkweed Pods,” 9" x 12", oil on canvas

Below: “Barnegat Shore Trail,” 12" x 24", oil on canvas

page, top:

Opposite page, bottom: “Autumn Clamming,” 9" x 12", oil on canvas

Left: “Resting Paddles,” 12" x 24", oil on canvas

Opposite

“Flying Home, Island Beach State Park,” 9" x 12", oil on canvas

Opposite page: “Off Season,” 11.5" x 17.5", watercolor on paper

Right: “Boardwalk Counter,” 14" x 20", watercolor on paper, (giclée prints available)

Below: “Coaster Shadows,” 15" x 22", watercolor on paper

Opposite

Opposite page,

Above: “Boardwalk Snow,” 9" x 12", oil on linen board

page, top: “Winter Path, Barnegat Bay,” 12" x 24", oil on canvas

bottom: “Snow Dunes,” 9" x 15", watercolor on paper

“Snow Prints,” 12" x 21", watercolor on paper, (giclée prints available)

To view more of Ann Hayes’ artwork, visit www.annhayesart.com or www.jerseyshoremagazine.com/ann-hayes-art. Originals and prints are available at Jersey Shore Moments Gallery, Manasquan; Picture Perfect Gallery, Toms River; Frederick Gallery, Spring Lake; and The Jolly Tar, Bay Head. Ann also accepts commissions.

Holiday Shopping & Dining Guide

“Christmas in Bay Head” Give a print for Christmas! Dick LaBonté prints are available at galleries and online.

The Jolly Tar 56 Bridge Avenue, Bay Head (732) 892-0223

Jersey Shore Moments 209 Highway 71, Manasquan (732) 223-1334 www.dicklabonte.com

Large comfortable cabin, spacious sun deck, rods, tackle, fish cleaning services, family atmosphere, separate restrooms. Fishing daily 6:30 am - 1:30 pm. Friday evening live music sunset cruises 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Gift Certificates available.

Docked at Spike’s Fishery 415 Broadway, Point Pleasant Beach (732) 899-3766 www.NJQueenMary.com

Point Pleasant Beach's Premier Charter Vessel. Fast, quiet, and comfortable. Private Charters for all occasions – fishing, cruising, sea burials. Full or half day. Daily 1/2 Day 4-hour Family Fun Trips, May 15-Sept. 30. Gift Certificates available.

Exceptional pet care facilities, with building and grounds uniquely designed for the comfort and care of your pet. Boarding, grooming, daycare, training, transportation, pet sitting. Mon-Fri 7am-7pm; Sat & Sun 8am-5pm.

86 Gilbert St. W., Tinton Falls, (732) 842-4949 2424 Hwy. 35, Wall Township, (732) 528-8100 www.purrnpooch.com

Joe Leone’s Catering is the culmination of many years of development & training. As the premiere Italian culinary experience at the Jersey Shore, we present outstanding a la carte catering for pickup or delivery. Please allow us to make the food for your next catered affair memorable.

510 Rt. 35 S., Pt. Pleasant Bch., (732) 701-0001 Catering: 650 Cincinnati Ave., Pt. Pleasant Bch. (732) 701-0001 ext. 4 www.joeleones.com

Come experience the latest enhanced features at Central New Jersey's finest indoor shooting center. We offer ten pistol lanes, firearm supplies, retired law enforcement qualifications, lessons, instruction and leagues. Gift certificates available.

Docked at Spike’s Fishery 415 Broadway, Point Pleasant Beach (732) 899-3766

www.PointPrincess.com

730 Airport Road, Lakewood, (732) 905-6888 www.shoreshotpistolrange.com

www.charliesofbayhead.com

and enjoy the Holidays. Let Briggs do your driving! Briggs has the vehicles for all your plans: taxis, airport private car service, 15 passenger vans, and wheelchair lift vans. Over 60 years of service to the Jersey Shore!

Richmond Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach (732) 892-1313 www.briggstransportation.com

buy Gold, Diamonds, Coins, and High-grade Watches. Highest prices paid! GIA, AGS, and EGL Certified Diamonds at wholesale prices! Pre-owned Rolex watches. We broker all major watch brands. “Trusted in business for over 40 years.”

Catch It ... Watch It

DINING OUT & FOOD

▲Restaurants & Nightlife

Bay Head

CHARLIE’S OF BAY HEAD

72 Bridge Avenue, (732) 295-1110 www.charliesofbayhead.com

Please refer to our ad on page 65. Charlie’s Of Bay Head is the perfect yearround spot to meet family or friends to enjoy a Contemporary American menu showcasing seasonal and local foods. Relax at their large bar serving twenty craft beers on tap, hand crafted cocktails, and premium wines from their extensive list. Charlie’s bar features several wide-screen TVs for all major sporting events. Sunset views over Twilight Lake can be enjoyed from their first and second floor dining rooms as well as on an outdoor dining deck. Or cozy up to the fireplace in the lounge area next to the bar. For special occasions—showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations—Charlie’s second-floor dining room offers a private, upscale ambience for up to seventy-five guests. Also on this floor is their state-of-the-art wine room, featuring an Old World barrel-vaulted brick ceiling and custom, temperature-controlled wine storage cabinets, which is available for tastings and smaller private events for up to thirty guests. Some of the dishes featured on Charlie’s extensive menu are Atlantic seafood and East Coast Oysters, as well as local specialty food products. Additionally, Charlie’s features multiple cuts of Prime Angus Beef and a variety of poultry, fish, and game as well as vegetarian options. Homemade pastries and ice cream made on site by their award winning pastry chef will make a sweet ending to a sublime Shore dining experience. And remember a Gift Card to Charlie’s makes the perfect gift. Visit their website at www.charliesofbayhead.com for complete menus and event information.

THE HISTORIC GRENVILLE HOTEL & RESTAURANT

345 Main Avenue, Bay Head (732) 892-3100 www.TheGrenville.com

Belmar

ANCHOR TAVERN

713 Main Street, (732) 280-2266 www.anchortavernnj.com

BRANDL

703 Belmar Plaza, (732) 280-7501 www.brandlrestaurant.com

KLEIN’S FISH MARKET, WATERSIDE CAFÉ & TIKI BAR

708 River Road, (732) 681-1177 www.kleinsfish.com

MARINA GRILLE

905 Highway 35, (732) 894-3211 www.marinagrillenj.com

Brick

BEACON 70 799 ROUTE 70, (848) 232-4235 www.beacon70.com

VILLA VITTORIA 2700 Hooper Avenue, (732) 920-1550 www.villavittoria.com

WINDWARD TAVERN

292 Princeton Avenue (732) 892-WIND (9463) www.windwardtavern.com

Brielle

JIMMY’S CUCINA 301 Union Avenue, (732) 528-5566 www.jimmyscucina.com

MARINER’S COVE RESTAURANT 712 Union Avenue, (732) 528-6023

WAYPOINT 622 622 Green Avenue, (732) 528-6665 www.waypoint622.com

Freehold

THE CABIN RESTAURANT 984 Route 33, (732) 462-3090                        www.thecabinnj.com

ESCONDIDO MEXICAN CUISINE & TEQUILA BAR 402 West Main Street, (732) 577-0200 www.escondidonj.com

MOORE’S TAVERN & SPORTS BAR 402 West Main Street, (732) 863-0555                        www.moorestavern.com

Lincroft

CHARLIE’S OF LINCROFT

700 Newman Springs Road, (732) 812-4500 www.charliesoflincroft.com

Point Pleasant Beach

AMENDMENT 21

521 Arnold Avenue, (732) 295-9619 www.amendmenttwentyone.com

continued on page 64

“Morning Surf” by Andrew Huntley-Robertson Summit, NJ

continued from page 63

THE ARK PUB & EATERY

401 Sea Avenue, (732) 295-1122 www.thearkpubandeatery.com

BERRITAZZA CAFÉ

506 Arnold Avenue, (732) 206-6334 www.berritazza.com

BROADWAY BAR & GRILL

106 Randall Avenue, (732) 899-3272 www.facebook.com/thebroadwaybarand grill

FRANKIE’S BAR & GRILL 414 Richmond Avenue, (732) 892-6000 www.frankiesnj.com

JAKE’S CRAB HOUSE 312 Boardwalk, (732) 892-0097 www.tikibar.com

JIMMY’S CUCINA 201 Broadway, (732) 206-6040 www.jimmyscucina.com

THE LOBSTER SHANTY 83 Channel Drive, (732) 899-6700 www.thelobstershantynj.com

LUIGI’S FAMOUS PIZZA 500 Washington Avenue, (732) 899-4848 www.luigisfamouspizzapointpleasant.com

MARTELL’S TIKI BAR & LOBSTER HOUSE 308-310 Boardwalk, (732) 892-0131 www.tikibar.com

POINT LOBSTER BAR & GRILL 521 ARNOLD AVENUE, (732) 475-7363 www.pointlobsterbarandgrill.com

POINT LOBSTER CO. 1 St. Louis Avenue, (732) 892-1718 www.pointlobsterco.com

ROUND DOUGH WITH A HOLE 400 Richmond Avenue, (732) 899-0750 www.rounddoughwithahole.com

75 Inlet Drive, (732) 899-1637 www.shrimpbox.com

Sea Girt

FRATELLO’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 810 The Plaza, (732) 974-8833 www.fratellosnj.com

THE PARKER HOUSE 290 1st Avenue, (732) 449-0442 www.parkerhousenj.com

ROD’S TAVERN 507 Washington Boulevard, (732) 449-2020 www.rodstavernnj.com

SCARBOROUGH FAIR 1414 Meetinghouse Road, (732) 223-6658 www.sfseagirt.com

Spring Lake

AMELIA’S BY THE SEA

The Grand Victorian Hotel, 1505 Ocean Avenue, (732) 769-5700 www.grandvictorianspringlake.com

THE BREAKERS ON THE OCEAN 1507 Ocean Avenue, (732) 449-7700 www.breakershotel.com

Toms River

IHOP

178 Route 37 East, (732) 349-4555 941 Route 37 West (at BJ’s Center) (732) 286-2083

NATURAL FOODS GENERAL STORE & VITAMINS 675 Batchelor Street Grocery & Take-Out: (732) 240-0024 Vitamins: (732) 240-9320 www.naturalfoodsgeneralstore.com

RIVER LADY CRUISES

One Robbins Parkway, (732) 349-8664 www.riverlady.com

WATER STREET BAR & GRILLE 4 Robbins Parkway, (732) 240-4800 www.bakerswaterstreet.com

Catering

JOE LEONE’S CATERING

(Pick-Up Location)

650 Cincinnati Avenue Point Pleasant Beach (732) 701-0001 ext. 4 www.joeleones.com

Please refer to our ad on page 65 and our listings on page 65.

Joe Leone’s Catering enjoys a proud tradition of award winning, off premise, á la carte style Catering Services within the social and corporate markets of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Pickup available. Contact our Catering Office today and allow our knowledgeable representatives the privilege to assist you. Visit us at our Point Pleasant Beach retail location or by phone to plan your next occasion or holiday event. Our team looks forward to serving you!

▲Gourmet & Specialty Food Markets

JOE LEONE’S CENTRO MARKET

113 Main Street, Manasquan (732) 722-8512

www.joeleones.com

Please refer to our ad on page 65 and our listing below and on page 64.

Joe Leone’s Centro Market is a scaled reflection of our flagship store, Joe Leone’s Italian Specialties in Point Pleasant Beach. Centro Market is a satellite source for traditional Italian specialty items, homemade breads, handmade mozzarella, gourmet sandwiches, and restaurant-quality prepared dishes—all produced fresh daily. Built for convenience, Centro Market offers an array of choose-and-go sandwiches, salads, soups, sauces, dips, cheeses, and desserts for everything from the family meal to delighting guests. Handcrafted Gift Baskets & Gift Boxes and Gift Cards available. Open seven days. We invite you to visit us in person or always online for an unforgettable experience!

JOE LEONE’S ITALIAN SPECIALTIES

510 Route 35 South

Point Pleasant Beach, (732) 701-0001

www.joeleones.com

Please refer to our ad on page 65 and our listing above and on page 64. Proud to call Point Pleasant Beach home for over twenty years, experience the Premier Italian Specialty Destination at the Jersey Shore! Driven by a passion for culinary excellence and a commitment to quality service, our Point Pleasant Beach location is an award-winning Italian Specialty foods retailer, offering an expansive array of imported gourmet retail products, custom-built sandwiches, sauces, soups, salads, imported as well as domestic cheeses and ornate homewares. Produced fresh daily from scratch, our homemade breads, handmade fresh mozzarella, and restaurant quality prepared dishes represent the foundation of our proud reputation. Custom Gift Baskets, Handcrafted Gift Boxes, and Gift Cards are available for any occasion. Be our guest to experience our vision for excellence and witness our tradition of commitment to customer satisfaction and outstanding products. Challenge your senses, embrace the experience! Open seven days and always online at JoeLeones.com. u

Manasquan

Ray Yeager

Of Oysters & Ospreys

My husband loves, I mean really loves, oysters. (And yes, I realize that may elicit giggles due to the mollusk’s reputed aphrodisiac qualities!) So when it came time to plan a birthday adventure for him, I naturally thought of visiting an oyster farm. I had heard such trips were available now that oystering was experiencing a recent and exciting rebirth in New Jersey.

Which is how I came to be driving down a pure white, crushed shell road flanked by wetlands and leading to the shore of the Delaware Bay. Ospreys, and even a bald eagle, lined the barren, weathered, cedar trees whose trunks still stood as avian lookouts. On the beach we met our fellow tour participants and Lisa Calvo, owner of Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm.

After hearing about oyster farming methods, we had a brief lesson in shucking, then cracked open fresh oysters right there on the sand, slurping them down with sweetly acidic mignonette. They tasted of the sea. Not the choking, stinging mouthful one experiences when unexpectedly hit by a wave, but rather the crisp, salty essence of a day with sun-warmed skin and kissed pink cheeks. It’s that taste—the one that’s in the air, on the breeze of the ocean as you stand at the shore. It made me wonder how anyone not raised along a coast could actually enjoy oysters. What was their reference point? For me, this was tasting a lifetime of summer days. Needless to say, my husband was thrilled, crowding into Calvo’s personal space to absorb every last detail (and unclaimed oyster) with the unabashed enthusiasm of a classroom student who wants to impress the teacher.

by Christine Menapace

ters we found among the rocks were safely edible, but we didn’t take the chance. After all, I had spent my 1980s childhood in Sea Bright with days where one could not swim in the ocean due to trash (we blamed NYC across the bay). You could have fun digging for clams or other shellfish, but you didn’t dare eat them. It was sad, really. You couldn’t help noticing that you were surrounded by an abundance made inedible by our own pollution.

But now, here I was, standing on a stretch of beach that I once knew well, transformed into an epicenter of a resurging aquaculture industry built on the health of our coastal ecosystems. And while the stretches of sand-anchored, metal oyster cages were not necessarily an aesthetic improvement, they also weren’t intrusive, being both low-profile and disappearing completely with the higher tide. Plus, their presence represented something precious: a return to a way of life that had disappeared. A means of cleaning our waterways while supporting a cottage industry that graces our tables. An honoring of a unique environment that can support such bounty.

And though this moment was wonderful—a happy husband, fun friends along, delicious oysters, for me personally, my mind was in two places at once. For this quiet, private bayside location was, completely coincidentally, once the location of our family’s yearly Spring vacations. (When I booked the oyster farm tour, the location of the farm hadn’t been disclosed until the last minute.) My children, as toddlers and later young children, had collected eggs we hid every Easter among these dunes. We had examined horseshoe crabs, picked up snails, made miniature army men encampments, splashed in low tide puddles, and taken some of our most cherished family photos along these shores. It had been our own special spot where we rarely saw another person. But as time went by, our Spring vacations had morphed into Florida visits to grandparents, and the young children had grown into young adults. It had been nearly ten years since those days.

At the time of our vacations, Rutgers had a small oyster research station just down the beach from our cottage rental. From a short distance, we would occasionally see a person or two working along some sand-embedded oyster-growing structures. It had made us wonder if the rare but occasional live oys-

It was yet another indication of the progress that has been made in the cleanliness and restoration of fragile New Jersey waterways that I have been blessed to see in my lifetime. While one could cite legislation like the Clean Water Enforcement Act, my perspective is more anecdotal. In my New Jersey childhood, whales were never seen, or expected to be seen, along my beach. Ospreys and bald eagles were endangered. I’d never seen a fox in the wild. Now, along that same exact expanse of ocean, I’ve witnessed whales, dolphins, stingrays, oyster catchers, and foxes on multiple occasions. The sharks are back too. Bald eagles are becoming much less rare and ospreys are so common, my husband and I joked that they might as well be pigeons. On a recent trip to Fortescue, we witnessed five ospreys in one small tree!

As someone who lives along the Raritan Bay, in a town dubbed the “pearl” of the Bayshore due to its oystering history, I know we still have a way to go. It will be a while before—and even if—oyster farms can be reintroduced in this area of New Jersey. But if we continue to move forward with the crucial work of protecting our coastal ecosystems, perhaps a return to the past will be within the grasp of the future. u

Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm, Market & Kitchen is located at 994 Route 40 in Newfield, New Jersey. The Market & Kitchen are open Thursday - Monday, 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM. For more information, call (856) 839-2478 or visit www.sweetamalia.com.

Christine Menapace is a freelance writer and long-time contributor to this magazine. She lives in Keyport.

The bounty at Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm. photo: Christine Menapace

The Jersey Shore’s Premier Family Vacation Resort Has

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• Great Accommodations

• Mile-Long White Sand Beach

• Landmark Boardwalk & Rides

• Party & Charter Boat Fishing

10-12:

11-1: Beers On The Boards

11-28: Annual Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival Dec. dates t.b.a.: Breakfasts and Brunches with Santa and Free Horse & Carriage Rides

Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce