Summer Fun in Monmouth County

Compiled by Barbara J. Goldstein

Summer is here! The kids are out of school and ready for vacation, but are you? Basking in the sun on your local beach is a wonderful way to relax with the entire family. However, there is so much more to do and see down the shore. Many towns have sidewalk sales, seafood festivals, carnivals, arcades, free movies or concerts in the park, historic sites, famous lighthouses, Freehold Raceway, Monmouth Park Racetrack, Englishtown Raceway, antique shops, and much more. Instead of watching TV or playing video games, why not visit a museum or aquarium with your children? Libraries offer summer camp programs for teens and young children. Many towns’ recreation departments also have summer activities for children and adults. Some programs are free and some charge a nominal fee. Of course being down the shore is great on July 4th for the wonderful fireworks displays. Have a barbecue or family picnic, take a nature hike, or go bike riding in many of the state national parks. These are just a few suggestions of what you might do this summer close to home. Why not have fun this summer in Monmouth County?

ASBURY PARK
Sensational Sixties Celebration, July 17, noon to 6 p.m., Ocean Ave., Beach & Boardwalk. A tribute to the artists and music of the 1960s. For more information, call 732-775-3533 or visit www.cityofasburypark.com.

Asbury Amusement Factory, First Avenue. Pavilion, Boardwalk, amusement arcade with slot machines, skeeball, pinball and more. For more information, call 732-869-9337.

Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave. New Jersey’s most famous rock and roll venue. Open daily for merchandise. Great local bands, call 732-502-0600 for schedule of events.

Convention Hall Arts & Wine Festival. Aug. 5 - 6, noon to 5 p.m. Wine sampling and wine making seminars. For more information, call 732-775-3533 or visit www.cityofasburypark.com.

Asbury Park Pro Beach Volleyball. Aug. 12 - 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Come see the best players on the East Coast compete. Free to public.

Asbury Children’s Festival with Baby Parade and Model Search. July 22 and 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Beach & Boardwalk. Lots of family fun for everyone. For more details, call 732-775-3533.

BELMAR
Belmar Parasail, 618 Fifth Ave. Fly single or with a friend. Reservations required. Call 732-528-8680 for more details.

Summer Concert Series. Fridays, Pyanoe Plaza, June through August, 7 to 10 p.m. Free to public.

Belmar Crafters & Farmers Market. Saturdays, June 24 through Sept. 2, Ninth Ave. and Main Street. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fresh produce, gourmet foods, crafters, jewelry makers, live music.

Free Social Dancing. Thursdays, June through August, 8 p.m., Taylor Pavillion at Silver Lake Park, various bands each week. For more information, call 732-681-3700 or visit www.belmar.com.

20th Annual Sandcastle Contest. July 12 (rain date July 13). Registration and sandcastle building starts 8 a.m., judging from noon to 1 p.m. Free to all participants, visitors and residents alike. Several children’s age group divisions and a 16+ group. Prizes awarded in most elaborate and most creative categories. Professional sandcastle builder Chuck Feld will be in attendance. Fun for all ages. One of the summer’s most popular events at Belmar. For more information, call 732-863-1900 ext. 101.

BRADLEY BEACH
Mayor’s Clam Bake. August 12, at 6 p.m., Ocean & Fifth Ave. under the tent. Come taste some of the finest seafood in town.

4th Annual Antique & Collectibles Show. August 13, Boardwalk

July 4th Fireworks. Ocean Ave., at dusk around 9 p.m. Bring blankets or chairs and enjoy a fabulous display which lights up the sky for miles around.

CREAMRIDGE
Family Fun Day Benefit. June 17, from noon to 5 p.m., Cream Ridge Winery, 145 Rt. 539, wine tasting, tours and music to raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. For more information, call 609-259-9797.

ENGLISHTOWN
Raceway Park
37th Annual K&N Filters NHRA Supernationals. June 15 - 18. Tickets available through ticketmaster, phone charge, at the gate or on the website www.racewaypark.com or call 732-446-7800.

Cruise Nights. Tuesdays, July 11, Aug. 8, Sept. 12 and Oct. 10, Come cruise, drink, eat and get a free pass in your hot rod down the famous 1/2 mile.

10th Annual Summer Sport Compact Slam. July 1 - 2. Two-day event, sport, compact racing car, truck and bicycle show, live music and Team Puerto Rico in their only 2006 raceway appearance.

36th Annual P.C. Richard & Son Summer Motorsports Spectacular. July 12, the only time to see Robosaurus this year plus funny cars, monster trucks, dragsters and more.

Waterfest 12. July 15 and 16. The largest water-cooled VW and Audi show on the East Coast.

26th Annual P.C. Richard & Son All American Jet Car Nationals. Aug. 9. Jet dragsters, jet funny cars, monster trucks plus the wind tunnel of fire.

Old Time Drags & Funny Car Reunion. July 30. Check out the coolest hot rods around in the pits or on the track, and see the fabulous floppers of yesteryear battle it out just like in the 70s.

For more information and details about the entire summer/fall schedule of events, call 732-446-7800 or visit www.racewaypark.com.

FREEHOLD
Kruise Nite , Thursdays, June 29, July 27, Aug. 31, 6 to 10 p.m., along Main Street. Live entertainment, vintage cars, hot rods and motorcycles. Free to public.

July 4th Independence Day Celebration. Freehold Raceway, Highway 33 & Rt. 9, from 5:30 -10 p.m., (rain date July 5), food vendors, live music and a fantastic fireworks display at dusk. Free to public.

Summer Concert Series. Hall of Records Parking Lot, East Main Street, July 13, Full Count Big Band; July 20, Saturday Night Fever the Popular Dance Band; Aug. 3, Del Vikings; Aug. 17, Sensational Soul Cruisers; Aug. 24, Party Dolls. Bring lawn chairs. All concerts from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Freehold Raceway Harness Racing. Season opens Aug. 14. Harness racing, trotters, pacers and daytime racing. For complete schedule of races, call 732-462-3800 or visit www.freeholdraceway.com

HIGHLANDS
Free Summer Concert Series, Tuesdays, July - August, Veteran’s Park, 7 p.m., parking available at Municipal Lot on So. Second Street. Bring lawn chairs or blankets.

12 Annual Highlands Clam Fest, August 4-6, Huddy Park, rain or shine. Come taste the freshest seafood from local restaurants, live music, rides, crafters, specialty vendors and children’s activities. Friday festival runs 6-11p.m. with fireworks at 10:30 p.m.

HOLMDEL
PNC Bank Arts Center has a wonderful schedule of concerts featuring pop, rock, and country musical acts from June through early Sept. This open-air amphitheater has prepaid seating under the dome roof as well as lawn seating. Tickets can be purchased in advance from ticketmaster or at the PNC Bank Arts Center Box Office. For a complete listing of concerts, call 732-203-2500 or to order tickets via ticketmaster call 201-507-8900 or visit www.livenation.com.

Historic Longstreet Farm, an 1890’s living farm listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take in sights, smells and sounds of rural life in the 1890s. Hands-on programs for the entire family featuring milking a cow, 19th century games, grinding corn and wood stove cooking. Free admission and parking. Open daily 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information, call 732-946-3758.

JACKSON
Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park, Wild Safari and Hurricane Harbor. Family fun including El Toro, the greatest wooden roller coaster in the world, a kid’s area with cartoon characters, water rides, world class shows, concerts and more. Parks require separate admission but combination tickets and discount packages are available. To purchase tickets, call 732-928-1821 or visit www.sixflags.com.

KEYPORT
Festival Americana at Fireman’s Park, corner of West Front Street and American Legion Drive, July 1 - 2, Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11a.m. to 6 p.m. Free to public, rain or shine. Weekend celebration with live music, seafood treats, craft vendors, rides, games and activities for children. For more details, call 732-946-2711.

Keyport on Wheels. East Front Street, July 27, noon to 5 p.m. Free to public. Let the good times roll for the entire family at this traditional soapbox derby.

LONG BRANCH
July 4th Oceanfest on the Promenade - 10 a.m.-10 p.m., day long entertainment including bands, clowns, balloon artists, food vendors, arts & crafts, sand sculpting exhibitions and so much more. The biggest Independence Day celebration at the shore capped off by a fantastic fireworks display at dusk. Great fun for the entire family.

West End Cruise Night, July 15, Brighton Ave., 6 to 10 p.m. A popular classic car show featuring music from Chik A Boom, The Cherubs and Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge. Sponsored by Long Branch Urban Enterprise Zone. Free.

West End Cruise Night, Aug. 12, corner Brighton Ave. & Kossick Way, 6 to 10 p.m. Custom car show and concert with Parkway Joe, The Tokens, Nu Eara and featuring Gary Puckett.

Jazz & Blues by the Beach Concert Series. Sundays, free admission, corner of Brighton and Ocean Ave. June 25, Line Drive; July 2, Chuck Lambert; July 9, Philadelphia Funk; July 16, B.D. Mylo & The Go Daddies; July 23, Sandy Mach Experience; July 30, Valarie Adams & The Dimensions; Aug. 6, Supreme Court; Aug. 13, Swing Sabrosa; Aug. 20, Dennis Peters Band; Aug. 27, VooDudes. Concerts start at 7 p.m. For more information, call 732- 923-2044.

Thursday by The Sea Concert Series, Festival Plaza in Pier Village, South side of Ocean Place Resort & Spa. Free admission. June 22, Time McLoone; June 29,
The Nerds; July 6, Asbury Fever; July 13, Long Branch High School Jazz Orchestra; July 20, The Infernos; July 27, Sensational Soul Cruisers; Aug. 3, Lou Kady
Orchestra; Aug.10, Yasgurs Farm; Aug. 17, Goldenseal; Aug. 24, High Street. Concerts start at 7 p.m.

OCEAN GROVE
Great Auditorium Shows. June 27, Truth & Humor with Garrison Keillor; July 6, Di Wu Piano Classical Music Series; July 8, Ronan Tynan; July 13, Point-Counter-Point; July 19, Gordon Turk Organ Recitals; July 22, ABBA The Music; July 29, Michael Feinstein & Linda Eder; Aug. 3, Totally Mozart; Aug. 5, Al Martino; Aug. 19, Peter, Paul & Mary. For tickets, call 732-988-0645.

Boardwalk Art Show. July 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come see local and out-of-town artists display their work on the Boardwalk.

38th Annual House Tour. July 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Self-guided house tour sponsored by the Historical Society. For more information about the homes on tour, call 732-774-1869.

Family Movie Night at the Pier. June 30 and July 14, 8:30 p.m. Bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy an outdoor movie under the stars.

RED BANK
Streetlife Downtown. Saturdays, June 3 through Aug. 26, free, various performers on sidewalks of downtown.

Comcast Jazz in the Park Concert Series. Riverside Gardens Park, July 6, Walter Bell/Keith Marks; July 13, Brookdale Student Cabaret; July 20, Ron Kreamer & The Hurricanes/Johnny B. and The Blue Blazers; July 27, B.D. Lenz/Terraplane Blues; Aug. 3, Wolverines/Voodudes; Aug. 10, Line Drive; Aug. 17, Jazz Lobsters. Concerts are free. Bring blankets or lawn chairs.

Kaboom! Fireworks on the Naversink – July 3, rain date July 4, at dusk view the largest display of fireworks in Jersey.

Red Bank’s 52nd Annual Sidewalk Sale. July 28 - 30, Downtown stores participate in this largest sale of the summer. Bargains for everyone.

Count Basie Theatre events. Cool School. Six-week summer class programs July 10 through Aug. 19. Featuring drama, song writing, musical theater, acting basics, junior Broadway vocal, jazz dance and much more. For information or to register, call Yvonne Scudiery, education director, 732-224-8778 ext. 106.

Upcoming concerts/shows: June 28, Pat Benatar; July 18, Dion/Shangri-Las; July 29, Tanya Tucker; Aug. 10, Kenny Rogers. To order tickets or for more information about the season, call 732-842-9000 or email: info@countbasietheatre.org.

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