👋Hey, Monmouth friends!

Fall fun is taking over Monmouth County this week. We’ve got a major Long Branch detour, a packed Saturday of festivals, music in the parks, fascinating library programs and two sweet day-trip ideas. Let’s make some plans.

👀What’s on tap:

📍 Around Monmouth — Local news you need to know
🎉 Weekend Plans — Festivals, food, music and family fun
🌳 In the Parks — Outdoor activities, concerts and history
📚 Beyond the Books — Programs and events at local libraries
📰 Prime Time News — Health and lifestyle headlines for older adults
💡 Did You Know? — Helpful New Jersey programs and resources
📺 TV Time — New and returning shows worth watching
👻 Take the Grandkids — Sweet seasonal fun for the whole family
🚗 Day Trippin’ — An unforgettable behind-the-scenes adventure

Up first…

🍎 Apple picking takes a hard fall. Two popular Monmouth County orchards will not offer pick-your-own apples this season after April’s damaging freeze. Battleview Orchards in Freehold lost its apple crop, while Eastmont Orchards in Colts Neck reported losing most of its crop after two late freezes. Battleview’s country store remains open and its pumpkins survived, so autumn isn’t entirely canceled. Check with the farms before heading out: Battleview Orchards | Eastmont Orchards

🚧 Prepare to take the scenic route. The Route 36 bridge over Troutman’s Creek in Long Branch closed on Monday, Sept. 14, so NJDOT can replace the 85-year-old structure. Route 36 will be closed between Florence Avenue and Liberty Street to drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists through spring 2027, with reopening expected before Memorial Day. Westbound traffic will use Atlantic and Bridgeport avenues; eastbound traffic will use Liberty Street and Atlantic Avenue. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be detoured along Liberty Street, Seaview Avenue and Long Branch Avenue. Allow extra time—and don’t argue with the detour signs. They always win. Get project details

🥕 Fill a prescription for healthier food. RWJBarnabas Health, Monmouth Medical Center and Fulfill have opened a new “food farmacy” in Long Branch. Eligible patients facing food insecurity or diet-related health conditions can receive fresh New Jersey produce, refrigerated and pantry staples, culturally familiar foods and nutrition education. The site joins five other Fulfill food farmacies across the state—because sometimes good health really does begin on your plate. More info

🍂 Go all in on fall at Maple Leaf Farms. Pick pumpkins, conquer a corn maze, cheer on pig races, watch a bull-riding show and enjoy country music plus more than 30 family-friendly activities. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. at Maple Leaf Farms, 525 Route 9, Manalapan.

🎨 Make Red Bank your personal art gallery. ArtPop’s self-guided walking tour connects 12 creative spaces, including Art Alliance of Monmouth County, Galerie Lucida, ArtHive and The Oyster Point Hotel. 10 a.m.–9 p.m. throughout downtown Red Bank.

🌽 Get happily lost at Twin Pond Farm. Take on a 9-acre corn maze, pick pumpkins and sunflowers, ride a hay wagon or try pedal-car racing and the bounce pad. Saturdays also bring live music. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Harvest at Howell Road, 49 Howell Road, Freehold. Info

🪻 Walk toward a world without Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association’s community walk supports dementia research, advocacy and family services. Registration is free, and every walker receives a fundraising page. 10 a.m.–noon at The Great Lawn, 10 Ocean Ave. N., Long Branch.

🇮🇹 Come hungry to Belmar. Obviously. The San Gennaro Festival fills downtown with a traditional procession, Italian and local favorites, crafts, music, prizes, a cannoli-eating contest and a pet costume contest. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. at Pyanoe Plaza, 700 Ninth Ave., Belmar.

🍎 Party like it’s the 1830s at Allaire. The Fall Harvest Festival features cider pressing, historic demonstrations, more than 50 craft vendors, music, food trucks, games, strolling villagers and plenty of apple treats. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Historic Village at Allaire, 4263 Atlantic Ave., Wall.

🥧 Put your best crust forward. Enter Allaire’s homemade apple pie contest during Saturday’s festival. Registered pies must reach the Allaire Residence by 1:30 p.m.; judging begins at 2 p.m. Contest entry is free, but festival admission is required.

🐝 Take the grandkids to meet the little things that run the world. Bugs, Birds and Beyond offers nature crafts, insect exhibits, beehives, 4-H animals and Remarkable Raptors shows. Noon–4 p.m. at the Monmouth County Agricultural Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold. Free and rain or shine.

🍝 Taste a little Italy in Spring Lake. Sample Italian specialties along Morris Avenue as live music rolls through downtown. Noon–5 p.m. on Third Avenue, Spring Lake. Rain date: Sunday, Sept. 20.

🔥 End Sea Bright Day with a beach bonfire. Food trucks, crafts, bounce houses, games, music and a touch-a-truck lead up to the 6 p.m. bonfire. 1–7 p.m. at the Municipal Complex parking lot, 1099 Ocean Ave., Sea Bright. Info

✌️ Take a trip back to the Summer of Love. Glen Burtnik’s 14-member ensemble recreates the music and psychedelic spirit of the 1960s with seven lead vocalists, horns, strings and a colorful light-and-video show. 8–10 p.m. at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Ave., Deal.

🎃 Give pumpkin its moment in the spotlight. Allaire’s Sunday baking contest is devoted to homemade pumpkin pies. Registered entries must arrive at the Allaire Residence by 1:30 p.m.; judging begins at 2 p.m. Contest entry is free, but festival admission is required.

🎸 Let the storytellers sing. Tom DiMenna brings the music of Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens and Harry Chapin to life, pairing familiar songs with the stories behind them. 3–5 p.m. at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan.

History, jazz, square dancing and a trip to the Galápagos—without leaving Monmouth County. Monmouth County Parks are covering plenty of ground this week.

🐢 Visit the Galápagos without packing a suitcase. A Park System naturalist shares the remarkable wildlife, landscapes and sounds encountered during a visit to the famous islands. Thursday, Sept. 17, 7–8 p.m. at the Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center, Port Monmouth. Free.

🎷 Spend the night with jazz and blues. Local musicians Bethany Taylor, Kevin Hill, Jair-Rohm Parker Wells and James Dalton take the stage for an evening of homegrown talent. Friday, Sept. 18, 7–8:30 p.m. at the Thompson Park Theater Barn, Lincroft. Free!

🕺 Give square dancing a whirl. Join the Middletown Ramblers for a lively open house—no fancy footwork or rhinestone shirt required. Friday, Sept. 18, 7–9 p.m. at the Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft. Free for ages 14 and older; anyone younger than 18 must attend with an adult.

🌱 Give your garden a fresh start—without spending a dime. Bring labeled, established Mid-Atlantic natives in approved container sizes and exchange them for the same number and size. Houseplants may also be swapped and need not be native. Saturday, Sept. 19 at Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown. Drop-off is 8:30–10 a.m.; swapping begins at 10 a.m. Free.

🌊 Make a splash at Wind & Sea. Try kayaking, fishing, crabbing, kite flying, seining, sandcastle building and more. Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth. Admission and parking are free; some activities may carry a fee and are subject to weather and water conditions.

🪗 Add a little accordion to your afternoon. Hear melodies from the 1890s while visiting the farm’s historic buildings and animals. Saturday, Sept. 19, 1–3 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. Free.

🥒 Learn how families preserved the harvest before spare freezers. See 19th-century techniques including salting, pickling, drying and jelling. Sunday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. Free.

Yiddish theater, questionable medicine, scam protection and a little ragtime—this is definitely not your average week at Monmouth County libraries.

🎭 Meet the First Lady of the Yiddish Stage. Professor Diane Cypkin and pianist Lena Panfilova celebrate Molly Picon’s remarkable career through stories and songs in a presentation that’s part cabaret, part classroom. Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1–2 p.m. at the Marlboro Branch.

🩺 Take a strange-but-true tour of medical history. Denny Daniel of the Museum of Interesting Things demonstrates quack remedies and curious contraptions, including electrical devices, glass eyes, Civil War surgical tools and an 1800s foot-powered dental drill. Suddenly, your annual physical sounds delightful. Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6–8 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan.

🛡️ Get wise to the latest scams. State and county Consumer Affairs representatives explain identity theft, telephone scams, cybersecurity threats and deceptive business practices—plus what happens after you file a complaint. Thursday, Sept. 17, 1–2 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan.

🎹 Tap your toes with the Ragtimers. Fred Lehotay and company serve up sentimental old-time melodies and hand-clapping, foot-stomping ragtime favorites. Thursday, Sept. 17, 2–3 p.m. at the Howell Branch.

🌸 Find a perennial that earns its keep. Master Gardener Debbie LaGattuta introduces more than 50 flowering plants that grow well in our area. Online Thursday, Sept. 17, 7–8 p.m. Registration is required to receive the viewing link.

📝 Make writing a will less intimidating. Monmouth County Surrogate Maureen T. Raisch introduces the county’s new “I’m Just a Will” initiative and explains key estate-planning terms. Friday, Sept. 18, 10:30–11:30 a.m. at the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury.

❤️ Get a free health check—no fasting required. Registered nurses will offer blood-pressure, blood-sugar and cholesterol screenings, stroke assessments and community-resource information. Friday, Sept. 18, 1–4 p.m. at the Hazlet Township Branch.

🚐 Find support without an appointment or insurance. The Mobile Mental Health Van offers free, confidential help with stress, anxiety, alcohol or drug use and connections to additional services. Friday, Sept. 18, 1–4 p.m. in the Hazlet Township Branch parking lot.

🧶 Bring your yarn and join the circle. Instructor Kelly Cavanaugh welcomes everyone from first-timers to longtime stitchers. Bring your own yarn, needles or hooks. Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Howell Branch.

🧘 Stretch without getting down on the floor. Lisa Broad offers seated and standing chair-yoga variations designed to improve flexibility, balance, strength and range of motion. Tuesday, Sept. 22, 10–10:45 a.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan.

Links to the latest news on aging from trusted media sources.

Medicare Scams Are Surging Ahead of Open Enrollment: Medicare open enrollment, when beneficiaries can change their Medicare Advantage or prescription drug coverage, doesn't begin until Oct. 15. But scammers are already on the prowl. Money, Sept. 8.

What Does Medicare Not Cover? Eight Things You Should Know: Medicare Part A and Part B leave gaps in your healthcare coverage. But Medicare Advantage has problems, too. Kiplinger, Sept. 10.

5 Medicare Changes Coming in 2027 and What They’ll Cost You: Medicare costs are changing again in 2027, and whether you’ll pay more depends largely on your coverage. Investopedia, Sept. 8.

What’s the Best Medigap Plan? These 10 Medigap plans offer different levels of benefits that pay for expenses, such as co-payments, not covered by original Medicare. Kiplinger, Sept. 10.

🏠 Check your property-tax relief status without making a phone call. New Jersey’s improved online tool shows whether your 2025 application was received, where it is in the review process, whether action is required and the status of your payment. It covers PAS-1 applications for eligible seniors and residents with disabilities as well as ANCHOR applications. Check your application

🔎 Skip the state-website scavenger hunt. New Jersey’s searchable directory gathers frequently requested services—including property-tax relief, housing assistance, unemployment benefits and official records—in one place. Search by keyword or browse by category. Search New Jersey services

Clear the couch and guard the remote—this week’s lineup has sequins, spies and more than a few suspicious characters.

💃 Watch the ballroom sparkle again. Dancing with the Stars opens Season 35 with a special two-night premiere beginning Tuesday, Sept. 15, on ABC and Disney+. Expect dazzling costumes, ambitious footwork and at least one celebrity discovering that the cha-cha is harder than it looks.

🐴 Welcome back television’s grumpiest spymaster. Gary Oldman returns as Jackson Lamb when Slow Horses Season 6 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 16, on Apple TV. This time, the Slough House agents are on the run and tangled in a dangerous game of retaliation and revenge.

💥 Let Reacher’s most formidable friend take the lead. Maria Sten stars as Frances Neagley in Neagley, a new spinoff following her investigation into a friend’s suspicious death. Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher stops by, and all eight episodes arrive Wednesday, Sept. 16, on Prime Video.

🪓 Keep the lights on for Lizzie Borden. The notorious 1892 axe-murder case gets the Ryan Murphy treatment in Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, arriving Thursday, Sept. 17, on Netflix. Ella Beatty stars as the woman accused—and later acquitted—of killing her father and stepmother.

🍫 Make Halloween sweeter in Hershey. Through Nov. 1, children 12 and younger can follow the Trick-or-Treat Trail at Hershey’s Chocolate World, meet costumed Hershey characters and ride the free Chocolate Tour with its first Halloween makeover. The trail runs Fridays, 5–8:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, noon–8:30 p.m. Seasonal treats include caramel apple parfaits, Kit Kat pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin spice pie. A Sensory Friendly Night with reduced audio is set for Oct. 21, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Next door, Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights offer more than 50 rides, nighttime coaster experiences, entertainment, five haunted houses and five scare zones; online tickets start at $36.99. Hershey’s Chocolate World | Hersheypark Halloween

🐸 Meet the makers behind the Muppets. Weekly Saturday and monthly Sunday tours of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in Queens take visitors inside the workshop where artists create characters for The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. The experience includes iconic puppets, photo opportunities, a demonstration by a Henson puppeteer, a meet-and-greet with a master puppet builder and shop-exclusive merchandise. Seasonal displays spotlight spooky creatures in October, Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow in November and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas in December. Tickets are $150, plus taxes and fees, and tours frequently sell out. Reserve a tour—because it isn’t easy being green, but visiting Kermit’s birthplace sounds pretty wonderful.

🌾 Set sail without the gluten guesswork. Oceania Cruises is planning the industry’s first entirely gluten-free ocean voyage—a 12-night British Isles cruise aboard Oceania Vista, departing May 31, 2028, roundtrip from Southampton.

Stops include Cork, Dublin, Glasgow, Stornoway and Edinburgh. Every dining venue will be gluten-free, including specialty restaurants, casual grills, afternoon tea, in-suite dining and The Bakery—with special attention paid to preventing cross-contact.

Created with Celiac Cruise, the sailing is designed for travelers with celiac disease and other gluten-related restrictions. Book through a travel advisor, Celiac Cruise, Oceania Cruises or 855-OCEANIA. Finally, a cruise where the bread basket doesn’t require an interrogation.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is bringing its annual Holiday POPS! concert to Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton. Broadway vocalist Scarlett Strallen—best known for starring as Mary Poppins—will join the orchestra for an afternoon of holiday favorites conducted by John Devlin.

📅 Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026
⏰ 2 p.m.
📍 Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, Trenton

Opened in 1932, the 1,807-seat, ADA-accessible theater has hosted an impressive lineup of legends, including Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson and Leonard Bernstein.

🎟️ Tickets are available at princetonsymphony.org.

That’s all for this week! Until next time, take the detour, taste the cannoli and save room for pie.

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See you next week!

😎The Monmouth Senior Scoop team

Disclaimer: Please confirm event details before heading out. Dates and plans can change. Also, the Monmouth Senior Scoop does not offer medical, financial or legal advice. Check with a professional before making important decisions.😊