👋Hey, Monmouth friends!

Summer is not slipping away quietly. This week brings rooftop movies, free concerts, farmers markets, local flavor, smart scam warnings and enough live music to keep your folding chair working overtime. Let’s get to the good stuff!

🎉 Weekend Plans: Markets, music, movies, theater and more
🌳 In the Parks: Concert, woodworking, climbing and birdwatching
🎭 Beyond the Books: Doo wop, dancing, health and support
🍑 Jersey Fresh: Peaches take center stage
🍽️ Local Flavor: Coffee history and a big Red Bank opening
🚨 Scam Alert: Medicare card tricks to avoid
🏛️ Around Monmouth: Battlefield preservation and Belford ferry news
🚢 Wanderlust Weekly: New cruises from New Jersey and Boston
📅 Mark Your Calendar: AirFest 2026
🌊 One Last Thing: Donovan’s Reef turns 50
🎂 Birthday Spotlight: Helen Snyder and this week’s famous faces

Up first…

Know the signs. Make the call. Save a life. Monmouth County has officially been recognized as a Stroke Smart Community, part of a statewide effort to teach residents how to prevent strokes, spot the warning signs and act quickly. The Board of County Commissioners presented a proclamation to representatives from CentraState Medical Center during its Aug. 13 workshop meeting.

Approximately 800,000 strokes occur annually in the United States, and stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability. Because every second matters, remember BE FAST:

Even if the symptoms disappear, don’t wait to see what happens—and don’t drive yourself to the hospital. Call 911 and note the time the symptoms began. The county will work with healthcare professionals, first responders, schools, businesses and community organizations to spread the message: Spot-a-Stroke, Stop-a-Stroke, Save-a-Life.

Your commute is getting a new captain. NY Waterway will begin operating ferry service from the Belford Ferry Terminal on Tuesday, Sept. 8, replacing Seastreak.

The new weekday schedule includes six morning departures from Belford beginning at 5:15 a.m. and five peak-evening departures back from Manhattan and Paulus Hook. And weekend travelers aren’t being left at the dock: Ferries will leave Belford three times each day, with two evening returns from Manhattan.

An adult one-way fare will cost $23, with discounted seven-day, monthly, 10-trip and 40-trip options available. Passengers arriving at the Midtown terminal can also use NY Waterway’s free shuttle buses, with routes serving West 57th, West 50th, West 42nd, West 34th streets and Downtown. View the complete schedule at NY Waterway.

A former strawberry farm is becoming part of the history books. A 22-acre property along Route 33 in Manalapan has been preserved as part of Monmouth Battlefield State Park, expanding the park to 2,764 acres.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection purchased the property for $15 million using state and federal preservation funding. Located beside the Revolutionary War battlefield, the land includes open fields and wooded trails—and may have been crossed by troops during the pivotal Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

The property will eventually support public recreation, historical interpretation, education and research. The acquisition ensures another piece of Monmouth County’s Revolutionary War landscape remains undeveloped for future generations.

Learn more at New Jersey State Parks.

🧺 Fill Your Market Basket in Long Branch: Stock up on Jersey Fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, cheeses, jams and more at the West End Farmers’ Market, open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at West End Park.

🍅 Shop Local in Wall: Browse farm-fresh produce, baked goods, specialty foods and handmade finds at the Wall Township Farmers Market, from 2 to 7 p.m. on Baileys Corner Road. Dinner inspiration awaits.

🎶 Meet Me on Main: Manasquan’s Main Street closes to traffic and opens for dinner, shopping, live music and a leisurely summer stroll from 6 to 10 p.m. Sometimes the best traffic jam involves pedestrians and an ice cream cone.

🎸 Pop by the Pond: Acoustic NRG brings pop favorites to the Colts Neck Sounds of Summer Concert Series from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Town Hall Pondside. Admission is free; bring a lawn chair.

🎤 No Surrender in Hazlet: Bruce fans can catch No Surrender, a Springsteen tribute band, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Veterans Park. The concert is free—just bring your chair and your best “Bruuuuce!”

🎼 Jersey Songwriters Take the Stage: Hear original music from Shotgun Bill, Dan Toye, Christian Beach and other New Jersey performers at the Singer/Songwriter Showcase, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Middletown Arts Center. Proceeds benefit the Arts Center.

🎭 Bye Bye, Birdie: Teen idol Conrad Birdie turns one farewell kiss into small-town chaos in Spring Lake Theatre’s high-energy production of Bye Bye Birdie. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.

🎬 Movies with an Ocean View: Catch You, Me & Tuscany at 8 p.m. on The Asbury Hotel’s fifth-floor rooftop cinema. The Baronet offers panoramic views, drive-in-style seating, concessions and drinks.

🥕 Fresh Finds in Allenhurst: Pick up local produce and other goodies at the Allenhurst Farmers Market, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

🍞 Friday Freshness in Atlantic Highlands: Shop fruits, vegetables, artisan breads, jellies, body-care products and handmade gifts at the Atlantic Highlands Farmers Market, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veterans Park. Free parking makes the haul even sweeter.

🌽 Jersey Fresh in Freehold: Farmers bring freshly picked fruits, vegetables, flowers, honey and baked goods to the Downtown Freehold Farmers Market, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Main and Court streets.

🎶 Get Funky in Freehold: Pennington Station performs at Funky Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Downtown Freehold Gazebo. Bring a lawn chair and ease into the weekend.

🎭 One More Farewell for Birdie: Bye Bye Birdie returns at 7:30 p.m. to the Spring Lake Theatre. Expect 1950s pop, teenage pandemonium and plenty of laughs.

🍰 Drama with Dessert: Cocktail Hour Confessions, an original dramedy by Jared Kelner, takes the stage from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the First Avenue Playhouse, Atlantic Highlands. Every ticket includes the show, gourmet cake, coffee and soda—because drama is better with dessert.

👻 Take a Walk on Asbury’s Haunted Side: Hear chilling tales of restless spirits, forgotten tragedies and local legends during an Asbury Park Ghost Tour, from 8 to 10 p.m., departing from The Paranormal Museum, 621 Cookman Ave.

🎺 Big Band Music Under the Stars: Powerhouse vocalist Chris Pinnella and a 14-piece modern big band perform from 8 to 10:30 p.m. atop the Arthur Pryor Bandshell on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. Expect classic standards, modern hits, cocktails and sweeping ocean views.

🎥 A Freakier Friday on the Roof: The Baronet screens Freakier Friday at 8 p.m. on the rooftop of The Asbury Hotel, 210 Fifth Ave., Asbury Park. Concessions, drinks and ocean scenery are part of the show.

🛍️ Craft Your Saturday in Manasquan: Browse handmade art, jewelry, décor and other one-of-a-kind finds at the Summer Craft Fair, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Squan Plaza on Abe Voorhees Drive.

🌎 Music with a Mission: The NJ Clearwater Festival celebrates Pete Seeger’s legacy with live music, food trucks, craft vendors, family activities and environmental exhibits from noon to 10 p.m. at Bradley Park in Asbury Park.

🎵 Reggae in Riley Park: Bring a chair, blanket and takeout from a local restaurant for Reggaefest, part of Bradley Beach’s Saturdays in the Park series. The free concert runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Riley Park.

🎸 Doctors Who Rock: The Sealove Band, made up of physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, trades scrubs for guitars at Donovan’s Reef, Sea Bright. Hear high-energy ’80s and ’90s hits from 6 to 10 p.m.

🎤 Karaoke at the Gazebo: Warm up those vocal cords for Saturday Serenade, featuring karaoke with DJ Joe Kahwaty, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Downtown Freehold Gazebo. Bring your chair—and perhaps a song that doesn’t require the high notes.

🎭 Cake, Coffee and Confessions: Cocktail Hour Confessions returns from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the First Avenue Playhouse, Atlantic Highlands. Admission includes the play and dessert.

🎺 A Legendary Night of Jazz: The Grammy-winning Count Basie Orchestra brings its timeless blend of swing, blues and improvisation to the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, Red Bank, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

⛵ Smooth Sailing in Manasquan: Ready or Yacht delivers the soft-rock hits and silky harmonies of the late ’70s and early ’80s from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Algonquin Arts Theatre. Yacht not required.

🌿 Clearwater Continues: The NJ Clearwater Festival returns from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Bradley Park in Asbury Park, with live music, food, vendors, family activities and environmental programs.

🍰 Sunday Matinee with Something Sweet: Catch Cocktail Hour Confessions from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands. The dessert-theater ticket includes cake, coffee and soda.

🎙️ Crooning into Sunday: Celebrate the golden age of American song with Bing Crosby & All That Jazz, featuring James Langton and Mike Davis’s New Wonders. The music swings from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Algonquin Arts Theatre, Manasquan.

Free music, old-fashioned craftsmanship, birdwatching and a 25-foot climbing wall for the grandkids are waiting in Monmouth County’s Parks.

🎶 Soul favorites in Lincroft: JO & the Highland Express will bring the music of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Kool & the Gang and other funk and soul favorites to Thompson Park on Friday, Aug. 21, from 7–8:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs or blankets, food and soft drinks. The concert will move into the Theater Barn if the weather misbehaves. FREE!

🪵 Watch craftsmanship from another century: See how skilled woodworkers once turned raw materials into beautiful, practical pieces during a 19th-Century Woodworking Demonstration at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel on Saturday, Aug. 22, from noon–3 p.m. No power tools, no online tutorials—just know-how. FREE!

🧗 Take fun to new heights: Take the grandkids to try the Park System’s 25-foot portable climbing wall during Climb Time at Shark River Park in Wall on Sunday, Aug. 23, from noon–3 p.m. Participants must be at least 8 years old and 42 inches tall. FREE!

🐦 Settle in for “The Little Sit”: Join an educator at Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. to spot and identify local birds. This relaxed version of a “Big Sit” will also introduce visitors to citizen-science apps for recording their sightings. Bring binoculars—and prepare to discover that birds have surprisingly busy social calendars. FREE!

The Monmouth County Library is turning up the oldies and clearing space on the dance floor.

🎶 Fall in love with doo wop all over again: Former doo wop singer Phil Bruschi closes out the library’s summer concert series with his Favorite Doo Wop Love Songs on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 1–3 p.m. at the Ocean Township Branch. Hear classics including “Earth Angel” and “Daddy’s Home,” along with stories about The Flamingos, The Platters, The Five Satins and other hitmakers of the 1950s and early ’60s.

💃 Give the dance floor a whirl: Practice salsa, swing, tango, cha-cha, rumba, waltz, foxtrot and more during the Social Dance Club’s Summer Night Series on Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 6–7:30 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan. Instructor Lloyd “Silqui” Davis welcomes everyone from first-timers to seasoned dancers. No partner is necessary because partners rotate—which also means no one person has to take the blame for every stepped-on toe.

💙 Find guidance from people who understand: The Jersey Shore Prostate Cancer Support Group brings patients and caregivers together for peer-to-peer education and support on Thursday, Aug. 20, from 7–8:30 p.m. Attend at Library Headquarters in Manalapan or join online. Learn more about the group at Jersey Shore Prostate Cancer Support Group.

🎀 Get the facts about breast cancer: Both women and men can develop breast cancer, and knowing the risks and warning signs matters. Jenna Bottiglieri of Hackensack Meridian Health will discuss early detection and healthy lifestyle changes at the Hazlet Township Branch on Monday, Aug. 24, from 2–3 p.m.

❤️ Find support after a loss: Grief doesn’t follow a schedule—or an instruction manual. The Lost and Found Bereavement Support Group offers a welcoming place to share experiences, feelings and ideas for moving forward on Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 6:45–8 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan.

Mid-August is prime time for Jersey Fresh peaches, one of summer’s sweetest rewards. New Jersey’s peach season typically runs from July through September, with many varieties reaching their peak in August.

Look for peaches that smell sweet and give slightly when gently pressed. Keep firm peaches on the counter until ripe, then refrigerate them to slow the ripening process. Enjoy them sliced over cereal, blended into smoothies, tossed into salads or paired with savory ingredients for dinner.

Need a fresh way to serve them? Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck combines local peaches, jalapeño, apple cider and lime in a sweet-and-spicy chicken dish.

🍽️ Try it: Jalapeño Peach Chicken from Delicious Orchards

☕ A new chapter for a storied coffeehouse: Almost Home General has opened in the Long Branch space once occupied by The Inkwell Coffee House. The regional café serves specialty coffee, tea, house-made pastries and breakfast dishes. The Inkwell opened in 1965 and became a bohemian gathering place for musicians, poets, Monmouth University students and, famously, a young Bruce Springsteen before closing in 2022. Developers incorporated pieces of its history into the new Inkwell Lofts, but the café’s polished replacement has drawn mixed reactions from residents who miss the old neighborhood institution. One thing is certain: the coffee may be new, but the address comes with plenty of history.

🥢 Pan-Asian dining goes big in Red Bank: SHO Asian Table is now serving dinner in a new three-story restaurant from the team behind Meximodo and Le Malt Lounge. The kitchen is led by culinary director Sean Yan of Metuchen’s acclaimed Ram & Rooster and executive chef Robert Santello, formerly of Pascal & Sabine. Guests can expect pan-Asian cuisine accompanied by an ambitious beverage program that includes input from James Beard Award-winning author and mixologist Danny Childs.

Scammers are using promises of “new” Medicare cards, free groceries and extra benefits to steal Medicare numbers from older adults. Here’s what you need to know:

Never share your Medicare number with an unsolicited caller, texter or visitor. If an offer sounds too good to be true, hang up and verify it independently by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Medicare fraud is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $60 billion nationwide each year—so guard your Medicare card just as carefully as you would a credit card.

Celebrity Cruises is giving Northeast travelers two tempting reasons to start planning for 2028. In May, Celebrity Summit will offer seven-night round-trip cruises from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, to Bermuda, including two overnight stays—plenty of time to enjoy the island’s pink-sand beaches, golf courses and galleries.

In September and October, 12-night cruises from Boston will showcase the fall foliage, lighthouses and fishing villages of Canada and New England. An overnight stay in Quebec City gives passengers time to explore Old Quebec after dark.

The 2028 Bermuda and Canada–New England itineraries are scheduled to go on sale Aug. 25, 2026. Best of all for New Jersey travelers, Cape Liberty is close enough to begin the vacation without first enduring an airport. Now that’s smooth sailing!

History takes to the skies at AirFest 2026, happening Thursday, Sept. 3, through Sunday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum.

The four-day festival features historic warbirds, military vehicles, fire trucks, living-history reenactors, STEM exhibits, live music, food vendors, face painting and a beer and wine garden—all inside and around a former World War II dive-bomber training hangar.

Where: Cape May Airport, 500 Forrestal Road
Admission: $18 for adults; $14 for children ages 3–12; free for children under 3, active-duty military and museum members
Learn more at NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum.

Move over, Hollywood—Helen S. of Red Bank is turning 72 this week! Here’s to a celebration packed with cake, laughter and absolutely no pressure to act your age. Happy birthday, Helen!

A few other celebrities firing up the candles this week: Robert De Niro turns 83, Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes is 77, Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle is 68 and actor Sean Penn is 66 on Aug. 17. On Aug. 19, actor John Stamos turns 63, actor Kyra Sedgwick is 61, and country singer Lee Ann Womack turns 60. Then on Aug. 20, news legend Connie Chung celebrates 80, Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant rocks into 78 and Today weatherman Al Roker forecasts 72 with a 100% chance of cake.

A Sea Bright landmark is celebrating a half-century at the Shore. Donovan’s Reef marks its 50th anniversary in August, and the Monmouth County Commissioners recently recognized owners Michael Cardelfe, Christine Carducci and Bob Phillips for reaching the milestone. Known for its ocean views, private lifeguarded beach, live music and casual food, Donovan’s has also been named one of America’s top beach bars. But for generations of Shore regulars, its real claim to fame may be the collection of summer memories made with sandy feet and a cold drink in hand.

Plenty has changed along the Jersey Shore over the past 50 years. Thankfully, the combination of music and ocean breezes never goes out of style!

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See you next week!

😎The Monmouth Senior Scoop team

Disclaimer: The Monmouth Senior Scoop shares information for entertainment purposes only and does not offer medical, legal or financial advice.