This week, Monmouth County is keeping the fun close to home with outdoor concerts, sidewalk sales, seafood festivals, farmers markets and plenty of reasons to unfold the lawn chair.

👀 What’s on tap this week:

🚂 A historic train station’s second act
🦈 Shark-filled fossil fun with the grandkids
🎉 Music, markets and weekend festivals
🍽️ New additions to the local dining scene

Up first…

🇺🇸 Connect with the services you earned. Monmouth County veterans and their families can meet representatives from 75 service providers at the Veterans Resource Fair on Aug. 19 from 3–6 p.m. at the Fort Athletic Club, 114 Saltzman Ave., Oceanport. Get information about veterans benefits, healthcare, housing, transportation, legal services, education, support programs and Veteran ID cards. Advance registration is encouraged at 732-431-7450.

🦟 Evict the mosquitoes before they unpack. All this summer rain has turned buckets, flowerpot saucers, birdbaths, tarps and backyard toys into prime mosquito real estate. Take a quick walk around your property and empty any standing water—Asian tiger mosquitoes need only a tiny puddle to start a family. Monmouth County offers free mosquito inspections to locate and treat potential breeding spots. Call 732-542-3630 or request a courtesy inspection online.

Middletown animal control officials are reminding residents to check their pets’ rabies vaccinations after a bat found near Swan Avenue in the Locust section tested positive for the disease. Two dogs may have been exposed. Keep pets leashed outdoors and away from bats or other wild animals. Never touch a bat—even if it appears dead. Anyone who may have been bitten or exposed to an animal’s blood or saliva should contact a medical professional immediately. Rabies is fatal, but it is preventable.

🚂 Trade the train ticket for a pair of walking shoes. Monmouth County has purchased Freehold Borough’s historic Jackson Street station, built in 1900, with plans to transform it into a visitor center for the Henry Hudson Trail. The restored depot is expected to include restrooms, a community room and exhibits about its railroad history. Future trail connections could eventually create one continuous route from Freehold to Highlands.

🍅 Settle New Jersey’s juiciest debate. Celebrate the Garden State’s favorite vegetable—or fruit, depending on how argumentative you feel—at FesTomato! on Aug. 15 from noon–8 p.m. at Ironbound Farm in Asbury. Expect tomato tastings, farm tours, cooking demonstrations, live music and local vendors. Admission is free.

🏊‍♀️ Raise a glass to the woman who made history in the water. Trudy Fest marks the 100th anniversary of Highlands heroine Gertrude Ederle becoming the first woman to swim the English Channel—and beating the men’s record while she was at it. Head to Veterans Park in Highlands on Aug. 15 from 3–8 p.m. for live music, food trucks, a beer-and-wine garden, vendors, children’s activities and a chicken-wing challenge inspired by one of Trudy’s favorite foods. Admission is free.

Clear a little space on the calendar because Monmouth County is serving up live music, fresh seafood, classic cars, outdoor movies and even a baby parade. Here are some of the best reasons to get out of the house this week.

💃 Kick up your heels at Pier Village. Free line dancing returns to Long Branch, with an instructor leading dancers through the steps. No partner—and no fancy footwork—required.

🎷 Spend an evening with jazz and blues. Bradley Beach’s Summer Jazz & Blues series brings live music to Riley Park, proving that Wednesdays do not have to be the dull middle child of the week.

🎸 See a rock legend in Red Bank. Todd Rundgren takes the stage at the Count Basie Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m.

🎬 Watch a movie with sand between your toes. Belmar’s Movies on the Beach series offers an easygoing night by the ocean. Bring a chair or blanket and check the forecast before heading out.

🛍️ Make it a girls’ night—or afternoon—out. Manasquan’s Ladies Night Out runs from 4–8 p.m. with shopping, dining and specials throughout downtown.

🎶 Catch a free summer concert. Music fills the evening in Belmar, Colts Neck, Hazlet, Long Branch, Matawan and Bradley Beach. The hardest part may be choosing which lawn chair gets your company.

🎭 Hopelessly devote yourself to Grease. The JCC Jersey Shore in Deal presents the beloved musical packed with poodle skirts, slicked-back hair and songs you already know by heart.

🐦 Put on a happy face at Bye Bye Birdie. Spring Lake Theatre presents the cheerful Broadway favorite at 300 Madison Ave. Expect catchy tunes, teenage commotion and plenty of 1950s nostalgia.

🛍️ Hunt for a bargain by the beach. Pier Village’s Summer Sidewalk Sale runs from noon–8 p.m. in Long Branch. Browse the deals, grab a bite and pretend the ocean breeze makes every purchase practical.

👢 Get in line at Tall Oaks Farm + Brewery. Stomp & Stride hosts line dancing from 6–9 p.m. in Farmingdale. Beginners are welcome, and a little liquid courage is conveniently brewed on-site.

🎵 Get funky in Freehold. Funky Fridays brings live music to Downtown Freehold for a lively start to the weekend.

🚤 Sail away without leaving Asbury Park. Yacht Rock Revue brings the smooth sounds of the ’70s and ’80s to the Stone Pony Summer Stage. Boat shoes are optional but spiritually appropriate.

🛶 Make a splash in Manasquan. Canoe, kayak and paddleboard races take over Stockton Lake from 10 a.m.–noon. Cheer from shore or enter the competition if your balance is feeling particularly ambitious.

🦞 Arrive hungry at Monmouth Park. The Surf & Turf Seafood Festival runs Saturday and Sunday at the Oceanport racetrack, combining live racing with seafood dishes, cold drinks and summer entertainment.

🍷 Sip your way through Red Bank. The Red Bank Food & Wine Walk runs from 1–5 p.m., offering tastes from participating restaurants around town.

🍓 Catch Keyport’s sweetest celebration. The Strawberry Festival and Baby Parade runs from 1–6 p.m. along American Legion Drive. Expect food, family fun and some very small parade participants who may or may not cooperate.

🚘 Cruise into West End. Long Branch’s Cruise Night & Classic Car Show fills Brighton Avenue with vintage vehicles from 6–10 p.m. Come for the chrome and stay for the inevitable debate over which decade built the best cars.

🎶 Spend Saturday night in the park. Bradley Beach and Downtown Freehold both offer outdoor concert series, giving you two chances to unfold the lawn chair and enjoy some live music.

🚗 Admire the classics in Belford. A community car show runs from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. at 251 Church St. in Middletown.

🐾 Bring your favorite drinking buddy. Long Branch’s Bark Crawl runs from 11 a.m.–6 p.m., offering a dog-friendly day around Pier Village. Expect wagging tails, social stops and at least one dog with a better outfit than yours.

🍉 Toast to summer in Colts Neck. Wine and Watermelon Weekend runs from noon–5 p.m. at 4JG’s Orchards & Vineyards.

🍷 Pair Santana with sangria. Cream Ridge Winery hosts Santana Music & Farmstand Sangria from noon–6 p.m.—a combination that makes Sunday afternoon sound considerably more exciting.

Find schedules, admission details and last-minute updates on the Monmouth County tourism events calendar.

🫒 NUMA Opens at The Grove

NUMA Modern Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar is officially open at 508 Broad St., Shrewsbury, in the former Albariño space at The Grove. The polished new restaurant serves Mediterranean-inspired mezze, seafood, grilled dishes and cocktails, with lunch, dinner, weekend brunch and weekday happy hour. It looks like date night just found a new address. View the restaurant

🇮🇹🇵🇷 Olimora Takes Over the Lubrano’s 36 Space

The former Lubrano’s 36 location at 26 Route 36 in Middletown is preparing for a new chapter. Olimora Italian & Puerto Rican Restaurant is scheduled to open Aug. 15, bringing two flavor-packed culinary traditions together under one roof. The new owners have also said they will honor outstanding Lubrano’s gift cards—a thoughtful gesture for longtime customers. Pasta and Puerto Rican specialties on the same menu? We are listening!

🦈 Shark Week Just Got Fossilized: Load up the grandkids and head to the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum in Mantua Township now through Aug. 16 for Sharks at the Park, a prehistoric takeover filled with fossil hunting and crafts.

Kids can investigate why sharks float, identify fossil teeth, make shark puppets and tooth necklaces, complete an “I Spy” fossil challenge and create jellyfish-in-a-jar crafts.

Young fossil hunters who uncover a shark tooth during the quarry dig will also be entered to win a one-year Gold museum membership and a $100 gift card.

The celebration gets even brighter on Saturday, Aug. 15, when the museum hosts its Glow-In-The-Shark Party from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening includes a quarry fossil dig, live animals, shark activities and a neon dance party from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Admission is $30 per person or $15 for members.

See the full schedule and purchase tickets.

See what’s happening in Monmouth County Park System parks this week, all for free!

🪡 A Stitch Back in Time: Stop by Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel from 1 to 3 p.m. to see a demonstration of smocking, a nearly lost decorative embroidery technique created by gathering fabric into regularly spaced tucks. It’s intricate, old-fashioned and proof that people were doing impressive things with fabric long before sewing machines came along.

🐦 Birding Without the Pop Quiz: Join a Park System Naturalist at 9 a.m. at Bayshore Waterfront Park in Port Monmouth for a relaxed, 90-minute walk in search of the park’s feathered residents.

🦀 Getting to Know the Blue Crab: Discover what makes New Jersey’s signature crustacean so unusual during a free nature lecture from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center in Port Monmouth. A Park System Naturalist will explore the life history of blue crab claws and explain why preserving this familiar coastal creature matters.

🎶 Funk, Soul and a Friday Night: Spread out a blanket and settle in for JO & the Highland Express from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Thompson Park Theater Barn in Lincroft. The band will recreate favorites by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Kool & the Gang and other funk and soul legends. Bring lawn chairs and snacks. The free concert is planned for outdoors but will move inside if the weather refuses to cooperate.

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

🧠 Three Midlife Habits That Could Help Protect Your Brain: Normal blood pressure, no diabetes and no smoking lead to about 13 years longer without dementia. HealthDay, Aug. 6.

💉 New Kind of Flu Shot Is on the Way as the FDA Approves Moderna’s mRNA-Based Vaccine: The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new kind of flu vaccine for older people, the first made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Associated Press, Aug. 6.

🩺 Costco, Kayaks and Netflix: Medicare Advantage’s Perks Get Scrutiny: Officials said no to health plans that wanted to expand extra benefits to cover medical marijuana, streaming services and shopping clubs. More changes are coming in 2027. The New York Times, Aug. 8.

💵 How to Set Financial Boundaries With Your Adult Kids: Some parents may feel obligated to help their adult children—but that support may be doing more harm than good. U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 3.

This week, the Monmouth County Library is dealing out cards, turning up the music, rolling out the dance floor and proving once again that books are only the beginning.

🃏 Play Your Cards Right in West Long Branch: Intermediate bridge players can pull up a chair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the West Long Branch Library. Seating is first come, first served, and saving seats is not allowed—so even your favorite partner is on their own.

🀄 Mahjongg, Bridge and a Morning of Games: Head to the Holmdel Library from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for casual, player-led games of Mahjongg and bridge. Tables and supplies are provided, but space is limited. Players rotate in when it gets busy, so everyone has a chance to join the action.

💃 Shall We Dance?: Salsa, tango, swing, cha-cha, hustle, rumba and waltz your way through the afternoon at the Social Dance Club, meeting from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan. Beginners and experienced dancers are welcome, partners rotate and no date is required.

🀄 Cracks, Bams and Dots in Holmdel: Experienced players can settle in for American Mahjongg from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Holmdel Library. The library supplies the tables and sets; you supply the strategy. Seating is limited to 20 players in order of arrival, and spectators are welcome, too.

🎸 A Little Folk, a Little Blues: Beat the heat at the Howell Library from 2 to 3 p.m. with guitarist and songwriter Tal Naccarato, who will perform original and traditional acoustic music with a bluesy swing. He’ll also share some of the history behind America’s folk-blues tradition.

🧘 Take a Seat and Stretch: Chair Yoga meets from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan, offering flexibility, balance, breathwork and stress relief without requiring anyone to get down on the floor—or figure out how to get back up. Remain seated throughout or stand with the chair for support.

🎨 Dots, Reptiles and Ancient Inspiration: Join teaching artist Jenny Santa Maria from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lower Gallery at Library Headquarters in Manalapan for an art session inspired by Australian Aboriginal traditions. Participants will use acrylic gel pens on black paper to create a colorful reptile design. No artistic experience is needed, all materials are provided and registration is required.

🐢 Draw a Little Piece of the Pines: The evening studio session runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in Rooms 4 and 5 at Library Headquarters in Manalapan and turns its attention to New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. With step-by-step guidance, participants will use colored pencils to create an Eastern box turtle and native lady slipper orchid. It’s part art class, part nature lesson. Materials are provided, and registration is required.

🃏 Deal Yourself In: Intermediate bridge returns from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the West Long Branch Library. for another round of bids, tricks and serious concentration. Participation is first come, first served, with no seat saving.

🎤 Doo Wop Down Memory Lane: Former doo wop singer Phil Bruschi closes out the library’s summer concert series from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Ocean Township Library. Expect favorite love songs from the 1950s and early ’60s, plus stories about The Flamingos, The Platters, The Five Satins and other groups that filled the airwaves.

🖍️ Color Yourself Calm: Drop into Library Headquarters in Manalapan from 1:30 to 3 p.m. for a relaxing afternoon of coloring with high-quality markers and colored pencils provided by the library. You may also bring your own art project. Staying inside the lines is completely optional.

Times Square has a brand-new attraction—and this one does not require standing behind a barricade for 12 hours on New Year’s Eve.

Times Travel at One Times Square is a new immersive experience that takes visitors through the history of Times Square and its famous New Year’s Eve celebration. Guests can ride a glass “Times Machine” elevator through decades of neighborhood history, fly virtually over 1930s Manhattan, cruise Broadway in a simulated taxicab and experience the Ball Drop from years past.

The attraction also displays five historic New Year’s Eve Balls, including a replica of the original 1907 Ball and the recently retired “Big Ball” used from 2008 through 2025. Yes, photos are encouraged—so this may be your chance to get closer to the Ball than Anderson Cooper does.

The grand finale is the Times Square Skywalk, a glass walkway and 360-degree observation deck located 19 floors above the plaza. It offers sweeping river-to-river views and a bird’s-eye look at the Crossroads of the World.

📍 Where: One Times Square, New York City
🎟️ Tickets: Starting at $44 per person
ℹ️ Details: onetimessquare.com

Clear a little space on the watchlist. This week brings Michael Jackson’s life story, Bob Odenkirk back in action, the return of Reacher and a pair of detectives whose jurisdiction extends well beyond planet Earth.

🎤 Michael
Streaming Aug. 10 | Starz

Following its blockbuster theatrical run, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael arrives on Starz. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the estate-approved drama stars Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, as the King of Pop and traces the singer’s life and career.

❄️ Normal
Streaming Aug. 14 | HBO Max

Bob Odenkirk adds another action role to his résumé in Normal. He plays a substitute sheriff who arrives in a wintry Minnesota town following the death of his predecessor—and quickly discovers that very little about the place is normal.

💪 Reacher, Season 4
Aug. 12 | Prime Video

Alan Ritchson returns as Jack Reacher, with the season’s first three episodes arriving Wednesday. Based on Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow, the story begins when Reacher witnesses a woman take her own life on a subway and becomes a target because of information she passed to him before her death.

🔧 Tires, Season 3
Aug. 13 | Netflix

The workplace comedy starring Steve Gerben and Shane Gillis returns for a third season of blue-collar mishaps at an auto repair shop. Expect questionable decisions, employee chaos and very little actual workplace professionalism.

💚 Lanterns
Premiering Aug. 16 | HBO Max

Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre star as Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart in DC’s new mystery series. The intergalactic law-enforcement officers come to Earth to investigate a murder in Nebraska, combining superhero science fiction with the moody detective atmosphere of True Detective.

Carly Simon releases Comes in Waves on Friday, Aug. 14, marking her first album of original songs since 2008.

The deeply personal project arrives after Simon recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and treated for skin cancer. She has said creating the music gave purpose and structure to difficult days—and reminded her that an illness can change a life without defining all of it.

For longtime fans, the album is more than a comeback. It is a moving reminder that the creative spirit does not retire quietly.

No local birthdays landed in our inbox this week 🥲 Apparently, everyone in Monmouth County has stopped aging. While we investigate, here are a few celebrities who are still admitting to it:

Aug. 9: Actor Sam Elliott is 82, actor Melanie Griffith is 69 and former Today co-host Hoda Kotb is 62.

Aug. 12: Actor George Hamilton is 87, Dire Straits singer-guitarist Mark Knopfler is 77 and rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot is 63.

Aug. 13: Actor Danny Bonaduce of The Partridge Family is 67, while Mad Men and Desperate Housewives actor John Slattery is 64.

Aug. 14: Country singer Connie Smith is 85, actor and musician Steve Martin is 81, romance novelist Danielle Steel is 79 and The Far Side cartoonist Gary Larson is 76. Also celebrating are actor Marcia Gay Harden, 67; singer Sarah Brightman, 66; The Brady Bunch actor Susan Olsen, 65; and actor Halle Berry, 60.

The U.S. Postal Service is serving up something sweet for the holidays: new Christmas Cookies Forever stamps featuring four beautifully frosted sugar cookies.

The cookies were baked by designer Kyrie Johnson and photographed for the colorful red-and-blue stamps. They will be sold in booklets of 20 beginning Saturday, Sept. 19, following an official celebration at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.

Look for the stamps at Post Office locations nationwide or order them through the USPS Postal Store. They are perfect for holiday cards—and unlike the cookies in your kitchen, all 20 should still be there when you need them.

🙏Thanks for reading! Until next week, shop local, try something new and never underestimate the importance of a comfortable folding chair.

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😎See you next week!
The Monmouth Senior Scoop team

Disclaimer: The Monmouth Senior Scoop is for informational and entertainment purposes only—not medical, legal or financial advice. Event details may change, so please confirm before heading out.