👋Hey, Monmouth friends!

This week, we’re leaning into summer with the Monmouth County Fair, free music by the ocean, a wildly popular sprayground, blueberry treats and plenty of new restaurants to try.

So grab the lawn chair, pack the sunscreen and save room for pie. Here’s what’s happening around Monmouth County this week.

🥧 Take the Grandkids: Pie-eating at the county fair
🎶 Weekend Plans: Beach concerts, jazz, festivals and Mellencamp
💦 Make a Splash: Dorbrook Sprayground
🚗 Day Trippin’: Balloons and Christmas at the Shore
🫐 Local Flavor: Blueberry season goes all in
🍽️ Fresh on the Menu: Five new places to try
📚 Beyond the Books: Support, safety and grandparenting
🃏 Card Sharks: Bridge and Mahjongg
🎉 Just for Fun: Crafts, concerts, dancing and more
📺 TV Time: Pickleball, Kevin Hart and a familiar comic-book owner
✈️ Wanderlust Weekly: Book the table, then the room
🎂 Celebrity Birthdays: Wonder Woman, J.Lo and a funk legend

Up first…

Here’s one way to make sure the grandkids don’t play with their food: turn it into a competition. The Monmouth County Fair’s old-fashioned pie-eating contest returns Sunday, July 26, with messy faces, big laughs and pies donated by Wemrock Orchards.

Children 12 and younger compete at 12:30 p.m., followed by ages 13 and older at 12:45 p.m. Registration begins at 11 a.m. at the Main Stage. Every contestant receives a T-shirt to wear during the competition, and the speediest pie eaters take home trophies. Grandparents, meanwhile, get priceless photos for future graduation slideshows.

Make a day of it at the 51st annual Monmouth County Fair, running July 22–26 at the East Freehold Showgrounds, 1500 Kozloski Road in Freehold. Along with the pie-fueled chaos, there will be rides, entertainment, 4-H shows and exhibits, home and garden competitions and opening-night fireworks, weather permitting.

Admission is $10 for adults, while children 12 and younger get in free every day. Even better: Seniors 65 and older are admitted free on Sunday. That’s two generations through the gate for nothing—which leaves more money for rides, games and the inevitable “Can we get one more snack?”

Here’s what’s happening around Monmouth County this week.

🎤 Catch live music with your toes in the sand. Bradley Beach’s Singers & Songwriters on the Beach welcomes Detroit’s Mac Saturn and Asbury Park’s Mirror Mirror to Newark Avenue Beach on Thursday, July 23, from 7–9 p.m. Bring a chair, blanket and snacks for this free oceanfront show. Reserved seating? Never heard of her.

🎭 Get up close with a Broadway songwriter. Joe Iconis—the composer behind Be More Chill—brings his Tiny Room Concerts to Two River Theater in Red Bank, with performances Thursday and Friday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Big talent. Tiny room. You get the idea.

🎸 Rewind to the ’80s in Colts Neck. Rockit Fish takes the pondside stage at Town Hall on Thursday, July 23, from 7–8:30 p.m. Admission is free; just bring a lawn chair and whatever remains of your Aqua Net.

🌊 Let the ocean provide the backup vocals. Thursdays by the Sea continues at the Great Lawn in Long Branch on July 23 from 7–8:30 p.m. Pack a blanket, bring some snacks and enjoy free live music with an ocean view that no indoor venue can compete with.

🎷 Jazz up your Friday night. Red123 featuring Steve Bryant performs in the courtyard at Trinity Episcopal Church, 65 W. Front St., Red Bank, on July 24 from 6–8:30 p.m. The concert is free, the setting is lovely and your weekend just got a little smoother.

🚂 Meet Virginia—and bring your favorite old T-shirt. Train celebrates 25 years of Drops of Jupiter at PNC Bank Arts Center on Friday, July 24, at 6:45 p.m., joined by Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson. That’s enough early-2000s nostalgia to fill a six-disc CD changer.

🕺 Put a little funk in your Friday. Downtown Freehold’s Funky Fridays series brings live local music to the gazebo on July 24 from 7–9 p.m. Grab a lawn chair and enjoy.

🇮🇹 Mangia your way around Monmouth Park. The Italian Festival & Wine Tasting takes over the Oceanport racetrack Saturday and Sunday, July 25–26, from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Expect Italian specialties from more than a dozen local restaurants and food trucks, wine tastings, live music and horse racing.

🍷 Sing the blues—with sangria in hand. Cream Ridge Winery celebrates Jersey Blues Day on Saturday, July 25, from noon–8 p.m. with Blues-berry sangria, three live musical acts, baked goods, a smash burger truck and local farm stands. Honestly, the blues have never sounded so cheerful.

🎨 Take an art walk with a jazzy soundtrack. Ocean Grove’s Summer Stroll Juried Fine Art Show fills Main Avenue and Pilgrim Pathway with paintings, photography and other original works on Saturday, July 25, from 4–8 p.m.

🎸 Mellencamp at PNC. John Mellencamp brings his Dancing Words Tour: The Greatest Hits to PNC Bank Arts Center on Saturday, July 25, at 8 p.m. Expect the classics, plus a few songs he hasn’t performed in years.

🛍️ Go treasure hunting without digging through anyone’s attic. Refresh Vintage Market fills Bell Works in Holmdel with collectibles, nostalgic pieces and hard-to-find goods on Sunday, July 26, from 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

If you remember taking your own kids to the Dorbrook Sprayground, you may also remember when reservations weren’t required. Those carefree days are gone—the Colts Neck attraction has become wildly popular—but it’s still worth the trip.

Weekend and holiday visits are free but require advance reservations for everyone entering, including infants, children and grandparents. There are no walk-ups, and children must have a parent or grandparent accompany them inside the sprayground.

Reservations cover one 90-minute session for up to 10 people. Visit MonmouthCountyParks.com, click “Register for Programs” and search for “Sprayground Fun.” Then grab the towels and prepare to get wet—supervising from a dry bench isn’t part of the deal.

Road trips worth the trip!

🎈 Go up, up and away in Warren County. The Warren County Farmers’ Fair and Hot Air Balloon Festival takes flight July 25–August 1 with colorful balloon launches, tractor pulls, horse shows, live entertainment, traditional arts, demolition derbies and activities for the grandkids. This year’s celebration salutes America’s 250th anniversary and the American farmer. It’s high-flying, down-on-the-farm fun.

🎅 Trade sleigh bells for seashells in Wildwood Crest. Christmas in July takes over Sunset Lake near Atlanta and New Jersey avenues on Saturday, July 25, with live music, face painting, food, holiday cheer and free photos with Santa. Stick around after sunset as roughly 40 decorated boats parade across the lake at 8:45 p.m. Apparently, even Santa knows summer is better down the Shore.

Jersey blueberries are ripe, plentiful and currently finding their way into pies, pastries, wine and just about everything else we’d rather eat than a salad. Luckily, Monmouth County offers plenty of delicious ways to celebrate our official state fruit.

🥧 Go straight for the pie. Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck turns fresh Jersey berries into traditional blueberry pies with golden, flaky, hand-rolled crusts. Browse the bakery for blueberry breads and seasonal tarts, then pick up a container of fresh local berries for the ride home. Whether they survive the drive is between you and the blueberries.

🍷 Pair your pie with a blueberry pour. Wemrock Orchards in Freehold offers deep-dish Jersey blueberry pies and individual blueberry tarts from its country store. The on-site Tomasello Winery tasting room also carries Jersey blueberry wine and blueberry moscato.

🧺 Pick your own pint—or five. Happy Day Farm in Manalapan lets visitors gather sun-ripened blueberries straight from the bushes during the peak July harvest. Take them home for muffins, pancakes or pie, or simply eat half the container before reaching the kitchen. Check the farm’s website or social media before visiting, since picking conditions and availability can change quickly.

🧁 Let the bakery do the work. Del Ponte’s Bakery in Bradley Beach is a longtime Jersey Shore favorite known for Italian pastries, cookies and fruit-filled desserts, including glazed blueberry crumb pies and loaded fruit tarts.

Seasonal selections can change, so check with each business before making a special trip. Then loosen your belt a notch and enjoy blueberry season while it lasts.

☕ Did you know Gregorys Coffee is now open in Manalapan? The new shop at 360 Route 9 is the chain’s first Monmouth County location—and its first with a double-lane drive-thru. Worth pulling in for: the Iced Maple Hazelnut Protein Latte, made with espresso, whole milk, maple-hazelnut protein cold foam and cinnamon. It packs 24 grams of protein, which means your coffee run is now practically a workout.

🥩 A French steakhouse has entered the chat. Apéro Steakhouse is open at 200 Port Au Peck Ave. in Oceanport, in the former Blu Grotto space at Monmouth Park. The menu pairs premium aged steaks with French favorites including escargot, duck confit salad, tuna tartare and French onion soup. Go for the steak frites; stay because “apéritif before dinner” is a tradition we’re fully prepared to adopt.

🍝 Spring Lake has a glamorous new date-night destination. Olea Restaurant & Lounge inside The Shore Club serves a coastal-Mediterranean menu of house-made pastas, seafood and steaks from chef Brandon “Bud” Carter, formerly of The Butcher’s Block. Look for dishes such as dressed oysters, steak tartare, crab cakes, fresh clam chitarra and Wagyu skirt steak. At 700 Route 71, it’s open Thursday through Sunday—and yes, reservations are probably smarter than showing up hungry and hopeful.

☕ A little aloha has landed in Wall. Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii opened its first Jersey Shore café at 1825 Route 35, serving Hawaiian-grown coffee, signature lattes, cold brews, blended drinks and teas. Hungry? Breakfast and lunch sandwiches arrive on King’s Hawaiian sweet bread, while malasada doughnuts bring the island-vacation energy. Bonus news: A second Shore location is already planned for Ocean Township.

🧀 Oceanport just got a lot more graze-worthy. Olive & Oak has opened its first brick-and-mortar café and grab-and-go market at 700 Oceanport Ave., expanding its popular charcuterie and catering business. The menu includes coffee, pastries, wraps, sandwiches and creative grilled cheeses—like The Kathy, made with Brie, apples, onion jam and mustard on toasted sourdough. Yum!

See what’s happening at Monmouth County libraries this week - all for free!

🫶 Find support after the loss of a loved one. The Lost and Found Bereavement Support Group meets Wednesday, July 22, from 6:45–8 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan. Facilitator Beth Stamp offers a welcoming place to share experiences, work through difficult emotions and explore new ways of moving forward.

💙 Connect with others who understand. A second Lost and Found Bereavement Support Group meeting will be held Monday, July 27, from 12:30–1:30 p.m. at the Marlboro Branch. The free session is led by support facilitator Beth Stamp.

👶 Get a grandparenting update—because a few things have changed. Harry Samaniego of Hackensack Meridian Health presents Grandparents 2.0 at the Hazlet Township Branch on Monday, July 27, from 1:30–2:30 p.m. Learn about current first-aid recommendations, safety, prevention and how to navigate grandparenting in 2026. Registration is required.

♠️ Deal yourself into a Wednesday game. Intermediate bridge players meet at the West Long Branch Library on July 22 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Seating is first come, first served—and no saving a spot for your favorite partner.

♦️ Learn the duplicate-bridge ropes. Beginners can practice this fun, interactive version of the game at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on Wednesday, July 22, from noon–4:45 p.m. Seats are limited, so arrive early and prepare to play your cards right.

♣️ Build a better bridge game. Beginner and intermediate players can learn together at the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury on Thursday, July 23, from 9:30 a.m.–noon. Volunteer experts will offer guidance, and players will rotate when tables are full. No advanced sharks, please—this pond is for learners.

🀄 Choose your game-day obsession. The Holmdel Branch hosts casual, player-led rounds of Mahjongg and bridge on Thursday, July 23, from 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Tables and supplies are provided, no registration is required and seating is first come, first served.

🀄 Crack, bam and dot your way through Thursday afternoon. Experienced players are invited to the Holmdel Mah Jongg Club on July 23 from 1–4 p.m. Sets are supplied, National Mah Jongg League rules apply and spectators are welcome. Capacity is 20 players, with seating in order of arrival.

♥️ Spend Monday night holding all the cards. Experienced bridge players can gather at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on July 27 from 6–8:30 p.m. This one is for people who already know the game, and seating is first come, first served.

🀄 Bring your card—the library has the tiles. West Long Branch Library hosts its weekly Mahjongg game Tuesday, July 28, from 1–4 p.m. Some playing experience is needed, and extra players will rotate into the action. Translation: Arrive early, because nobody is saving seats.

🧶 Bring your WIP and meet your new crafty crew. Knit Wits welcomes knitting, crochet, needlepoint and other handicraft projects at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on Thursday, July 23, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. All skill levels are welcome; just bring your own supplies—and perhaps an explanation of what “WIP” means.

🔮 See what’s in the cards. Bestselling witchcraft author and deck creator Amanda Lovelace teaches the basics of tarot at the Atlantic Highlands Branch on Thursday, July 23, from 7–8:30 p.m. The future is unclear, but a fun evening looks highly likely.

🕺 Sway your way through the decades. Rhythm N’ Sound brings classic rock, doo-wop, Motown and disco to the Hazlet Township Branch on Friday, July 24, from 2–3 p.m. Registration is required, and dancing in your seat is strongly encouraged.

🎷 Wind down with a little jazz. The Jose Rodriguez Jazz Trio performs standards, fusion, originals, R&B and jazzed-up rock classics at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on Friday, July 24, from 2–3:30 p.m. Your Friday afternoon just got considerably cooler.

🦢 Turn a plain piece of paper into something impressive. Experienced adult paperfolders can swap ideas and techniques at the Circle of Origami Paperfolders meeting Saturday, July 25, from 1–4:30 p.m. at Library Headquarters in Manalapan. Registration is required.

☯️ Slow down while building strength. An introductory Qigong and Tai Chi class will be held Monday, July 27, from 10–11 a.m. at the West Long Branch Community Center. All abilities are welcome. Wear loose clothing and flexible, closed-toe sneakers, bring water and register in advance.

🧘 Stretch away the Monday stress. Instructor Steven Russell leads free Yoga for Beginners at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on July 27 from 6:30–8 p.m. All levels are welcome, no registration is needed and participants should bring a yoga mat or thick towel.

💃 Dance like someone is watching—and wants the next turn. The Social Dance Club meets at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on Tuesday, July 28, from 6–7:30 p.m. Practice salsa, swing, tango, cha-cha, waltz and more. Beginners and experienced dancers are welcome, no partner is needed.

🎨 Doodle your way to a calmer state of mind. Mimi Topping leads a colorful Zentangle workshop at the Colts Neck Branch on Tuesday, July 28, from 6:30–8 p.m. Participants will use gel pens and colored pencils to create meditative designs with a little extra pop. Registration is required.

🇮🇹 Take a musical trip to Italy—no passport required. Violinist Dr. David Podles performs music by Vivaldi, Paganini, Rossini and Puccini, along with tarantellas, mazurkas and Italian-American favorites, at the Ocean Township Branch on Wednesday, July 29, from 2–3 p.m.

🇺🇸 Celebrate America one verse at a time. Flora Higgins and Evelyn Hampton lead a reading and discussion of beloved patriotic poetry at the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury on Wednesday, July 29, from 2–3:30 p.m. No registration is needed—just bring your thoughts and perhaps your best “America the Beautiful” voice.

🌱 Build a tiny garden with big personality. Create a miniature terrarium using live plants and figurines at the Wall Township Branch on Wednesday, July 29, from 6–7 p.m. All supplies are provided, but registration is required. Fair warning: You may leave emotionally attached to a very small plant.

Here’s what’s new on TV this week.

🏓 Pickleball gets its big Hollywood moment. Jake Johnson stars in The Dink as a washed-up tennis pro who reluctantly takes up the sport while trying to save a struggling country club. Streaming Friday, July 24, on Apple TV, the comedy also features Ben Stiller, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris and Patton Oswalt. Finally, a pickleball movie for everyone who owns six paddles but still can’t remember the score.

🎉 Join the bachelor party you definitely weren’t invited to. In Netflix’s 72 Hours, Kevin Hart is accidentally added to a group chat—and somehow winds up partying with a group of twentysomethings. Streaming July 24, the comedy co-stars Saturday Night Live performers Marcello Hernández, Kam Patterson and Ben Marshall, along with Mason Gooding as the groom-to-be. What could go wrong? Roughly 72 hours’ worth of things.

🎬 Settle in for something quieter and more thoughtful. Streaming on the Criterion Channel beginning July 21, Blue Heron blends fiction, documentary, past and present as filmmaker Sophy Romvari revisits her childhood after her Hungarian family moved to Vancouver Island. The acclaimed debut has already landed on The Associated Press’ list of the year’s best movies so far.

💥 The comic-book guy gets his own universe to save. Kevin Sussman returns as socially awkward bookstore owner Stuart in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, a new Big Bang Theory spinoff premiering July 28 on HBO Max. A physics experiment created by Sheldon and Leonard goes wildly wrong, leaving Stuart and fellow returning characters played by Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie to clean up the mess.

🍴 Let dinner choose your next destination. Restaurants are becoming the main event of a vacation—not just somewhere to eat between sightseeing stops. According to new OpenTable research, 61% of Americans have chosen a destination because of its food scene, while 60% of this summer’s travelers have booked a hotel specifically because of its restaurant.

🏨 Stay where the good food is. OpenTable’s new list of the Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America includes one New Jersey pick: Il Mulino New York at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Apparently, the casino isn’t the only place where you can hit the jackpot.

🗽 Eat—and sleep—your way through New York. Nearby honorees include:

🌆 Make it a delicious Philadelphia getaway. The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia landed three restaurants on the list: Jean-Georges Philadelphia, SkyHigh and Vernick Fish. Book dinner, stay the night and call the whole thing culinary research.

Hotel-restaurant dining by travelers is up 13% from last year, according to OpenTable. Translation: Reserve the table before packing the suitcase.

Funk legend and Parliament-Funkadelic frontman George Clinton turns 85 on July 22. Lethal Weapon actor Danny Glover and Taxi Driver screenwriter and director Paul Schrader both turn 80. Actor-comedian and Finding Nemo voice star Albert Brooks and Eagles singer and drummer Don Henley turn 79. Indigo Girls singer-guitarist Emily Saliers turns 63, while Saturday Night Live alum and actor-comedian David Spade turns 62.

On July 23, Cheers and True Detective actor Woody Harrelson turns 65, while ER actor Eriq La Salle turns 64. Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash turns 61—presumably still wearing his top hat.

The July 24 birthday crowd includes Seinfeld actor Michael Richards, 77; Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter, 75; Broadway and television star Kristin Chenoweth, 58; Melrose Place actor Laura Leighton, 58; and actor-singer Jennifer Lopez, 57.

July is Parks and Recreation Month in Monmouth County—and we have plenty worth celebrating. The county’s park system includes thousands of acres of preserved open space, 157 miles of trails, six golf courses and year-round activities for just about every interest.

Ready to plan ahead? The Fall Parks & Programs Guide is now available, with registration opening Aug. 12 for golf and tennis lessons, pickleball, yoga, archery, ceramics, pottery and more. Visit MonmouthCountyParks.com to explore the guide.

Consider this your reminder to take a walk, hit the links or simply sit on a bench and appreciate the view. Sometimes the best plans in Monmouth County are the ones that come with fresh air and plenty of green space.💚

That’s it for this week. Whether you spend it listening to music by the ocean, watching the grandkids inhale pie or conducting serious research into blueberry desserts, we hope you find something that makes summer feel a little sweeter.

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See you next week!

The Monmouth Senior Scoop team

Disclaimer: We find the fun, but plans can change—so confirm dates, times, prices and registration details before heading out. And while we’re happy to share helpful information, we’re newsletter people, not doctors, lawyers or financial advisers. Please consult a qualified professional before making medical, legal or financial decisions.😎