🥟Empanada Guy!!

Together With

Good morning Monmouth County! We hope you had relaxing Christmas and holiday weekend. This issue will see us into 2026 and we are beyond excited for the year to come! 2025 was the birth of Monmouth Buzz and we’re so incredibly thankful that you’re with us on this journey! Here’s to 2026 and all the fun in store that you can count on Monmouth Buzz to share with you every week! Happy New Year!!

🚲 E-Bike Legislation

🎄Merry Mile of Lights at A. Casola Farms

🥟 Empanada Guy in Freehold

🍳Kids Cooking Classes at Taste & Technique

🎭 Chris Distefano Comedy

🎸 Jazz at Triumph Brewery

🏀 Monmouth U. Basketball

🌊 Ocean Temp/Tides

New Jersey lawmakers are currently advancing controversial legislation, specifically Senate Bill 4834 and Assembly Bill 6235, that would radically overhaul how electric bicycles are regulated across the state. Introduced by Senate President Nicholas Scutari following a series of tragic accidents involving minors, the proposed rules would eliminate the current three-class system and reclassify all e-bikes—including low-speed Class 1 and Class 2 models—as "motorized bicycles." If passed, this would make New Jersey the first state in the nation to require all e-bike riders to obtain a driver’s license, register their vehicles with the Motor Vehicle Commission, and carry liability insurance. While proponents argue these "common-sense" safeguards are necessary to improve road safety and provide recourse for injured pedestrians, critics and cycling advocates warn that the requirements create insurmountable financial and bureaucratic barriers that could stifle green transportation and disproportionately affect low-income residents and delivery workers.

Magic of Lights | 12/29-1/1 5pm-10pm | PNC Arts Center (Holmdel) | info

The Village at Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm | 12/29, 12/30 5pm-9pm | Anne Ellen Tree Farm (Manalapan) | info

Christmas House | 12/29-12/31 M/T 11am-9pm, W 11am-6pm | Freehold Raceway Mall (Freehold) | info

Christmas Train Village | 12/31 12pm-5pm | Duggan Hall (Spring Lake) | info

Merry Mile of Lights | 12/31 5:30pm-9:30pm | A. Casola Farms (Holmdel) | info

Best NYE Family Celebration | 12/31 7pm-1am | iPlay America (Freehold) | info

NYE Party | 12/31 8pm | House of Independents (Asbury Park) | info

NYE 2025: Space of Balance | 12/31 8pm-2am | Asbury Lanes (Asbury Park) | info

New Year's Eve Firework Spectacular | 12/31 9pm-9:30pm | Pier Village (Long Branch) | info

New Year's Eve at Dave & Buster's | 12/31 9pm-1am | Dave & Buster's (Freehold) | info

NYE Party at 3BR Distillery | 12/31 9pm | 3BR Distillery (Keyport) | info

Laylow NYE | 12/31 9pm | Reyla (Asbury Park) | info

U-Pick Tulips Wonderland | 1/1 5pm-8pm | Holland Ridge Farms (Cream Ridge) | info

Winter Wonderland Magic Show | 12/29 3:30pm-4:30pm | Colts Neck Library (Colts Neck) | info

NYE Balloon Drop Bash | 12/31 11am-2pm | iPlay America (Freehold) | info

Wicked Noon Years Evee | 12/31 10am-2pm | Monmouth Museum (Lincroft) | info

Family Friendly New Years | 12/31 4pm-7pm | Dave & Buster's (Freehold) | info

Middletown Outdoor Winter Wonderland | 12/29-1/1 Various | Middletown Sports Complex (Middletown) | info

Son's of Ireland Polar Bear Plunge | 1/1 12pm-3pm | The Berkeley Hotel (Asbury Park) | info

The highly anticipated grand opening of the new Empanada Guy storefront in Freehold took place on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 552 Park Avenue, marking a vibrant new chapter for the beloved local brand. After closing its previous location in the same plaza earlier that fall, Carlos Serrano and his team welcomed fans to a modernized space that perfectly blends the energy of their famous red food trucks with the comfort of a permanent sit-down restaurant. The new facility continues to serve a robust menu of signature golden-fried favorites, ranging from savory ground beef and Cuban-style pulled pork to sweet guava and cheese, alongside traditional sides like yellow rice with pigeon peas and maduros. Operating Tuesday through Sunday, the upgraded location solidifies the Empanada Guy’s presence as a staple of the Monmouth County dining scene, offering a reliable home base for the "follow the red truck" community.

Miracle Bar at iPlay America | 12/29-1/1 12pm-11pm | iPlay America (Freehold) | info

Cozy Cooking: Snow Much Fun in the Kitchen (Age 7+ Drop-Off) | 12/29, 12/30 10am-12pm | Taste & Technique (Fair Haven) | info

Winter Warm-Ups: Cozy Cooking for Kids (Age 7+ Drop-Off) | 12/29, 12/30 12:30pm-2:30pm | Taste & Technique (Fair Haven) | info

Le Petit Cocktail Club | 12/30 7pm | Pascal & Sabine (Asbury Park) | info

Cork & Explore: Walk Around Wine Tasting Experience | 12/31 6pm-8pm | Avenue-Pier Village (Long Branch) | info

Wine & Cheese Wednesday | 12/31 6pm-9pm | The Robinson Ale House (Asbury Park) | info

NYE Stranger Things Watch Party | 12/31 9pm | Alternate Ending Beer Co. (Aberdeen) | info

Great Beads for Good Causes Exhibit | 12/29-12/31 9am-9pm | Shrewsbury Library (Shrewsbury) | info

Manasquan River Group of Artists Exhibit | 12/29-12/31 9am-5pm | Wall Library (Wall) | info

Art & Cheer: A Holiday Exhibition | 12/29-1/17 M, W-F 8am-4pm, T 8am-9pm | Middletown Arts Center (Middletown) | info

Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend | 12/30-3/1 T-Su 10am-4pm | Monmouth Museum (Lincroft) | info

Members Showcase: Celebrating Creativity | 12/30-1/11 T-Su 10am-4pm | Monmouth Museum (Lincroft) | info

Praise & Paint | 12/30 2pm | Sun Moon Studio (Keyport) | info

Movies by the Sea: Home Alone (Asbury Park Residents Only) | 12/29 4:30 PM | The Showroom (Asbury Park) | info

Ugly Pancake "Tight 5" Comedy Workshop | 12/30, 1/6, 1/13 6:30pm-8pm | Jersey Shore Arts Center (Ocean Grove) | info

Chris Distefano (Comedy) | 12/31 7pm, 9:30pm | Count Basie-HMH Theater (Red Bank) | info

Midnight Madness (Cinema) | 12/31 10pm | Basie Center Cinemas (Red Bank) | info

Jazz Arts Jam Sessions | 12/29 6pm-8pm | Triumph Brewery (Red Bank) |

Asbury Jams for Jill | 12/30 5:30pm | Asbury Lanes (Asbury Park) | info

Constantine Maroulis Tribute to Foreigner and Journey | 12/31 6pm-8pm, 9pm-11pm | Algonquin Theater (Manasquan) | info

A Real Human Jazz Band | 12/31 6pm | Triumph Brewery (Red Bank) | info

Monmouth U. Women's Basketball vs Georgian Court | 12/29 5:00 PM | Monmouth U. (W. Long Branch) | info

Monmouth U. Men's Basketball vs Campbell | 12/31 2pm | Monmouth U. (W. Long Branch) | info

JSRC New Year's Eve Twilight Run | 12/31 4pm-9pm | Leggett's (Manasquan) | info

Mon 12/29: High 1:47 am | Low 8:26 am | High 2:13 pm | Low 8:27 pm | Sunrise 7:19 am | Sunset 4:39 pm

Tue 12/30: High 2:48 am | Low 9:29 am | High 3:20 am | Low 9:26 pm | Sunrise 7:19 am | Sunset 4:40 pm

Wed 12/31: High 3:50 am | Low 10:28 am | High 4:27 am | Low 10:24 pm | Sunrise 7:19 am | Sunset 4:40 pm

Thu 1/1: High 4:51 am | Low 11:26 am | High 5:28 am | Low 11:21 pm | Sunrise 7:18 am | Sunset 4:41 pm