🥟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!!

TODAY’S BUZZ 🐝 

🚲️ 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

📰 NEWS

🚲️ E-Bike Legislation

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.

🎄 HOLIDAY EVENTS

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

🥳 FAMILY FUN!

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

📍 LOCAL EVENTS

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

🍔 FOOD & 🍹 DRINK

🥟 Empanada Guy Opens in Freehold

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

🎨 ART, HISTORY & EDUCATION

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

🎭️ THEATER, CINEMA, & COMEDY

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

🎸 LIVE MUSIC 🥁 

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

⚾️ SPORTS & FITNESS 🏃‍♂️ 

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

🌊 ☀️ BEACH

Asbury Park - Ocean Temp. 42°F

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