Good morning Monmouth County! Looks like rain all the way until Thursday’s issue. But like the Weather Channel once said…..”how can we appreciate the sun if we don’t have the same.”

🎃 Halloween Fun

⚓ Oceanic Bridge Replacement Milestone

🍁 Thompson Park Day

🥩 Fall Flavor of Freehold

🍝 Pasta Volo #8 in U.S.

👻 Brookdale Haunted Theater

🎸 Steven Van Zandt on Red Bank Walk of Fame

🎥 Smodcastle Film Festival

🏈 Terry Bradshaw: A Moderated Conversation and Q & A

🌊 Ocean Temp/Tides

The Monmouth County Park System has entered the final stretch of preparations for its premier autumn showcase, Thompson Park Day, returning to the park’s sprawling grounds at 805 Newman Springs Road in Lincroft on Sunday, October 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Billed as the county’s quintessential fall festival with free admission and parking, this year’s setup spans a massive roster of family programming—including traditional wagon rides, open-air archery shoots, climbing walls, pottery demonstrations at the Creative Arts Center, and a full slate of afternoon youth races ranging from the Diaper Derby to sack races. Alongside live theater performances and local food truck rows, organizers are urging attendees to secure advance online registrations for high-demand seasonal competitions, such as the Monmouth County 4-H Dog Parade and Costume Contest, the build-your-own Scarecrow Contest, and the Spooktacular Jack O’Lantern carving challenge. With park staff and community volunteers actively staging event stations across the estate grounds, the celebration stands as one of Monmouth County’s most anticipated traditions, welcoming thousands of regional families to experience the height of mid-October recreation.

Monmouth County engineering officials cleared a major hurdle in modernizing coastal infrastructure by presenting finalized design specifications for the replacement of the historic Oceanic Bridge, which spans the Navesink River between Rumson and Middletown. The long-awaited plan replaces the aging 1939 double-leaf bascule drawbridge—plagued for years by mechanical breakdowns and weight restrictions—with a modern, fixed-span structure exceeding 3,000 feet in length and featuring a 65-foot vertical clearance supported by the U.S. Coast Guard. Alongside lifting all vehicle weight limits and adding a dedicated 14-foot multimodal pathway for cyclists and pedestrians, the project incorporates a modern traffic roundabout at the Locust Point and Navesink River Road intersection in Middletown to eliminate a notorious high-crash zone. By permanently retiring the mechanical draw span while maintaining seamless maritime traffic below, the new crossing promises to deliver a safer, more resilient arterial link for the Two River community for decades to come.

Fall Fun Fest | 9/12-10/31 | Sat/Sun 9:30am-4:30pm | Maple Leaf Farms, Manalapan | info

Fall Festival | 9/19-11/1 | Various times | Twin Pond Farm (49 Howell Rd, Freehold), Freehold | info

A. Casola Farms Fall Fest | 9/19-10/31 | Sat/Sun 9am-5pm | A. Casola Farms, Holmdel | info

2026 Fall Festival | 9/19-11/8 | Various times | Happy Day Farm, Manalapan | info

Storytime & Craft | 10/13-10/15 | 11am | Monmouth Museum, Lincroft | info

Tweens! Jewelry Making- 10-12yrs | 10/14 | 3:30pm-4pm | Atlantic Highlands Library, Atlantic Highlands | info

Brookdale Haunted Theater | 10/9-10/30 | 6pm-10pm | Brookdale Performing Arts Center, Lincroft | info

Day of the Dead Skulls! | 10/15 | 4pm-5:30pm | Asbury Park Art Club, Asbury Park | info

Barks and Boos | 10/15 | 5:30pm | A Salute- 74 Main St, Matawan | info

U-Pick Sunflowers | 9/10-10/12 | Fri-Sun 9am-6pm | Holland Ridge Farms, Cream Ridge | info

Line Dancing Mondays | 10/5 | 6pm-10pm | Beach Haus Brewery, Belmar | info

Cigars & Sunsets on The Rooftop Wednesdays | 10/7 | 6pm-10pm | Beach Haus Brewery, Belmar | info

Coffee with a Cop | 10/13 | 9am-11am | Grossman's Deli, Oakhurst | info

OBY Pink Out Party! | 10/14 | 9am-12pm | Old Bridge Family YMCA, Old Bridge | info

Private Group Tour of the Paranormal Museum | 10/14, 10/15 | Wed 12pm, 1:15pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm, Thur 12pm, 1:15pm, 2:30pm | The Paranormal Museum, Asbury Park | info

Boozy Brushes | 10/14 | 6pm-8pm | The Asbury Hotel lobby, Asbury Park | info

A Night with Spirit: Mediumship Gallery | 10/14 | 6:30pm-8:30pm | Porta, Asbury Park | info

RBY Pink Out Party! | 10/15 | 9am-12pm | Red Bank YMCA, Red Bank | info

Harvest Festival | 10/15 | 10:15am-11:45am | Sea Girt Library, Sea Girt | info

Rock the House | 10/15 | 5:30pm-8pm | Whitechapel Projects, Long Branch | info

Sunset Sip & Paint Pumpkin Mugs & Mini Pumpkins | 10/15 | 6:30pm-8:30pm | Wave Resort, Long Branch | info

Lunch Break Annual Gala | 10/15 | 6:30pm-10pm | Shadowbrook at Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury | info

Ghosts of the Boardwalk Tour | 10/15 | 7pm | The Paranormal Museum, Asbury Park | info

Asbury Park’s culinary scene earned national recognition this week as Bond Street favorite Pasta Volo was ranked the #8 pasta restaurant in the entire United States on Yelp’s inaugural Top 100 Pasta Places of 2026. Founded on a fast-casual, build-your-own model that emphasizes accessibility and artisanal craft, the cozy downtown spot has built a fiercely loyal following by rolling, extruding, and cooking its semolina pastas entirely from scratch every day. Yelp reviewers and food critics singled out the shop’s customizable format—where patrons select freshly made shapes like fusilli, mafalde, and gemelli alongside slow-simmered sauces such as vodka, bolognese, or garlic-and-oil—for delivering white-tablecloth Italian quality in convenient, affordable to-go containers. Standing out among thousands of pasta programs across major metropolitan markets nationwide, Pasta Volo’s top-ten finish highlights how Asbury Park’s neighborhood food ventures continue to punch well above their weight on the national dining stage.

Bell Works Fresh Farmers & Makers Market | 10/7 | 11am-4pm | Bell Works, Holmdel | info

Marlboro Restaurant Week | 10/11-10/18 | Various times | Various locations, Marlboro | info

Fall Flavor of Freehold | 10/13, 10/14 | 5:30pm-8pm | Various locations, Downtown Freehold | info

Seasonal Fresh Pasta Making | 10/14 | 6pm-8:30pm | Taste and Technique, Fair Haven | info

Toddler Open House: Spooky Fun! | 10/15 | 9am-9:45am | Taste and Technique, Fair Haven | info

West End Farmers Market | 10/15 | 9am-2pm | West End Park, Long Branch | info

Don Vicente Tequila Event | 10/15 | 5pm-7pm | Barrio Castero, Asbury Park | info

Seasonal Fresh Gnocchi Making | 10/15 | 6pm-8:30pm | Taste and Technique, Fair Haven | info

A Sunny Day in the Shade Exhibit | 9/4-10/12 | Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, Sat/Sun 9am-7pm | Pollak Gallery- MCA, W. Long Branch | info

Daniel Johnston: I am a Baby in My Universe II | 9/14-12/15 | Mon-Fri 10am-5pm | DiMattio Gallery at Rechnitz Hall- MCA, W. Long Branch | info

Jonas Mekas Film and Art Exhibit | 9/14-12/15 | Mon-Fri 10am-5pm | Rotary Ice House Gallery- MCA, W. Long Branch | info

Raw Power: Shepard Fairey Exhibit | 9/17-10/16 | Wed-Sun 11am-6pm | The Art Spot, Asbury Park | info

Raw Power: Shepard Fairey Exhibit | 9/17-10/16 | Mon 12pm-5pm, Thur 12pm-7pm, Fri/Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm | Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park | info

The Grind We Live In Exhibit | 9/27-11/8 | 4pm-6pm | Nilson Gallery- Monmouth Museum, Lincroft | info

Freedom's Battleground: A Traveling Exhibit of Monmouth 250 celebration | 9/30-10/31 | Wed/Thur 9am-9pm | Shrewsbury Library, Shrewsbury | info

The Heart is Revealed in the Deed | 10/1-11/4 | Thur 9am-9pm | Shrewsbury Library, Shrewsbury | info

Festival of Lights Exhibit | 10/2-11/15 | Tue-Sun 10am-4pm | Monmouth Museum, Lincroft | info

Casual Birder | 10/13 | 9am | Holmdel Park, Holmdel | info

Community Heroes! | 10/13 | 4:30pm-5:30pm | Allentown Library, Allentown | info

Poetry Under the Harvest | 10/13 | 6pm-8pm | Sea Girt Library, Sea Girt | info

Spring Blooming Bulbs Nature's Way of Saying "Let's Party!" | 10/14 | 1:30pm-2:30pm | Shrewsbury Library, Shrewsbury | info

Fire Fighter Visit | 10/14 | 4pm-4:45pm | Howell Library, Howell | info

Why AI is our Ultimate Test- Screening & Community Conversation | 10/14 | 6:30pm-7:30pm | Holmdel Library, Holmdel | info

Terry Bradshaw: A Moderated Conversation and Q&A | 10/14 | 7pm | Count Basie- The Vogel, Red Bank | info

What Haunts You and/or poems written as a dialogue | 10/14 | 7pm-8:30pm | Thompson Park Theatre Barn, Lincroft | info

NJ Snake Man | 10/15 | 3:45pm-4:15pm | West Long Branch Library, W. Long Branch | info

Nacho Ate Spiderman | 10/1-10/25 | Fri 2pm, 7pm, Sun 2pm | NJ Repertory Company, Long Branch | info

Our Town | 10/9-10/24 | Fri/Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm | First Avenue Playhouse, Atlantic Highlands | info

Smodcastle Film Festival 2026 - Block 24 | 10/12-10/15 | 12:30pm | SModcastle Cinemas, Atlantic Highlands | info

Frida Kahlo | 10/12 | 7pm | Pollak Gallery- MCA, W. Long Branch | info

Bards | 10/12 | 7pm-10pm | My Way Cafe, Long Branch | info

The Kenny VS Spenny 2026 USA Comedy Tour | 10/14 | 8am | House of Independents, Asbury Park | info

Saboteur | 10/14 | 7pm | The Showroom Cinema, Asbury Park | info

Open Mic Comedy Night | 10/15 | 7pm | Count Basie- Cinema House, Red Bank | info

Jersey Shore rock icon Steven Van Zandt will officially cement his legacy in downtown Red Bank when he is inducted into the Count Basie Center for the Arts Walk of Fame on Saturday, October 17. Part of the Basie Center’s ongoing Centennial Celebration, the honor places the longtime E Street Band guitarist, Disciples of Soul frontman, and Sopranos star alongside regional music royalty including Count Basie, Jon Bon Jovi, and Darlene Love. Rather than keeping the spotlight solely on himself, Van Zandt is tying the Walk of Fame unveiling directly to a star-studded benefit at the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre supporting TeachRock—the national arts and music education nonprofit he founded to empower educators and bring music-driven curricula to classrooms across the country. Combining local pride, rock-and-roll history, and educational advocacy, the evening marks a poignant homecoming for the Middletown-raised artist, celebrating both his half-century impact on the Shore sound and his enduring commitment to inspiring future generations of students and teachers.

Jazz Art Jam Sessions | 10/12 | 6pm-8pm | Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, Red Bank | info

Oakley Farm Tuesday Old Time Jam | 10/13 | 6:30pm-9pm | Oakley Farm Museum, Freehold | info

Five For Fighting with String Quartet | 10/13 | 7:30pm | Count Basie- The Vogel, Red Bank | info

The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA | 10/13 | 7:30pm | Count Basie- HMH Theatre, Red Bank | info

Open Mic Night with Rob D! | 10/14 | 6pm-10pm | Asbury Park Brewery, Asbury Park | info

Hank Azaria & The EZ Street Band | 10/14 | 7pm | The Stone Pony, Asbury Park | info

My Hero Academia | 10/14 | 7:30pm-10pm | Count Basie- HMH Theatre, Red Bank | info

Surf Hat | 10/14 | 8pm | The Wonder Bar, Asbury Park | info

Karaoke with Ted D'Bierre | 10/15 | 7pm | 3BR Distillery, Keyport | info

Patty Larkin & Lucy Kaplansky | 10/15 | 7:30pm | Count Basie- The Vogel, Red Bank | info

Tap-In Classic: Anniversary Golf Outing | 10/13 | 1pm-9pm | Old Bridge Golf Club, Old Bridge | info

Run Club | 10/15 | 6:30pm-8:30pm | Bakes Brewing Co, Wall | info

Brookdale CC Women's Volleyball vs Delaware Country CC | 10/12 | 6pm | Brookdale CC, Lincroft | info

Brookdale CC Men's Soccer vs Union College | 10/13 | 4pm | Brookdale CC, Lincroft | info

Brookdale CC Women's Volleybal vs Passaic County CC | 10/14 | 7pm | Brookdale CC, Lincroft | info

Mon 10/12: Low 2:38am | High 8:56am | Low 3:11pm | High 9:13pm | Sunrise 7:04am | Sunset 6:22pm

Tue 10/13: Low 3:15am | High 9:35am | Low 3:51pm | High 9:56pm | Sunrise 7:05am | Sunset 6:21pm

Wed 10/14: Low 3:51am | High 10:16am | Low 4:31pm | High 10:42pm | Sunrise 7:06am | Sunset 6:19pm

Thu 10/15: Low 4:26am | High 11:00am | Low 5:13pm | High 11:31pm | Sunrise 7:07am | Sunset 6:18pm