This juried art show, sponsored by the Ocean Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, July 31 from 9-4 on the boardwalk.

If you are looking for a place to cool off this summer, of course there are the beautiful beaches in our area.  But if you would like to bring your children to someplace different you should check out the various water parks and “spraygrounds” that Monmouth County has to offer.

Dorbrook Park (209 Route 537, Colts Neck) has a water playground that squirts chlorinated, re-circulated water.  Although it is designed for babies, toddlers and younger children, don’t be surprised to find tweens having a blast too.   Free admission   http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?ID=2503

Runaway Rapids Waterpark (Keansburg Beach)  Bring your sunscreen and bathing suits for a day of water slides (over 18 different slides),  a lazy river, two spa pools, kiddie lagoon area and a separate toddler play area.  Click link for coupons http://www.keansburgamusementpark.com/CouponsOnLinePrint.asp

Asbury Splash Park (Asbury Park Boardwalk).  The new waterpark on the boardwalk is officially open! Hours are 10am – 6pm. The all day price is $9 for children and $5 for adults. The price for after 4pm is $6 for children and $3 for adults. 

Turkey Swamp Park  (Georgia Road and Namoco Rd, Freehold)  

If you don’t feel like getting wet, you can spend the day at Turkey Swamp Park.  Here you can fish for bass, catfish, and bluegills either from the shore or from kayaks, rowboats, canoes and paddleboats available for rental in summer. Boat rentals are available weekends only from May 1 through June 19 and then daily until Labor Day and weekends only again from Labor Day through Columbus Day. Boat rental hours are 10am-4:30pm.  The cost of boat rental is as follows:   

• 1 hour – $11.50
• each additional 15 minutes - $3
  A refundable deposit of $10 is required for individual rental. Group rentals are available; deposit of $50 is required. 

  http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2540

This Sunday, May 23 will be the  “Kick off” celebration of new shops and restaurants that were recently opened on the Asbury Park Boardwalk.  Many of the new eateries will be offering samples to visitors and some of the shops will be conducting demonstrations or offering promotions.

There are also activities and entertainment planned for children.  Come out and spend the day visiting some of the 35 shops along the famous boardwalk.

For a listing of the new merchants, follow the link below.

http://apboardwalk.com/news/126/

Photo by David C. Sommer

The Monmouth Festival of the Arts  is celebrating their 40th Anniversary as one of the most popular and most professional juried art shows in our area.  The MFA supports artists as well as art education.  The Festival is held each year at the Monmouth Reform Temple on Hance Avenue in Tinton Falls.

The show pre-opened last night April 17th with a Gala to honor it’s anniversary and continues through to Wednesday April 21. 

Sunday is Family Day which will include children’s craft workshops and entertainment. 

During the week, there will be daily scheduled demonstrations by featured artists on the techniques of their craft.  A jazz performance is scheduled for Monday evening and on Tuesday evening come and enjoy a lecture by humorous guest artist Jo-Ellen Trilling entitled “Unrealestate of Mind”.

If you are interested in learning more about the Monmouth Festival of the Arts you can visit their website at www.monmouthfestivalofthearts.com

Top photo is a painting by artist,  Jane Lux “A Great Rhode Show” .  (Jane will be doing a demonstration at the Festival on Tuesday.)

The painting above is by artist Steven Klein who’s work will also be featured at the MFA.

Longstreet Farm is an 1890s Living History Farm that is listed on the National Register of  Historic Places.  Be taken back to rural life in the 1890s with the costumed interpretive staff plowing, planting, harvesting cooking and cleaning in the methods and customs of the 19th Century. 

The carefully restored farmhouse is an excellent example of rural prosperity in the late Victorian period. 

Step inside the massive Dutch barn and learn about daily life and farming practices of that time.  Year-round activities include:

Blacksmithing

Work Horse Demonstrations

Wood Stove cooking

Rug Hooking

Quilting

For directions and info follow the link  http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2530

(Photo courtesy of Stevemarcsicc)

Mark Your Calendars… The 25th Annual Beach Sweep On April 24, the nonprofit Clean Ocean Action marks a quarter century of keeping our beaches, rivers, lakes and streams clean and free of debris–with a big springtime event that takes place at over 60 locations statewide, including the Asbury Park  and Point Pleasant boardwalks.

The goal of the Beach Sweeps is to reduce and eliminate sources of litter.  The Beach Sweeps events are more than people picking up trash from beaches.  This program builds community support for solutions, as well as raises awareness about the negative impacts of litter on wildlife and the ocean. 

Volunteers are needed all over; go to www.cleanoceanaction.org to register and find out more about this project.

The “Gray Barn” will feature two live animal shows with an environmental message.  The Eyes of the Wild troupe will put on a fun presentation called “What Big Teeth You Have!” which will show how Earth’s incredible creatures have adapted to survive the circle of life.

Stop into the “Red Barn Theatre” to listen to some Folk-Rock Music by popular bands!

Admission, Parking, Crafts, Tours and Barn Shows are all free!

For more information on this Festival and other events and features of Bayonet Farms check out their website at http://www.bayonetfarm.org/

Nowadays, Sandy Hook offers both ocean beaches with concession stands and changing facilities.  ())Clothing is optional at secluded Gunnison Beach).  There is a visitor center and trails for walking and biking.  the bayside is perfect for wind surfing, kayaks, parasailing boating, jet skis and body surfing.

Take a leisurely (or invigorating) bike ride along to the trails  or hop on one of their trolley buses after a day at the beach and head out to Fort Hancock on the Northern tip of Sandy Hook.  Fort Hancock is home to the nation’s oldest continually operating lighthouse as well as  buildings  including historic gun batteries, a renovated chapel, homes for the enlisted men and officers, a YMCA building, and the former post movie house which is now used for music and live theater. These historic structures, while not open to the public, offer a dramatic foil to the beaches and surf available at Sandy Hook.

At the end of the day stop at the Sea Gull’s Nest for a bite to eat or enjoy a cocktail while watching the sun set over the bay.    http://www.seagullsnest.info/