Down the Shore

Vol. 51 - Week of August 30th

August 31, 2026

We’ll be honest with everyone, we’re on a bit of fun overload. Another weekend away filled with summer indulgences, followed by quite some time sitting on the interstate, has us running on fumes and contemplating how to get back into a routine.

On the off chance you’re also on the other side of a soft-serve-with-rainbow-sprinkles meltdown and swearing off fried fish sandwiches after a three-hour ride in traffic, hopefully you’ll appreciate a palate cleanser of a week too. Maybe that’s what summer does best: puts us through the roller coaster of the most fun season of the year until we’re actually looking forward to a quieter routine again.

A Curtain Call for Summer’s Best Bites

But before we throw in the beach towel and run to Swelle for a juice cleanse, we’d like to give some props to the summer meals that put us over the edge this season:

  1. Undici’s Stracciatella con Caviale: Ossetra caviar and creamy stracciatella atop the most delicately baked, buttery brioche. An appetizer to remember.

  2. Asbury Ocean Club’s Wagyu Beef Hot Dog: You won’t see Joey Chestnut shoveling down these puppies.

  3. The Blonde Shallot’s Lobster Cobb: When it’s “too hot to cook,” Lusty Lobster + corn + basil vinaigrette = summer in a bowl.

  4. Crazees’ Elvis Ice Cream: Banana and chocolate ice cream with a peanut butter swirl. Fit for the King.

  5. Toast’s Cinnamon Roll Pancakes: After a “pilot period” in which diners voted for which breakfast special deserved a permanent spot on the menu, this one took the cake.

What’s your ultimate summer Down the Shore indulgence? Write to us!

Back to School: Jersey Shore History Class

We hope you’ve enjoyed the fun facts we’ve been peppering in from our summer reading lately, courtesy of Dominick Mazzagetti’s The Jersey Shore. Now it’s time for a pop quiz! We’ll reveal the answers next week (if you can resist the temptation to Google them).

  1. Who is the “May” in Cape May named after?

  2. Which Jersey Shore resort town that had its heyday in the 1800s is now completely underwater?

  3. Which U.S. president died in Long Branch after surviving an assassination attempt, when his doctor advised that the sea air might aid his recovery?

  4. Which Jersey Shore town in Monmouth County has a beachfront that runs only two blocks long?

  5. Name the three bodies of water found in Spring Lake, not counting the Atlantic Ocean.

Shore Points

Jersey Shore Native Alix Earle’s new Netflix show “Earle Meets World” debuts on Friday on Netflix.

Cape May’s The Brown Room was named the top hotel bar in the US by USA Today. Keep your eyes peeled for a review in a future DTS issue (yes, we are planning on going farther down the shore in the weeks to come).

ICYMI: Apple TV’s hit show Severance was filming in Holmdel last week at Lumon HQ (we mean Bell Works)

Weekly Forecast

It’s looking like a lovely forecast for Labor Day Weekend after a damp start to the week.

Monday 8/31 - 75°/71° Light Rain

Tuesday 9/1 - 84°/72° Partly Sunny

Wednesday 9/2 - 74°/72° Scattered Thunderstorms

Thursday 9/3 - 84°/71° Thunderstorm

Friday 9/4 - 81°/66° Sunny

Saturday 9/5 - 75°/63° Partly Sunny

Sunday 9/6 - 74°/60° Sunny

And for the surfers out there, here are the weekly surf conditions in Belmar courtesy of Surf Captain:

Surf Conditions

Mon 8/31

AM: Fair, 1+

PM: Choppy, 1+ ft

Tues 9/1

AM: Clean, 1+ ft

PM: Fair, 1+ ft

Weds 9/2

AM: Choppy, 1-2 ft

PM: Choppy, 1-3 ft

Thurs 9/3

AM: Clean, 1-3 ft

PM: Clean, 2+ ft

Farmers Market Roundup

And if there are any markets we should definitely feature this season, let us know!

Happenings Down the Shore

Summer 2026 is going out with a bang this year! We’d like to think that Labor Day Weekend will be kicked off by Mr. Worldwide himself. Pitbull will be trading the 305 for the 732, taking the stage at PNC with Lil Jon on Thursday.

Meanwhile, there are still six more days left to go to the Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair. And for the art lovers, both Long Branch and Spring Lake will be hosting art events this weekend.

As for our plans, we’ll be spending our weekend at the beach and a Labor Day party, enjoying great company and some Local Smoke BBQ.

And hey, we still have another three or four weeks of awesome weather and less traffic to look forward to!

As always, if there’s an upcoming event you’d like us to cover, feel free to pass it along!

Monday 8/31

Asbury Park - Stringbean & the Boardwalk Social Club at Low Dive (7 pm - live music)

Fair Haven -  Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair (6 pm)

Loch Arbour - Trivia Night at Deal Lake Bar + Co (7:30 pm)

Oceanport - Weekly Trivia at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6:30 pm)

Point Pleasant Beach - Beach Walk with Jenkinson’s Aquarium staff (6 pm)

Tuesday 9/1

Belmar - Music Bingo Tuesdays at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm)

Fair Haven -  Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair (6 pm)

Red Bank - Steve Delopoulos at Birravino (6 pm - live music)

Red Bank - Trivia with Jenn at Jamians (7:30 pm)

Wednesday 9/2

Fair Haven -  Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair (6 pm)

Red Bank - Kids Karate on BroadWalk (11 am)

Red Bank - Karaoke at Jamians (8 pm)

Tinton Falls - Bingo & Brews at Twin Lights Brewing (6 pm)

Thursday 9/3

Belmar - Trivia Night Thursdays + Oyster Night on the Rooftop at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm)

Bradley Beach - Summer Yoga in the Garden at The James Bradley (6:30 pm - get tix)

Fair Haven -  Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair (6 pm)

Holmdel - Sundown Sessions at Bar Bella: feat. Virginia Cavaliere Duo in Bell Works (5 pm - live music)

Holmdel - Pitbull with Special Guest Lil Jon at PNC Bank Art Center (8 pm - get tix)

Oceanport - Music Bingo at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6 pm)

Red Bank - Erez Lirov at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)

Tinton Falls - Trivia on Tap at Twin Lights Brewing (7 pm)

 

Friday 9/4

Belmar - Mike Francesa Live Podcast Show at Bar A (12 pm - learn more)

Belmar - Friday Night Concert Series: Exit 102 Band (6 pm - live music)

Belmar - Cohort Band at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm - live music)

Fair Haven -  Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair (6 pm)

Holmdel - Backdraft at Fox Hollow Vineyard (6 pm - live music)

Loch Arbour - Quincy Mumford at Deal Lake Bar + Co (5 pm - live music)

Manasquan - Kids at Play at Harpoon Willy’s (8:30 pm - live music)

Oceanport - Cranston Dean at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6 pm - live music)

Red Bank - Marty Hoski at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)

Tinton Falls - Open Mic Night at Twin Lights Brewing (6 pm)

Saturday 9/5

Belmar - Twopenny Porters at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm - live music)

Bradley Beach - Summer Yoga in the Garden at The James Bradley (7 am - get tix)

Fair Haven - Last Night of the Fair Haven Fireman’s Fair (6 pm)

Holmdel - Sundown Sessions at Bar Bella: feat. DJ Skillz in Bell Works (5 pm - live music)

Holmdel - Annual BBQ Bash featuring Brass Illusions at Fox Hollow Vineyard (2 pm - ticket required)

Loch Arbour - N + D Electric Duo at Deal Lake Bar + Co (7 pm - live music)

Manasquan - From the Ground at Harpoon Willy’s (8:30 pm - live music)

Red Bank - Frank Rainey at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)

Sandy Hook - Free Yoga on the Beach (8 am - learn more)

Spring Lake - Book Event with NYT Bestselling Author Rachel Harrison at Thunder Road Books (5 pm - learn more)

Spring Lake - Labor Day End of Summer Celebration and Art Walk in Downtown Spring Lake (10 am - learn more)

Sunday 9/6

Belmar - Chris Brown at Beach Haus Brewing (3 pm - live music)

Long Branch - Art in the Park at West End Park (10 am - learn more)

On Deck

September 12: Brielle - Brielle Day (9 am - learn more)

September 19: Red Bank - Kids Mini Book Fair at Crazy Story Books (10 am - learn more)

September 20: Oceanport - The Expecting Mom Social at The Bunny Hive Fort Monmouth (10 am and 2 pm - get tix)

Did we miss an event? Let us know.

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