Although most Oktoberfests take place in September, Red Bank was keeping the party going this weekend.
The local beers were flowing (in the world’s tiniest steins), and downtown was packed. We sampled a few pours and discovered a new favorite - Birdsmouth in Oceanport — then scarfed down a Bavarian pretzel before our memories got hazier than our IPAs.
Now we’re rethinking our Halloween costumes and looking up lederhosen on Etsy…
What’s Always In Season
While our local farmers market days are numbered for the year, there’s still plenty to be enjoyed before the final harvest. And beyond the produce, farmers markets are also one of our favorite ways to discover local brands and shops we can keep coming back to year-round.
We stopped by our beloved monthly Fair Haven Farmers Market this past weekend (last one of the year is November 14 - mark your calendars!) and were excited to see a few seasonal favorites make their return. We also started taking notes for our local holiday gift guide.
Here are our picks of the patch - no canning or preserving required:
Two River Dairy - We picked up our favorite Battenkill Creamery milk and maple bacon cheddar cheese. Their subscription boxes are a great way to get farm-fresh goodies delivered straight to your door long after market season ends.
Joy Luxury Boutique - Hands down one of our favorite stores in Fair Haven. Owner Joy Martin truly lives up to her name and makes all of her gorgeous leather handbags herself. Her twin sister, June, also has a consignment store in Red Bank. Note the interlocking J’s in the logo :)
Beach Bee Meadery - No, mead is not something only people at Renaissance fairs drink. We fell in love with their Pumpkin Pie Mead during a visit to their tasting room, and the Black Currant Cider would also make a lovely addition to a Thanksgiving table.
Benchmark Breads - This Little Silver bakery makes a delicious olive and herb sourdough loaf and one killer salted chocolate chip cookie. The cookie will likely not make it all the way home.
FORGE - This shop in Red Bank’s English Plaza features home goods from local artisans and is especially well known for ceramics (hint hint: a great anniversary gift if you happen to be celebrating your pottery year!) We have a vase from FORGE that holds our farmers market bouquets.
Also s/o to Coffee Surf Co. for their pumpkin spice roast, which we have had way too many cups of to get us through this rainy Sunday.
We keep track of farmers and makers markets throughout the year, which you can find in our dedicated section below!
Weekly Forecast
Enjoy those 70s while you can before the weekend takes a dramatic turn:
Monday 10/12 - 70°/56° Sunny
Tuesday 10/13 - 72°/56° Mostly Sunny
Wednesday 10/14 - 78°/61° Partly Sunny
Thursday 10/15 - 63°/59° Sunny
Friday 10/16 - 70°/48° Light Rain
Saturday 10/17 - 53°/38° Mostly Sunny
Sunday 10/18 - 55°/37° Sunny
And for the surfers out there, here are the weekly surf conditions in Belmar courtesy of Surf Captain:
Surf Conditions | |
|---|---|
Mon 10/12 | AM: Choppy, 3-5 ft PM: Clean, 3-5 ft |
Tues 10/13 | AM: Clean, 2 ft PM: Choppy, 1-2 ft |
Weds 10/14 | AM: Clean, 1-2 ft PM: Clean, 1-2 ft |
Thurs 10/15 | AM: Choppy, 1+ ft PM: Choppy, 1-2 ft |
Farmers Market Roundup
Holmdel, 10/14: Bell Works FRESH Farmers & Makers Market
Long Branch, 10/15: West End Farmers Market
Highlands, 10/17: Highlands Farmers Market
Red Bank, 10/18: The Galleria Red Bank Farmers Market
And if there are any markets we should definitely feature this season, let us know!
Happenings Down the Shore
This week, we want to call out the NJ Digital Marketing Conference powered by the local agency dblspc at Bell Works. We’ve attended in the past and recommend it to any professionals interested in the intersection between tech and marketing.
We also couldn’t help but plug a number of other spooky happenings this week including ghost tours in Asbury Park and at Allaire Village, a screening of The Addams Family, and the 78th Annual Red Bank Halloween Parade!
As always, if there’s an upcoming event you’d like us to cover, feel free to pass it along!
Monday 10/12
Belmar - Line Dancing Mondays at Beach Haus Brewing (6 pm)
Loch Arbour - Trivia Night at Deal Lake Bar + Co (7:30 pm)
Oceanport - Weekly Trivia at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6:30 pm)
Tuesday 10/13
Belmar - Music Bingo Tuesdays at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm)
Red Bank - Five for Fighting with String Quartet at Count Basie Theater (7:30 pm - get tix)
Red Bank - Trivia with Jenn at Jamians (7:30 pm)
Sandy Hook - Sound Healing at the Hook (6 pm - register here)
Wednesday 10/14
Point Pleasant Beach - Joe Conte at Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club (8 pm - get tix)
Red Bank - Coasst x Josie Bo The Studio Table No. 2 Breathwork and Morning Stretch at The Residency Anderson Market (10 am - sign up here)
Red Bank - Karaoke at Jamians (8 pm)
Tinton Falls - Bingo & Brews at Twin Lights Brewing (6 pm)
Thursday 10/15
Asbury Park - Agave Spirits Club Tasting Event at Barrio Costero (5 pm - get tix) *
Belmar - Trivia Night Thursdays at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm)
Holmdel - NJ Digital Marketing Conference (NJDMC) powered by dblspc at Bell Works (9 am - get tix)
Oceanport - Junior League of Monmouth County Trivia Night at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6:30 pm)
Red Bank - New Yacht City at Jamians (8 pm - live music)
Red Bank - Connor Quigley at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)
Tinton Falls - Trivia on Tap at Twin Lights Brewing (7 pm)
Friday 10/16
Asbury Park - Becky Crosby Band at Asbury Park Brewing (7 pm - live music)
Asbury Park - Asbury Park Ghost Tours (8 pm - get tix)
Holmdel - Jo & Highland Express at Fox Hollow Vineyard (6 pm - live music)
Loch Arbour - Quincy Mumford at Deal Lake Bar + Co (5 pm - live music)
Manasquan - Jason Soltys at Harpoon Willy’s (7:30 pm - live music)
Oceanport - Doug Kaetz at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6 pm - live music)
Point Pleasant Beach - Paul Virzi at Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club (8 pm - get tix)
Red Bank - Guns 4 Hire Electric at Jamians (9 pm - live music)
Red Bank - James Larsen at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)
Red Bank - Halloween Movie Night: The Addams Family (6 pm - learn more)
Wall - Night of Frights at Allaire State Park (6 pm - get tix)
Saturday 10/17
Asbury Park - Eric Lapp at Asbury Park Brewing (1 pm - live music)
Asbury Park - Asbury Park Ghost Tours (8 pm - get tix)
Holmdel - Sundown Sessions at Bar Bella feat. DJ Dusty Dubs (5 pm - learn more)
Holmdel - Mini Music Festival ($5 cash entrance fee) at Fox Hollow Vineyard (11 am - live music)
Loch Arbour - Brothers Morrisy Trio at Deal Lake Bar + Co (8 pm - live music)
Manasquan - Aloha Monkey at Harpoon Willy’s (7:30 pm - live music)
Oceanport - The Pour Boys Duo at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6 pm - live music)
Red Bank - Lunchbox Riot at Jamians (9 pm - live music)
Red Bank - Frank Rainey at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)
Wall - Night of Frights at Allaire State Park (6 pm - get tix)
Sunday 10/18
Holmdel - Rooftop Yoga with Fitness Factory at Bell Works (8:30 am)
Holmdel - Monmouth Moms Festival at Bell Works (11 am - learn more)
Holmdel - Kickin Wing at Fox Hollow Vineyard (2-5 pm - live music)
Red Bank - 78th Annual Red Bank Halloween Parade (1 pm - learn more)
Red Bank - Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at Count Basie Theater (7 pm - get tix)
Wall - Allaire Ghost Tours at Allaire Village (6 and 8 pm - get tix)
On Deck
October 21: Spring Lake - Thunder Road Book Club: The Pirate Queen (6 pm - learn more)
October 22: Red Bank - Witches Night Out (6 pm - learn more)
October 23: Sandy Hook - Haunted History of Sandy Hook with historian Greg Caggiano & Ghosts on the Coast (7 pm - learn more)
October 24: Bradley Beach - Murder Mystery Dinner at The James Bradley Hotel (6 pm - get tix)
October 24: Manasquan - Squantober Fest (Craft Market, Food by Joe Leone’s and Beer Tent by The Committed Pig - learn more)
October 24: Shrewsbury - Fall Festival and Halloween Parade at The Grove (12-3 pm - learn more)
October 24: Tinton Falls - Twin Frights & Wicked Pints Halloween Party (6 pm - learn more)
Did we miss an event? Let us know.
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