👋 Hello, Ocean County friends!

Ocean County is giving us plenty to talk about this week — including a Beach Haven bookstore with a new national title, free summer concerts in Bayville, farmers markets filled with Jersey-fresh produce and enough library programs to keep your calendar busy.

You can catch a Broadway favorite, learn a little Revolutionary War history, give your backyard birds a better place to land or finally get serious about that estate plan. And because summer is officially warming up, there are fireworks, food trucks and a luau waiting in the wings.

📚 Local News — LBI Book Swap is officially the best in the country
🎶 Sounds of Summer — Free concerts, fireworks and festivals in Berkeley Township
📅 Around Ocean County — Farmers markets, history, science and live theater
📖 Beyond the Books — Health checks, gardening, estate planning, art and more
🎂 Celebrity Birthdays — Barry Manilow, Paul McCartney, Phylicia Rashad and others

Beach Haven has always been a good place to lose track of time. Now it is also home to the best independent bookstore in America.

LBI Book Swap has been named the Best Independent Bookstore in the country by USA TODAY, giving Ocean County readers one more reason to celebrate — and perhaps one more reason to come home with a stack of books they had no intention of buying.

The beloved four-story shop is packed with new and used books for readers of all ages. It also offers a unique book-swapping program, making it easy to trade in a finished favorite and head home with something new.

It is a well-deserved honor for a local business that has turned browsing for books into a destination of its own.

Berkeley Township is bringing live music, fireworks and festival fun back to Veterans Park in Bayville with its 2026 Sounds of Summer Concert Series.

The season opens Wednesday, July 1, with Stiletto and the Saxman performing from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by the Super 70’s Rock Show featuring Super Trans Am from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Fireworks will light up the sky after the show at 9 p.m.

The music continues Wednesday, July 15, with the Chris Yoder Band from 6 to 7 p.m. and Austin City Nights from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

On Saturday, August 1, trade the usual concert night for a tropical afternoon at the Summer Luau, featuring Alotta Colada from 4 to 8 p.m. Hawaiian shirts are not required, but this may be their best opportunity to leave the closet.

The Wednesday night lineup returns August 12 with Jukebox Legends from 6 to 7 p.m. and Step by Step from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

On August 26, Nu Rhythm opens the evening from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by Garden State Radio from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

The summer fun stretches into September with the San Gennaro Festival and Berkeley Township Founders Day on Saturday, September 19, from noon to 9 p.m. The day will feature food trucks, craft vendors, inflatable rides, live music and fireworks.

The festival music lineup includes:

🎤 Slap Happy: 4-5 p.m.
🎸 Sketchy Medicine: 6-7 p.m.
🔥 The Infernos Band: 7:30-9 p.m.

All concerts and events will be held at Veterans Park in Bayville. Admission and parking are free.

Bring lawn chairs and come hungry. Refreshment vendors will be on-site, which means nobody has to pretend the granola bar in their bag counts as dinner.

For weather updates, listen to 100.1 WJRZ. More information is available at btrec.org.

This week’s calendar includes Jersey-fresh produce, Revolutionary War history, Barnegat Bay science and a Broadway classic. In other words, you can shop, learn and catch a show without leaving Ocean County.

Fresh Jersey produce, prepared foods, crafts and local vendors return to downtown Toms River when the weekly farmers market opens Wednesday, June 17.

The market runs every Wednesday through October 14, giving shoppers plenty of opportunities to stock up on seasonal produce, locally made finds and at least one item that was not on the shopping list.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
📍 33 Washington Street, Toms River
📞 732-341-8738

We hear plenty about the Patriots, but what was the American Revolution like for the British soldiers stationed along the Jersey Shore?

Southern Regional High School history teacher Jeff Brown will present The British Soldier & the American Revolution on Wednesday, June 17, at 4 p.m.

The program explores the uniforms, weapons, discipline and daily lives of British infantrymen, along with the local skirmishes that brought the war to the New Jersey coast. Muskets, military gear and a few lesser-known stories are all part of the lesson.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 4 p.m.
📍 Long Beach Island Historical Association Museum, 129 Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven
📞 609-494-0700

What happens upstream does not necessarily stay upstream.

Environmental technical specialist Timothy H. Newton will present From Source to Sea: Watershed Effects on the Health of the Barnegat Bay on Wednesday, June 17, at 7 p.m.

Presented by the Seaside Park Environmental Advisory Committee, the program will examine how activity throughout the watershed affects the health of one of Ocean County’s most important natural resources.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 7 p.m.
📍 Seaside Park Council Chambers

The Barnegat Farmers Market is back for another season — and it has a new location.

Stop by Thursday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for fresh produce, local vendors and children’s activities. The market continues every Thursday.

📅 Thursday, June 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
📍 900 West Bay Avenue, Barnegat
📞 609-698-0080, ext. 130

The Mathis Plaza Farmers Market continues Thursday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The weekly market features local vendors and food trucks and runs every Thursday through September 10.

📅 Thursday, June 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
📍 Mathis Plaza, 134 Route 166, South Toms River
📞 732-278-1134

Gamblers, showgirls and unlikely romances take the stage when Guys and Dolls arrives at Surflight Theatre.

The classic musical comedy follows smooth-talking gambler Sky Masterson, missionary Sarah Brown, nightclub performer Adelaide and her commitment-shy fiancé, Nathan Detroit.

The action moves from Times Square to Havana and even into the New York City sewers before everyone finally winds up where they belong. As one does.

📅 Thursday, June 18, 2 p.m.
📍 Surflight Theatre, 201 Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven
📞 609-492-9477

The Ocean County Library is offering a full week of ways to protect your health, plan for the future, dig into local history and make your backyard a little more welcoming — for both plants and birds.

Deborah Heart and Lung Center nursing staff will provide free blood pressure and oxygen saturation screenings at the Whiting Reading Center on Tuesday, June 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.

No appointment or registration is needed. Just drop in and get two important health numbers checked without sitting in a waiting room filling out forms.

📅 Tuesday, June 16, 10 a.m.-noon
📍 Whiting Reading Center
📞 732-849-0391

Small everyday choices may help support both brain and body health as we age.

Healthy Living for Brain and Body, presented with Age-Friendly Ocean County, will review current research on lifestyle habits that may promote healthy aging.

Participants will also use hands-on tools to turn the recommendations into a practical personal plan — because “I should probably do that someday” is not technically a plan.

📅 Tuesday, June 16, 2-3 p.m.
📍 Point Pleasant Borough Branch
📞 732-295-1555

Not every attractive plant is prepared to handle Ocean County’s sandy soil, salty air and persistent coastal winds.

A Rutgers Master Gardeners of Ocean County volunteer will present Native Plants of Ocean County on Tuesday, June 16, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The program will cover locally suited plants such as Butterfly Weed, Ninebark, Foxglove Beardtongue and Joe-Pye Weed.

Registration is requested.

📅 Tuesday, June 16, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
📍 Jackson Branch
📞 732-928-4400

The Revolutionary War was not always a simple fight between British soldiers and American Patriots.

New Jersey’s Revolutionary Rivalry: The Untold Story of Col. Tye and Capt. Huddy explores the conflict between Col. Tye, a formerly enslaved man who fought for the British, and Patriot militia officer Joshua Huddy.

The story includes battles along the Jersey Shore, Huddy’s hanging in Highlands and an international dispute that threatened the Paris peace talks.

The program is being presented in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary. Registration is required for each adult.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 11 a.m.-noon
📍 Mayo Park Center, 501 Beacon Avenue, Beachwood

Beginners and experienced players are welcome for an afternoon of Mah Jongg on Wednesday, June 17, from noon to 4 p.m.

Whether you know every tile or are still trying to remember which way the dragons go, there is a place at the table.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, noon-4 p.m.
📍 Waretown Branch
📞 609-693-5133

Celebrate the season with a little dimension during Art with a Heart’s Cherry Blossom 3D Painting workshop on Wednesday, June 17, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Participants will receive step-by-step guidance while creating a textured cherry blossom painting to take home. Personal touches and artistic flair are encouraged.

Space is limited, so early registration is recommended.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 2-4 p.m.
📍 Lakewood Branch
📞 732-363-1435

Wills are important, but they are only one piece of a complete estate plan.

Attorney Tina James will present Estate Planning, Wills and Probate on Wednesday, June 17, at 2:30 p.m.

The free program will explain wills, trusts, special needs trusts, guardianship and other tools families can use to plan for the future.

James works with individuals, parents and caregivers to create practical plans that protect benefits, support long-term stability and preserve independence whenever possible.

Registration is required. Register online, call the branch or stop by in person.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 2:30 p.m.
📍 Jackson Branch, 2 Jackson Drive
📞 732-928-4400

Your backyard may be more than a patch of grass. For migrating birds, it can become a much-needed place to eat, rest and recover.

Girl Scout Gold Award candidate Lucia Street will present Birding in Your Backyard: What’s Next? on Wednesday, June 17, from 6 to 7 p.m.

The all-ages program will cover bird feeders, seeds, native plants and ways to create and maintain a healthy habitat for local and migrating birds.

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 6-7 p.m.
📍 Little Egg Harbor Branch
📞 609-294-1197

A Beatle, a Broadway legend, a legendary TV mother and the man who made “Copacabana” impossible to read without hearing the tune — this week’s birthday list has range.

June 17: Actor Peter Lupus of Mission: Impossible turns 94. Singer Barry Manilow is 83, and comedian Joe Piscopo is 75.

June 18: Musician Paul McCartney turns 84. Actor Isabella Rossellini is 74.

June 19: Actor Phylicia Rashad turns 78. Singer Ann Wilson of Heart is 76, actor Kathleen Turner is 72, singer and dancer Paula Abdul is 64, and Good Morning America host Lara Spencer is 57.

Happy birthday to all — and please save us a piece of cake.

That’s it for this edition of the Ocean Senior Scoop.

Have a community event, local story, helpful resource or piece of Ocean County news we should know about? Send it our way at [email protected]. We love hearing from our readers, especially when you have something good to share.

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Until next time, stay curious, stay connected and enjoy everything Ocean County has to offer.

😎 The Ocean Senior Scoop team

Event details can change, so please check with organizers before heading out. Ocean Senior Scoop is here to keep you informed and entertained, but we are not your doctor, lawyer or financial adviser — just your friendly neighborhood newsletter with a very full calendar.