Ocean Senior Scoop: Carnivals, Concerts & the Sweetest Taste of Summer

👋Hey, Ocean County friends!

Ocean County is serving up a full week of summer fun, with beachfront concerts, old-fashioned carnivals, free health screenings, blueberry pies and even a frozen Shirley Temple for grown-ups.

Grab the lawn chair, bring your appetite and get ready for another busy week at the Shore.

🎉 Around Ocean County: Concerts, carnivals and markets
🤝 Volunteer Opportunity: Help local shelter animals
📚 Beyond the Books: Health, estate planning and fraud prevention
🚗 Day Trippin’: Balloons and Christmas at the Shore
🫐 Blueberry Season: Pies, pancakes and ice cream
🍒 Sweet News: The Shirley Temple gets a brain freeze
📺 TV Time: Pickleball, Kevin Hart and a familiar comic-book owner
✈️ Wanderlust Weekly: Book the table, then the room
🎂 Celebrity Birthdays: Wonder Woman, J.Lo and a funk legend

Up first…

🏖️ Have a ball without getting sand in the car. Ocean County Parks hosts its Beach Ball Blast on Thursday, July 23, from 5–8:30 p.m. at the Parks Administration grounds, 1198 Bandon Road in Toms River. Bring the grandkids for an evening of outdoor fun, music and activities.

🎸 Yacht-rock your way into the weekend. Brick SummerFest welcomes Suit & Mai Tai to Windward Beach Park on Thursday, July 23. Food trucks and the beer and wine garden open at 5:30 p.m., with music beginning around 7 p.m. and fireworks after the show. Boat shoes optional. Singing along highly likely.

🎡 Catch the carnival before it packs up. St. Mary’s Nights of Summer continues through Sunday, July 26, on the church grounds along Route 9 in Manahawkin. Expect rides, games, food and live evening entertainment—all the ingredients for a proper summer carnival.

🎶 Spend Sunday afternoon dancing by the beach. East Two Three performs at 68th Street Park in Long Beach Township on July 26 from noon–2 p.m. The beachfront concert is free; just bring your chair, sunscreen and best vacation-state-of-mind.

🎤 Let the lake handle the scenery. Manahawkin Lake Park hosts live music Monday, July 27, from 6:30–8:30 p.m., with a pop-up market featuring local food and craft vendors beginning at 5 p.m. Come early to shop, then settle in for the show.

🌙 Put a little music in your Monday night. Seaside Park’s free concert series continues July 27 at 7:30 p.m. on the Police Station Lawn, 1 Municipal Plaza. Bring a chair or blanket.

🌊 Catch a concert along the bay. The Toms River Summer Concert Series continues Tuesday, July 28, at 7 p.m. at Shelter Cove Beach. It’s live music with a bayfront backdrop—the Shore’s way of making your average Tuesday considerably less average.

🎠 Get your classic carnival fix on LBI. The St. Francis Festival of the Sea takes over the parish grounds at 4700 Long Beach Blvd. in Brant Beach from Tuesday, July 28, through Saturday, Aug. 1. Open nightly from 6–10 p.m., the festival features rides, games, food, raffles and a beer garden.

🎸 Turn up the energy in Harvey Cedars. Shorty Long performs at Sunset Park on Wednesday, July 29, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. Bring a lawn chair for this free, high-energy party-rock concert. Sitting still may prove difficult.

🎤 Hear Linda Ronstadt’s greatest hits live. American Idol alum Tristan McIntosh brings The Linda Ronstadt Experience to the Stafford Township Arts Center in Manahawkin on Thursday, July 30, at 7:30 p.m. Expect an evening of soaring vocals and songs you’ll recognize within the first few notes.

🥕 Fill your tote with something Jersey Fresh. The Barnegat Farmers Market returns Thursday, July 30, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. in front of Town Hall at 900 West Bay Ave. Shop fresh produce, baked goods and locally made finds—because tomatoes taste better when purchased outdoors.

🐶 Lend a hand—and possibly meet your new best friend. The Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library hosts staff from the Jersey Shore Animal Center on Thursday, July 23, from 10–11 a.m. Learn about the different ways volunteers can help shelter animals, and meet one of the dogs currently waiting for a home.

See what’s happening at Ocean County libraries this week.

🥗 Eat well without declaring war on dessert. A registered dietitian from Hackensack Meridian Health presents Eat Well, Live Better at the Upper Shores Branch on Friday, July 24, from 11 a.m.–noon. Learn how nutrient-rich foods, mindful portions and everyday choices can support physical and mental well-being—without another restrictive diet stealing the joy from dinner.

👓 Give your health a quick check-in. Hackensack Meridian Health visits the Lakewood Branch on Friday, July 24, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. with practical wellness information and complimentary vision and wellness screenings.

🩸 Roll up your sleeve and make a difference. The American Red Cross holds a blood drive at the Berkeley Branch on Monday, July 27, from 1–6 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred. Schedule at RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

🎧 Discover a new way to enjoy books. The Lacey Branch marks Disability Pride Month with a presentation about the New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center on Monday, July 27, from 2–3 p.m. Learn about free services for people whose visual, reading or physical disabilities make traditional books difficult to use—including downloadable audiobooks through BARD. Registration is required.

📝 Separate estate-planning facts from fiction. Attorney Paul R. Daniele leads a workshop at the Long Beach Island Branch on Tuesday, July 28, from 6–7 p.m. Topics include powers of attorney, living wills, trusts, asset protection, Medicaid matters and special-needs trusts. Registration is required—and this is one hour your future self may thank you for.

🛡️ Outsmart the scammers before they reach your wallet. An AARP speaker presents Vigilance Against Cybercrime at the Jackson Branch on Wednesday, July 29, from 2:30–4 p.m. Learn how to protect yourself while using social media, shopping, banking or connecting to the internet in public. Common scams and warning signs will also be covered. Registration is required.

🦞 Lobster rolls have landed in Normandy Beach. Lobster Dock has opened its second location along Route 35 North after building a following at its original Ortley Beach restaurant. The menu brings plenty of Shore favorites, including lobster rolls, crab cakes, clams, oysters and other seafood specialties. Outdoor seating and takeout are available—which means sandy feet should not be a dealbreaker.

🍦 The Mister Softee truck has finally agreed to stay put. A permanent Mister Softee shop opened March 13 at 605 Route 9 South in Little Egg Harbor, replacing the former Old Pine Cone Ice Cream location. Along with its famous soft serve, the storefront offers sundaes, shakes and 32 flavors of hard ice cream. No chasing the truck. No listening desperately for the jingle. Just walk through the door.

🥪 Beach lunch just received an upgrade. Mid-Shore Meats on the Island opened May 8 in the former Lasolas Market at 3591 Route 35 North in Normandy Beach. The seasonal market carries specialty sandwiches, premium meats, prepared foods, baked goods, groceries and other provisions capable of rescuing a houseful of hungry beachgoers.

🧁 Papa Ganache has brought the sweet stuff to the barrier island. The popular vegan bakery opened its Normandy Beach shop May 22 at 3620 Highway 35 North. Everything is plant-based and dairy-free, with a separate selection of vegan, gluten-free treats. Expect cupcakes, cookies, pastries and other goodies proving that dietary restrictions do not have to result in a sad dessert plate.

Road trips worth the trip!

🎈 Go up, up and away in Warren County. The Warren County Farmers’ Fair and Hot Air Balloon Festival takes flight July 25–August 1 with colorful balloon launches, tractor pulls, horse shows, live entertainment, traditional arts, demolition derbies and activities for the grandkids. This year’s celebration salutes America’s 250th anniversary and the American farmer. It’s high-flying, down-on-the-farm fun.

🎅 Trade sleigh bells for seashells in Wildwood Crest. Christmas in July takes over Sunset Lake near Atlanta and New Jersey avenues on Saturday, July 25, with live music, face painting, food, holiday cheer and free photos with Santa. Stick around after sunset as roughly 40 decorated boats parade across the lake at 8:45 p.m. Apparently, even Santa knows summer is better down the Shore.

Ocean County sits close to the Pine Barrens, where some of New Jersey’s finest blueberries grow. Right now, those little blue overachievers are landing in pies, pancakes, pastries and ice cream across the county. Here’s where to get your fix.

🥧 Meet the pie that doubles as a hand weight. Emery’s Berry Farm in New Egypt is famous for its hefty blueberry crumb pie, packed with whole berries and topped with a thick layer of buttery streusel. The 60-acre family farm also offers pick-your-own blueberries, so you can fill a container in the fields before heading to the bakery and letting the professionals take over.

🍰 Put some blueberries under that famous crumb topping. Mueller’s Bakery in Bay Head has been a Shore institution since 1890. While its crumb cake gets plenty of attention, the seasonal blueberry version adds fresh berries beneath that gloriously excessive layer of crumbs. Look for blueberry turnovers and danishes, too.

🥞 Order a stack with a side of summer. Klotz’s Kitchen in Point Pleasant serves fluffy blueberry pancakes among its rotating breakfast specials. Add coffee and a Shore stroll, and you’ve planned a nearly perfect summer morning.

🍦 Keep your blueberry fix cool. Rich’s Ice Cream in Toms River and Lacey turns local berries into homemade Jersey Blueberry ice cream, complete with a vibrant purple color and sweet blueberry swirls.

🍒 The Shirley Temple just got a brain freeze. Rita’s Italian Ice is turning the childhood classic into a limited-time frozen treat made with sweet cherry and bright citrus flavors, finished with a shimmering topping called Shirley Sparkle. Available beginning July 20 at participating locations, it can be ordered as Italian Ice, layered with vanilla frozen custard in a Gelati, blended into an icy Blender or mixed with custard as a creamy Misto Shake. No bubbles, no alcohol and no need to sit at the kids’ table.

See what’s new on TV this week.

🏓 Pickleball gets its big Hollywood moment. Jake Johnson stars in The Dink as a washed-up tennis pro who reluctantly takes up the sport while trying to save a struggling country club. Streaming Friday, July 24, on Apple TV, the comedy also features Ben Stiller, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris and Patton Oswalt. Finally, a pickleball movie for everyone who owns six paddles but still can’t remember the score.

🎉 Join the bachelor party you definitely weren’t invited to. In Netflix’s 72 Hours, Kevin Hart is accidentally added to a group chat—and somehow winds up partying with a group of twentysomethings. Streaming July 24, the comedy co-stars Saturday Night Live performers Marcello Hernández, Kam Patterson and Ben Marshall, along with Mason Gooding as the groom-to-be. What could go wrong? Roughly 72 hours’ worth of things.

🎬 Settle in for something quieter and more thoughtful. Streaming on the Criterion Channel beginning July 21, Blue Heron blends fiction, documentary, past and present as filmmaker Sophy Romvari revisits her childhood after her Hungarian family moved to Vancouver Island. The acclaimed debut has already landed on The Associated Press’ list of the year’s best movies so far.

💥 The comic-book guy gets his own universe to save. Kevin Sussman returns as socially awkward bookstore owner Stuart in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, a new Big Bang Theory spinoff premiering July 28 on HBO Max. A physics experiment created by Sheldon and Leonard goes wildly wrong, leaving Stuart and fellow returning characters played by Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie to clean up the mess. Somehow, “fails” is right there in the title and he still gets the assignment.

Ideas for planning your next trip!

🍴 Let dinner choose your next destination. Restaurants are becoming the main event of a vacation—not just somewhere to eat between sightseeing stops. According to new OpenTable research, 61% of Americans have chosen a destination because of its food scene, while 60% of this summer’s travelers have booked a hotel specifically because of its restaurant.

🏨 Stay where the good food is. OpenTable’s new list of the Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America includes one New Jersey pick: Il Mulino New York at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Apparently, the casino isn’t the only place where you can hit the jackpot.

🗽 Eat—and sleep—your way through New York. Nearby honorees include:

🌆 Make it a delicious Philadelphia getaway. The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia landed three restaurants on the list: Jean-Georges Philadelphia, SkyHigh and Vernick Fish. Book dinner, stay the night and call the whole thing culinary research.

Hotel-restaurant dining by travelers is up 13% from last year, according to OpenTable. Translation: Reserve the table before packing the suitcase. See the complete Top 100 list.

Funk legend and Parliament-Funkadelic frontman George Clinton turns 85 on July 22. Lethal Weapon actor Danny Glover and Taxi Driver screenwriter and director Paul Schrader both turn 80. Actor-comedian and Finding Nemo voice star Albert Brooks and Eagles singer and drummer Don Henley turn 79. Indigo Girls singer-guitarist Emily Saliers turns 63, while Saturday Night Live alum and actor-comedian David Spade turns 62.

On July 23, Cheers and True Detective actor Woody Harrelson turns 65, while ER actor Eriq La Salle turns 64. Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash turns 61—presumably still wearing the top hat.

The July 24 birthday crowd includes Seinfeld actor Michael Richards, 77; Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter, 75; Broadway and television star Kristin Chenoweth, 58; Melrose Place actor Laura Leighton, 58; and actor-singer Jennifer Lopez, 57.

That’s it for this week. Whether you spend it listening to music by the water, filling a bucket with Jersey blueberries or making a new four-legged friend at the library, we hope you find something that makes your summer a little brighter.

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See you next week!

The Ocean Senior Scoop team

Disclaimer: We find the fun, but plans can change—so confirm dates, times, prices and registration details before heading out. And while we’re happy to share helpful information, we’re newsletter people, not doctors, lawyers or financial advisers. Please consult a qualified professional before making medical, legal or financial decisions.😎