Hey neighbors…
Last week was so much fun! I really appreciated everyone who tuned in and for the new sign-ups this week. (Please share this resource if you like it!)
I’m excited to have a big batch of new summer activities for everyone in the family ready for you this week.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Before we get started…
We’re trying something new this week. We want to start highlighting different local companies from time to time. Hopefully, weekly, but we’ll see how many local business owners are interested.
This isn’t an ad or promotional copy. Just a little info about different entrepreneurs in the area and the enterprises they’ve built to serve the people of Ocean County (along with ideas for how you can tie their products and services into your plans along the shore this weekend).
First up? Spire Coffeehouse!
Community Spotlight: Spire Coffeehouse
Spire Coffeehouse’s new coffee bar!
Spire Coffeehouse is an Ocean County coffee shop with two locations in Toms River.
If you want to sit down and enjoy a cuppa, check out The Hooper Shop at 1922 Hooper Ave.
If grab-n-go is more your style (or all the time you have between events this weekend), visit their spot on 53 Main St.
Owners Bob and Eileen Opitz are also local residents. (Eileen is the one who responded to our team’s request for more information, and she’s wonderful!)
What we love about Spire:
They source their baked goods from local bakers and host small businesses for free on their “Vendor Days” in the fall and winter.
Your weekend tips:
Make sure to check out the Spire menu.
If you want to stay in the Spire loop, look up their Facebook page and download their Spire Coffeehouse app!
Spire also just launched a mobile coffee bar, so keep an eye out for them at local events and festivals!
This week in Ocean County...
Friday, August 21st
MORNING
Junior Keepers Kids ages seven to eleven get a behind-the-scenes look at aquarium animal care, enrichment, and training. Find out more here...
Tuckerton Farmers Market (weekly) Stock up on Jersey-grown produce and locally made goods at this producer-only Friday morning market. Find out more here...
AFTERNOON
Casino Pier Friday Wristband Special Save $5 on a two-hour ride wristband and kick off the weekend on the boardwalk. Find out more here...
Sunflower Festival Pick your own sunflowers, enjoy live music, and check out farm attractions all afternoon at Argos Farm. Find out more here...
Carving out Creativity If you get out of work early, enjoy a printmaking class at the Ocean County Artists Guild. Find out more here…
EVENING
Homemade Tomato Sauce & Canning Workshop Learn a family-style tomato sauce recipe and can your own batch at American Legion Post 348 in Brick. Find out more here...
MindTravel Silent Piano Concert Put on wireless headphones for an immersive live piano and mindfulness experience right on the sand. Find out more here...
Firepit Friday Listen to live music around a beach fire pit in Brant Beach, with food and drinks nearby. Find out more here...
Kricket Comedy Steve Rinaldi and Tim Grill headline a 21+ comedy night at Laurita Winery. Find out more here…
Did you know… about the bio-glow?
The Jersey Shore is amazing for so many reasons. One of them is a seasonal phenomenon that takes place just up the shore around Manasquan Beach.
From July through September, if you catch the shore on a calm, dark night, you can see glowing waves. The blue glow comes from tiny dinoflagellates, microscopic living organisms that let out a burst of incredible blue light when they’re disturbed.
If you haven’t seen the spectacle yet, now’s the time to plan a trip. You can find a great resource that breaks it all down here…
Saturday, August 22nd
MORNING
Bikes & Beers Ocean County Choose a 15, 30, or 45-mile ride before finishing with beer, live music, food, games, and a charity raffle. Find out more here...
Women's Surf Retreat Camp Women ages 17+ can join a beginner-to-advanced surf session in Ortley Beach, with boards and rash guards provided. Find out more here...
Brick Farmers Market (weekly) Shop fresh produce, flowers, food, and local goods at Windward Beach Park. Find out more here...
AFTERNOON
The Yard Market Browse local artists, makers, and growers at this waterfront market, with music and coffee on tap. Find out more here...
Junior Garden Explorers (recurring Saturdays) Kids tour the historic garden, decorate a starter pot, and plant their own seeds in Barnegat. Find out more here...
Luau Festival Enjoy tropical food, vendors, wine, wagon rides, and South Pacific dancers at Laurita Winery. Find out more here...
Art of the Revolution Explore Revolutionary War art through demonstrations and a presentation by artist Barbara Alice Moir. Find out more here...
EVENING
Denise Whalen Carey Crab Race Adopt a plastic crab and cheer it down the water slide at Breakwater Beach in support of Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Find out more here...
Barnegat Summer Concert: Jersey Sings (weekly) Bring a chair to the docks for a free evening concert from Jersey Sings. Find out more here...
Downtown Night Out (weekly, Fri & Sat) Make a Saturday night of outdoor dining, drinks, shopping, and downtown summer vibes. Find out more here…
A look at the weather…
Temps should be comfortable this weekend (bouncing between the 60s and 80s), but there’s on-and-off rain every day. Bring your raincoats and umbrellas if you’re attending any outdoor events!
Sunday, August 23rd
MORNING
Point Pleasant Fresh Farmers & Makers Market (weekly) Shop fresh produce, handmade goods, food trucks, and local makers near the beach. Find out more here...
Chair Yoga With Kittens Stretch, relax, and spend your Sunday morning surrounded by adoptable kittens. Find out more here...
Decoy Carving With Jode Hillman For the more ambitious at heart, learn to carve and paint an antique-style black-bellied plover shorebird in this one-day intensive workshop. Find out more here...
AFTERNOON
Jackson Day 2026 Celebrate Jackson with vendors, crafters, food, games, entertainment, family amusements, and a drone show. Find out more here...
Spinning Tales Into Songs Hear original Revolutionary War songs before learning how words and rhymes become folk songs. Find out more here...
Sundays at 68th Street Catch live music on the beach during Long Beach Township's Sunday concert series. Find out more here...
EVENING
1776 Surflight Theatre brings the Broadway classic about America's founding to the stage. Find out more here...
Wizard of Oz Surflight puts its own kid-friendly spin on Dorothy, Toto, and the gang for ages three to 10. Find out more here...
Lavallette Summer Concert Series (weekly) Wrap up the weekend with free live music under the stars at the bayfront gazebo. Find out more here...
Comedy Movie Trivia Night Test your comedy-movie knowledge for gift-card prizes, raffles, and food and drink specials. Find out more here...
Comedy Night Fundraiser for JCC of LBI One more at Surflight… spend Sunday night laughing while supporting the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island. Find out more here...
Up for a walk?
Our team loves a good walk, whether it’s down Main Street, on a trip up to the Adirondacks…or at one of our awesome hiking trails right in Ocean County. If you’re itching for a good hike this weekend, here are a few places to check out!
Cattus Island County Park in Toms River: Wander through coastal forest and salt-marsh trails with beautiful Barnegat Bay views. Includes an accessible boardwalk and a trail leading toward the bay. Learn more here…
Wells Mills County Park in Waretown: Explore miles of trails through the Pine Barrens. Options range from an easy nature walk to an over six-mile route around forests, wetlands, and Wells Mills Lake. Learn more here…
Double Trouble State Park to Bayville: Hike through pine forests, cedar swamps, and old cranberry-bog country while exploring the historic Double Trouble Village along the way. Learn more here…
That’s it for this week.
So much warm-weather fun this week. Make sure to get outside and enjoy the sunshine in between the summer showers.
If you have any questions, as always, you can reach me and the team at [email protected].
See you next week!
P.S.
Remember! If you have any local businesses you want to see featured in the newsletter, let us know. (Here’s that email again: [email protected]) We want to start giving the spotlight to these awesome local enterprises and their owners.
And make sure to visit Spire for a cup of coffee this weekend. Tell them you heard the recommendation in The Shore Things newsletter!