We get it. The forecast is looking a little cloudy, a little rainy, and maybe not exactly like the picture-perfect Shore weekend we ordered.

But…fall is officially here! Thank goodness, I’m ready for sweaters.

This weekend is packed with festivals, live music, fall farm fun, food, dogs on the Boardwalk, vintage campers, and plenty of reasons to get out of the house between the raindrops.

One quick thing before we dive in: we’ve got a one-question survey for you this week. It’ll take about 10 seconds, and your answer will help us shape where we take The Shore Things.

Grab a light jacket, keep an umbrella nearby, and let’s get into it.

This week, the spotlight is on Bread Head House, a one-woman sourdough micro bakery based right here in Toms River.

And if you’re the kind of person who gets way too excited about a really good loaf of bread, this one’s for you.

Bread Head House makes small-batch, naturally leavened sourdough, along with cookies, sweet buns, English muffins, focaccia, scones, and other seasonal treats. Everything is made from scratch, and the menu changes regularly with a mix of staples and fun seasonal flavors.

Most orders happen through scheduled bread drops and local pop-ups, so part of the fun is seeing what’s coming out of the oven next.

And we love the story behind it, too. What started as a love of baking has grown into a local business with customers who come back week after week and make Bread Head House part of their family routines and tables.

Follow @breadheadhouse on Instagram for upcoming drops, pop-ups, and menu announcements.

You can also order directly here.

And there’s a little bonus for Shore Things readers:

Mention The Shore Things with your first Bread Head House order and get a FREE cookie.

Fresh sourdough and a free cookie feels like a pretty solid way to spend the weekend.

Italian Senior Connections Luncheon Lacey Township's monthly community luncheon goes Italian this month at the Charles A. Smith Community Center. Find out more here...

Lacey Township Farmers' Market Shop local produce and goods at Lacey's weekly farmers' market, with the township confirming this Friday's market on its official recreation calendar. Find out more here...

AFTERNOON

54th Annual Saint Barbara Greek Festival Come hungry for Greek food and homemade pastries, then stick around for traditional dancing, live music, vendors, and more throughout the weekend. Find out more here...

Jersey Shore Boat Sale & Expo Hundreds of new and pre-owned boats take over ShoreTown Ballpark, along with marine gear, food, drinks, and activities for kids. Find out more here...

Meet the Author: Joseph John Mezlo The Beach Haven Public Library welcomes local author Joseph John Mezlo for an afternoon author event. Find out more here...

EVENING

Support Our Community Heroes Fantasy Island is offering $20 unlimited-ride wristbands with 100% of wristband proceeds benefiting participating first responders, plus a Touch-a-Truck from 6 to 9 PM. Find out more here...

Friendsgiving Murder Mystery Dinner The Mathis House combines a full Friendsgiving-style dinner with an interactive murder mystery full of clues, suspects, and questionable dinner guests. Find out more here...

Downtown Night Out Washington Street closes down for an evening of outdoor dining, shopping, and downtown wandering. Find out more here...

Functional Art Night This free family night at TRAC lets guests create actually useful art, including custom phone stands, reusable bags, pencil holders, and bookmarks. Find out more here...

Fall Movie Fest: Monsters, Inc. Bring a lawn chair to Harry Wright Lake for an outdoor showing of Monsters, Inc., plus food trucks, games, and activities beforehand. Find out more here...

Trivia Night by Quizzoholics Ship Bottom Brewery hosts five rounds of trivia with prizes, beer, and plenty of opportunities to prove you know way too many useless facts. Find out more here...

Temporary Grace Live Temporary Grace takes over Water Street for a late-night waterfront set on Friday. Find out more here...

Long before decoys became collectibles and folk art, they were working tools for baymen around Barnegat Bay.

Tuckerton and the surrounding area became especially well known for hand-carved wooden decoys made from Atlantic white cedar, a lightweight wood native to South Jersey.

One famous local carver, Harry V. Shourds, produced so many that his decoys were shipped up and down the East Coast, reportedly as far south as the Carolinas.

The tradition was tied closely to everyday life on the bay, where families made their living through fishing, clamming, oystering, boat building, and hunting.

That history is still celebrated today at the Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show, which returns to Tuckerton this weekend.

Read more about Ocean County’s decoy traditions here…

MORNING

Cycle4Awareness Charity Ride The 10th annual charity bike ride offers five, eighteen, and thirty-six mile routes around LBI while raising money for Waves of Strength and the autism and special-needs community. Find out more here...

Ornery Acres Fall Festival Ornery Acres welcomes fall with local vendors, seasonal treats, and family activities on the farm. Find out more here...

Ol' Barney Vintage Camping Rally & Camper Open House Vintage VW campers, Airstreams, trailers, and RVs gather in the shadow of Old Barney, with visitors able to check out the rigs during the weekend rally. Find out more here...

Beach Haven Craft Market Veterans Park hosts a full-day local craft market in the center of Beach Haven. Find out more here...

Wake Up With Wally Kids can wear their pajamas to Jenkinson's Aquarium for a story, craft, and early-morning visit with Wally the sloth, with Aquarium admission included. Find out more here...

Brick Farmers Market Windward Beach Park fills with local produce, prepared foods, makers, and vendors for one of the final markets of the season. Find out more here...

AFTERNOON

Shamrocks by the Sea Irish Festival The marina goes Irish for the day with bagpipes, step dancers, beer, food, Irish craft vendors, and live performances from Ballyhaunis, Shanty's, and Marty McKernan. Find out more here...

Lacey Day Gille Park hosts Lacey Township's community celebration with local businesses, nonprofits, artisans, makers, and family activities. Find out more here...

Wingfest for Vetwork Caffrey's Backyard serves up all-you-can-eat wings, live music, a gift auction, and a wing-eating competition to raise money for Ocean County veterans. Find out more here...

Boro Bikes & Backyard BBQ Bike through Point Pleasant and stop at participating backyards for local food and prizes before an official afterparty at Shore House Tavern from 5 to 8 PM. Find out more here...

EVENING

Vanities: The Musical Surflight Theatre follows three Texas friends from their high school cheerleading days through three decades of friendships, marriages, disappointments, and changing times. Find out more here...

Rich Vos Live Comedian Rich Vos, whose credits include Netflix, Gutfeld!, and The Joe Rogan Experience, headlines Stafford Township Arts Center's Saturday night series. Find out more here...

Albert Music Hall Saturday Night Show Five bands take the stage for a bargain-priced night of bluegrass, country, folk, Americana, and traditional Pinelands music. Find out more here...

German Dinner Night The Mathis House serves an authentic German dinner featuring schnitzel, spaetzle, red cabbage, German potato salad, and live piano music. Find out more here...

La Stella Brothers The local brothers bring their live set to Doyle's Pour House Saturday night. Find out more here...

Stampede! Water Street keeps Saturday going late with live music from Stampede on the waterfront. Find out more here...

The Shore is looking a little more like fall this weekend.

Friday should stay mostly cloudy and breezy, with highs in the mid-60s. Saturday looks similar, with more clouds, wind, and a chance of rain. Sunday stays cool, with highs around 69 and another chance of a little rain.

So…this may not be the weekend for perfect beach weather, but it is a pretty good excuse to lean into the fall festivals, food, and indoor plans.

One thing to keep an eye on: there’s also a coastal flood warning in effect for Ocean County through early Saturday, especially in low-lying coastal and bayside areas.

Tide Predictions

Full Weather Report

Full Traffic Report

MORNING

44th Old Time Barnegat Bay Decoy & Gunning Show One of Ocean County's most distinctive annual traditions returns with decoy carving, retriever demonstrations, duck-calling contests, exhibitors, local history, and more at Tip Seaman County Park and Tuckerton Seaport. Find out more here...

Dog Royalty Day For one day only, leashed dogs are welcomed onto the Seaside Heights Boardwalk, with local rescue organizations joining the fun and raising awareness for adoptable animals. Find out more here...

16th Annual Vines of Life Walk Walk through Laurita Winery with wine-and-cheese stops and live music while helping raise money for Mary's Place by the Sea. Find out more here...

Rock 2 Adopt: Sunday Funday This big charity music festival continues with live music, rescue groups, food, vendors, family activities, and hourly Little Mermaid puppet shows from 11 AM to 5 PM at Veterans Park. Find out more here...

Bend, Brunch & Babies Local moms can start Sunday with Mommy & Me Pilates followed by brunch, coffee, mimosas, conversation, and a secondhand pop-up shop. Find out more here...

Yoga at Jenkinson's Aquarium Take an all-levels yoga class surrounded by marine life before the Aquarium opens, then stick around afterward with admission included in your ticket. Find out more here...

AFTERNOON

Community Connections Day Stop by Jenkinson's Boardwalk for free blood pressure, oxygen saturation, body composition, and sleep apnea screenings from Deborah Heart and Lung Center and RuralCare Connect. Find out more here...

Still Life Meets Trompe L'oeil Take a docent-led tour of the John F. Peto Studio Museum's new fall exhibition exploring where traditional still life ends and trompe l'oeil begins. Find out more here...

The Great Solar System Adventure The Novins Planetarium takes families on a fulldome trip from sun-scorched Mercury to the icy edges of the Solar System. Find out more here...

Canines & Cocktails Bring your pup to Jenks Beach behind the Pavilion for the final September edition of its dog-friendly Sunday gathering. Find out more here...

Jenkinson's Half-Price Rides Available rides take half the normal number of credits during Jenkinson's fall Sunday special. Find out more here...

Free Music B-I-N-G-O Laurita Winery combines music trivia, sing-alongs, and prizes for a free Sunday afternoon game, although an RSVP is required. Find out more here...

The Snakes: Halfway to St. Patty's Day The Crab's Claw Inn brings in banjo, accordion, mandolin, rock, and traditional Irish-inspired tunes for an afternoon set that runs into early evening. Find out more here...

EVENING

Sami Eldebs Live Catch Jersey Shore "one-man band" Sami Eldebs playing guitar and drums simultaneously at Spicy Cantina on the Boardwalk. Find out more here...

Poe-Tree in the Park: Leaves, Lyrics & Verse Double Trouble State Park is hosting a free sunset hike followed by an outdoor poetry slam in the forest, with all ages welcome and no registration required. Find out more here...

From our entire team here at The Shore Things, we hope you have a fantastic weekend!

If you have any questions, event tips, local recommendations, or something we absolutely need to know about, you can always reach us at [email protected].

And one last thing before you go: don’t forget our one-question survey. It’s quick, painless, and helps us make this newsletter even better.

See you next week!

Know a local business, maker, restaurant, nonprofit, or hidden gem we should feature? Send them our way. (Here’s that email again: [email protected].)

We’ve already got some great local spotlights lined up, and we want to keep introducing you to the people and businesses that make Ocean County special.

And if this week’s spotlight made you hungry, make sure to check out Bread Head House. Mention The Shore Things with your first order and you’ll even get a free cookie.

Also, seriously…take the survey. We promise there are no trick questions.