Courtesy of Bradley Beach LobsterFest Facebook page
JUNE
Promenade of Mermaids, Asbury Park
June 3
Price: Free
This fourth annual parade gives Jersey residents a chance to celebrate the sea creatures the same way that Coney Island has been doing for years. You can dress in your favorite fins and tails costume to compete or you can just go and mermaid-gaze.
June 23-24
Admission: Free
This oceanfront festival features tons of fun for the entire family. Kids will love the water slide, face painting and sand art station. Parents will love the beer and wine garden. There will also be live music, DJs, vendors and more than 180 craft and speciality vendors along the Bradley Beach boardwalk for this event.
June 30
Price: $35, increases after May 31
The focus of this triathlon is fun! This race is the largest youth triathlon in the Mid-Atlantic Region, sponsored by Tim Kerr Charities. The kids will begin their race after the last biker in the full marathon finishes. Participants complete a 100-meter swim, five kilometer bike ride and one kilometer beach fun run to earn a finisher’s medal. Registration required.
JULY
New Jersey State BBQ Championship, Anglesea
July 13-15
Admission: Free
The event promises to find the best barbecue in the state, because barbecue is more than grilling; it’s an art. Held at the same time as the Angelesa Blues Festival, attendees will get to sample masterfully prepared foods and excellent music. Be sure not to miss the live cooking demonstrations.
Surf and Turf Festival, Monmouth
July 14-15
Prices: Parking $5; admission $5, under 12 free
Located at Monmouth Park Racetrack, this two-day event features the state’s freshest seafood–and non-seafood options for land dwellers. Regularly scheduled horse races will take place. There will also be live music and games for all ages. On Sunday, admission is free for Family Fun Day, which features pony rides, a bounce house, face painting and more.
New Jersey Sandcastle Contest, Belmar
July 18
Admission: Free
This event is a family-favorite, since it has been a staple of the Belmar community for the last 30 years. Watch professional sand sculptors work on their creations. Past winners have been a sculpture of Homer Simpson, a turtle and a “Jersey Strong” theme. Sign up to participate in the contest yourself or watch and let these artists inspire your next sand structure.
AUGUST
​109th Annual Baby Parade, Ocean City
August 9
Price: Free
This parade is one of the oldest baby parades in the country. Baby Parades, once popular along the Jersey Shore, are a great way to show off just how cute your little one is. Some participants put on their favorite summer clothes, while others go all out with decorations, costumes and themes. There are a few divisions and plenty of prizes to be won. Ocean City just got even cuter!
Wacky Wednesday: That's How the Cookie Crumbles
August 8
Free
The sky's the limit when you're molding cookies. Use your imagination, but get there fast because only the first 150 people can participate. This contest gives a whole new meaning to, "it looks good enough to eat!"
August 25
$5
Support research for Juvenile Diabetes and Food Allergy Research Education with the purchase of a plastic crab, which the kids can race for prizes. Winning crab brings home $100 and a 10 All-Day Pass to Breakwater Beach for 2019 season.
SEPTEMBER
West Cape May Tomato Festival, West Cape May
September 1
Admission: Free
An ode to a favorite summer fruit, the West Cape May Tomato Festival is the perfect end-of-summer event. Enjoy homemade treats, including empanadas, and stroll around Wilbraham Park. This festival supports efforts by West Cape May to increase the tree canopy of the town.
September 15
Free
Watch Team Fastrax jump out of an plane 6,000 feet above the beach, then enjoy a pyrotechnics display which can be seen along the entire boardwalk.
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