Celebrate the season at the Harvest Home Festival.
(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- September brings gentle days, the start of autumn, and plenty of family-friendly activities to enjoy in the Monmouth County Park System. Here’s what is planned:
Accordion Melodies of the 1890s - Saturday, September 2 from 1:00pm-3:00pm; Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. Hear melodies of the 1890s played on the accordion. FREE!
Cookstove Demonstrations - Saturdays, September 2, 16 & 30 from 11:00am-3:00pm; Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. See what's cooking on the woodstove and discover how recipes, cooking techniques and kitchens have changed since the 1890s. FREE!
Thompson Park Canoe Rentals - Saturday & Sunday, September 2 & 3 from 10:00am-3:00pm; Thompson Park, Lincroft. Canoes will be available for rent on Marlu Lake. All equipment provided; limited number of canoes available. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. All rentals must be returned by 3 p.m. Fee is $15 per boat for 1-3 people for two hours. Cash or check only.
Historic Battery Lewis Tours - Saturdays & Sundays, September 2 & 3, 9 & 10, 16 & 17, 23 & 24 and 30 & October 1 at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm & 2:30pm; Hartshorne Woods Park, Highlands. Tour the restored Historic Battery Lewis and learn about the history of this important former coastal defense site. FREE!
Boat Tours of the Manasquan Reservoir - Saturday-Monday, September 2-4 at 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm & 5:00pm; Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. These 45-minute tours are narrated by Park System Naturalists and include opportunities to view local wildlife. The cost is $6 per adult and $4 per child, age 12 and under. Please call to confirm schedule as tours are both weather and water level dependent. All tours leave from the Visitor Center. Life-jackets required. Tickets can be purchased on day of tour only.
Casual Birder - Tuesday, September 5 at 9:00am; Manasquan Reservoir Visitor Center, Howell and Tuesday, September 19 at 9:00am; Tatum Park, Middletown - Meet in the Holland Road parking lot. Join a Park System Naturalist for a laid back morning walk and meander through the park for about an hour and a half to see what birds we can find. Participants should expect to be walking a few miles (2-4) on sometimes uneven or muddy terrain. No need to be an expert at identifying birds to enjoy. A limited number of binoculars will be available to borrow if needed. FREE!
Historic Portland Place Tours - Wednesdays-Sundays, September 6-10, 13-17, 20-24 and 27-October 1 at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm & 2:30pm; Portland Place, Hartshorne Woods Park, Locust. Tour this beautifully restored 18th century house and view exhibits that tell the story of the region's history and the Hartshorne family legacy in Monmouth County. Tours are limited to 10 persons and may be suspended during inclement weather. Register on site at the Portland Place Visitor Center day of tour. FREE!
Open Shoot Archery - Saturday, September 9 from 10:00am-2:00pm; Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft. All equipment is provided for this open shoot. No outside equipment permitted. This is not an instructional clinic and NOT designed for beginners. If you are new to archery, register for one of our instructional classes prior to attending. Open to ages 10 and up; under 18 with adult. The cost is $10 per person; cash or check only.
Preserving the Harvest - Sunday, September 10 from 11:00am-3:00pm; Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. See 19th century techniques for food preservation such as salting, pickling, drying and jelling during this demonstration. FREE!
Bonsai Day - Sunday, September 10 from 12:00pm-4:00pm; Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown. The Monmouth County Park System and the Deep Cut Bonsai Society present Bonsai Day. Experience this intricate and ancient art through demonstrations and displays, with experts on hand to answer your questions. Admission and parking are free.
Historical Penmanship - Sunday, September 10 from 12:00pm-2:00pm; Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold. Learn about the evolution of cursive writing and even try it yourself. FREE!
Awesome Autumn Ambles - Thursday, September 14 at 10:00am; Freneau Woods Park Visitor Center, Aberdeen - Meet in the parking lot - and Thursday, September 28 at 10:00am; Huber Woods Environmental Center, Middletown - Meet in the parking lot. Explore the trails with a Park System Naturalist and discuss all manners of plant and animal phenomenon. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. FREE!
Wind & Sea Festival - Saturday, September 16 from 11:00am-5:00pm; Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth. Celebrate all things water-related such as kayaking, fishing, kite flying, sandcastle building, and more during this family-friendly festival. Admission and parking are free. Some activities may have a fee. Parking at the Belford Ferry Terminal.
Fall Antique Auto Display & Cornbread Contest - Sunday, September 17 from 10:00am-2:00pm; Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold. Enter or judge this annual cornbread contest and see antique autos dating 1973 and earlier. Call 609-259-6275 to pre-register your entry into the contest. Peer testing and voting is from 10:30am-11:30am. FREE!
Sunday Tea & Talk - Sunday, September 17 at 1:00pm; Thompson Park Visitor Center, Lincroft. Join Park System staff for an informal discussion on timely topics including park improvement projects and recent land preservation efforts. FREE!
Piano Ballads from the Turn of the Century - Sunday, September 17 from 1:00pm-3:00pm; Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. Tap your feet, dance a one-step, or sing along to popular turn-of-the-19th-century ballads as they are played inside the farmhouse. FREE!
Climb Time - Tuesday, September 19 from 3:00pm-6:00pm; Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Long Branch. Try the Park System's 25’ portable climbing wall. You must be 42” or taller to climb. Open to ages 8 and up; under 18 with adult. FREE!
Nature Lecture: Pufferfish of the Jersey Shore - Thursday, September 21 from 7:00pm-8:00pm; Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth. Learn about the local populations of pufferfish and find out how they mate, eat, and move and can puff up to scare other animals away during this talk by a Park System Naturalist. FREE!
Concert in the Park: A Night of Jazz and Blues - Friday, September 22 from 7:00pm-8:30pm; Thompson Park Theater Barn, Lincroft. The roots of blues and jazz music run deep at the Jersey Shore. Join us as we explore and listen to some of the talents from our own backyard. Bring chairs or blankets, food and soft drinks. The concert is outdoors but will be moved indoors if the weather is inclement. FREE!
Open House Square Dance - Friday, September 22 from 7:00pm-9:00pm; Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft. Give square dancing a try during this fun, family-friendly evening with the Middletown Ramblers. Ages 14 and up are welcome; under 18 with adult. FREE!
Fall Native Plant Swap - Saturday, September 23; Plant intake from 8:30am-10:00am; Swap starts at 10:00am; Tatum Park, Middletown – Use Red Hill Road entrance. Bring established native plants in one-quart, one-gallon or two-gallon containers to exchange for plants in like sizes. Please label all plants. Only plants native to the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States will be accepted. Swapping non-native plants in the parking lot will be strongly discouraged. House plants may also be exchanged (these do not need to be native). FREE!
Harvest Home Festival - Sunday, September 24 from 11:00am-5:00pm; Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. This old-fashioned fair is reminiscent of the 1890s. Visitors can enjoy games, wagon rides, and live entertainment. Admission and parking are free.
To learn more about these Park System activities, please visit www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or call the Park System at 732-842-4000. For persons with hearing impairment, the Park System TTY/TDD number is 711. The Monmouth County Park System, created in 1960 by the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, is Monmouth County’s Open Space, Parks and Recreation agency.
