A full slate of movies, music and workouts is scheduled for Riverside Gardens Park, but minus a songwriters’ series. (Photo by Wil Fulton. Click to enlarge)
By WIL FULTON
Despite the loss of a perennial favorite, Red BankÂ’s Summer Series in Riverside Park is still poised to draw plenty of fanfare with a busy schedule, packed with plenty of movies, music and fitness events over the next couple months.
After nearly a decade, Brookdale RaidoÂ’s Songwriters in the Park series will move from Red Bank to Belmar, according to Parks and Recreation Director Memone Crystian.
“Belmar was able to offer the program full funding, which we, unfortunately, could not,” Crystian told redbankgreen. “Basically, it was an offer they just couldn’t refuse.”
Though Crystian was saddened to see the popular program go, “Red Bank is not in a situation to match Belmar’s full funding in these increasingly difficult financial times,” she said.
If there is a silver lining to the loss of the program, itÂ’s that the door has been opened for other avenues of no-cost entertainment to take place in Red BankÂ’s parks this summer.
On the music front, Red Bank Recreation will present “Jazz in the Park” every Thursday evening at 7:30 in July and August – starting with Sherri Pie on July 11 and concluding with David Cedeno on August 22. Other participating acts include Don Carter, Chuck Lambert, funktion 11, the Nick Clemons Band, and the Darwin B. Oden Quartet.
The silver screen will also have representation with the “Movies in the Park” series, presented by ShoreFlicks, kicking off with slacker-comedy favorite “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” on July 2.
Every Tuesday at dusk, a new movie will be shown – all modern classics – including “The Goonies,” “Jaws”and “Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” for all the absurdists out there.
Fitness in the Park, presented by the Community YMCA, is already underway on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30, engaging residents with group-based fitness activities and workouts. The program runs through August with a rotating schedule of Tai Chi, Pilates, Yoga, and Zumba.
In addition, the Vision Committee will host the “Count Basie 365” concert series on Friday evenings in August, as well as on September 6 and 13 in pocket park at the corner of Drs. James Parker Boulevard and Shrewsbury Avenue from 7 to 9 p.m., with participating artists to be named in the next month.
All the events are free and open to the public, and the borough encourages attendees bring chairs and blankets for the concerts and films, and a towel or mat and water for the fitness events.
“As you can see, we still have a great selection of events of programs at our parks this summer,”  Crystian said. “We have so much going on in Red Bank, and we are ready to have everybody come out to our parks and enjoy our beautiful town all summer long.”
