RED BANK: ‘DOG DAYS’ ROMPS IN PARK
Whelped on Monmouth Street five years ago, Red Bank’s Dog Days of Summer returned for the first of two 2018 installments with a romp in Marine Park Monday night.
MIDDLETOWN: THE WAG MOVE INDOORS
Powerpop powerhouse the Wag comes in from the great outdoors with a free Wednesday evening concert at the township library.
They’ve proven themselves to be hardy perennials on the year-round local music scene, but for fans of the Wag, there’s no denying that the season of outdoor concerts and sun-kissed festivals is the natural habitat for the Middletown-based band that can often be found free-ranging it in settings from the Fair Haven Municipal Dock and Little Silver Gazebo to the sidewalks and storefronts of downtown Red Bank and the great lawn at Lincroft’s Brookdale Community College.
IN THE AIR: FREE MUSIC, MOVIES AND MORE
Week two of this summer’s Movies in the Park series in Red Bank features an entry from the ‘Star Wars’ catalog. Below, Layonne Holmes fronts the Motor City Revue in a return to Sandy Hook Wednesday.
There’s a chance to imagine yourself as part of the biggest franchise in film fantasy history. Some power pop on the dock. A heat-blast of Latin-flavored jazz in the park. A little beach-music soul on the sands. And one of the world’s most beloved plays on yonder grassy knoll.
It’s all going on beneath the setting sun and stars of the Greater Red Bank Green — and all fabulously free of charge in the evenings to come.
FAIR HAVEN: WAG ROCKS THE DOCK
Middletown-based powerpop purveyors The Wag open a new season of free concerts in Fair Haven this Thursday evening, on the borough’s municipal dock.
Some music is simply born of, and belongs to, the most dimly lit grottoes and claustrophobic corners of the nocturnal club-crawler’s world — not so The Wag, the Middletown-based band that emerges into sunlight each year around this time; taking to the season of open-air concert events (including the Clearwater Festival, the Red Bank Street Life series, and of course the annual Monmouth County SPCA Dog Walk) like ducks take to water.
Appropriately enough, The Wag will be partying with the waterfowl, plus other local fans and fauna, when they help inaugurate a new season of Fair Haven Dock Concert events this Thursday, July 6.
LINCROFT: DOGS AND GUITARS ON DISPLAY
The Monmouth County SPCA’s annual Dog Walk and Pet Fair returns to Brookdale Community College Saturday.
This weekend marks the return of two more-or-less yearly events to the Lincroft campus of Brookdale Community College — the Monmouth County SPCA Dog Walk and Pet Fair and the Brookdale Guitar Show — both of which had their origins in the generally cooler months and have since relocated to rank among the favorite rites of spring on the Greater Red Bank Green.
ON THE GREEN: MUSIC, ART, WIND AND SEA
Dip a toe into the first wave of “zero waste” art…stick a finger into the winds of environmental activism…try one’s hand at any of the many recreational pursuits of coastal life as Local Summer continues apace on and near the ocean, bay and riverfront shores of our local parks.
The people at the Monmouth County Arts Council define “zero waste” art as that which uses all available materials; creating new objects of beauty and inspiration from formerly discarded castoffs — and when the first-ever Zero Waste Arts Fest comes to the Fort Hancock area of Sandy Hook this weekend, September 17 and 18, there won’t be a wasted moment or a wasted opportunity for family-friendly fun. Going on from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, the festival highlights partnerships between locally based artists, art galleries and environmental activism organizations, as well as an interactive “live art” project coordinated by Lisa Bagwell (whose recycled-materials sculptures are a colorful and clever commentary on our disposable consumer culture). There’s live music (from Red Bank’s Rockit Live and others), kids’ activities, informative displays from a host of partner organizations, plus giveaways, shuttle bus tours of the Hook, and a whole lot more (including an after-hours Saturday night “1940s swing event” under the stars). Take it here to the All Good section of redbankgreen, for full details on events and entertainers, plus a complete rundown of participating co-sponsors and presenters.
RED BANK: WAG, WOODFISH TO ROCK PARK
Two popular Red Bank-area bands — the Wag, seen above, and Woodfish — take the open-air stage at Riverside Gardens Park Saturday evening for the “Concert for the Kids,” in support of the Red Bank Parks and Recreation youth sports programs.
There’s no charge for the 5:30 p.m. event, but a donation of $10 is suggested to help ensure that any child who wants to play sports or attend a camp is able to do so, said department director Charlie Hoffman. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
RED BANK REC HOSTS CONCERT FOR THE KIDS
Riverside Gardens is the scene on the evening of Saturday, September 17, when Red Bank Parks and Recreation and co-sponsor Riverview Medical Center host a first annual Concert for the Kids in support of youth sports programs. Two popular area-based bands — The Wag (pictured; 5:30 p.m.) and Woodfish (7:30 p.m.) will help “ensure that any child who wants to play sports or attend our camps is able to do so, even if their family is facing a financial hardship,” in the words of Parks and Rec’s Charlie Hoffman. There’s no admission charge to attend the event, but a suggested donation of $10 is welcome.
LINCROFT: CLEARWATER FLOWS AGAIN
Shore music legends Paul Whistler and Vini Lopez team up as Dawg Whistle, while fellow famed musicmakers Glen Burtnik and Bob Burger (below) suit up for the Weeklings, when the 41st annual Clearwater Festival returns to the Brookdale campus this weekend.
It’s all about the message, when you get right down to it, one of care and respect and vision for this coastal place where we make our home. But when the Clearwater Festival returns to Lincroft for a frankly amazing 41st annual edition this weekend, attendees might be forgiven for thinking that it’s equally about the music — an attraction that’s drawn the participation of some pretty awesome figures over the years.
LINCROFT: BIG (AND LITTLE) DOGS ON CAMPUS
The Monmouth SPCA’s Dog Walk and Pet Fair returns to the Brookdale campus Saturday. Local rockers the Wag, below, will be there to set tails a-wag. (Photo below by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Back for its 22nd annual edition — the third since finding a “new leash on life” as a springtime event — the Monmouth County SPCA Dog Walk and Pet Fair commandeers the Lincroft campus of Brookdale Community College for a colorful five-hour festival Saturday.
A benefit for the programs and services of the MCSPCA, the “Paws for a Cause” walk is just the centerpiece of a slate of activities for adults, kids and canines, bolstered by some 100 vendor booths, adoption and microchip clinics, a 50/50 raffle, food trucks, face painting, “pupparazzi” photos, “cutest tricks” contest and even a “Canine PUPtials” wedding chapel.
LINCROFT: THE DOGS ARE BACK IN TOWN, @ BCC
Live music…by who else but The Wag?…provides a soundtrack to a day of pet owner services, games, raffles, demos and clinics, as the annual Dog Walk and Pet Fair hits the Brookdale campus on April 30.
Press release from The Monmouth County SPCA
On Saturday, April 30, the Lincroft campus of Brookdale Community College will go to the dogs once again, as the Monmouth County SPCA hosts the 22nd annual Spring Dog Walk and Pet Fair.
The event, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and presented in partnership with Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, is the organization’s largest and most successful fundraiser event, attracting over 2,000 people and their pets each year. Proceeds directly help us to provide care and find “forever homes” for the thousands of homeless animals that pass through the MCSPCA’s shelter every year.
RED BANK: RIVERCENTER SEEKS LIFERS
StreetLife veteran act the Wag performing on Broad Street in 2014.
Press release from Red Bank RiverCenter
In an annual call for talent, Red Bank RiverCenter is seeking experienced street performers — musicians, magicians, and other entertainers — to entertain downtown Red Bank this summer.
Entertainers will be selected through open auditions and presented through RiverCenter’s popular StreetLife program, now in its 16th year. Interested artists are invited to take part in auditions beginning 6 pm on Thursday, March 10, at the Count Basie Rehearsal Studio (99 Monmouth Street, 2nd Floor) in Red Bank.
LINCROFT: A NEW DOCK FOR CLEARWATER
Clearwater Festival founder Bob Killian, seen here with folk legend Pete Seeger, makes two anniversary appearances this weekend. (Photo by Mike Berry)
Updated from previous post on redbankgreen‘s All Good page.
It began back in the mid-1970s as a free festival of music, food and environmental awareness at Sandy Hook.
Inspired by the work of the iconic folk singer and pioneer activist Pete Seeger and his Hudson River excursions with the sloop Clearwater — and founded by Bob Killian, a Shore-based singer and songwriter best known for his hyperlocal anthem “I Like The Jersey Shore” — the all-volunteer Clearwater Festival has soldiered on through the years in several locations, most recently at Long Branch’s Pier Village.
LINCROFT: CLEARWATER COMES TO BCC
The works of legendary folk musician and activist Pete Seeger (left) and Clearwater Festival founder Bob Killian (right) are celebrated during the 40th anniversary edition of the annual free music and environmental education event, coming to Brookdale Community College for the first time on Saturday, September 12. Killian returns to Monmouth County for the occasion, as well as a September 13 event honoring Seeger’s legacy, at the Unitarian Meetinghouse in Lincroft. (Photo by Mike Berry)
From press materials furnished by New Jersey Friends of Clearwater
It began back in the mid-1970s, as a free festival of music, food and environmental awareness; hosted at the Fort Hancock area of Sandy Hook and sponsored by the organization then called Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater. Inspired by the work of the iconic folk singer and pioneer activist Pete Seeger and his Hudson River excursions with the sloop Clearwater — and founded by Bob Killian, a Shore-based singer and songwriter best known for his hyperlocal anthem “I Like The Jersey Shore” — the all-volunteer Clearwater Festival has soldiered on through the years in several locations, most recently at Long Branch’s Pier Village.
On Saturday, September 14, the re-branded New Jersey Friends of Clearwater presents the milestone 40th annual edition of the summertime event; a one-day happening that unfolds at a brand new host venue: the Larrison Hall Commons area at Lincroft’s Brookdale Community College. Dedicated to the pioneering efforts of Seeger (who passed away last year at age 94) and Killian (whose return to Monmouth County for the occasion is a highlight of this year’s festival), Clearwater 2015 is an eight-hour burst of activity (11 am – 7 pm) that promises three stages’ worth of live music, kids’ activities, arts and crafts vendors, environmentally themed informational displays, and plenty of free parking on the sprawling BCC campus.
RED BANK STREET LIFE: BUSKING AFTER DUSK
The Wag is among the musical acts taking to the sidewalks and storefronts of Red Bank’s business district as the annual Street Life series returns on Saturday. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
It represents a shuffle mix that ranges from Americana to ethnic, from Sweet Adeline harmonies to a friendly bit of harmonic dissonance. And when the homegrown phenomenon known as Red Bank StreetLife returns to the borough’s sidewalks and storefronts for a new season of summer evenings starting Saturday, it will also represent a literal shuffle, as self-guided musicphiles stroll or roll at their pleasure in search of locally sourced, Jersey-fresh sights and sounds.
LINCROFT: NEW LEASH ON MCSPCA EVENT
Middletown band the Wag takes the air, and canine aerialists Tyronne and Abbydoodle take a curtain call, as the Monmouth SPCA’s Dog Walk and Pet Fair returns to the Brookdale campus for its 21st edition.
It’s one of the most eagerly anticipated early-autumn events on the greater Red Bank Green — repositioned, for the second year, as a middle-of-spring event. Returning for its 21st edition on Saturday, the annual Monmouth County SPCA Dog Walk and Pet Fair commandeers the campus of Brookdale Community College for a colorful five-hour festival (10 am – 3 pm).
Co-sponsored by Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, the fundraising walk is simply the centerpiece of a slate of activities for adults, kids and canines, highlighted by vendor booths, adoption and microchip clinics, 50/50 drawing, food, face painting, doggie agility ring, “pupparazzi” photos, “cutest tricks” contest and even a “Canine PUPtials” wedding chapel. There’s live entertainment as well — including the return of a faithful favorite act, and what promises to be the final Dog Walk appearance by one of the most crowdpleasing acts on the pet-fair circuit.
FAIR HAVEN: A WEEKEND OF SIGHT ‘N SOUND
While the annual Fireman’s Fair turns up the late-summer heat beginning Friday evening, The Wag closes out the season of free concerts on Saturday night, on the borough’s municipal dock.
It’s the most bittersweet of all summerfun events: the annual Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair, that eight-day extravaganza of sights, sounds and delicious smells that transforms River Road into a festival of lights each August — while at the same time sounding a keynote for the season of back-to-school supplies and summer-love goodbyes.
The oldest (and, many agree, greatest) of all Shore area carnivals puts down stakes for the 55th consecutive year beginning this Friday, August 22, and continuing nightly (with the exception of Sunday, August 24) through Saturday, August 30. Expect all the old favorites to return once more to the fairgrounds surrounding the borough’s firehouse — from the kiddie-ride corridor, midway and “big kid” rides (Zipper, Wipeout, Rainbow), to the fire truck tours, Super 50/50 and “Out Back” snack bar grille. The famous fresh seafood kitchen and dining room — an attraction for which folks start lining up right about now — completes the picture, with funds raised dedicated to the operations of the borough’s century-old volunteer fire department. And, as always, all vendors, volunteers and food prep personnel are hometown neighbors.
WEEKEND: A WALK, A BUMP, A PADDLE, A KRALL
Little Silver artist Mike Ciccotello at work creating a mural at Red Bank’s Salon Concrete, where his paintings will be on display with a show opening Saturday night. Diana Krall, below, returns to the Count Basie on her Glad Rag Doll tour, part of the Jazz at the Basie series. (Click to enlarge)
Friday, October 4:
RED BANK: Fans who recall Natalie Merchant from her gold- and platinum-plated tenure as frontwoman of the rock band 10,000 Maniacs might be pleasantly surprised by the silvery hair she’s sported on her current tour — as well as by her fronting an ever-changing array of symphony orchestras from town to town. When the singer takes to the Count Basie boards at 8 pm, she’ll be joined by the New Jersey Chamber Symphony for a concert that draws from her recent hit release, ‘Leave Your Sleep’ — a lushly arranged set of literary inspirations and expansive musical visions. Take it here for tickets.
NAVESINK: The bumper crop of Broadway shows in 1938 included not only ‘On Borrowed Time‘ — currently onstage in a splendidly designed, handsomely realized production at Two River Theatre —but another folksy fantasy of life, love and devotion in a small town. Traditionally staged without props or scenery, Thornton Wilder’s classic ‘Our Town’ lends an avant-garde edge to its cross-section slice of sentimental Americana. Beginning tonight, the community troupe Stone Church Players presents the first of six performances at All Saints’ Memorial Church (the historic “Old Stone Church” at the crossroads of Navesink and Monmouth Aves). Michael McClellan directs a cast of 17 players in the show that continues weekends through October 13; take it here to reserve.