Monmouth Minute
Posts
Weekly Roundup 9/8/2026

Weekly Roundup 9/8/2026

Spend the Day by the Water at the Wind & Sea Festival, Shop Small at the Asbury Park Fall Bazaar, Spring Lake’s Italian Festival is Back, See Mikel Paris From O.A.R. for FREE, Live Music Lowdown

Sophie Prince
September 08, 2026

Happy Tuesday, Monmouth County! The cooler mornings are officially here, and I hate to admit how much I’m enjoying them. There’s something about wearing a sweatshirt to the beach that just feels right, even if it does mean summer is slowly winding down.

On the docket:

Spend the Day by the Water at the Wind & Sea Festival
Shop Small at the Asbury Park Fall Bazaar
Spring Lake’s Italian Festival is Back
See Mikel Paris From O.A.R. for FREE at Twin Lights Brewing
Live Music Lowdown

Spend the Day by the Water at the Wind & Sea Festival

The Wind & Sea Festival is bringing a full day of coastal fun to Bayshore Waterfront Park on Saturday, September 19 from 11 AM to 5 PM. The free family-friendly festival celebrates all things water, with plenty of activities to keep everyone busy and hopefully keep the kids from announcing that they are bored five minutes in.

Visitors can try kayaking, fishing, crabbing, kite flying, sandcastle building, seining and shelling, along with children's crafts, story time, naturalist activities and food vendors. The event will also feature the Wind Wolves Traveling Kite Show and other coastal organizations.

Parking is available at the Belford Ferry Terminal with shuttle buses running to the park, so you can leave the car drama behind and get straight to the fun.

Shop Small at the Asbury Park Fall Bazaar

The Asbury Park Fall Bazaar is back this month, happening September 26 and 27 from 12 to 5 PM, bringing together 30+ local makers and small businesses each day.

Expect plenty of handmade goods, vintage finds, art, jewelry, home décor, candles, fashion, specialty foods and sweet treats, along with music, kids’ face painting and a photo wall. Saturday’s lineup includes Asbury Park Cheesecake Co., Laplaca Pottery Works, The Beaded Mermaid LBI and Timberloom Woodworking, while Sunday brings vendors like Forever Golden Permanent Jewelry, Hoffman Bread, Magic Candle Studio and R&R Music-Vinyl Records.

The best part is that admission is free, the whole thing is indoors, and it is both family-friendly and pet-friendly. So grab a friend, bring the shopping tote you swear you already have enough of, and spend an afternoon finding something fun while supporting local makers.

Spring Lake’s Italian Festival is Back

Monmouth County is getting a little taste of Italy on September 19th with the Spring Lake Italian Festival, bringing plenty of food, music and family fun to Third and Morris Avenues. The festival celebrates Italian heritage with local vendors, Italian food specialties, a wine and beer garden and live entertainment throughout the afternoon.

Bring the whole family because there will be a spaghetti eating contest, face painting, balloon twisting, a photo booth, mini train rides and a performance from the Spring Lake School of Dance. Live music comes from Julian & Dominique from 12 to 4 PM, followed by Zack Alexander from 4 to 5 PM, plus a special appearance by opera singer Jacqueline Quirk.

Come hungry and leave with a little more appreciation for carbs.

See Mikel Paris From O.A.R. for FREE at Twin Lights Brewing

Wednesday night plans just got a pretty major upgrade. Mikel Paris from O.A.R. is bringing his live show to Twin Lights Brewing in Tinton Falls for a FREE show on September 16 from 6 to 10 PM.

Paris spent more than a decade as a keyboardist, percussionist and backing vocalist with O.A.R., and his own sound blends rock, funk and soul. So grab some friends, head to Twin Lights, and settle in for a night of live music without having to buy a ticket.

Free admission and live music at a brewery on a Wednesday. Honestly, that's a pretty solid way to get through the middle of the week.

Live Music Lowdown