Events that are still planned:
September 9 and 10: Irish Festival in Seaside Heights
September 11: Seafood in Seaside Festival in Seaside Heights
September 9-11 (Amateur event)
Sep. 14-18 (Pro event): Belmar Pro Surfing Competition at 16th Avenue Beach
September 10: Streetfair in Red Bank
September 10: Ocean Grove Giant Flea Markets at Ocean Pathway
September 17: Roller Derby at Asbury Park Convention Hall
September 23-25: Que by the Sea BBQ Competition & Festival
September 24: Beer on the Pier at Belmar Marina
September 24: Championship Night at New Egypt Speedway
September 25: Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival
September 30 – October 3: All Tomorrow's Parties Festival, Curated by Portishead, at The Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall
STATE'S LARGEST WINE FESTIVAL
SET FOR SEPT. 3 & 4 AT ALLAIRE STATE PARK
New Jersey's largest wine festival, Jazz It Up, will be held Saturday and Sunday Sept. 3 and 4, from noon to 5 p.m. at Allaire State Park in Farmingdale, featuring the opportunity to taste nearly 300 different, locally-produced wines, listen to great, live jazz entertainment including Around the Horn on Saturday and The Keith Marks Quintet on Sunday and to explore the grounds of Allaire State Park, home to an early 19th Century industrial iron producing community.
Around the Horn, will be performing on Saturday. This quartet collectively combines smooth classic jazz with playful improvisation to create a very eclectic and vibrant sound featuring all styles of jazz and cross-over rock. Keith Marks has been leading his quartet in a variety of performances at major festivals, colleges and universities, clubs and corporate events for over 30 years.
With the music comes the wine and the opportunity to sample the products of 25 New Jersey wineries including scores of award-winning vintages.
Festival attendees also have the opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a 19th Century bog iron producing community. Craftsmen in period garb; such as blacksmiths, carpenters, leatherworkers, molders and tinsmiths; will be demonstrating their skills for visitors while explaining how their roles affected life at the iron works. Younger visitors to the historic village can learn what life was like for the children of the iron works company by becoming apprentices to the master craftsmen.
Costumed interpreters throughout the Historic Village's homes offer visitors demonstrations in various aspects of 19th Century domestic life, such as hearth cooking, spinning, quilting and sewing, laundry, gardening and even proper etiquette.
Persons interested in learning more about the festival can call The Garden State Wine Growers Association at 609-588-0085 or go the association website at www.newjerseywines.com. Tickets for the festival are $25 a person at the gate. Advance discount tickets can be purchased only at the association web site. Large groups and bus
groups can call the Association "Wine Line" for more information.