Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 27-29, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Courtesy of Teddy Bears by the Shore

Friday, December 27

• Hunger Games Meets the Olympics (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• A Wind in The Willows Christmas at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Open Skating (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• The Nutcracker Extra Performance (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Growing History for the Holidays (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• “A Day OFF from School is a Day ON at the MAC” (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Monmouth County Parks Weekend Things to Do – MORE INFO

• Library Lego Party (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• After-Holiday Sales at Jersey Shore Premium Outlets (Tinton Falls) – MORE INFO

• Open Swim (Middletown) – MORE INFO

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 20-22, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Friday, December 20

* Free Family A Cappella Holiday Concert (Highlands) MORE INFO

• A Christmas Carol (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• Scrooge at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO

• A Shop Around The Corner at First Ave. Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Handel’s Messiah (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Wearable, Usable, Functional Art Show & Sale (Belmar) – MORE INFO

• Happy Holidays One-Act Plays at The Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Club MAC with Miss Maria & Friends (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Community Christmas Caroling (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Nicole Atkins at The Stone Pony (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• A Wind in The Willows Christmas at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Meet Kathy Wakile at Monmouth Mall (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Wind in the Willows at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Yoga for Adults (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 13-15, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, December 14

• InfoAge Holiday Spectacular & Train Display (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• The Street Heat Sole & Style Expo (Manalapan) – MORE INFO

• Scrooge The Musical at Premier Theatre (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• A Christmas Carol (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO

• Jungle Bell 5k Run/Walk (Lake Como) – MORE INFO

• The Nutcracker at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Santa Train (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Festive Flutes (Neptune) – MORE INFO

• Candlelight House Tour (Keyport) – MORE INFO

• CODA’s The Nutcracker at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Christmas Lantern Tours at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

• McDermott’s Handy: A Celtic Christmas (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• Scrooge at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO

• A Shop Around The Corner at First Ave. Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Open Shoot Archery (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 6-8, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, December 7

• Scrooge at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO

• Holidays Shopping Boutique (Rumson) – MORE INFO

• NYC Radio City Christmas Spectacular via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• A Christmas Carol by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Christmas from the Emerald Isle (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Middlemen at NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• A Shop Around The Corner at First Ave. Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• AAUW Used Book Sale (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Colts Neck) – MORE INFO

• Christmas Sing-a-Long (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

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Kids ride free on Seastreak

Children aged 12 or under cruise to New York on Seastreak for free when accompanied by a full fare paying adult, under a promotion that lasts through Memorial Day by the sponsor of our weekly Things to do in Monmouth County feature.

Seastreak is encouraging families to explore New York during the winter months. During these trips, Seastreak’s ferry service from Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey will be docking at Pier 11 and at East 35th Street in New York City, which will provide access to attractions such as Grand Central Station’s Train Show or Radio City Music Hall during the holidays.

The scenery on the cruise to New York from Sandy Hook Bay is itself a fabulous attraction.

Seastreak has 13 departure times from New Jersey to New York on weekdays and five departure times on weekends.  A complete schedule is available online at http://seastreak.com/nynjschedules.aspx.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County This Weekend

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, November 2

• New Jersey Women’s Expo (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Watching Stars & Meteors (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• Brighton Beach Memoirs by Monmouth Players (Navesink) – MORE INFO

• The Tricky Part at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Impolite Comedy at First Avenue Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Free Caregiver Retreat (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Woods Hollow Classic Mountain Bike Race (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• First Saturday in Asbury Park – MORE INFO

• Create a Decorative Thanksgiving Plate (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Beauty and the Beach 5-Mile (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• National Theatre of London: 50 Years on Stage (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Stocking Stuffer Sale at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

• Trinity Hall H.S. Open House (Leonardo) – MORE INFO

• Arsenic & Old Lace by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• “Vintage Hitchcock” by NINE Theatricals (Hazlet) – MORE INFO

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Chasing an Army Legend at West Point

By Greg Kelly

It was a perfect day for football. In fact, perfection was improved upon that day because I got a boat ride and talked to a US Army icon. Just recently I had the great pleasure of visiting the US Military Academy at West Point, New York to see a college football game.

Making the superb trip with me were my brother and sister and we got there thanks to first class service from Seastreak ferry. I highly recommend the excursion. It offers up an exciting and enlightening atmosphere for sports fans of all ages.

The day began with a sublime boat ride from the NJ bayshore to New York—a calm, cool, and colorful morning voyage. All the way north, the outdoor air was brisk and the banks of the Hudson River were awash in stunning Fall colors (with photo opportunities galore).

When we arrived at West Point with a full boat, it looked like the game at the 38,000-seat Michie Stadium was also very well attended. Most impressive to me was the section of cheering US Army cadets, looking sharp in their white hats and shirts, bathed in brilliant sunlight.

I had heard that during Army’s glory years, in the 1940s and 50s, college football ruled supreme as America’s leading fan sport. Back then it was common for national newspapers to run several full pages of news and photos on big college football teams like Army. Now I see why.

In Army’s 50-25 blasting of Eastern Michigan University on October 12, junior running back Terry Baggett rushed for a school record 304 yards and 4 touchdowns (including a 96-yarder). We saw history. It was the first 300-yard rushing game in Army’s 120+ years of football.

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Fall Cruises On The Hudson

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

Approaching or leaving lower Manhattan by water never gets old for me. If you start getting used to it, just look closer.

If you are ready to be really moved by an enormity of natural and human wonders, present and historical, stay on the Seastreak Ferry when departs from Pier 11 any Saturday or Sunday morning this month for a guided tour of the Hudson River.  Paul Rush provides the educational and humorous narrative to the cruise.

Seastreak, our sponsor of Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, departs from Highlands every Saturday and Sunday in October at 8:45am, stops at Pier 11 in lower Manhattan to pick up Rush and more passengers if there is room on the boat,  and heads up the Hudson to Bear Mountain  for Oktoberfest revelers and Cold Spring, NY for antiquers and strollers.

The leaves were just beginning to turn when Lori and I took the trip last Sunday.  We opted to pass on the mile uphill walk to Oktoberfest (and the downhill walk after 4.5 hours of drinking) to explore Cold Spring.  Whichever destination you choose, the best part of the trip is the journey.  All the more so now that the leaves are turning.

The return journey starts at 3:30 when the boat departs Cold Spring, picks up the wobbly revelers at Bear Mountain at 4, and culminates with sunset over the Raritan Bay before docking at Highlands at around 6:15.

It’s  not the destination that matters. It’s the change of scene. ~ Brian Eno

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, September 27-29, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

 By Greg Kelly

 Sunday, Sept. 29

• Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Twin Lights Bike Ride (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Harvest Home Festival (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• Dearborn Market Apple Festival (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• New York Mets vs. Brewers via Seastreak Ferry (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• On Borrowed Time at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Colts Neck Art & Craft Festival – MORE INFO

• Fold Forming Metal Class (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Eco-Kayak Tour of the Navesink River (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• The Full Monty at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Allaire 5k (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• Civil War Reenactors Encampment (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Oktoberfest Celebration at Keansburg Amusements – MORE INFO

• Hunger Games Overnight (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Broomstick at NJ Repertory Theater (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Danny Kaye: 100th Birthday Celebration (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Englishtown Swap Meet & Auto Show – MORE INFO

• Play Dates in the Park (Howell, Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• Manasquan Reservoir Boat Tours (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Snuggy Science Experiments (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• Wine, Martini & Beer Tasting (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Pyramid Mountain Hike in Morris County (Lincroft departure) – MORE INFO

• Central Jersey NF Walk & Run (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Tribute to Girl Groups (Manalapan) – MORE INFO

• NJ Mandatory Safe Boating Course (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Book Swap Drop In (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Workshop: Turn Your Stories into Art (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Damn Yankees at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Jersey Shore Wine Weekends at Four JG’s (Colts Neck) – MORE INFO

• Asbury Fresh Local Artisan Market – MORE INFO

• Vinnie Brand Comedy Benefit (MIddletown) – MORE INFO

• Festive Flutes Concert (Spring Lake Heights) – MORE INFO

• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Trip to Kempton, PA (Lincroft departure) – MORE INFO

*     *     *

And Next Weekend . . .

Friday, October 4: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

Saturday, October 5: Bradley Beach Tour the Town Garage Sale – MORE INFO

Sunday, October 6: Historic Walnford Day (Upper Freehold) – MORE INFO

*     *     *

And Next Month . . .

Nov. 2: National Theatre of London: 50 Years On Stage (WLB) – MORE INFO

Nov. 8:  Bill Cosby at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

Nov. 17: Atlantic Highlands Art Show & Sale – MORE INFO

Nov. 30: Classic Holiday Horse & Carriage Rides (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

Greg Kelly is a longtime Monmouth County journalist. He welcomes comments or questions at [email protected]

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, September 20-22, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Sunday, Sept. 22

HIGHLANDS FIRST AID SQUAD FUNDRAISER (Highlands) —MORE INFO

• Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival – MORE INFO

• On Borrowed Time at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Broomstick at NJ Repertory Theater (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Manasquan Reservoir 5-Mile Run (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Cornbread Contest (Upper Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Autumn Beach Walk (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• The Sleeping Beauty by Coastal Artists (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• Women’s Lifestyle Event (Farmingdale) – MORE INFO

• Canterbury Art Show (Rumson) – MORE INFO

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