🍂Pumpkins, Concerts & Fall Fun in Monmouth County

👋 Welcome to This Week’s Monmouth Senior Scoop!

🎃Hello friends, and happy fall! From pumpkin patches and dog surf contests to Elvis crooning at the library and a big Touch-A-Truck outing for the grandkids, Monmouth County is buzzing with things to do. So grab a sweater, pour a mug of something warm, and let’s dive into what’s happening Oct. 1 – Oct. 8. 🍂

👀What’s on tap this week:

📅 Mark Your Calendar — Concerts, festivals & fall fun
📚 Beyond the Books — Library happenings worth checking out
🌳 In the Parks — Free outdoor adventures
✈️ Wanderlust Weekly — Dreamy trips & travel buzz
🎭 Beyond Our Backyard — NYC adventures & nearby gems
🥕 Farm Markets — Fresh picks across Monmouth
🍲 What’s Cookin’ — Simple seasonal recipes
📺 TV Time — What to stream this week
👨‍👩‍👧 Take the Grandkids — Family-friendly outings
🥳 Happy Birthday — Local & celebrity celebrations
✨ One Last Thing — Good news to wrap it up

Up first…

🏛️Step Back in Time

Free Tours at Monmouth County’s Historic Sites This Fall!

History buffs, take note! The Monmouth County Park System invites you to explore some of its most treasured historic landmarks — all listed on the National Register of Historic Places — with free tours running through October and beyond. These beautifully preserved sites offer a peek into New Jersey’s past, from Revolutionary War days to early farming life. Here’s where you can wander this fall for free!

• Historic Battery Lewis
  📅 Saturdays & Sundays through Oct. 12
  🕙 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
  📍 Hartshorne Woods Park, Highlands (Rocky Point entrance)
  🔎 Explore a restored WWII-era coastal defense gun battery overlooking the Navesink Highlands.

• Historic Holmes-Hendrickson House
  📅 Fridays–Sundays through Oct. 5
  🕛 12–3 p.m. (tours start every half hour)
  📍 Holmdel Park, Holmdel
  🏠 Step inside this 18th-century farmhouse and imagine life on a colonial-era homestead.

• Historic Portland Place
   📅 Wednesdays–Sundays through Nov. 16
  🕥 Tours at 10:30 & 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 2:30 p.m.
   📍 Hartshorne Woods Park, Locust (Middletown)
   ✨ A Federal-style home with sweeping views of the Navesink River, Portland Place shares stories of families who lived here across generations.

• Historic Racing Stable
   📅 Fridays through Oct. 17, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
   📅 Saturdays & Sundays through Oct. 19, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
   📍 Thompson Park, Lincroft
   🐎 Learn about New Jersey’s rich equestrian history at this beautifully restored stable.

• Historic Seabrook-Wilson House
   📅 Mondays, Thursdays & Sundays through Oct. 30
  🕐 1–4 p.m.
   📍 Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth
   🌊 One of the oldest surviving houses in the region (dating back to the 1700s), this bayside gem has tales of pirates, patriots, and everyday families.

Note that historic sites may close in inclement weather or on county holidays. For information, visit the Monmouth County Parks website.

🗞️Prime Time News

Links to the latest news on aging from trusted media sources.

Your Medicare Costs Are Set to Soar: What to Expect Over the Next Decade: Medicare beneficiaries will face higher premiums, deductibles and surcharges starting in 2026 and continuing over the next decade. Here's what you need to know. Kiplinger, Sept. 23.

 AI Will Soon Have a Say in Approving or Denying Medicare Treatments: Taking a page from the private insurance industry’s playbook, the Trump administration will launch a program next year to find out how much money an artificial intelligence algorithm could save the federal government by denying care to Medicare patients. KFF Health News, Sept. 25

How to Navigate Your Finances After Losing Your Spouse: Thoughts From a Financial Planner: It's important you get involved in financial planning now so you're prepared and confident to make decisions when you potentially become your own financial manager. Kiplinger, Sept. 22.

Who Pays for Hospice Care in a Nursing Home? Here are the payment options to consider for comfortable, pain-free end-of-life care in a nursing home. U.S. News & World Report, Sept. 22.

📅 Mark Your Calendar

Fall is the perfect season to get out and explore. Here’s a roundup of senior-friendly events happening this week in Monmouth County.

🎸 Downtown Freehold Fall Concert Series
📅 Wed, Oct. 1 | 7:30–9:30 PM
📍 Downtown Freehold, 1 E Main St, Freehold
Outdoor fall nights + live music = perfection. Lineup: Mushmouth (Oct 1), Almost Santana (Oct 8), The Gab Cinque Band (Oct 15).

🌻 Bullock Farms Fall Harvest Activities
📅 Oct. 3–5 (Fri–Sun, 10 AM–5 PM)
📍 83 Emleys Hill Rd, Cream Ridge
Pet farm animals 🐐, conquer a 6-acre corn maze, snap pics in sunflower fields, and let the kids climb straw mountains. Runs every weekend in October.

🛍️ Pier Village Fall Sidewalk Sale
📅 Oct. 3–5 | 11 AM–6 PM
📍 Pier Village, 50 Chelsea Ave, Long Branch
Shop the boutiques, snag deals, and stroll the Long Branch boardwalk with a pumpkin spice latte in hand. 🍂

🎹 Dueling Pianos at American Hotel
📅 Fri, Oct. 3 | 7–10 PM
📍 American Hotel, 18 E Main St, Freehold
Two pianists, one stage, endless laughs and singalongs. BYO singing voice.

🎤 The Rascals & Gary Lewis & The Playboys
📅 Fri, Oct. 3 | 7:30–10 PM
📍 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
Cousin Brucie hosts a night of nostalgia at PNC Arts Center. Expect toe-tapping hits from the ’60s.

🎶 A Night with Janis Joplin
📅 Fri, Oct. 3 | 8–10 PM (runs through Oct. 19)
📍 Bell Theater, 101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Holmdel
Tony-nominated Mary Bridget Davies belts Janis’s classics (“Piece of My Heart,” “Summertime”) with raw power and an 8-piece band.

💗 Jersey Shore Breast Cancer Walk
📅 Sat, Oct. 4 | 9 AM–3 PM
📍 20 NJ-33 Business, Manalapan
A moving day of unity and awareness at Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

🎨 Ocean Grove Fall Harvest Festival & Craft Show
📅 Sat, Oct. 4 | 10 AM–4 PM
📍 Ocean Grove Chamber of Commerce
Food, music, and artisan crafts fill this historic Shore town for one big fall party.

🐾 Back to the Beach — Dog Event
📅 Sat, Oct. 4 | 11 AM–6 PM
📍 Doggie Sweets, 15 Morris Ave, Long Branch
Pups are welcome on the beach starting Oct. 1 — celebrate with dog surfing, peanut butter contests, and plenty of tail wags.

🦞 The B-52’s & Devo: Cosmic De-Evolution Tour
📅 Sat, Oct. 4 | 7–10:30 PM
📍 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
Yes, you can still “Rock Lobster.” Catch two legendary bands on one stage.

📚 Beyond the Books

Forget shhh… these events are anything but quiet. From Elvis crooning to spooky crafts, here’s what’s happening at Monmouth County libraries for seniors this week.

👻 Frankenstein Book Club — Oct. 2, 10:30 AM | Ocean Twp
Talk Gothic vibes & science gone wild.

🎸 Elvis: The Early Years — Oct. 2, 1–3 PM | Wall Twp
Phil Bruschi sings Sun Records-era Elvis. Blue suede shoes optional.

🀄 Mah Jongg Club — Oct. 2, 1–4 PM | Holmdel
Tiles, tension, bragging rights. No teachers, just players.

🧶 Knit or Crochet for a Cause — Oct. 4, 1–2:30 | Marlboro
Make dish towels for donation. Yarn provided, good karma included. Register

✍️ Local Author Expo — Oct. 4, 1–4 | Manalapan HQ
30+ authors, mini workshops, keynote about beach toys vs. school supplies (yes, really).

🌿 Chair Yoga — Oct. 6, 9:30 AM | Holmdel
Gentle stretches & sound immersion. Ahhh. Register

🧠 WISE Aging — Oct. 6, 11–1 | Holmdel
What’s normal, what’s myth, and what’s just plain annoying.

🎃 Halloween Centerpieces — Oct. 6, 6:30–7:30 | Hazlet
Cobweb chic meets glue guns. Register

🧘 Yoga for Beginners — Oct. 6, 6:30–8 | Manalapan HQ
Yes, you can touch your toes (eventually).

🔮 Tarot Talk — Oct. 6, 7–8 | Shrewsbury
History, mystery, and maybe your weekend forecast. Register

🏡 Decorating on a Budget — Oct. 7, 10–Noon | Manalapan HQ
Tips, tricks, and zero Pinterest fails.

🤝 Monmouth ACTS Help Desk — Oct. 7, 10–1 | Allentown
Skip the phone hold music. Real humans help with SNAP, Medicaid & more.

🧘 Wednesday Wisdom (Virtual) — Oct. 8, 10:30–Noon
Eight dimensions of wellness. Pajamas welcome. Register

🧵 Yarn Works Drop-In — Oct. 8, 1–3 | Allentown
BYO supplies, trade tips, complain about tangles.

🎀 Breast Cancer Talk — Oct. 8, 1:30–2:30 | Holmdel
Learn, ask questions, wear pink. Register

🎨 Printmaking Workshop — Oct. 8, 6–7 | Manalapan HQ
Foam sheets, ink, and creative messes encouraged. Register

🌸 Yoga + Flowers — Oct. 8, 6–7:30 | Hazlet
Stretch, breathe, then arrange a bouquet. Insta-worthy. Register

🌳 In the Parks

🌕 Observe the Moon Night — Oct. 3, 5:30–8:30 | Port Monmouth
88% illuminated moon + binoculars = magic. Free!

🌽 Milling Demos — Weekends, Oct. 4–26 | Historic Walnford
Watch corn turn to meal in a working gristmill. Free & fascinating.

✈️Wanderlust Weekly

Ready for your next adventure? Here’s some travel ideas just for you.

🏖️ Myrtle Beach
Boardwalk nostalgia meets wine festivals, live concerts, and fall fun along the Grand Strand. Add cozy hotel deals and you’ve got a trip that blends old memories with new ones. Info

🌞 Miami Beach
Fall brings art shows, live music, chef-driven dining, and beachfront hotel deals. Stroll Collins Ave, hit the South Beach Seafood Festival, and save while you soak up the sunshine. 🍹Info

🧵 Colonial Williamsburg
Help stitch history with the Great American Birthday Quilt, part of America’s 250th birthday celebration. Contribute your own quilt square to be showcased nationwide in 2026. Info

🚢 Celebrity Cruises Sets Sail on the Rivers
Celebrity Cruises has officially opened booking for its first season of river vacations in 2027. Travelers can now book seven-night journeys that glide from the grandeur of Budapest to the storybook charm of Bavaria — all aboard the most innovative ships on the river, with the elevated hospitality Celebrity is known for. Info

🍫 Holland America’s Grand Voyages 2026
Calling all foodies! Holland America is turning its world cruises into a moveable feast with celeb chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Ethan Stowell, tea master Steve Schwartz, and chocolatier Jacques Torres — plus an exclusive Chocolate Teatime in Sydney. Info

🧳 Travel Hacks for Active Retirees
Dream trips don’t have to drain your savings. Check out “The 10 Best Travel Hacks Every Active Retiree Should Know” — from scoring flight deals to stretching your dollars on the road, these tips keep you globetrotting smarter. Info

🎭 Beyond Our Backyard

🎭 Catch Ragtime at Lincoln Center, then Fiesta at Rosa Mexicano

Broadway’s sweeping portrait of the American dream is back at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater. Ragtime roars to life with powerful music and the intertwined stories of a wealthy family, a Harlem musician, and an immigrant father chasing a better tomorrow. The revival runs through January — plenty of time to snag tickets.

🌮 And after the curtain falls, head just around the corner to Rosa Mexicano, a longtime Lincoln Center favorite now in a spacious new home inside the Empire Hotel (44 West 63rd Street). Feast on sizzling fajitas, creamy tableside guacamole, indulgent desserts, and their famous margaritas — a fiesta fit for a NYC theater night!

North Jersey

🎃 See 6,000 Hand-Carved Pumpkins
Only in Jersey do we go all out for pumpkins—lattes, patches, and now, 6,000 glowing jack o’ lanterns! Skylands Stadium’s Annual Jack O’ Lantern Experience is back with a 45-minute walk through six thousand (!!) hand-carved pumpkins. You’ll also find pumpkin picking, painting, and plenty of fall fun. 🍂Info

🥕Monmouth County Farm Markets This Week

Fall flavors are in full swing! 🍎 Think crisp apples, sweet corn, and homemade pies. Here’s where to shop fresh this week:

🥕 Howell Farmers’ Market
📅 Sunday | 10 AM–2 PM
📍 Echo Lake Park, 1225 Maxim-Southard Rd, Howell, NJ

🍎 Red Bank Farmers’ Market
📅 Sunday | 9 AM–2 PM
📍 The Galleria, 2 Bridge Ave, Red Bank, NJ

🌽 Asbury Fresh / Farmers & Makers Market
📅 Sunday | 9 AM–1 PM
📍 Kennedy Park, Cookman Ave & Grand Ave, Asbury Park, NJ

🥒 Bell Works Fresh (Holmdel)
📅 Wednesday | 11 AM–4 PM
📍 101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Holmdel, NJ

🍞 Fair Haven Farmers’ Market
📅 Saturday | 9 AM–Noon
📍 1 Willow St, Fair Haven, NJ

🍯 Highlands Farmers’ Market
📅 Saturday | 8 AM–1 PM
📍 Huddy Park, 301 Shore Dr, Highlands, NJ

🍅 West End Farmers’ Market (Long Branch)
📅 Thursday | 8 AM–2 PM
📍 607 Ocean Blvd, Long Branch, NJ

🌶 Keyport Farmers’ Market
📅 Thursday | Noon–7 PM
📍 Fireman’s Park, W. Front St & American Legion Dr, Keyport, NJ

🍲What’s Cookin’

🍎 Sweet & Simple: Homemade Applesauce

Nothing says fall like the smell of apples simmering on the stove. Making applesauce with Jersey Fresh apples is as easy as it gets — and it’s a sweet way to spend time with the grandkids. Peel, chop, and let the apples bubble with a splash of water, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and just a touch of sugar (or none at all — Jersey apples are sweet enough!). The fun part? Let the little ones mash it up with a potato masher. It’s a hands-on kitchen adventure that ends with warm applesauce for dessert, snack time, or even spooned over pancakes. Get the recipe for Jersey Fresh Applesauce here.

📺 TV Time: What to Stream This Week

Put your feet up and grab the remote — here’s what’s fresh on your screens.

🎬 New Movies

• The Lost Bus (Apple TV+, Fri, Oct. 3)
  Matthew McConaughey drives 22 kids to safety during California’s 2018 Camp Fire in this gripping disaster drama. America Ferrera co-stars, and Paul Greengrass directs. Bring tissues.

• Steve (Netflix, Fri, Oct. 3)
  Cillian Murphy stars as a reform school headmaster in a raw, haunting drama about mental health and broken systems. From the director of Small Things Like These — double-feature material.

• Prime Minister (HBO Max, Tue, Sept. 30)
  A documentary on Jacinda Ardern’s five-year run as New Zealand’s groundbreaking leader — balancing crisis management, motherhood, and unrelenting public pressure.

📺 New Series

• Chad Powers (Hulu, Tue, Sept. 30)
  What if Eli Manning’s walk-on disguise became a full series? Glen Powell plays a disgraced quarterback reinventing himself as “Chad Powers” — prosthetics, wig, and all.

• Charlotte’s Web (HBO Max, Fri, Oct. 3)
  Babysitting this week? E.B. White’s beloved story gets a new animated life with Amy Adams as Charlotte and Elijah Wood as Wilbur. Only three episodes, but full of charm. 🕸️

• Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix, Fri, Oct. 3)
  Charlie Hunnam stars as infamous murderer Ed Gein. With Hitchcock (Tom Hollander) in the mix, this chilling Ryan Murphy series looks at how true crime shaped pop culture.

🎶 Specials & Documentaries

• Great Performances: The Magic of Grace Bumbry (PBS, Fri, Oct. 3)
  A tribute to the legendary Black mezzo-soprano who broke barriers in Germany and inspired singers from opera houses to Beyoncé.

• Maigret (PBS Masterpiece, Sun, Oct. 5)
  The classic detective gets a modern update as Benjamin Wainwright takes on Simenon’s iconic inspector. Mystery with a European twist.

• House of David, Season 2 (Prime Video’s Wonder Project, Sun, Oct. 5)
  The biblical saga continues as David’s rise to Israel’s most celebrated king unfolds in epic detail.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Take the Grandkids

🚒 Touch-A-Truck Festival

Big wheels, big fun! Over 100 vehicles — from fire trucks to the Batmobile — plus pony rides, food trucks, and face painting galore. All proceeds support children with cancer, so it’s fun with heart.
📅 Sat, Oct. 4 | 10 AM–3 PM
📍 East Freehold Showgrounds, 1500 Kozloski Rd, Freehold

🐾 A Fang-tastic Fall Ride

Silly > spooky at Huber Woods! Climb aboard the Creatures of the Night Wagon Rides for goofy skits, hayride giggles, and a tasty snack to finish. Perfect for little boos who scare easily.
📅 Fridays & Saturdays, Oct. 10–25 | 4–7:30 PM
💲 $15.50 (kids under 2 ride free)
👉 Reserve early before spots disappear: MonmouthCountyParks.com

🎉 Monmouth County Birthdays This Week

Sending big birthday wishes this week to Eleanor D. of Red Bank, 80, Frank S. of Freehold, 72, and Marjorie P. of Colts Neck, 67 — may your cake be sweet and your celebrations even sweeter!🎂 A few other famous folks blowing out candles this week include:

Oct. 1: Actor-singer Julie Andrews is 90. Actor Randy Quaid is 75.

Oct. 2: Critic Rex Reed is 87. Singer Don McLean is 80. Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz is 76. Guitarist Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Mike and the Mechanics is 75. Musician Sting is 74. Actor Lorraine Bracco (“The Sopranos”) is 71.

Oct. 3: Singer Chubby Checker is 84. Singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac is 76. Drummer Tommy Lee of Motley Crue is 63. Actor Janel Moloney (“The West Wing”) is 56. Singer Gwen Stefani is 56. Singer Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys is 54.

✨One Last Thing…

A Big Boost for Local Food Pantries 🍎
The FirstEnergy Foundation just announced its largest hunger relief effort ever—$2.5 million in grants to fight food insecurity, including $600,000 right here in New Jersey. The funding will help deliver more than 2 million meals statewide. Monmouth groups receiving support include:

• Bradley Food Pantry (Neptune City) – $15,000

• Dermer Dreams (Fair Haven) – $2,500

• Fulfill (Neptune) – $75,000

• Jersey Shore Dream Center (Neptune City) – $15,000

• JFCSMC Nourish Pantry (Asbury Park) – $7,500

• Lunch Break (Red Bank) – $50,000

• Mercy Center (Asbury Park) – $50,000

• Rise (Hightstown) – $50,000

• Trinity Center for the Community (Asbury Park) – $25,000

That’s real power: Donating meals for neighbors who need them most!💟

🎬That’s A Wrap

⁉️Questions, comments or news to share? Email us: [email protected]

👀First time reading? Join thousands of Monmouth County seniors. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter here.

😊See you next week!
The Better With Age New Jersey team

_{Disclaimer: We’re here to share community news, events, and a little joy—never medical, legal, or financial advice. Take what’s useful, share what’s fun, and always check with the pros when it really counts.}