Clam Fest in Highlands and more things to do this week at the Jersey Shore
Food and music lovers will fill the streets Friday and Saturday at the Highlands Business Partnership’s 28th annual Clam Fest at Huddy Park on Bay and Waterwitch avenues.
The two-day spectacular features lots of food trucks, along with festival favorites including Lions Club Funnel Cakes, and the Highlands Fire Department BBQ tent. And look for the Beer, Wine and Sangria Garden, too.
Portions of Waterwitch and Bay avenues will be closed to street traffic to accommodate rides, games, children’s activities and vendors.
The festival runs 6 to 11 p.m. Friday (the Sensational Soul Cruisers take the stage from 8 to 11 p.m.) and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday (fireworks at 10 p.m. at Snug Harbor Beach).
Admission and parking are free, and the event takes place rain or shine.
Go: Clam Fest, 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Huddy Park, Bay and Waterwitch avenues, Highlands, free; highlandsnj.com/Special_Events/ClamFest/Clamfest.shtml.
Here are more things to do this week and weekend at the Jersey Shore:
Crossing Borders Festival in Red Bank
Two River Theater’s Crossing Borders (Cruzando Fronteras) Festival of new plays by Latine playwrights runs Thursday through Sunday.
The festival will feature four readings, including "A Thousand Maids" by Tony Meneses, which will be a part of Two River’s upcoming 30th anniversary season. The community kick-off event will take place on Thursday on Two River’s Plaza, with live music from local musician Gil Cruz and food from neighborhood restaurants.
The 12th annual festival, curated by José Zayas, is the first one under the new leadership team, Artistic Director Justin Waldman and Managing Director Nora Deveau-Rosen.
“It thrills me to no end to host the 12th annual Crossing Borders (Cruzando Fronteras) Festival,” Waldman said in a news release. “This weekend combines two essential pillars of Two River’s mission — being a welcoming home for artists to explore new work and serving as an essential gathering place for community to have fun and see themselves represented. The fabulous Jose Zayas has curated a spectacular slate of programming — from hilarious to heartwarming — and the entire Two River team is excited to entertain all with music, food, and family fun!”
In the release, Zayas said the festival "takes us from Chicago to Argentina and from the '70s to the present.
"We are traveling through time and crossing geographical and metaphysical borders to get at the things that spark connection and inspiration," he added. "The stories range from a delightfully silly large cast multi-door farce set in one of the zaniest hotels imaginable to an intimate two-person memory play exploring the weight of a secret history of a mother-to-be. From a local favorite to a Pulitzer Prize finalist, these playwrights provoke and thrill with their intelligence, wit and boundless curiosity."
Tickets are free, and all plays run between 90 minutes and two hours. There will be a brief reception with light refreshments following each reading. To register for all festival events and to see a schedule of readings, visit https://tworivertheater.org/whats-on/crossing-borders-2023/.
Go: Crossing Borders (Cruzando Fronteras), Thursday through Sunday, Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank, free; 732-345-1400, tworivertheater.org.
Visit Cattus Island
Here's a great idea for summer: Take in the beauty of Cattus Island County Park, which spans 530 acres and 7 miles of trails.
Take a leisurely walk along the main trail to the beach, or go on a trail and enjoy the vistas of Barnegat Bay.
Cattus Island is home to the newly renovated Cooper Environmental Center, where visitors of all ages can enjoy hands-on educational displays, including a live view osprey cam; habitat tree and tunnel; bird viewing area; children's activity corner; and a collection of live reptiles and fish.
The park also contains a butterfly garden, where you can view native plants and pollinators.
Go: Cattus Island County Park, 1170 Cattus Island Blvd., Toms River; 732-270-6960, oceancountyparks.org/frmFindPark.
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Parasail at the Jersey Shore
Fly high with family and friends at Point Pleasant Parasail. The fun is open to anyone 5 or older. Reservations are recommended and can be made online or over the phone.
There's a helpful Q&A on pointpleasantparasail.com. Can you bring your phone or camera? Sure.
" ... But please keep in mind that the ride can be quite WET at times," Point Pleasant Parasail says on their website. "Bring these items at your risk. Participants can purchase a photo package containing 35 to 40 digital photos on a memory card which you can keep."
Flights are weather dependent. "The captain closely monitors all weather and will make the call the morning of your reservation," the site says.
Go: Point Pleasant Parasailing, 81 Inlet Drive, Point Pleasant Beach, boats depart 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (closed Mondays), $170 for two people, $255 for three (there are weight restrictions), $35 to observe on the boat; 732-714-2359, pointpleasantparasail.com.
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Popcorn Park Animal Refuge
Visit Andy the goat, Angel the pig, Amy the white-tailed deer, Aslan the lion and many more animals at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge.
The park is a sanctuary for animals that faced desperate circumstances. It began in 1977 "when we rescued and treated a raccoon caught in a leg-hold trap," the website says. "We gave him a home for life as he could never be released and survive."
Soon Popcorn Park became a permanent home to exotics, wildlife, farm animals and birds who suffered abandonment, cruelty, injury, illness, handicap, exploitation, old age, inappropriate ownership, or who could not be safely returned to the wild.
Popcorn Park Refuge, located in the Pine Barrens of Ocean County, is home to more than 200 animals and birds, all provided spacious living quarters and assured a lifetime of good care. All residents may be sponsored through the Wildlife Club; you can support the refuge through the Popcorn Park Zoological Society.
Note that feeding of animals is not allowed.
Go: Popcorn Park Animal Refuge, 1 Humane Way, Forked River section of Lacey, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (admission to the park stops at 4:15 p.m.), $8, $5 for seniors 62 and older and children 3 to 11, free for kids under 3; 609-693-1900, https://ahscares.org.
More: Medieval Times retired falcon gets in shape, preens for kids at Popcorn Park in Lacey
Robert J. Novins Planetarium in Toms River
There are 10 programs to choose from this week at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium, located at Ocean County College.
At 1:30 p.m. Thursday is "Did an Asteroid Really Kill the Dinosaurs?"
Did a space rock six miles wide slam into the Earth 66 million years ago and wipe out 75 percent of all living species at that time, including the dinosaurs? Cosmic collisions are abundant in our solar system. See the numerous craters on worlds like the moon, Mars and Pluto. Explore the dinosaur disaster up close, supported by evidence from the Milwaukee Public Museum’s Geology Department in this planetarium production. Running time is approximately 30 minutes. The show will also include a bonus laser song from one of our laser shows.
At 7 p.m. Friday is "Laser David Bowie." Be a "Rebel Rebel" and put on your red shoes to dance the blues. From "Fame" to "Suffragette City" to "Modern Love," you’ll be singing and clapping along all night. And, as one might expect, "Space Oddity" and "Ziggy Stardust" are a part of the 47-minute show, too.
At 1:30 p.m. Saturday is "The Stars From My Backyard." A live presenter uses "the magic of the dome" to teach school-aged children about the sun, moon, weather, and the constellations and planets visible in the current sky. Along the way, fun stories, songs, and even a passing rainstorm help make this a good introduction to the sky for elementary school-aged children and their families. The show is about 50 minutes.
Tickets are $9 to $11.
More info on all the programs taking place this week (some are close to selling out) is available here.
Go: Robert J. Novins Planetarium, Ocean County College, College Drive, Toms River, $9 to $11; 732-255-0343, planetarium@ocean.edu
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John Eddie at the Stone Pony
Former Jersey Shore boy John Eddie is playing Saturday and Sunday at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, and he needs your help.
The Nashville-based rocker is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his album, "Who the Hell is John Eddie," but he'd like the help of fans to fill out his setlist. Visit his Facebook page to make a suggestion.
Eddie, whose hits include "Jungle Boy," recently filled out his resume. He's co-creator and executive producer, along with Priscilla Presley, of “Agent Elvis,” the animated series that envisions Elvis Presley as a secret agent man.
It's now on Netflix.
Go: John Eddie with Bowen and Young, 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park. $40 in advance, $45 at the door; stoneponyonline.com.
Bike Night at Simply Southern in Belmar
Owner of Simply Southern and former NFL player Rasheed Simmons is hosting a bike night at his restaurant on Thursday, kicking things off at 6 p.m., and staying "until they kick us out," according to the flier.
Although the night is geared toward Harley Davidsons, all bikes are welcome.
While there, try some family recipes concocted by Simmons and his mother Rita. Crave-worthy appetizers include sweet potato hush puppies and cat fish bites. For the main course, try authentic southern dishes like ox tails slow-cooked with thyme, herbs and rich gravy, or classic bites like chicken and waffles with sweet sriracha sauce.
The kitchen closes at 8 p.m.
Go: 817 Belmar Plaza, Belmar; 732-243-9259, simplysoutherncomfortfoods.com.
'The Hook' in Atlantic City
Only for adults, we are told "The Hook" at Caesars is "a riotously funny, seductively beautiful show that completely lures you in."
Expect raunchy comedy, a variety of side acts and a rotating collection of talented artists, says the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
With three long-running shows in Las Vegas, Spiegelworld has created "The Hook" especially for Atlantic City. Featuring an international cast, "The Hook" is directed by British comedy director Cal McCrystal.
The 75-minute show (no intermission) takes place in The Hook, located in the same spot as the Warner Theatre, which was built in 1929. "The Hook" production runs at 7 and 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Tickets start at $68.
The Hook is also home to the first East Coast location of Superfrico, Spiegelworld’s psychedelic Italian-American restaurant with a current location at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Go: "The Hook," Caesars Atlantic City, 2100 Pacific Ave., 7 and 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, $68 to $281.56; https://spiegelworld.com/the-hook-show/.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do include annual Clam Fest in Highlands
