Howie Mandel comes to Red Bank, and more things to do at the Jersey Shore and beyond

Comedian Howie Mandel, who has served as a judge on NBC's "​America’s Got Talent" for 11 seasons, comes to the Count Basie Center for the Arts on Thursday.

Mandel, who recently finished production on his new documentary, "​Howie Mandel: But Enough About Me," has been nominated for both an Emmy and a Daytime Emmy Award for "Deal or No Deal."

In 2019, he released his first solo special in 20 years, "​Howie Mandel Presents Howie Mandel at the Howie Mandel Comedy Club." Mandel's memoir, “Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me,” revealed his ongoing struggle with OCD and ADHD, and how it has shaped his life and career.

He continues to perform as many as 200 stand-up comedy shows each year, and has a podcast, "Howie Mandel Does Stuff." On his latest episode, he talks to Mel B. about a Spice Girls reunion and domestic abuse. This year, he's talked to everyone from Judd Apatow to "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Tickets are $39 to $129.

Go: Howie Mandel Live, 8 p.m. Thursday, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, $39 to $129; 732-842-9000, https://thebasie.org/events/howie-mandel-2/.

Here are more things to do this weekend at the Jersey Shore and beyond, including "The Festival of Trees" in Princeton and "The Secret World of Elephants" exhibit in New York.

Turkey trot in Howell

Want to get in some exercise before Turkey Day? Register for the Howell Turkey Trot 5K, happening Sunday. There's also a 2-mile fun run or walk, if that's more your speed.

The race will kick off from 300 Preventorium Road and follow the trail between Oak Glen Park and the Manasquan Reservoir. Registration is required.

Go: Howell 5K Turkey Trot and 2-mile fun run or walk, 300 Preventorium Road, Howell, noon Sunday, $20, registration ends at 11 a.m. on race day; twp.howell.nj.us.

Shop a Thanksgiving farmers market

You can make locally grown fruits and veggies the stars of your Thanksgiving table, thanks to several end-of-season farmers markets happening this weekend.

The Brick farmers market will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Windward Beach Park. Expect around 50 vendors, including 502 Baking Co. of Brick, Butter Me Up of Toms River, Icarus Brewing Co. of Lakewood, Port Coffee Roasters of Bay Head, and Two River Gourmet Mushrooms of Millstone Township.

The Asbury Fresh Farmers and Makers Market is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Library Square Park in Asbury Park. Dozens of vendors include Au Honey of Middletown, Manville Pastry Shop, and Rolling Hills Farm in Lambertville. Another Fresh Market will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22, at Bell Works in Holmdel.

Barnegat will host its Thanksgiving market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Go: Windward Beach Park, 265 Princeton Ave., Brick, bricktownship.net; Library Square Park, Grand and Asbury avenues, Brick, asburyfresh.com; Barnegat farmers market, 14 Birdsall St., Barnegat, barnegat.net.

More: Did you order your Thanksgiving pie? Jersey Shore bakeries give you lots of options

Farewell to food truck season

Laurita Winery will host its final food truck festival this weekend, when attendees can enjoy eats from Shore Good Eats 'N' Treats, Relish the Dog, Chocolate Moonshine, Five Sisters, Cousins Maine Lobster and more than half a dozen other food trucks and vendors.

There also will be live music both days, plus face painting, fire pits, wine tastings, wagon tours of the vineyards, and fireworks.

Go: fall food truck festival at Laurita Winery, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 85 Archertown Road, New Egypt section of Plumsted; 609-752-0200, lauritawinery.com.

Holiday Market Festival on LBI

The Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts + Sciences in Loveladies is hosting a Holiday Market Festival from Saturday to Dec. 3.

Shop small and shop local from vendors selling clothing, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, home decor and more.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The market is closed on Thanksgiving and Friday, Nov. 24.

On Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25, there will be food and fun for all, plus Santa Claus!

Go: Holiday Market, LBIF of the Arts + Sciences, 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies, free admission; 609-494-1241, lbifoundation.org/events/holiday-market-festival.

Holiday train display at Monmouth Museum

The Monmouth Museum Holiday Train Display gets back on track starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The display features Lionel Trains winding through a miniature winter wonderland, complete with new snow-topped mountains. The display is adorned with holiday decor throughout the quaint towns and landscape.

For the display's opening weekend, there also will be holiday crafts and movies — plus a visit from Mrs. Claus!

The display is in the main gallery alongside the museum's 20-foot holiday tree, which this year has a pop art theme. The tree lighting is at noon on Saturday, followed by a story reading from Mrs. Claus.

If you miss the fun on Saturday, the same program repeats on Sunday. Tickets are $14, $10 for seniors, free for kids under 2. Ticket registration is available here.

The trains will be displayed throughout the season. Note that they run for 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break.

Go: Holiday train display and more, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Monmouth Museum, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, $14; 732-747-2266, monmouthmuseum.org.

Hanukkah Menorah painting in Freehold

The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County is offering a Hanukkah Menorah painting event from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Around the Corner Art Center, 290 Mounts Corner Drive, in Freehold, next to the museum in the Mounts Corner Shopping Center.

Cost is $40 per child and includes all supplies needed. Reservations are required in advance.

During the program, children (pre-school ages and up) will be guided by the staff at the center to paint their own ceramic menorah or platter. Parents are encouraged to assist their child.  After completion, the piece will be dried and fired, and returned to the museum for pick up the following week.

The Jewish Heritage Museum is in the Mounts Corner Shopping Center, 310 Mounts Corner Drive, at the corner of Route 537 and Wemrock Road. It is on the second floor of the historic Levi Solomon Barn.

Go: Hanukkah Menorah painting, 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Around the Corner Art Center, 290 Mounts Corner Drive, Freehold, next to the Museum in the Mounts Corner Shopping Center, $40; 732-252-6990,  jhmomc.org.

Photography exhibit in Toms River

Through November, the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch presents a free exhibit by members of the River Pointe Photography Club of Manchester.

The photos in the second floor gallery range from nature studies to artfully processed images, captured with amateur and professional equipment.

Begun in 2010, the club allows River Pointe residents interested in photography to develop and enhance their skills. Club members create a calendar each year, and donate all proceeds of sales to Fulfill, the food bank of Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Go: Photography exhibit, Ocean County Library, 101 Washington St., Toms River, free; 732-349-6200, theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

Festival of trees

The annual winter exhibition Festival of Trees runs through Jan. 7, 2024, at Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton.

Visitors can enjoy the museum’s galleries, mantels and porches festively decorated for the holidays by local businesses, garden clubs and nonprofit organizations. Tickets are $10, $8 for youths 7 to 18 and seniors, free for children 6 and younger. Reserve your time here.

Morven's Festival of Trees Winter Garden Party will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30. There will be "hearty hors d'oeuvres and spirited beverages surrounded by the warm glow of fire pits," a news release says. Tickets start at $175.

A National Historic Landmark, this former New Jersey Governor’s Mansion showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Garden State through regular exhibitions, educational programs and special events.

Go: Festival of Trees, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton St., Princeton, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays; 609-924-8144, morven.org/fy24/festivaloftrees.

'The Secret World of Elephants' in NYC

How do elephants “hear” with their feet? Or use the 40,000 muscles in their trunks? Find out at "The Secret World of Elephants" at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The special exhibit reveals new science about both modern and ancient elephants — including the titans of the Ice Age, mammoths and mastodons.

Highlighting elephants’ extraordinary minds and senses, "Elephants" explains why these animals are essential to the health of their ecosystems, and their inspiring efforts to overcome threats to their survival.

According to fossil evidence, the larger group to which proboscideans (elephants and their close relatives) belong arose not long after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, about 60 million years ago. Since then, more than 200 species of proboscideans evolved, living on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

Several life-size models, as well as fossils and casts, will illustrate elephants’ size, and videos and interactive exhibits will introduce visitors to these massive mammals’ abilities. Elephants’ trunks, for example, are strong enough to pull down a tree, yet nimble enough to pluck a single blade of grass.

For New Jersey residents, the price of admission to the American Museum of Natural History is up to you. To see "Elephants" and several other special exhibits, admission is $25, $20 for resident students and seniors, $14 for children.

Go: "The Secret World of Elephants," American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York; 212-769-5100, amnh.org.

Sarah Griesemer contributed to this story.

Have an event coming up at the Jersey Shore? Tell us about it. Email Bill Canacci at bcanacci@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do include Howie Mandel in Red Bank