Monmouth GuideThe Weekend EditionIssue #3Oct 16–18, 2026
Welcome to Issue 3 of The Weekend Edition, your Friday rundown of what is happening around Monmouth County. This weekend runs cool after a wet start, with farm festivals, farmers markets and a few Halloween-season gatherings filling the calendar from Manalapan to Asbury Park.
Inside you will find the weather at a glance, five picks to anchor your plans, a day-by-day look at Friday through Sunday, free options, family outings, places to eat, the week's local news and a closer look at Bradley Beach. Pick one or two and enjoy the fall air.
Weekend weather at a glance
Showers and thunderstorms move through tonight, then the weekend turns cooler and drier, with Sunday starting frosty before plenty of sun.
- This Afternoon81°FSlight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms · 34% rain
- Tonight45°FShowers And Thunderstorms · 93% rain
- Saturday53°FSlight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy · 21% rain
- Saturday Night37°FMostly Clear
- Sunday56°FPatchy Frost then Sunny
Top 5 picks this weekend
If you only have time for a few things, start here. Farm fun in Manalapan and a run of Saturday morning farmers markets lead the list.
- Fall Harvest Festival- Happy Day Farm
Enjoy a full day of fall fun at happy Day Farm! From the pumpkin patch and giant corn maze to farm animals, fun games, picture-perfect photo… - Farmer's Market
- Asbury Park Sunset Farmers Market
Community farmer’s market featuring seasonable fresh fruit and vegetables, cut flowers. Bread, cheese and Italian pastries and stuffed breads, - Highlands Farmers Market
The Highlands Business Partnership’s traditional 32nd Annual Farmers’ Market begins every Saturday morning from June 20 through November 21st, 2026.… - Hazlet Farmers Market
Get ready for the kickoff of a brand-new season. This Hazlet Township team is dedicated to fostering a vibrant community space and providing a…
Friday, October 16
Friday leans toward low-key: free historic site tours, a coat drive in Asbury Park and indoor options if the rain arrives.
- All day Park System Historic Sites Free
- 9:00 AM Pinstripe World Founding Artists Open Call (online) Free
- 9:00 AM Warmest Wishes Coat Drive
- 11:00 AM Friday Dance Fitness
- 12:00 PM Open Gym at the Fort Monmouth Recreation Center
Saturday, October 17
Saturday is the busiest day, with a walk and 5K in Neptune Township, a student art show in Wall and a full fall festival in Manalapan.
- 8:30 AM Mary's Place by the Sea: Walk-A-Thon and 5K Run Free
- 9:00 AM On Display Rose Reilly Leonard Annual Student Art Show
- 9:00 AM Patty G's Memorial Walk - Birdsmouth Beer
- 9:30 AM Fall Fun Fest - Maple Leaf Farms
Sunday, October 18
Sunday brings sunshine, markets in Marlboro and Howell, ghost tours at Allaire and a collectibles expo in Hazlet.
- 8:00 AM Allaire Ghost Tours - The Historic Village at Allaire
- 9:00 AM Marlboro Farmers Market
- 9:00 AM Exit 117 Show: Sports Cards & Pokemon Buy, Sell & Trade Expo - Hazlet Free
- 10:00 AM Howell Farmers Market
- 10:00 AM Fall Festival - Twin Pond Farm
Free things to do
These cost nothing to attend, from a mill demonstration at Historic Walnford to a record show in Asbury Park Convention Hall.
- Sat · All day Mill Demonstration at Historic Walnford Free
- Sat · 12:00 PM Asbury Park Record Show in the Grand Arcade at Convention Hall Free
- Sat · 12:00 PM Halloween Festival - Leonardo Free
- Sat · 1:00 PM Accordion Melodies of the 1890s Free
- Sun · 8:00 AM JETTY “Fish Fry” Surf Gathering & Contest Free
Family-friendly
Kid-friendly picks this weekend include a night market in Freehold, a seafood and music festival at Bell Works and a fall festival with a pooch parade in Long Branch.
- Fri · 10:00 AM How to Find a Patriot in Your Family Tree - one-on-one help
- Fri · 5:00 PM Lunar Faire Night Market - Freehold
- Sat · 11:00 AM The New Jersey Seafood & Music Festival - Bell Works
- Sat · 12:00 PM Long Branch Fall Festival & Pooch Parade
- Sat · 12:00 PM Books, Blooms & Magic: An Enchanted Book Fair & Maker's Market - Calgo Gardens
Where to eat
A few local spots worth a table this weekend, spanning omakase in Asbury Park and family-run cooking in Manalapan.
Asbury Park
- Hadaka
Intimate BYOB omakase counter serving 12- or 18-course sushi tastings, the first of its kind at the Shore. - El Rey Rosticeria y Restaurante
Relaxed BYOB Mexican spot known for birria tacos, tortas, huaraches and rotisserie favorites.
Manalapan
- Peking Pavilion
Upscale gourmet Chinese restaurant (est. 1975) noted by the New York Times and Zagat. - Shirin Cafe
Family-run Uzbek restaurant since 2007 serving plov, kebabs, dumplings and homemade baklava; BYOB.
This week’s local news
Here is what local outlets reported around the county this week.
- No Kings protests return to N.J. Saturday. Here's where nearly 50 rallies are planned.
NJ.com reports that close to 50 No Kings rallies are scheduled across New Jersey on Saturday, with organizers encouraging early voting and a pro-Trump car rally planned in response.
- Shore-I-Can Tutoring Center Opens In Bradley Beach
- Where have i seen this?
redbankgreen's weekly photo guessing feature invites readers to identify a local scene and reveals the answer to the previous week's image.
- What can $1 million buy you in Monmouth County, Oct. 5 to 11?
One town to explore: Bradley Beach
This week we are looking at Bradley Beach, a small oceanfront borough with guarded beaches and a promenade along Ocean Avenue.
- Hatch 44 Cafe
Upbeat brunch cafe open daily for creative breakfast and lunch dishes.
That is Issue 3. Pack a layer for Saturday and expect a chilly start Sunday, whether you are at a market, a corn maze or the beach. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the weekend around the county. See you next Friday.
Quick answers
What is there to do in Monmouth County this weekend (Oct 16–18)?
Top picks include Fall Harvest Festival- Happy Day Farm (Friday, Manalapan), Farmer's Market (Friday, Freehold Borough) and Asbury Park Sunset Farmers Market (Saturday, Asbury Park). The Weekend Edition lists 19 events for the weekend, plus 5 free things to do.