• New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center, will conduct the following blood drives: Aug. 5, St. Dorothea Church, 240 Broad St., Eatontown, 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Aug. 12, Middletown United Methodist Church, 924 Middletown‑Lincroft Road, Middletown, 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Aug. 18, Congregation B’nai Israel, 171 Ridge Road, Rumson, 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Aug. 18, Brotherhood of Temple Shalom, 5 Ayrmont Lane, Aberdeen Township, 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Aug. 22, North Centerville Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, 372 Middle Road, Hazlet, 1-7 p.m.; Aug. 23, Lincroft Bible Church, 790 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, 1-7 p.m. To donate blood or for information on how to organize a blood drive, call 1-800-933-2566. Details: www.nybloodcenter.org
• The Monmouth County Park System will host Seining Along Sandy Hook Bay on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, July 1-29, from 11 a.m. to noon at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Middletown. Meet on the beach near the parking lot. Discover a variety of fish, crabs and other sea creatures by pulling a long seine net along the edge of Sandy Hook Bay. Closed-toe shoes are required. Parents or guardians are required to stay with and supervise their children. No swimming during the event. This program is designed for individuals and families. Weather permitting. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a Cookstove Demonstration on July 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. See what’s cooking on the woodstove and discover how recipes, cooking techniques and kitchens have changed since the 1890s. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Historic Battery Lewis tours on July 23, 24, 30 and 31 from noon to 4 p.m. at Hartshorne Woods Park, Highlands, Rocky Point section. Tour the restored Historic Battery Lewis and learn about the history of this important former coastal defense site. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Seabrook-Wilson House tours on July 24 and 31 from 1-4 p.m. at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Middletown. Visit the house which dates back to the early 1700s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and see displays about the ecology of the bay and local history. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Tidal Tuesdays – Seine the Cove on July 26 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area, Manasquan. Discover a variety of fish, crabs and other sea creatures that may be found along the cove during this park system naturalist-led seining program. Closed-toe shoes are required. Parents or guardians are required to stay with and supervise their children. No swimming during the event. Weather permitting. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Enviro-Quest on July 21 at 11 a.m. at Thompson Park, Lincroft, meet in the Old Orchard parking lot; and July 28 at 11 a.m. at Big Brook Park, Marlboro, meet by the dock. Follow the Enviro-Quest signs to where the park system naturalist is waiting. Join a mini nature lesson, activity, or walk for 30 to 60 minutes of nature-based fun. Activities may include meeting a live animal, finding hidden treasures or discovering animal knickknacks. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Life in a Freshwater Pond on July 21 and 28 from 11 a.m. to noon at Freneau Woods Park, Aberdeen Township, meet outside the Visitor Center. Join park system naturalists to explore a freshwater pond and look for basking turtles, hopping frogs, hunting herons, splashing fish and more. Wear closed-toe shoes. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present “Under the Summer Stars” on July 20 from 10-11 p.m. at Dorbrook Recreation Area, Route 537, Colts Neck, meet in the soccer field parking lot. Join a guide and look for key objects and constellations in the summer night sky. Bring a chair and a flashlight. Program may be cancelled due to overcast skies or inclement weather. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a Nature Lecture Series: Sharks of New Jersey on July 21 from 7-8 p.m. at the Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center, Middletown. Discover why sharks are important to protect, why they are unique and threats to them. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a concert in the park: Country Music with After the Reign on July 22 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Thompson Park Theater Barn, Lincroft. The band will perform modern country music and original material. Bring chairs or blankets. The concert is outdoors, however, if the weather is inclement, the concert will be moved indoors. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a 19th Century Woodworking Demonstration on July 23 from noon to 3 p.m. at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. See how the carpenter uses 19th century woodworking and carving tools during this demonstration. Free. Details: 732-842-4000.
• New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center, will conduct the following drives: July 25, North Centerville Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, 372 Middle Road, Hazlet, 1-7 p.m. To donate blood, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org
• Monmouth County officials have scheduled paper shredding events so residents have the opportunity to dispose of old documents and confidential files safely. All shredding events will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations: Aug. 20, Aberdeen Municipal Building, 1 Aberdeen Square; Sept. 10, Union Beach Recycling Center, 1400 Florence Ave.; and Nov. 12, Middletown North High School, 63 Tindall Drive, Middletown. County residents may shred up to 100 pounds of documents. Large binder clips must be removed from documents; staples and paper clips can remain. Information about the paper shredding events and recycling can be found in the recycling section of the county’s website, www.visitmonmouth.com, or call 732-683-8686, ext. 8967.
• Lunch Break, Red Bank, is sponsoring its annual Back to School Drive benefiting financially insecure school children and their families who rely on the social service resource center for life’s basic necessities, including school supplies, now through Aug. 20. Those who would like to donate backpacks and school supplies (pens, pencils, loose leaf binders, loose leaf paper, erasers, pencil cases, highlighters, etc.) may do so from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, now through Aug. 12 at Pilgrim Baptist Church, 172 Shrewsbury Ave., Red Bank. Details: Marcel Quinones, 732-747-8577, ext. 3011.
• The Monmouth County Fair will be held from July 27-31 at the East Freehold Showgrounds, Freehold Township. Hours are 4-11 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $8 per adult; children 17 and under are admitted free. Follow the Monmouth County Park System on social media. Upcoming fair contests will be announced on the park system’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, offering an opportunity to win admission tickets and more. The fair is organized and presented by the Monmouth County Park System in cooperation with the Monmouth County 4-H Association. Details: www.MonmouthCountyFair.com
• The DowntownFreehold.com Thursdays Rock concert series takes place each Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Monmouth County Hall of Records plaza, Main Street, Freehold Borough. The concerts are free; bring a lawn chair. The schedule is as follows: July 21, Matt O’Ree Band; July 28, Chuck Lambert Band with Coo Moe Jhee; Aug. 4, Parrot Beach; Aug. 11, Colossal Street Jam; Aug. 18, Pat Guadagno and Friends; Aug. 25, Turnstyles.
• The Freehold Borough Arts Council 2022 Jazz, Blues and More Summer Concert Series will take place every Sunday through August (June 5 through Aug. 28) from 7-9 p.m. at the Downtown Freehold Gazebo, Main Street, Freehold Borough. The concerts are free; bring a lawn chair.
• Morganville United Methodist Church, 215 Conover Road, off Route 79, Marlboro, has reopened its Saturday thrift shop. The thrift shop will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through July. New and nearly items including clothing, toys, home decor, jewelry, housewares, crafts and holiday decorations will be available for purchase. All are welcome to visit the thrift shop.
• Embroiderers’ Guild of America – Monmouth Chapter is dedicated to teaching and sharing the joys of needlework. The organization welcomes stitchers of all levels. Evening stitchers will meet via Zoom on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Day stitchers will meet via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. Details: Toni, 732-462-5540, or visit website:www.mcega.org
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