
The end of October will be ‘Spook-tacular’ in Ocean County
It may feel more like summer than fall this week while your walking around outside, but that's not stopping fun activities from taking shape in Ocean County where things are getting eerily spook-tacular!
"It's sort of the best time of year in some ways," said Dana Lancellotti, Ocean County Director of Tourism and Business Development.
She says that stems from towns and organizations around Ocean County planning a number of fun activities for people of all ages.
"A lot of people don't realize that we have more events on some of the weekends in the fall, then we do in any of the weekends in the summer," said Lancellotti.
It all continues this weekend which she says includes a new Oktoberfest on the Seaside Heights boardwalk and includes a "beer garden, German food, music, all kinds of great German flair there," Lancellotti adds, "They have all kinds of fall festivals going on up and down Ocean County."
But that's not all, "there's a ghost fall festival happening at the Long Beach Island Historical Association Museum in Beach Haven this weekend."
There are a number of other events happening this weekend and for the rest of October as well, which you can view below.
Among the events happening are at Laurita Winery who is hosting their Fall Firepits and Foodtrucks event with a fireworks show on Saturday night.
There's also arts and culture displays in downtown Toms River.
"They have the listening room, which is a new venue and takes place once a month where people can gather and listen to tremendous artists playing music," said Lancellotti.
Along with a fall festival at Casino Pier this weekend she says there are a number of other events and fall festivals planned.
The fun includes "Stafford's Fall Wine Festival in Manahawkin Lake Park, and Barnegat Light's annual campfire celebration, with story telling and all kinds of fun stuff for the kids," said Lancellotti.
Halloween is coming up in just a couple weeks, so as you get ready for the big scare, venture out to a number of related activities in Ocean County.
Lancellotti explains while everyone knows about Fright Fest, "there's also Nightmare at Gravity Hill, Scary Rotten Farms...and Blackbeards Cave now has a whole new attraction that's super scary."
There's also a haunted seaport in Tuckerton coming up this month she adds, which includes a haunted boardwalk, a graveyard, an infestation of spiders and black light mini-golf.
"There's been such an amazing amount of things to do that you won't even know the difference between the summer and the fall," said Lancellotti.
"Ocean County continues to be an outstanding tourism destination in the Fall," said Freeholder Joseph Vicari, Liaison to Ocean County Tourism.
Here is a list of events for all ages, so that you can have a 'Spook-tacular' Fall in Ocean County:
- Scarecrow Walk
(until Nov. 1) Downtown Toms River, 732-341-8738
- 10/20 - 10/22 - Haunted SeaportTuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum, Tuckerton 609-296-8868, http://www.tuckertonseaport.org
- 10/21, 10/22 - Fall Mustang NationalsSeaside Heights Boardwalk 732-830-3700 www.exit82.com
- 10/21 - Halloween Spooktacular & Trunk or TreatDrum Point Sports Complex, Brick 732-262-1044 www.bricktownship.net
- 10/22, 10/23 - Seaside Heights OktoberfestSeaside Heights Boardwalk 732-830-3700, http://www.exit82.com
- 10/22, 10/23 - Food Trucks & Fire Pits!Laurita Winery, Plumsted 609-758-8000, http://www.LauritaWinery.com
- 10/22, 10/23 - Stafford Fall Wine Festival Manahawkin Lake Park 732-991-1672, http://twp.stafford.nj.us/departments/recreation
- 10/22, 10/29 - Laser Fright Light & Laser Fright Fun Robert J. Novins Planetarium @ Ocean County College, Toms River 732-255-0343, http://www.ocean.edu 10/22, 10/23, 10/29
- 10/30 - Pirate Pete's Pumpkin Patch Jersey Shore Pirates Adventure, Brick 732-899-6100 http://jerseyshorepirates.com/
- 10/22 - Barnegat Light Campfire featuring:Storyteller Robin Moore Barnegat Lighthouse State Park 732-506-9090 www.oceancountyparks.org
- 10/22 - Beat 539 Marathon Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst @ Lakehurst 609-754-2456 www.gomdl.com
- 10/22 - Casino Pier Fall FestivalCasino Pier, Seaside Heights 732-793-6488 www.casinopiernj.com
- 10/22 - Plumsted Fall Fest Main and North St., New Egypt 732 609-758-2241 www.mainstreetne.net
- 10/22 - Halloween "Movie in the Park" Gazebo Park, Barnegat 609-698-0080 http://www.barnegat.net/
- 10/22 - LBIHA Ghost Fall FestLong Beach Island Historical Association Museum, Beach Haven 609-492-0700 www.lbimuseum.com
- 10/22 - Perky's Pumpkin Derby, Jenkinson's Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach 732-892-0600, www.jenkinsons.com/aquarium
- 10/23 - Trick or Treat Street and Howl-O-WeenSeaside Heights Boardwalk 732-830-3700, http://www.exit82.com
- 10/27 - Mall-O-WeenOcean County Mall, Toms River 732-244-8201, http://www.simon.com/mall/ocean-county-mall
- 10/28, 10/29 - Operation Halloween featuring: One Step Beyond, Zombie Outbreak, & Jersey Devil HayrideJoseph A. Citta Scout Reservation, Barnegat 609-994-7311 http://www.southernoceanrotary.org/
- 10/28 - Haunts in the ParkCommunity Park, Point Pleasant 732-295-8850, http://www.ptboro.com
- 10/28 - Dracula - The Atlantic City BalletStrand Center for the Arts, Lakewood 732-367-7789, http://www.strand.org/
- 10/28 - Lavallette's Halloween Harvest Hoedown Lavallette Gazebo 732-793-7477 www.lavallette.org
- 10/29 - "Fall" in Love with Point Pleasant BeachDowntown Point Pleasant Beach 732-899-2424, http://www.pointpleasantbeachchamber.com
- 10/29 - Garden State Philharmonic presents Fright Night at the PhilJay & Linda Grunin Center for the Arts @ Ocean County College Toms River 732-255-0460, http://www.GardenStatePhilharmonic.org
- 10/29 - Halloween Costume Party Lavallette 844-365-6952 www.enjoylavallette.com
- 10/29 - Halloween Dress-Up Party The Music Man Singing Ice Cream Shoppe, Lavallette, 732-854-2779 www.themusicman.com
- 10/29 - Trunk Or Treat at Ocean County Park Ocean County Park / Lake Shenandoah Park, Lakewood732-506-5122, http://www.oceancountyparks.org
- 10/30 - Point Pleasant's 36th Annual Halloween Parade Community Park & Bridge Avenue, Point Pleasant 732-295-8850, http://www.pointpleasantchamber.com
- 10/30 - Lavallette Stores & Treats Lavallette 732-793-7477, http://www.lavallette.org
- 10/31 - Halloween Trick or TreatMain St., New Egypt 609-758-2241, www.mainstreetne.net