• The Student and Community Ensemble Band of Expressions and Reflections will present its annual “Patriotic Salute to Veterans Concert” on June 24 at two hour-long shows. The 1 p.m. show will be at Friendship Gardens, 100 New Friendship Gardens, Howell, and the 6 p.m. show will be at The Crossroads at Howell, 720 Route 9, Howell. Active duty and retired military veterans and their families are invited to attend the show and be honored by the musicians and the residents of Friendship Gardens and The Crossroads. Individuals interested in attending should contact Judie Jensen at 732-534-4594.
• Seniors who graduated from Freehold Regional High School, Freehold Borough, and Southern Freehold Regional High School, Howell, in June 1966 will get together from Aug. 26-28 for a combined 50-year reunion. The seniors who graduated in 1966 spent their freshman and sophomore years together in Freehold Borough, before Southern Freehold Regional opened in September 1964 and the class was divided. There will be a combined reunion from 6-11 p.m. Aug. 27 at the American Hotel, Freehold. To make a reservation, contact Donna Cusworth Hansen at [email protected] for Southern Freehold Regional or Steve Herr at [email protected] for Freehold Regional.
• Members of the public are invited to attend the following events at the Plumsted library, 119 Evergreen Road, New Egypt: Quilting, July 5 and July 19 at 1 p.m. Join the Plumsted quilting club. Bring a project to work on. Beginners welcome; Read to the Dogs, July 11, 2 p.m. Children can practice their reading skills by reading a story to a therapy dog; T’ai Chi Chih, July 21, 2 p.m. T’ai Chi is a gentle, mindful moving meditation that may be done seated or standing; Coloring for Adults, July 26, 1 p.m. Rediscover the joy of coloring. Coloring sheets and art supplies provided; and Life-size Board Games, July 27, 7 p.m. Teens in seventh through 12th grade may join library staff for life-sized board game night with Candy Land. Details: 609-758-7888.
• The Jackson Baptist Church, 360 Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson, will sponsor a vacation Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon July 11-15 for children ages 3 to 12. The school is free. Call 732-928-0080 to register a child for the program.
• The Standardbred Retirement Foundation has scheduled a meet and greet and tack sale from 6-8 p.m. July 9 at 43 Arneytown-Hornerstown Road, Cream Ridge. Approximately 60 horses will be on hand to greet guests, some in demonstrations, all available for adoption. A tack sale will also be held and there is no charge for guests to set up to sell their own items. Guests should bring their own table. Should there be a change due to weather, it will be posted on SRF’s Facebook page and on SRF’s website at AdoptaHorse.org. Details: 732 446-4422.
• June Programs at the Plumsted library include the following: Mini Golf, June 29 from at 7-8:30 p.m. Join library staff for mini golf at the library. Details: 609-758-7888.
• The Cream Ridge Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 27 at the New Egypt firehouse, 59 Main St. New Egypt. All lot owners are invited to attend the meeting. Details:609-758-8663.
• The Monmouth County Fair will be held at the East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road, Freehold Township, from July 27-31. Hours are 5-11 p.m. July 27-29; 3-11 p.m. July 30; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 31. There will be Kids’ Zone rides in the outdoor entertainment area, a trapeze act, Bwana Jim, racing pigs, home and garden competitions, vendor displays, food, entertainment and more. General admission is $8 per person. Children 12 and under are admitted free at all times. Details: 732-842-4000.
• A used book sale will be held on June 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and June 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the New Egypt Elementary School, 44 N. Main St., New Egypt. There will be books for all ages, plus jigsaw puzzles, CDs and DVDs. The book sale will benefit the Friends of the Plumsted Library. There will be a special “Kids Time Only” on June 23 from noon to 6 p.m. (adults must be accompanied by a child). Only children’s books will be sold on June 23. Details: 609-758-0009 or 732-580-5600.
• The Friends of the Plumsted Library will collect used books for a book sale. Donate fiction, nonfiction, large print, children’s books, CDs, DVDs, audio books, and puzzles. No soiled or mildewed items. No video tapes, Reader’s Digest condensed books, magazines or encyclopedias. Drop off books behind the Plumsted Library, 119 Evergreen Road, New Egypt, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month – Aug. 6, Sept. 3, and Oct. 1. Do not leave items if no one is present. Details: 609-758-0009 or 732-580-5600 or [email protected]
• The Jackson Premium Outlets, Route 537, Jackson, will present a summer concert series every Saturday from 1-4 p.m., weather permitting, outside the food court. The series will conclude on Sept. 3. All performances are free and open to the public. Live performances will range from summer tunes to bluegrass, classic rock and pop.
• The Jackson Township Municipal Utilities Authority will hold its public meetings at 5:30 p.m. in its administrative offices at 135 Manhattan St., Jackson, on the following dates in 2016: June 23, July 28, Aug. 25, Sept. 22, Oct. 27, Nov. 17, Dec. 15; and on the following dates in 2017: Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 (reorganization).
• The Jackson Township Democratic Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday (July 20) of every month, unless otherwise noted, at Bella Terra, 2 Kathleen Drive, Jackson. All are welcome to attend the meeting.
• An Italian festival will be held from June 29 through July 2, 6-11 p.m., at Freehold Raceway, Route 9, Freehold. The event is sponsored by the Italian American Association of Monmouth County. There will be rides, games, entertainment, crafters and food. Details: Cheryl Scuorzo, 732-536-5832.
• The Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or dementia will meet at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the Jackson Library, 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson. Details: 1-800-272-3900 or www.alz.org/nj
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.