• Residents of all communities are welcome to enjoy an afternoon of fun at the Old Ship of Zion Missionary Baptist Church/First Presbyterian Church of Englishtown annual Fall Family Festival, to be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Old Ship of Zion, 629 Buckelew Ave. (Route 522), Monroe Township (just outside Manalapan). This is the third year in which the members of the two congregations have come together to offer food, activities, face painting, games and pumpkin painting to the community.
• Bernice Garfield-Szita and Bob Szita, the co-founders of Grief Information, Education and Recovery Services, will lead a full day training workshop for community members and professionals, “The Healing Power of the Group – Leadership Training for Effective Grief Support Groups” on Sept 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Jack Aaronson Conference Center, CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. A light breakfast and lunch will be included with the program. Visit GIERS.org or call 732-577-1076 for more information and to register.
• “From Shtetl To Ghetto: Jewish Women On The Lower East Side” will be presented by Dr. Leslie Fishbein, associate professor of American Studies at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County,
310 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township. Cost is $3 for museum members and $5 for non-members; students are free. Details: 732-252-6990.
• The second annual Film Shorts Festival will take place at 2 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, 310 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township. Admission is $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. Details: 732-252-6990
or https://www.jhmomc.org/events
• Performing Arts Ensemble will hold auditions for a holiday show including “Nutcracker.” PAE is seeking singers, dancers and other entertainers of all ages. Roles are open for boys and girls ages 4-12, teen and young adult pointe dancers, dancers of all kinds, gymnasts and male actors, beginner to professional. Light rehearsal schedule for November/December shows. The audition is free and open to all. Auditions: Sept. 30 at 1 p.m., Middletown Arts Center in Middletown (next to the Middletown train station); Oct. 5 at 7 p.m., Middletown Arts Center; Oct. 12 at 7 p.m., Middletown Arts Center; Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m., Elite Trampoline Academy, Route 35, Middletown; and Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m., Elite Trampoline Academy. Details: 732-614-5426 or 732-610-4003.
• Vendors are wanted for a holiday boutique to be held at Old Tennent Presbyterian Church, Manalapan, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10. Vendors should call by Oct. 26 to reserve a spot. Details: 732-446-6299.
• Friends For Action, which raises funds for special needs causes in Manalapan and surrounding areas, will host the 2018 FFA 5K walk/run to benefit Manalapan special needs programs on Sept. 30 at the Manalapan Recreation Center, 120 Route 522. All are welcome to participate. Children’s games at 9 a.m. and the 5K will begin at 10 a.m. To register online, visit www.friendsforaction.org ($15 per adult/$5 per child under 10). A group of four or more adults is $10 each. In-person registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 30. Details: 212-882-1041 or email [email protected]
• St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 203 Taylors Mills Road, Manalapan, will hold a fall rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 6. All are welcome to attend. Details: 732-252-9550 or email [email protected]
• Old Tennent Presbyterian Church, 450 Tennent Road, Manalapan, will host a Fall Fun Festival and Flea Market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 13. There will be games, a flea market, book sales, mums and food. All are welcome to attend. Sponsored by the Christian Education Committee. Proceeds benefit the Youth Fund and Triennium Fees. Details: 732-446-6299.
• DeBows United Methodist Church, corner of Route 571 and Route 537, Jackson, will host its annual flea market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 6. There will be a food concession with breakfast and lunch items. Interested vendors may call Sue at 732-928-0352 to reserve table space ($10 each; table not provided, setup starts at 7 a.m.). Details: debowsumc.org
• A meeting of the Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will be held at 11 a.m. Oct. 9 at the Double Tree Tinton Falls, Eatontown. A meet and greet for candidates running for local office in November will begin at 10:30 a.m. Sarah Geiger, a representative from NJEA, will discuss Medicare and OptumRX during the membership meeting. Members are asked to bring non-perishable donations for the food bank. For luncheon reservations, contact Sue at 732-995-7754 or email [email protected] before Sept. 28. New members are always welcome.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse will host a “Hidden in Plain Sight” program at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School, 155 Millhurst Road, Manalapan. The program is designed to help prevent youth drug use as it educates adults about the current strategies young people are using to hide drugs and alcohol in plain sight. Details: www.projectzeromanalapan.org or www.mtnj.org or 732-446-8345.
• The Freehold Township Senior Center, 116 Jackson Mills Road, Freehold Township, will host a craft show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10. Tables are available for $15. There will be a variety of craft and holiday items. Details: 732-294-2029.
• The sixth annual Howell/Farmingdale 5K run and race walk benefiting CONTACT of Ocean and Monmouth Counties 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline will be held on Oct. 21 at Howell High School, Squankum-Yellowbrook Road, Howell. The course is now certified. The 5K will begin at 9:30 a.m. All ages welcome. Awards to top male and female overall, plus age group awards for 5K run. Special pricing for ages 19 and under. All registration fees discounted when registered by Oct. 17. Details: 732-240-6104 for registration and/or info on becoming a sponsor. Visit www.contactoceanmonmouth.org for race application form or register online at https://register.compuscore.com/contact5k
• The Monmouth County Park System will hold a butterfly and pollinator garden tour on Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. at the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, Howell. Tour a special garden that is designed to provide a habitat for wildlife. The tour is approximately 30 minutes and is offered weather permitting. Free.
• The Monmouth County Park System will host a Harvest Home Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 30 at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel. The fair is reminiscent of the 1890s. Visitors can enjoy wagon rides, games and live entertainment. There will also be ongoing craft demonstrations and a home and garden competition. Admission and parking are free.
• Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary will host its annual Howl-O-Ween Family Fest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 21 (rain date, Oct. 28) at 118 Route 526, Upper Freehold. This fun-filled event is open to the public and anyone can come with children of all ages and dogs of all sizes. There will be a Ruff Mudder Canine Obstacle Course. Dogs of all skill levels are welcome to participate with their owners. There will also be a costume contest for dogs, plus other activities. Details: 609-259-1278 or www.martysplace.org
• The Marlboro Jewish Center will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Chai Building, 46 Topanemus Road, Marlboro, beginning at 11 a.m. Oct. 14. There will be musical performances, family art projects, refreshments and games. Community members of all ages are invited to attend the free event. Invited guests include Mayor Jonathan Hornik, Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. and Gov. Phil Murphy. The Chai Building hosts a preschool, a Hebrew school and a youth program.
• Center Players Dessert Theater has partnered with theater instructor Darrell Willis Sr. to offer teen acting classes this fall at Center Playhouse, 35 South St., Freehold. “Acting 101” is open to young adults ages 12-17 and will include scene study, improvisation and basic acting techniques. Classes will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on 10 Saturdays from Oct. 13 through Dec. 15. The fee is $200 per student. Students may download a registration form at www.centerplayers.org. Details: Text 908-216-5168.
• Boys and girls ages 8-17 may experience a free airplane ride on Oct. 20 as Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 315 of the North Jersey Shore hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally at Monmouth Jet Center, 1717 Route 34, Wall Township. Those attending are asked to enter the airport at Hurley Pond Road west of Route 34 and proceed to the main terminal building, starting at 9:30 a.m. to register for their flight. A parent or guardian who can sign a required parental permission form at that time must accompany students. Flights begin at 10 a.m. and registration closes at 1 p.m. Rain date is Oct. 27. Details: www.youngeagles.org
• Pink Ribbons of Central New Jersey will host a Susan G. Komen breast cancer walk at 10 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Renaissance at Manalapan adult community, 24 Derry Meeting Drive, Manalapan. Check-in starts at 8:45 a.m. Minimum donation to register is $25. Breakfast to follow the walk for paid registrants only. Details: Helen Cohen, 732-577-0303.
• The Colts Neck Reformed Church, 139 Route 537, Colts Neck, will hold its annual Election Day Luncheon, Dinner and Craft Bazaar on Nov. 6. Tickets for the lunch and dinner (featuring a turkey meal) will be available for purchase beginning Oct. 9. All are welcome to attend. Proceeds to benefit the ongoing benevolence program of the church. Details:
732-462-4555.
• Comedian, singer and pianist Steven “Sarge” Pickman will perform at Congregation Ahavat Olam, Howell, at 2 p.m. Oct. 14. The event is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased by calling 732-333-1299. Tickets are $18 for general admission; $36 for priority reserved seating; and $54 for premium reserved seating. There will be a meet and greet reception prior to the show which includes sponsorship seating in the first three rows for $108 (a block of four tickets must be purchased). Pickman will be available after the show to sell and autograph his book “Black Boychik.”
• The Deep Cut Orchid Society will hold its annual orchid auction on Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with plant preview available from 9:30-10 a.m., at Monmouth Park racetrack, 175 Oceanport Avenue, Oceanport. Orchids from growers in Ecuador, Brazil, Taiwan and the United States will be available for bidding. Admission and parking is free. A hot and cold buffet will be available for $16 per person. Visit deepcutorchidsociety.org for additional information and to RSVP.
• Temple Beth Ahm, 550 Lloyd Road, Aberdeen, will host monthly meet and greet events on Oct. 31, Nov. 28 and Dec. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Guests are welcome to come and learn about the synagogue. Refreshments will be served. Details: Email [email protected] or call 732-583-1700.
• Saint Gabriel’s Church, Marlboro, will host a juried craft and vendor fair on Nov. 11 from
10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Prospective vendors should send name, business name, email, mailing address, phone number and a description of their work with four to six high-quality photos demonstrating sample crafts and wares and table set-ups to Julia A. Oliver at
[email protected]. The table fee is $45. Vendors should not mail payment until they are notified they have been selected to participate.
• The Manalapan-Englishtown Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse has launched its Project Zero website at projectzeromanalapan.com. Project Zero is the alliance’s initiative to reset the narrative in Englishtown and Manalapan regarding substance abuse. The website contains information about where residents can go for assistance.
• New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.