• New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center, will conduct the following drives: July 8, Chelsea at Tinton Falls, 1 Hartford Drive, Tinton Falls, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; July 19, Lincroft Bible Church, 790 Newman Springs Road, Middletown, 1-7 p.m.; and 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: July 9, Matawan-Aberdeen Train Station, Parking Lot 1; 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 7, Mission Dance; July 14, Joe Baracata Band; 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
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.