• Freehold Elks No. 1454 Motorcycle Committee will host a bike raffle drawing party and bike show from 1-6 p.m. Oct. 12 at 73 E. Main St., Freehold. A $20 donation includes food, drink and live music. Raffle tickets for a 2019 Harley Davidson Soft Tail Deluxe Motorcycle will be available, as well as tricky tray prizes. Bike show trophies will be awarded in six categories. All are welcome to attend.
• The New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, will present “Preserving the Pinelands: Albert Horner’s Portraits of a National Treasure,” opening Oct. 12. The exhibition features images by photographer Albert Horner which capture the quiet beauty and intimate landscapes of New Jersey’s Pinelands National Reserve. A number of artifacts and scientific specimens from the museum’s collections help tell some of the stories of the land, animals, people and industries that make this unique area a state and national treasure. “Preserving the Pinelands” will be on view through June 28, 2020. Details: www.statemuseum.nj.gov
• The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, 310 Mount’s Corner Drive, Freehold Township, will present a talk by Susan Addelston, “The Elite Eight Jewish Supreme Court Justices,” at 2 p.m. Oct. 27. Admission is $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. To make a paid reservation (non-refundable), call 732-252-6990, or visit www.jhmomc.org
• “What Parents Need to Know About Vaping” will be presented at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Millstone Performing Arts Center, 5 Dawson Court, Millstone Township (adults only). The presentation is sponsored by the Millstone Township Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse. The program will address the topic of vapes/e-cigs and their risk factors. Presented by Nicki Francis, coordinator of program and professional development, Wellspring Center for Prevention. Details: [email protected] or 732-446-4249, ext. 3106.
• The American Red Cross will host the following blood drives: in Allentown, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Allentown First Aid Squad, 70 Route 526; and in Freehold Township, Oct. 8, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at CentraState Medical Center, 901 W. Main St. Donors of all blood types, races and ethnicities are needed to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse patient population. Appointments may be made by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
• The Monmouth County Park System will present Earthen Oven-Plein Air Baking from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 5 at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township. Enjoy an edible history lesson as staff share basic information about the construction and demonstrate the use of a simple small Colonial American style oven. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present a roving naturalist at 9 a.m. Oct. 5 at
Clayton Park, Upper Freehold Township. Meet in the Emley’s Hill Road parking lot. Join a naturalist for a leisurely walk on well-maintained trails and discuss seasonal points of interest. This is a 90-minute to two-hour program, but feel free to join in or drop out at any point. Dress for the weather as light rain is not a deterrent. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present mill demonstrations on Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 from 1-4 p.m. at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township. See a 19th century gristmill in action. This is a free event. Details: 732;842-4000.
• The Monmouth County Park System will present “Here Lies . . . Historical Headstone Carving” from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 26-27 at Historic Walnford, Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Township. Watch a craftsman carve a traditional slate headstone while sharing some early American social history about customs for passing from this life to the next. This is a free event. Details: 732-842-4000.
• Center Players Dessert Theater will hold auditions for “A Year with Frog and Toad” at Center Playhouse, 35 South St., Freehold, Oct. 5 from noon to 2 p.m. and Oct. 6 from 7-9 p.m. Performances will run the weekends of Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-15. Non-union, no pay. Auditions are open to teens and adults, age 12 and up. All must have strong musical theater voices. Complete details and a list of characters can be found at www.centerplayers.org. Those auditioning should bring a headshot and resume if
possible; sides from the show will be provided.
• The Allentown Lions will sponsor a beer garden on Oct. 12-13 from noon to 9 p.m. There will be live music and more than 20 different craft beers will be available for purchase. The beer garden will be behind Bloomers & Things Florist, 24 S. Main St., Allentown. All are welcome to attend. Visit the Lions’ Facebook page or website, www.allentownlionsclub.com
• The Allentown Public Library will present a night with Psychic Treasures Unlimited, exploring the paranormal world, at 7 p.m. Oct. 17. Attendees will learn about paranormal investigation and gain insight into the spiritual world. Space is limited and registration is required. Register in person, online or call 609-259-7565.
• Marty’s Place, 118 Route 526, Upper Freehold Township, will host a Howl-o-Ween Family Fest to help raise funds for senior dogs who live at Marty’s Place. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 19 (rain date, Oct. 20). Highlights include the Ruff Mudder obstacle course for dogs ($10 entry fee), canine costume contests, hay rides, police dog demonstrations, food trucks and more. Adults, children and dogs are welcome to dress in costume. Admission is $5 for adults; children under 6 are free. Details: 609-259-1278.
• A craft fair will be held at the Freehold Township Senior Center, 116 Jackson Mills Road, Freehold Township, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 9. Vendor tables are available ($15 for a 6-foot table). A variety of craft and holiday items will be available for purchase. Details: 732-294-2029.
• The Allentown Public Library, 16 S. Main St., Allentown, will host a presentation by Muriel J. Smith, a co-author of the book “Hidden History of Monmouth County,” at 7 p.m. Oct. 22. Smith is a member of several historical societies and the Monmouth County Historical Commission. Space is limited and registration is required. Register in person at the library or call 609-259-7565.
• The 24th annual Monmouth County Archives and History Day will be held on Oct. 12 at Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan. At 1 p.m., actress and writer Michele LaRue will present her interpretation of contemporary writing from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in a piece entitled “Someone Must Wash the Dishes: An Anti-Suffrage Satire.” Details: Visit MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives or call 732-308-3771, ext. 3776.
• The fifth annual Artisan Craft and Music Festival at Oakley Farm will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 at the corner of Wemrock Road and Oakley Drive, Freehold Township. There will be woodworking, needlework, jewelry, birdhouses, pottery and more. The 300-year-old farmhouse and outbuildings will be open and there will be architectural salvage available for purchase. Free parking and admission. Music performances by Nolan Willance, Billy J. Brown, Synergy (Liberty Oak Chorus Quartet), Acoustic NRG and The Wired.
• A meeting of the Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will be held at 11 a.m. Oct. 15 at the Radisson, Freehold Township. A Meet and Greet for local candidates running for office will take place at 10:30 a.m., before the general meeting. The guest speaker will be an elder law attorney. Members are asked to bring a non-perishable donation for the food bank. For luncheon reservations, contact Sue at 732 995-7754 or email [email protected] before Oct. 4. New members are always welcome.
• The New Jersey State Museum, 205 W. State St., Trenton, is presenting “Many Inspired Steps” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Currently on view through Nov. 10, the exhibition uses a variety of objects and images to examine the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, the pioneers of space travel and other state connections to the landing and the space program. Admission is free; donations requested. Details: 609-292-5420 or visit statemuseumnj.gov
• “New Jersey Baseball: From the Cradle to the Major Leagues” is on exhibit at the Morven Museum and Garden, Princeton, until Oct. 27. The exhibition tells the story of New Jersey’s role in the history of early organized baseball through artifacts, text, images and other visuals. There are interactives that offer educational opportunities, as well as demonstrations with hands-on experiences. Details: morven.org
• Samaritan Center, a joint ministry of St. Thomas More and Old Tennent Presbyterian churches, operates a food pantry to provide supplementary food for those in need in Manalapan, Marlboro, Englishtown and Millstone Township. For information, call 732-446-1142 and make an appointment. Pickup dates are Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-11:15 a.m. and Saturday from 9-11 a.m. Volunteers will gladly carry food to a client’s vehicle. Donations of funds and food are gratefully accepted to support the operation of the center. Volunteers are always welcome.
Items for the Datebook may be sent to [email protected]. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.