Red Bank area residents and visitors can add two upcoming events to the calendar to say goodbye to summer and celebrate September.
On Sunday, September 8, 2019 from 11 am to 5 pm, the streets of downtown Red Bank will be bursting with fun, food, and creativity at the Red Bank Street Fair & Craft Show. Dozens of tents will line up along Broad Street and Monmouth Street, showcasing the beautiful wares of artists, crafters, and vendors. There will be rides and games for kids, a petting zoo, dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, and delicious food, plus DJ entertainment and live bands. The spring rendition of the Street Fair & Craft Show was a huge success, with crowds packing the streets. More than 20,000 people are expected to turn out for this season’s free event, with something for all ages to enjoy.
Then, on Sunday, September 29 from 12 to 7 pm, thousands more are expected to come out for the 10th Annual Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival, to be held in the White Street parking lot at 40 White Street. This huge event was established in the tradition of Ireland’s 65-year-old Galway Oyster Festival, which is renowned as the oldest oyster festival in the world and the most recognized Irish festival aside from St. Patrick’s Day. It is held each year on the last weekend in September to celebrate the annual oyster harvest.
Along with tons of oysters, the Red Bank event will serve up a wide variety of tasty foods from 20 of the town’s favorite restaurants, plus plenty of Guinness, lighter beers, Smirnoff Sparkling Seltzers, Tito’s Lemonade, and wine. Sports fans can watch the day’s football games at the Tito’s RV. The family-friendly celebration will also feature activities for kids, unique vendors, and live music all day long on two stages, with popular bands playing a fantastic mix of Irish music, blues, funk, pop, rock and roll, and more. And for those who don’t want the fun to end, there will be an after-party at the Dublin House, 30 Monmouth Street, which backs up to the festival site.
Admission for the Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival is $5 per person for ages 11 and up, with proceeds going to benefit Lunch Break, the Count Basie Center for the Arts, and Red Bank RiverCenter.