I have to tell you, there's nothing like the music scene at the Jersey Shore. From big artists to those just performing for fun, New Jersey is absolutely jam-packed with phenomenal talent.

And I've had the pleasure of meeting so many of these local artists over the past two years while broadcasting our summer shows in Asbury Park. From musicians, to artists, and even magic, the amount of talent here in New Jersey is by far incredible.

Some of us have stayed in contact over the past couple years since crossing paths at our boardwalk studio. And I absolutely love trying to help out our amazing talent in any way I can.

Whether that means hopping on-air with me during one of our broadcasts, shooting a quick video, or writing an article to help get the word out of an upcoming show, I'm always happy to help out.

One of those friends is Carol Lester, who I met at our Asbury Park studio. She is incredibly talented and an overall great person to know. And if you're looking for something to do over the first weekend of October, I've got just the event to highlight that Carol be taking part in.

Canva (Townsquare Illustration)
Canva (Townsquare Illustration)

Sea & Sky Songwriters Acoustic Afternoon

It's an amazing afternoon of music taking place at the Erratic Fermentations Brewery in Bradley Beach. The Arts Council of Bradley Beach presents an Afternoon of acoustic original music hosted by Sea & Sky Songwriters, performing on Sunday, Oct. 4 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The show features Paul Marzano, Maxine Snow, Dawn Hopkins, CJ_2.0. Music, and of course, your host Carol Lester. They're all local songwriters and are associated with organizations such as Sisters for a Cure, Holiday Express, Shorewave Productions, The Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation, and more. How amazing is that?

More on the show can be found here. But don't wait too long to register since space is limited. Hope you can make it out for this fantastic afternoon featuring original acoustic music. It's going to be a great time.

NJ Fall Fun Means Sunflowers, Corn Mazes and Pumpkins

Once the calendar turns to September, a strong crop of New Jersey spots start their fall fun early.

For any location listed below, call ahead, as operation times may vary and are weather permitting. It’s also good to have cash on-hand, as some activities may not take cards or cashless payments.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

Most visited restaurants and food spots in Red Bank, NJ

These establishments logged the most visits in Red Bank last year.

The data — from May 2025 to May 2026 — comes from Townsquare partner Placer.Ai, which uses foot traffic, real estate and other location-based data for trend analysis.

Want to explore business trends in New Jersey? Submit a request to talk to a Townsquare New Jersey marketing specialist to discuss how to use this data.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.

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