LINCROFT, NJ — April showers will soon bring Mayflowers, and it’s the perfect time to enjoy a county park. From mill demonstrations to decoration day celebrations, Monmouth County’s park system teems with activity. The following is planned:
mill demonstrations
Saturdays and Sundays, April 30 and May 1, May 7 and 8, 14 and 15, 21 and 22 and 28 and 29 at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m p.m. and 3:30 p.m
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Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold
See the 19th-century grain mill in action. Each demonstration lasts approximately 15 minutes. FREE!
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The casual bird watcher
Tuesday, May 3rd at 9am
Perrineville Lake Park, Millstone – Meet at the Agress Road parking lot.
Tuesday, May 10th at 9am
Clayton Park, Upper Freehold – Meet at the Emley’s Hill Road car park.
Tuesday, May 17 at 9 a.m
Hartshorne Woods Park – Meet at the Rocky Point parking lot in Highlands.
Tuesday, May 24 at 9 a.m
Manasquan Reservoir, Howell – Meet in the visitor center parking lot.
Take a leisurely morning bird walk with a Park System Naturalist and stroll around the park for about an hour and a half to see what birds we can find. You don’t have to be an expert in bird identification to have fun. A limited number of binoculars are available to borrow if required. FREE!
Great perennial plant swap in spring
Saturday May 7th
Plant delivery from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m
Plant selection from 10-11 a.m
Tatum Park, Middletown – Use the Red Hill Road entrance.
Gardeners are invited to bring established plants in 1 liter, 1 gallon or 2 gallon containers and bring home the same size and number of plants. Please label all plants. Herb and vegetable seedlings are eligible for equivalent exchange. FREE!
Creative Arts Festival
Saturday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
Thompson Park, Lincroft
View the work of artists and fine craftsmen across all mediums, including ceramics, jewelry, photography and painting. Events also include live music and food. Admission and parking are free.
Embroidery demonstration
Saturday, May 7th from 1pm to 3pm
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Watch the lost art of applying decorative designs with needle and thread during this demonstration. FREE!
Cooking stove demonstration
Saturdays, May 7 & 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
See what’s being cooked on the wood-burning stove and discover how recipes, cooking techniques and cuisine have changed since the 1890s. FREE!
Boat tours on the Manasquan Reservoir
Saturdays and Sundays 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22, 28 & 29 May and Monday 30 May at 2pm, 3pm, 4pm & 5pm watch
Manasquan Reservoir, Howell
These 45-minute tours are narrated by park system naturalists and include the opportunity to spot native wildlife. The cost is USD 6 per adult and USD 4 per child up to 12 years old. Please call to confirm the schedule as tours are subject to both weather and water levels. All tours start at the visitor center. Life jackets required. Tickets can only be purchased on the day of the tour.
Plant a sunflower
Sunday, May 8th from 12-2:30 p.m
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Plant this year’s sunflower field. Visit the farm all summer and watch the Russian Mammoth Sunflowers grow to over 10 feet tall! Participants are invited to return in the fall and harvest their own sunflower. FREE!
Wonderful spring walks
Monday, May 9th from 10-11:30 am
Clayton Park, Upper Freehold – Meet in the Emley’s Hill parking lot.
Monday, May 23 from 10-11:30 a.m
Freneau Woods Park, Aberdeen – Meet in the Visitor Center car park.
Join a naturalist of the park system on a peaceful walk through the park. Sturdy shoes are recommended as the paths used may have slopes or tree roots that you have to step over. FREE!
Open archery
Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m
Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft
All equipment is provided for this open shoot. No third-party devices allowed. This is not a teaching clinic and is NOT designed for beginners. If you are new to archery, sign up for one of our instructional courses before attending. Open from 10 years; under 18 with adults. The cost is $10 per person; Cash, check, Visa, MasterCard or Discover are accepted.
Demonstration of woodworking from the 19th century
Saturday, May 14th from 12pm to 3pm
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
See the carpenter using 19th-century woodworking and carving tools. FREE!
Piano ballads of the turn of the century
Saturday, May 14th from 1pm to 3pm
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Tap your feet, dance a step, or sing along to popular turn-of-the-century ballads played in the farmhouse. FREE!
Walnford Day
Sunday, May 15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m
Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold
Experience the sights and sounds of history during this annual celebration of the place. Admission and parking are free.
Demonstration of plowing with horses
Sunday, May 15 from 12pm to 2pm
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Stop by the field and chat with the farm staff about the steps involved in producing a good harvest, and you might even get a chance to plow (with the farmer’s help). weather dependent. FREE!
climbing time
Tuesday, May 17th from 3pm to 6pm
Freneau Woods Park, Aberdeen
Sunday, May 22nd from 12pm to 3pm
Turkey Swamp Park, Freehold
Try Park System’s 25-foot Portable Climbing Wall. You must be 42 inches or taller to climb. Open to children over 8 years old; under 18 accompanied by an adult. FOR FREE!
Accordion Melodies of the 1890s
Saturday, May 21 from 1pm to 3pm
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Hear tunes from the 1890s played on the accordion. FREE!
nature in motion
Saturday May 21 at 3 p.m
Manasquan Reservoir, Howell – Meet in the visitor center parking lot.
Look for our colorful Nature on the Move van and join one of our park system naturalists for a 45-60 minute interactive program. FREE!
Nature Lecture Series: Horseshoe crabs trying to survive in a modern world
Thursday, May 26 from 7-8 p.m
Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Centre, Port Monmouth
Discover why the horseshoe crab population is declining, what people are doing to protect the crab through research, and what you can do to help. FREE!
Canoe rentals at Thompson Park
Saturday & Sunday, May 28 & 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m
Thompson Park, Lincroft
Canoes can be rented at Lake Marlu. All equipment provided; limited number of canoes available. Open to all ages; under 18 with adults. All rentals must be returned by 3pm. The cost is $15 per boat for 1-3 people for two hours. Cash or check only.
Historical Battery Lewis Tours
Saturday & Sunday, May 28 & 29 from 12pm to 4pm
Hartshorne Woods Park, Highlands – Rocky Point section
Tour the restored Historic Battery Lewis and learn about the history of this important former coastal defense site. FREE!
Decoration Day celebration
Monday, May 30th from 12pm to 3pm
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Enjoy the company of family and friends as we honor this early American holiday. FREE!
To learn more about these park system activities, please visit www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or call the park system at 732-842-4000. For those with hearing impairments, the park system’s TTY/TDD number is 711. The Monmouth County Park System, established by the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners in 1960, is the Monmouth County Open Spaces, Parks and Recreation Authority.