No KaBoom! How About Try Out Oceanfest?
Event is held on the Fourth of July along the Long Branch promenade.
KaBoom! Fireworks on the Navesink, an annual Red Bank tradition, is no more, at least this year. Not only are the July 3 fireworks gone, but so are the three days of family activities that came with the festival.
Consider Oceanfest this Fourth of July instead.
Oceanfest is a full day of free activities and events for the entire family. The festival, which is in its 21st year, runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. along the promenade between Seven Presidents Park and Pier Village and offers live children’s entertainment, live bands, crafters, vendors and food.
The finale features a fireworks display that begins at 9 p.m.
One of the highlights of the day is beach sand sculptures that will be built throughout the event.
New Jersey native Matthew Deibert will be creating the sculpture for Monmouth University. Deibert is the recent winner of the Travel Channel’s Sand Wars.
Deibert has been carving at Oceanfest for many years and has done the sculpture for Monmouth University for at least the past four years.
Monmouth Park returns for another season as a sponsor of Oceanfest and will also create a sand sculpture along with Chevrolet and Jersey Central Power & Light.
The joint sculpture is being created by artist John Gowdy, a New Jersey native who now resides most of the year in Italy. Gowdy has been professionally sculpting sand for more than 15 years and has been a regular sculptor at Oceanfest.
Numerous musical performances and children's programs will be held throughout the day as well.
Appearing on the Great Lawn Stage and back by popular demand this year will be Ray Rodriguez & Swing Sabrossa (2 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and the Bob Burger Band (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.). New this year is The fabulous Rock N Roll Chorus, featuring high school students from throughout Monmouth County at 1 p.m., and Rave On!, singing the hits of Buddy Holly and other early rock ‘n roll legends at 4:30 p.m.
Children’s entertainment at the Garfield Memorial site includes the Amazing Arni & Ingrid at 11 a.m. and a juggling/variety show at 1:15 p.m.
Costumed entertainers, a unicyclist, and stilt walker will also be strolling the promenade.
The fireworks spectacular is scheduled for 9 p.m. and listeners can tune in to 95.9 The WRAT FM for a patriotic musical simulcast.
For more information about Oceanfest, visit www.oceanfestnj.com or call the Long Branch Chamber at 732-222-0400.
Sponsors for the event include Monmouth University, Xfinity, Monmouth Medical Center, Monmouth Park, Ocean Place Resort and Spa, Pier Village and TD Bank. All these organizations will be represented at Oceanfest.
joe
11:52 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2012
How about OUT oceanfest? What does that mean? Also... KaBoom! Fireworks on the Navesink, an annual Red Bank tradition, is no more, at least these year. These year? Where are the proofreaders?
Edward Van Embden
9:59 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Do you feel better now?
Elsie McFly
7:48 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
I liked it before it was proofed> It made me read the article!
Elsie McFly
7:49 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Oh sorry the > should have been a . (perriod)
Elsie McFly
7:49 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
OOh sorry , the Perriod should have been a period.
Andrea
10:14 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I've been to Oceanfest. It's a zoo and it'll be even more of one this year with so many towns cancelling their fireworks. Why couldn't they at least have fireworks in Red Bank and gotten rid of all the other stuff? We went from a crazy, expensive extravaganza to NOTHING. It's a damn shame that a town this size doesn't have fireworks! It's UnAmerican!
Elsie McFly
8:26 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
UnAmerican? I guess those colonial folks really lit the sky up back in the day.
Elsie McFly
8:27 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
There is an alternative. You could drink a dozen beers and bang two frying pan lids together. That would be fairly American don't you think?