Stalking The Beach Plum At Island Beach State Park

Locals in Ocean County say September is the best month.

The crowds are pretty much gone. The humidity is lower, the ocean glows cobalt and the beach plums are ready for harvest. It’s the best time of the year to hold the 17th annual Beach Plum Festival.

The event gets underway at 9 a.m. on Sunday and will run until 4 p.m. at Bathing Beach 1. Admission at the state park’s gate to the popular state park is free. The Friends of Island Beach State Park - who organize the festival - are asking visitors for a $5 donation

“This is our biggest fund raiser of the year and we anticipate the turnout to exceed last year’s, when we had more than 6,000 visitors,” said Patricia M. Vargo, president of Friends of Island Beach State Park. “With the participation and support of visitors who attend the festival, we can continue our mission of improving and adding addition programs.”

The round beach plums start out green, ripen to a pinkish-orange in midsummer, then turn crimson to a deep purple by harvest. They are highly prized by locals who pluck them from bushes and transform them into jelly and even ice cream.

Visitors can purchase beach plum products at the festival, sample beach plum ice cream, watch jelly-making demonstrations and even pick the fruits. Crafters, local non-profit organizations and food vendors will also be on hand with items for sale and displays.

There will also be children’s games, a kayak raffle, and lifesaving demonstrations by Island Beach State Park lifeguards.

The state Department of Environmental Protection recently announced that lifeguards will be on duty on extended weekends at Bathing Beach 1 from Friday to Monday in September.

The beach at Ocean Bathing Area 1 will have lifeguard service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 5-8, Sept. 12-15, Sept. 19-22 and Sept. 26-29. Restrooms and showers at the bathing pavilion will be operating on those dates.