Broadwalk Pedestrian Plaza In Red Bank Now Open Through Oct. 2

RED BANK, NJ — Come September, visitors and residents will get another month to enjoy the Broadwalk pedestrian plaza in Red Bank.

The Red Bank Borough Council extended the Broadwalk past Labor Day to continue through Oct. 2, said Red Bank RiverCenter Executive Director Bob Zuckerman. The Red Bank Borough Council approved the extension last week. RiverCenter is a nonprofit organization that develops business and tourism in the borough.

RiverCenter actively advocated for the extension, Zuckerman said, because of the slow start for the dining and shopping concept necessitated by the road improvement project on Broad Street. Broadwalk opened on July 22. Then, the summer heat wave put a bit of a damper on outdoor dining.

"We are extremely grateful to the Red Bank Council for unanimously approving the extension. The extension will allow us to do more programming for both kids and adults and will also give our entire region a go-to destination for outdoor dining, strolling and fun," he said.

The pedestrian and dining plaza is bounded by Front Street to the north and White Street to the south. The Broadwalk concept of a summer into fall pedestrian and dining plaza began in 2020 as a response to COVID dining restrictions.

But now the idea is seen as a way to attract more interest to this non-beach town's summer dining options and shopping.

Zuckerman said in a previous Patch article that RiverCenter and the Borough Recreation Department worked together to plans programs for the plaza, such as music events and fitness classes, and afternoon activities for younger kids, like scooter rides and chalk drawing on the street, to enjoy the car-free environment.