5 Reasons To Come To Seaside Heights After Labor Day

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — Labor Day may mark the end of summer for most of us; it's time to go back to school, back to work, back to the routines of daily life.

But the start of September doesn't mean everything stops in Seaside Heights. In addition to the amusements remaining open evenings and weekends, there are events scheduled nearly every weekend between now and Halloween.

Here are five events on the calendar that will make it worth spending time at the beach, whether you're a local or a visitor.

On Sept. 9 and 10, there's the Wine on the Beach festival. Sample wines from around the state, enjoy food demonstrations and entertainment and check out the artisans and crafters. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 or at the beach the day of the event for $20. Read more here.

On Sept. 16, it's eight hours of music on two stages as the Rock the Farm Festival presents “Faux-Chella.” The Jersey Shore's answer to Coachella. There will be tribute bands performing music from Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and the Rolling Stones, along with food trucks, yoga, drun circles and a foam party. It begins at 2 p.m. and goes to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, $35 at the gate, and proceeds benefit the CFC Loud & Clear Foundation, which helps those recovering from addiction. Click here for more information.

That same day, Sept. 16, is the Seaside Semper Five, the Marine Corps charity race that raises funds for the MARSOC Foundation, which assists active duty and medically retired MARSOC (U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command) personnel and their families, as well as the families of Marines and sailors who have lost their lives in service to the United States. The race, previously run in Seaside Park, was disrupted last year when pipe bombs exploded in a trash can along the race route. Read more here.

Barbecue lovers will want to head to the Heights on Sept. 23 and 24 for the 9th annual Que by the Sea. Music, artists and crafters will be on hand, but the centerpiece of the weekend is the Seaside Heights BBQ Competition on Grant Avenue. It's Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check here for the listof musical performers and for more information.

September closes out with a tip of the hat to October with the two-day Oktoberfest celebration. The event is relatively new, marking just its second year, and kicks off on Saturday at 11 a.m. with the tapping of the keg! The event also features seasonal craft beer tastings, live music, authentic German food, artisans and crafters, a beer garden, food trucks, kids zone, and the Oktoberfest Muscle Car Showdown. Tickets are $20 per session if purchased in advance, $25 at the gate. Click here for more information.

There are events past September as well, including the annual Italian festival and Columbus Day parade, the Seaside Heights 5K and in December, there's SantaCon. Check out the calendar by clicking here.

Photo by Bermi Ferrer, via Flickr, under Creative Commons license