Music, Monster Trucks & Flag Football At Jersey Shore Festival

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — Kick off summer this weekend with music, art and activities to interest everyone at the Jersey Shore Festival in Seaside Heights.

The rain-or-shine free admission music and arts festival will have more than 300 artists from all over the world, organizers say. But it's more than music and art: there will be performances by BMX bike groups, skate performances, motocross shows and a Ford car show. There are free surf lessons scheduled for Saturday and free paddleboard lessons on Sunday. There will be free monster truck rides and all kinds of vendors.

In addition, there will be the Pros vs. Heroes Charity Flag Football Game, pitting former NFL players against Toms River police officers to raise money for the Toms River Police Foundation. Former New York Giants running back Joe Morris will be on hand at the game; he played for Big Blue when the Giants won the 1987 Super Bowl. You can win a pair of Taylor Swift tickets and Jessie Chris will be performing at the game as well. (RELATED: See Giant Joe Morris In Toms River Pros Vs Heroes Football Game)

This is the 11th year the show has been held and is an opportunity for locals to hear the musicians and for musicians to network with music industry professionals, organizers say.

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"Our mission is to create an environment that allows industry VIPs to find new talent, artists to make new contacts, and fans to find their new favorite bands," the festival's website says.

The festival starts Friday with artist registration at 2 p.m.; live performances begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday begin at 9 a.m. with tai chi on the beach with yoga on the beach at 10 a.m.; live music performances begin at noon and are scheduled at a variety of places, from the boardwalk stages to bars, restaurants and motels.

See the full lineup of musical acts here. The overall weekend schedule is here.

Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff