Spring Fling pet adoption, tea with the Easter Bunny and more things to do at the Shore
No joke, April Fool's Day is going to the dogs — and cats — at the Northern Ocean County Animal Facility in Jackson. The Spring Fling Pet Adoption Event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Visitors are encouraged to let your dog strut their stuff by wearing their favorite outfit or costume for the festivities. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance, too.
Four- and two-legged visitors also can take part in a Doggy Easter Egg Hunt. All cats and dogs available for adoption are spayed/neutered, microchipped and receive age-appropriate vaccines.
The Spring Fling, sponsored by the Ocean County Health Department and the Volunteer Auxiliary, Inc., helps raise awareness about all the cats and dogs available for adoption at the Ocean County Animal Facilities.
Go: Spring Fling, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Northern Ocean County Animal Facility, 615 Freemont Ave., Jackson; 732-657-8086 or ochd.org.
Julia Scotti appears in Asbury Park
Friday is International Transgender Day of Visibility, and The ShowRoom Cinema in Asbury Park will present a screening of the documentary "Julia Scotti: Funny That Way." Scotti, a transgender comedian, writer and speaker, will take part in a Q&A following the film, moderated by Asbury Park Press reporter Alex Biese.
"Rick Scotti was a busy guy during the comedy boom of the 1980s, appearing in clubs across the country on bills with Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld, until he came to the dawning realization that nothing felt right," reads a news release regarding the film, which was directed by Susan Sandler and tells the story of Scotti's comeback and reunion with her children. "At a time when the words gender dysphoria and gender reassignment surgery were rarely heard, Rick’s true awakening at age 47 led to a new identity as Julia Scotti."
Most prejudice comes out of fear of the unknown, Scotti previously told The Asbury Park Press.
"And when you see these people who are strange to you or alien to you (and) you start to see them in everyday situations, it takes a brick out of the wall (and) pretty soon there is no wall," she said.
Go: Screening of "Julia Scotti: Funny That Way," 7:30 p.m. Friday, ShowRoom Cinema, 707 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park; $25; showroomcinemas.com.
More: How this transgender Monmouth County detective made LGBTQ history in NJ
Dancing in Deal
Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater (AXCBT) presents "Architects of Dance" featuring four world premieres at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center.
AXCBT Artistic Director Gabriel Chajnik brings works by three acclaimed modern dance artists: Blakely White-McGuire’s "Apertura," Andrea Weber’s "Arbol" and Michael Trusnovec’s "Minimal Complex." Also in the program is Chajnik’s "Komposition," inspired by the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky.
White-McGuire, Weber and Trusnovec were formerly with the Martha Graham Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and Paul Taylor Dance Company, respectively.
“Architects engage the human senses through imagery and mesmerizing choreography,” Chajnik said. "Artists collaborate to create a new and groundbreaking movement platform, crossing disciplines, experiences and sharing practices.”
Ticket prices are $36, $25 for students. VIP tickets are available for $100 and include a pre-performance meet-and-greet cocktail reception with the artists.
Go: Architects of Dance, 8 p.m. Saturday, Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Ave., Deal Park, tickets start at $25; 732-531-9106, ext 14, or axelrodartscenter.com.
More: Make your reservations now: 15 Shore restaurants serving Easter brunch, dinner
Pancakes for a cause in Toms River
Weekends and pancakes make the perfect pair, and why not enjoy them with a side of philanthropy?
The Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Department will host its 78th semi-annual pancake breakfast this Sunday at the firehouse. The menu has pancakes, which are all-you-can-eat, plus sausage, juice, tea and coffee. Guests can also take part in a 50/50 raffle and a gift auction.
Go: Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Department's pancake breakfast, 7 a.m. to noon Sunday, 40 Clayton Ave., Toms River, $10; facebook.com/pleasantplains.firedepartment.
Perk up: Port Coffee Roasters in Bay Head offers international beans, conversation
Tea time with the Easter Bunny in Toms River
Spend Sunday evening with the Easter Bunny at Mathis House Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room in Toms River, where guests will sit down to tea service with scones and desserts.
Mathis House also will host brunch on Easter, featuring live piano music and a menu of ham, quiche, scones, breakfast items, tea sandwiches and desserts, among other items.
Be sure to call for a reservation.
Go: Tea and Scones with the Easter Bunny, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Mathis House Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St., Toms River, $20, $10 per child ages 6 to 12, free for children 5 and younger with an adult; Easter brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 9, $50 per person; 732-818-7580, mathishouse600main.com.
More: Dolce Fantasia brings Northern Italian, French flavors to Asbury Park
Improv comedy in Ocean Grove
ComedySportz Jersey Shore, the mainstay show for Shore Thing Theater, kicks off its spring season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
ComedySportz plays "matches," with two teams competing for laughs and points. A referee calls “fouls” and keeps the action moving. Rated E for Everyone, expect plenty of audience participation. An after-party with the cast follows. There will be a meet and greet before the show, too.
“We just needed a way to celebrate making it to the other side of the past two years, and what better day than April Fool’s?” said president and creative director Ria Torricelli in a release.
Go: ComedySportz Jersey Shore, Shore Thing Theater, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 66 S. Main St., Ocean Grove, admission is first come, first served, $15, $12 for military and seniors, $10 for children under 12; shorethingtheater.com/shows.
More: Taco-Tastic to open its fifth Ocean County restaurant, this time in Brick
Spanish heritage comes alive in Barnegat
The Ocean County Library Barnegat Branch hosts the New Jersey Theatre Alliance's Pushcart Players presentation "Cuentos de Árbol" at 1 p.m. Saturday. Designed for youngsters 3 to 12, the show brings Spanish heritage to life, and engages families and individuals for whom English is a second language.
The production centers on a tree that has sheltered, shielded and nurtured countless passers-by over many years. The tree’s caretaker, Arbolita, shares its history with Tomás, a storyteller seeking new tales for his collection. Among them: “The Garden of the Golden Oranges,” “Brothers Who Were Both Wise and Foolish,” “Juan Bobo (Silly John)” and “Caperucita Roja (Little Red Riding Hood).”
Register at oceancountylibrary.org/events to attend this free event, part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance 2023 Stages Festival. See more about the fest at njtheatrealliance.org/stages.
Go: "Cuentos de Árbol," 1 p.m. Saturday, Ocean County Library Barnegat Branch, 12 Burr St., free; 609-698-3331 or theoceancountylibrary.org/events.
Spring concert in Jackson
Welcome the arrival of spring by enjoying a performance of flute and guitar. “Sol y Sombras” (“Sun and Shadows”) by Marjorie Koharski and Keith Calmes will be given at the Ocean County Library Jackson Branch at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The New Jersey-based musicians will perform music written by Bach, composers with Hispanic roots, and local composer Joseph Virgilio. Koharski is the founder of the Festive Flutes ensemble that appears statewide. She teaches flute in Neptune and maintains the Flute and Friends website.
Calmes’ three-decade career includes his debut at Carnegie Recital Hall as winner of the Artists International Competition. The Wall Township High School teacher has performed with the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra, and authored several guitar books.
Go: “Sol y Sombras,” Marjorie Koharski and Keith Calmes, 2 p.m. Saturday, Ocean County Library Jackson Branch, 2 Jackson Drive, free; 732-928-4400, register at theoceancountylibrary.org/events.
Camp out in Freehold
Looking for an affordable getaway? Head to the Monmouth County Park System’s family campground in Turkey Swamp Park. Located at 200 Georgia Road in Freehold, the campground opens for the season on Saturday. There are 64 wooded campsites (52 can be reserved, 12 are available on a first come, first served basis).
All campsites are pull-through and offer water and electric hookups.
The facility also features drinking water, a dump station, picnic tables, modern restrooms with hot showers and laundry, as well as fire rings for charcoal cooking and campfires. Quiet hours run from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The rate is $44 per night for a tent or recreational vehicle/trailer site. The campground also offers three cabins ($83 per night or $400 per week).
Reservations are available for stays of at least two nights (Friday through Sunday) and are accepted through an online reservations system available on the Campgrounds page at MonmouthCountyParks.com, in person at the Campground Office located in the park’s Oak Point Shelter Building, or by calling 732-462-7286.
Go: Turkey Swamp Park, 200 Georgia Road, Freehold, part of the Monmouth County Park System; 732-842-4000 or MonmouthCountyParks.com.
Punk rock legend coming to Asbury Park
Punk rock guitar legend Richard Lloyd is paying the Jersey Shore a visit next week with a Wednesday, April 5, concert at Asbury Lanes. The show comes three months after the passing of Tom Verlaine, his bandmate in the groundbreaking CBGB's band Television.
The group released the classic album “Marquee Moon” in 1977, setting the table for punks to explore minimalist jazz rock for decades to come. Lloyd reportedly plays Television songs, his own material and more at his shows, which includes a show Saturday, April 22, at Outpost in the Burbs in Montclair.
Go: Richard Lloyd Group with Ribeye Brothers and Baquenne, 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, Asbury Lanes, 209 4th Ave., Asbury Park, $20 in advance/$25 at the door; asburylanes.com.
Sarah Griesemer and Chris Jordan contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do include pet adoption in Jackson
