Things to do Labor Day weekend at the Jersey Shore: Grateful Dead tribute, new brewery
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The Grateful Dead made history in New Jersey 45 years ago, and that Englishtown history comes to life this weekend in Asbury Park.
The iconic jam band's Sept. 3, 1977, appearance at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park drew a reported 107,000 to the site, making it the biggest concert in New Jersey and one of the highest-attended non-festival shows ever.
The show, which also featured New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Marshall Tucker Band, cast such a long shadow that for his 15 years in the New Riders guitarist Michael Falzarano couldn't escape it.
"Everywhere I went it seemed like somebody would come up to me and say, 'I saw you guys in Englishtown' or 'I was in Englishtown, it was my first show,'" Falzarano, who also played in Hot Tuna, told the Asbury Park Press in 2019.
Falzarano is the guitarist behind the Englishtown Project, a tribute act celebrating all of the music played on that storied day. The band plays the Wonder Bar 8 p.m. Friday.
“Asbury Park has always been this sort of mythological place to go play music," Falzarano, who lives in Millstone, said. "And throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s, until now, I've toured there many times with Hot Tuna, with Jorma (Kaukonen) and the New Riders, and I love the audience in Asbury Park. It's always probably one of the most enthusiastic audiences in the country. They're always down for a good time. They appreciate good music."
Go: The Englishtown Project, 8 p.m. Friday at the Wonder Bar, Fifth and Ocean Avenues, Asbury Park, $20 in advance and $25 at the door; wonderbarasburypark.com.
Pancake breakfast to benefit local firemen
Before you hit the beach this Labor Day weekend, grab some grub at the Ocean Beach Volunteer Fire Company's pancake breakfast.
All-you-can-eat pancakes will be served from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday at the firehouse, 40 Kittiwake Ave. in Lavallette. The menu also includes sausage, eggs, potatoes and watermelon, plus coffee, tea, milk and juice.
The cost is $12 for adults and children 10 and older, $6 for children younger than 10, and there is no charge for children younger than 3. Cash only.
The morning also will feature giveaways, a raffle and T-shirt sales.
Go: Ocean Beach Volunteer Fire Company pancake breakfast, 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, 40 Kittiwake Ave., Lavallette, $12 for adults and children 10 and older, $6 for children 3 to 9, cash only.
Wild Air Beerworks opens for business
There’s something in the air in Asbury Park.
Wild Air Beerworks joins the Jersey Shore craft brewing scene as it hosts its grand opening noon to 10 pm. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at its tasting room, 1001 Main Street.
The new venture is from the owners of Last Wave Brewing Co. in Point Pleasant Beach: Nick Jiorle, Bert Roling and his wife, Dani Roling. It’s located at the former site of Dark City Brewing Co., which closed in 2020.
Jiorle told the Asbury Park Press this spring that beyond a house India Pale Ale and kettle sour, the brewery will focus on classic lager styles, wild ales and spontaneous beer.
Go: Wild Air Beerworks’ grand opening, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, 1001 Main St., Asbury Park; for more information, visit wildairbeer.com.
The Foundation Room gallery opens at Asbury Ocean Club
A new space is joining the Asbury Park fine arts world this weekend as the Foundation Room opens on the ground floor of the Asbury Ocean Club in partnership with Michael and Susan Hort of the Rema Hort Mann Foundation.
The gallery opens with an exhibition of the works of Joe “Doodle Boy” Whale, with the public invited to an opening reception 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. In the spirit of Whale’s art, attendees are encouraged to wear black or white.
Go: The Foundation Room hosts the work of Joe “Doodle Boy” Whale, opening reception 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Asbury Ocean Club, 1101 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; https://hotel.asburyoceanclub.com/hotel.
‘Holiday Encores’ in Ocean Grove
Turn back the clock this Labor Day with “Holiday Encores: Radio Wave, Echoes of Yesteryear,” presented by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association 7 p.m. Monday at the Great Auditorium, Pilgrim and Ocean Pathways in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune.
Bringing listeners back to the “Firestone Radio Hour,” which was broadcast from 1928 to 1957 on NBC, the show will feature organist Gordan Turk and singer Kevin Short, with Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association Director of Music Ministries Jason Tramm serving as the emcee.
Go: “Holiday Encores: Echoes of Yesteryear,” 7 p.m. Monday at the Great Auditorium, Pilgrim and Ocean Pathways in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune, $14; oceangrove.org/encores.
$3 movies in Asbury Park for National Cinema Day
Let's all go to the movies this Saturday.
The ShowRoom Cinema, 707 Cookman Ave., is participating in National Cinema Day on Saturday. All tickets for all screenings will be just $3. Featured films that day will include "Three Thousand Years of Longing," "The Good Boss," "Funny Pages" and "Everything Everywhere All at Once."
National Cinema Day was launched by the Cinema Foundation in an effort to welcome post-lockdown audiences back to movie theaters.
In other ShowRoom news, tickets ($20) are now on sale for a comedy fundraiser to support the theater 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Presented by Ugly Pancake Productions and hosted by Joe Borzotta and Angelo Gingerelli, the show will feature Taylor Allen, Vin Brue, Alex Delesky and Donna Lloyd.
Go: The ShowRoom Cinema, 707 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park; showroomcinemas.com.
Ben Folds in Red Bank
One of the great ironies of alt-rock music was that the Ben Folds Five only had three members.
Folds is going make the counting easier as he's a solo for his “Ben Folds: In Actual Person Live For Real Tour” show, which comes Friday, Sept. 2 to the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre of the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank.
Folds with his group had the breakthrough single “Brick,” and he's gone on to collaborate with William Shatner, Regina Spektor, “Weird Al” Yankovic and more, and perform with orchestras, too.
Go: Ben Folds, 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. $25 to $79. thebasie.org.
Gotham Burger Social Club comes to The Asbury Hotel
New York City's Gotham Burger Social Club is coming to town this Saturday, hosting a pop-up from noon to 3 p.m. at The Asbury Hotel, 201 Fifth Ave.
Founder Mike Puma, who created the burger-reviewing club in 2013, will be cooking smash burgers by the pool. Tickets include a single or double Wagyu burger, all-day pool and bar access, live music, and access to special brews from Asbury Park Brewery. Additional food from the hotel will be available for purchase.
Tickets start at $20. The cost of general admission, which does not include a burger, is $10. Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com; search "Smash N' Splash."
Sarah Griesemer and Chris Jordan contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Labor Day events: Grateful Dead tribute, new Asbury Park brewery
