Fall & Holiday Events You Won’t Want to Miss
Families enjoyed hayrides on the beach during the Avalon Arts & Seafood Festival.
Although the summer is ending, there is still plenty to do across Seven Mile Beach! This year’s shoulder-season event lineup is perfect for sipping, shopping, and spending time with friends.
The weekend after Labor Day, the fall events kick off with Avalon’s End-of-Summer Shop Hop sale. Held Sept. 6-8, the event will feature great deals from shops throughout Avalon. Deals vary depending on the store, but some offers include discounts on select summer merchandise while others are offering up to 75% off everything in the store. In celebration of the discounts and deals, Bobby Dee’s Rock’n Chair Restaurant will offer select specials on cocktails, appetizers, entrees, and more throughout the weekend for shoppers.
Loretta Finnegan and Ramona Sanabria enjoying the annual Barefoot Ball.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children will host its annual Barefoot Ball fundraiser at ICONA Windrift. Attendees will enjoy live music, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auction items, and the presentation of the 2024 scholarship awards. The event will raise money to support the home’s mission of providing blind and visually impaired children with an all-expense-paid week of summer camp. To learn more about the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children, go to dillerblindhome.org.
Stone Harbor invites you to Savor September the weekend of Sept. 20-21 with food, music and fun sponsored by the Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce. On Friday evening, the Savor En Blanc dinner will take place from 6-9pm, with attendees dressed to the nines in all white attire. On Saturday, 96th Street will host a variety of food, wine, and beer vendors with tasting tents, live music, and shopping from 11am-7pm.
Stone Harbor’s annual Savor En Blanc dinner party was held on 96th Street, welcoming diners to enjoy dinner and drinks to celebrate the Savor September Festival weekend.
As we head into October, the Avalon Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Arts & Seafood Festival on Oct. 12 at Surfside Park, 30th Street and the beach. The festival will feature fresh seafood from local restaurants, fun children’s activities, hayrides on the beach, live music from Hickstown Road and Michael Thompson, and a vendors’ market with crafts, gifts, artwork and more. Plus, the Sound Advice Lounge will offer the live streaming of the day’s football games with beer and wine for purchase by the Chamber of Commerce.
Additionally, there are dune grass plantings, workshops at the Avalon Free Public Library, Trick or Treat, Trunk or Treats, and so much more. With so many things to do on Seven Mile Beach this September and October, you won’t want to miss one minute of the fun.
And, before you know it, the most wonderful time of the year will be here. The Boroughs of Avalon and Stone Harbor both deck the halls and transform into a winter wonderland complete with twinkling lights, tree lighting ceremonies, shopping, and dining. Make your plans now to spend Thanksgiving weekend at the shore.
Avalon is set to host its weekend-long kickoff to the holidays with the annual Turkey Trot, Festive Friday and Snowfest Saturday events on the calendar. Burn off your Thanksgiving calories on Friday, Nov. 29 and support the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children by signing up for the 5K run or 1.5M walk before enjoying more than 40 activities at Festive Friday including face painting, balloon art, character meet-and-greets and more. All the fun on Friday leads up to the annual Tree Lighting at Veterans Plaza.
Get a good night’s rest because there is another full day of fun on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Snowfest Saturday event. Dune Drive shuts down to host live music, rides, slides, cozy stations, and photos with Santa.
Head a little farther south to Stone Harbor, where its popular Island Holiday Weekend features a holiday market and carousel, pet parade, scavenger hunt, tree lighting ceremony and more. On Friday night, sip and shop your way through town during Merchants Hospitality Night featuring complimentary sips and snacks throughout the small-business community, and don’t miss the Friday night tree lighting with the mayor.
Saturday morning, sign up and dress in your best holiday attire for Stone Harbor’s Downtown Dash 5K. After the race, families will enjoy a second day of the holiday market, and carousel rides before the Christmas Parade that features fire trucks, community organizations, floats and more to welcome the start of the holiday season.
As we say farewell to summer and welcome the fall with open arms, we invite you to mark your calendars and come back for all these awesome events with the entire family.
For more information, please visit visitavalonnj.com.