The Asbury Park Boardwalk is thrilled to kick off the 2019 season with an exciting lineup of summer events, including its popular Bonfires on the Beach starting Friday, May 3 at 7pm at the Beach Bar on Fifth Avenue and every week thereafter (shifting locations) until September. The summer calendar will also include Movies on the Beach in August presented by the Asbury Park Film Initiative, in addition to live music and outdoor concerts and even some new additions to the Asbury Park Boardwalk that beachgoers and visitors can enjoy.
Bonfires on the beach, a beloved summer-long happening in Asbury Park, are open to all and will be held weekly on Fridays at 7pm in May and June, Wednesdays at 8pm in July and August and Fridays at 7pm in September (subject to change based on weather and special events). Each week the bonfire will shift locations throughout the Asbury Park waterfront and guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs. Day of weather updates can be found via the Asbury Park Boardwalk’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages. For the full schedule of the bonfire dates and locations, please visit, https://apboardwalk.com/2019beachbonfires/.
Movies on the Beach will also be returning this August presented by the Asbury Park Film Initiative— a nonprofit, film-based organization working to bring its local community film and art-related activities that promote culture, education and diversity. Movies will take place on Wednesday evenings with each show starting at dusk. For the complete movie line-up, schedule and locations, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/APFilmInitiative/
And it wouldn’t be summer in Asbury Park without hearing waves breaking in one ear and live music in the other from the popular The Stone Pony Summer Stage. Asbury Park’s legendary music venue The Stone Pony is scheduled to kick off its annual outdoor concert series on Saturday, May 11 with the best shows of the summer played by renowned national touring acts from across the country, attracting tens of thousands of fans to the Jersey shore. The season lineup includes artists like Greta Van Fleet, Coheed and Cambria & Mastadon, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Ben Folds & Violent Femmes, and Papa Roach, to name a few. The Stone Pony and The Stone Pony Summer Stage are located at (913 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ) For more information on tickets and for a full calendar of shows, please visit https://www.stoneponyonline.com/calendar/.
The Stone Pony has also recently partnered with Blackbird Presents to help bring a new customized experience to the infamous Asbury Park music scene. Blackbird Presents’ flagship boutique in downtown Asbury Park will host a downtown satellite box office location, selling merch and tickets to Stone Pony and Stone Pony Summer Stage concerts. Tickets to Asbury Park’s Wonder Bar, Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall will also be available.
Pets can also get in on the fun in Asbury Park this season with the Wonder Bar’s wildly popular Yappy Hour—one of New Jersey’s most popular dog meet-ups, benefitting the Asbury Boardwalk Rescue and attracting visitors from all over the Tri-State area, as well as spectators from all over the world all. Hosting the seasonal grand opening on Saturday, April 6 and every day thereafter (weather permitting), the Wonder Bar’s outdoor Yappy Deck (1213 Ocean Avenue) will be complete with twelve swimming pools for dogs, an agility course and even a special ‘time out’ area. The Yappy Hour deck is open to customers 21 and over. Alongside is a connected, fenced-in area with tables and chairs to welcome those under 21 to watch the dogs romp around and enjoy something from the Wonder Bar food menu. Local legend, Bruce Springsteen has even been known to stop by to enjoy Wonder Bar’s Yappy Hour. For more information about Yappy Hour, the schedule, rules and other updates, please visit https://wonderbarasburypark.com/yappy-hour/ and https://www.facebook.com/WonderBarYappyHour/
The 2019 season will bring new additions to The Asbury Park Boardwalk’s elevated food offerings including The Iron Whale, Maruca’s of Asbury Park and Tower Dogs.
Located in the newly reinvented Fifth Avenue Pavilion, Iron Whale, opening in May, will be McLoone’s Restaurant Group’s eleventh restaurant and will be quite a departure from their previous ventures. The Iron Whale will feature a rustic, yet still contemporary design in the spirit of seafarers with prominent elements like reclaimed wood, ropes, and lanterns. The menu, by executive chef Michael Dolan, will include inventive takes on seafood as well as a wide selection of meat presentations and other protein rich ingredients.
With its Asbury Park Boardwalk location, outdoor oceanview dining will be an exciting feature of the Iron Whale. Indoors will house an open kitchen and a fireplace, along with a private meeting and party room. The Iron Whale promises to be another exciting addition to the already resurgent Asbury Park dining scene and will be open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner year-round. https://www.ironwhalenj.com
Tower Dogs is a new gourmet hot dog concept opening late April at 800 Ocean Avenue on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. Tower Dogs uses their own private recipe of 100% beef, skinless dogs which contain no fillers and are minimally seasoned and cured. Tower Dogs also offers a variety of non-hot dog menu items, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options that are extremely popular. Tower Dogs will offer in-house and boardwalk dining, takeout and local delivery. http://tower-dogs.com
Expanding on the smashing success of Maruca’s Tomato Pies on the Seaside Heights boardwalk, Entrepreneur Sammy Boyd and Domenic Maruca are excited to bring Maruca’s of Asbury Park to the Asbury Park Boardwalk this May. At Maruca’s, their famous 24-inch pies are topped with trademark cheese and a signature swirl of sauce that starts in the middle and works its way to the crust. One glance of their signature pizza is enough to pull you in off the boardwalk.
A sparkling mix of the city and the sand, Asbury Park’s summer season is enticing to both locals and city dwellers looking for the perfect destination for the whole family. Asbury Park is an ever-evolving year-round city with rich history, known for creating a fusion of art, culture, fashion, food and music—all tucked neatly along a historic beachfront promenade splashed with vibrant murals from the Wooden Walls Project.
For more information on the Asbury Park Boardwalk along with a full calendar of events, please visit www.APBoardwalk.com. Visitors can follow or share photos from this seasons Asbury Park happenings:
#MyAPB
