28-05-2025
LGBTQ Pride in Asbury Park, and more things to do this weekend at the Shore
Are you rainbow ready? New Jersey's 33rd annual LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration takes place from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday in Asbury Park.
The parade kicks off at noon at Asbury Park City Hall and heads south on Main Street. It turns left on Cookman Avenue toward the ocean, then left on Grand Avenue It continues north on Grand Street to Sunset Avenue, where it turns right and ends at the rally and festival grounds.
The festival provides an opportunity for community groups and businesses to distribute information, including job opportunities, housing options, family issues, disease prevention and screening, sources of support for victims of violence and abuse, legal rights and services, and the availability of support for issues that the queer community faces.
This family- and pet-friendly event also features New Jersey's largest outdoor display of the Names Project's AIDS Memorial Quilt, rides in the Family Zone, and plenty of eating options in the food court. There also will be music from local and national artists.
The festival takes place in Bradley Park. Enter on Fifth Avenue at Kingsley Street. There are also two entrances on Sunset Avenue at Kingsley.
Pride takes place rain or shine; tickets are $11.84 (including a fee).
Go: Jersey Pride, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, Bradley Park, Asbury Park, $11.84;
Here are other Pride events and things to do this weekend:
The QSpot Pride BBQ takes place at 4 p.m. Saturday at the community center's backyard garden in Asbury Park.
Special guest performer is Monte, a singer/songwriter from Red Bank. Tickets for this QSpot benefit are $60, $40 for those under 25, $100 for couples.
Go: QSpot BBQ, 4 p.m. Saturday, QSpot LGBTQ Community Center, 1601 Asbury Ave., Asbury Park, $40 to $100;
The first Barnegat Pride Festival takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at 382 N. Main Street, on the field next to the firehouse in between Route 9 and Birdsall Street.
Hosted by Desiree Moonshine, there will be live events and music throughout the day. Suggested donation is $5.
There will be food trucks, more than 70 vendors, a kid zone, a raffle and a drag show. The Philadelphia Gay Men's Choir will perform, as will DJ Philip James from Asbury Park.
Attendees are asked to bring "nonperishable, nonexpired, kid-inspired" food items for Waretown United Methodist Church to provide the Barnegat and Waretown School district families in need during summer break.
Go: Barnegat Pride Festival, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 382 N. Main St., $5 suggested donation;
Put on your cowboy boots and bring your appetite to BBQ, Beer & Boots, an event being hosted by the Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce on Sunday.
The festival, taking place in the borough's municipal parking lot on Arnold Avenue, will feature live music from country band BIG HIX, food from Point Pleasant Beach restaurants Jersey Shore BBQ, Bam Bam Burger Co. and Prime 13, and beer from Last Wave Brewing.
You can also take your turn riding a mechanical bull, and the event will feature games and children's activities.
Go: BBQ, Beer & Boots, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, 714 Arnold Ave., Point Pleasant Beach, $10 for those 5 and older, food prices vary by vendor; 732-899-2424,
These are the best of times? At the Basie in Red Bank, that will be true at 8 p.m. Friday when rocker Glen Burtnik plays the music of Styx.
An all-star lineup of rock legends will join Burtnik: Jimmy Leahey, August Zadra, Dave Anthony, Eric Troyer and Kasim Sulton. Big Styx hits include "Mr. Roboto," "Come Sail Away," "Renegade," "The Best of Times," "Too Much Time on My Hands" and "Babe."
Go: Glen Burtnik plays the music of Styx, 8 p.m Friday, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, $29 to $59; 732-842-9000,
Capital Singers of Trenton presents its annual Shore concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church in Beach Haven.
"Lighter Fare: A Cabaret" features American Songbook and Broadway selections, including "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me," "Round Midnight," "We Can Be Kind," as well as songs from "Cabaret," "Hair" and "Wicked."
A reception will follow the concert.
Go: "Lighter Fare: A Cabaret," 4 p.m. Sunday, Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church, Marine Street, Beach Haven, free will offering; 609-492-7571.
Vibraphonist Behn Gillece and guitarist Brian Betz perform at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre (Building 12) at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts in Toms River.
Gillece will preview selections from his new album "Pivot Point." A winner of DownBeat Magazine's 2018 Rising Star Vibraphonist award, Gillece has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and festivals in Canada and Europe.
A two-time winner of the Betty Carter International Jazz Competition, Betz gives concerts, clinics and masterclasses throughout the United States.
Gillece and Betz are both professors at Rowan University. Tickets are $28, $24 for seniors, $16 for students.
Go: Behn Gillece and Brian Betz, 3 p.m. Sunday, Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre(Building 12), Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, College Drive, Ocean County College, Toms River; 732-255-0500,
Sarah Griesemer contributed to this story.
Have an event coming up? Tell us about it. Email Bill Canacci at bcanacci@
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do include Asbury Park Pride
