LINCROFT — Looking to fill the long, lazy days of June with fun?  Head to a county park and enjoy the many activities offered by the Monmouth County Park System. Here’s what is planned:

Naturalist Walks at Winter Run Activity Center

Friday, June 3 at 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 19 at 10 a.m.
Manasquan River Greenway, Howell - Meet at the Winter Run Activity Center.
Join a Park System Naturalist for a walk at the new Winter Run Activity Center property, part of the beautiful Manasquan River Greenway and adjacent to the Manasquan Reservoir. Walks are approximately 45 minutes and a mile in length. Sturdy shoes and bug spray are highly recommended. FREE!  

Boat Tours at the Manasquan Reservoir

Friday, June 3 at 6 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Saturdays & Sundays, June 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19 and 25 & 26 at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. & 5 p.m.  
Manasquan Reservoir, Howell
These 45-minute tours are narrated by Park System Naturalists and include opportunities to view local wildlife. The cost is $6 per adult and $4 per child, age 12 and under. Please call to confirm schedule as tours are both weather and water level dependent. All tours leave from the Visitor Center. Life-jackets required. Tickets can be purchased on day of tour only.

Colts Neck Community Band - Concert in the Park

Friday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft
Enjoy an evening of music with the Colts Neck Community Band. The concert features selections from popular music and show tunes. Indoor seating available or bring a lawn chair. FREE!

Deep Cut Gardens Open House

Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown
Enjoy tours, demonstrations, drop-in activities for children and more. FREE!

Open Shoot Archery

Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft
All equipment is provided for this open shoot. No outside equipment permitted. This is not an instructional clinic and NOT designed for beginners. If you are new to archery, register for one of our instructional classes prior to attending. Open to ages 10 and up; under 18 with adult. The cost is $10 per person; cash or check only.

Piano Ballads from the Turn of the Century 

Saturday, June 4 from 1-3 p.m.
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Tap your feet, dance a one-step, or sing-along to popular turn-of-the-19th-century ballads as they are played inside the farmhouse. FREE!

Cookstove Demonstration

Saturdays, June 4 & 18 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
See what's cooking on the woodstove and discover how recipes, cooking techniques and kitchens have changed since the 1890s. FREE! 

Historic Battery Lewis Tours

Saturdays & Sundays, June 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19 and 25 & 26 from 12-4 p.m.
Hartshorne Woods Park, Highlands – Rocky Point section
Tour the restored Historic Battery Lewis and learn about the history of this important former coastal defense site. FREE!

Mill Demonstration at Historic Walnford

Saturdays & Sundays, June 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19 and 25 & 26 at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold
See the 19th century gristmill in action. Each demonstration lasts approximately 15 minutes. FREE!

Story Time in the Park  

Sundays, June 5, 12, 19 & 26 from 11-11:45 a.m.
Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold
Join us as we read a story in front of the picturesque Crosswicks Creek. Bring a snack and a blanket or towel. During inclement weather we will meet in the front hall of the historic house. Open to ages 2-7 with adult. FREE!

Seabrook-Wilson House Tours

Sundays, June 5, 12, 19 & 26 from 1-4 p.m.
Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth
Visit this house which dates back to the early 1700s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and see displays on the ecology of the bay and local history. FREE!

Climb Time

Tuesday, June 7 from 3-6 p.m.
Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Long Branch
Try the Park System's 25’ portable climbing wall. You must be 42” or taller to climb. Open to ages 8 and up; under 18 with adult. FREE!

Lacemaking Demonstration

Saturday, June 11 from 1-3 p.m.  
Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel
Watch lacemaking in action as our demonstrator shows the historic techniques of crochet, bobbin and shuttle work used in the Victorian era. FREE!

Old-Fashioned Fun & Games

Saturday, June 11 from 1-3 p.m.  
Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold
Play a variety of historically-themed games to delight and challenge the whole family. FREE!

Thompson Park Canoe Rentals

Saturdays & Sundays, June 11 & 12 and 25 & 26 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Thompson Park, Lincroft
Canoes will be available for rent on Marlu Lake. All equipment provided; limited number of canoes available. Open to ages 3 and up; under 18 with adult. All rentals must be returned by 3 p.m. Fee is $15 per boat for 1-3 people for two hours. Cash or check only.

Under the Moonlight

Tuesday, June 14 from 9-10 p.m.
Huber Woods Park, Middletown - Meet in the Environmental Center parking lot.
Hike by the light of the rising full moon and explore the world of nocturnal creatures. Dress for the weather and plan to walk at least a mile. Bring a flashlight. Program may be cancelled due to overcast skies or inclement weather. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. FREE!

The Casual Birder

Tuesday, June 14 at 9 a.m.  
Big Brook Park, Marlboro - Meet in the main parking lot.
Tuesday, June 28 at 9 a.m.   
Manasquan Reservoir, Howell - Meet in the Environmental Center parking lot.
Join a Park System Naturalist for this laid-back morning bird walk and meander for about an hour and a half and see what birds we can find. No need to be an expert at identifying birds to enjoy. A limited number of binoculars will be available on a first come basis. FREE!

Walking Tours of Thompson Park

Saturday, June 18 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. & 4 p.m.
Thompson Park, Lincroft - Meet in front of the Visitor Center.    
Join our historical interpreter on this walking tour that covers the park’s origins as an 18th century farmstead, its horseracing days, and eventual use as a county park. Tours last approximately one hour and are weather dependent. Participants should be prepared to walk a mile. FREE!

Freshwater Fishing Derby

Saturday, June 18 from 2-5 p.m.
Manasquan Reservoir, Howell
Sunday, June 19 from 2-5 p.m.
Turkey Swamp Park, Freehold
Prizes will be awarded for the longest fish in three different categories. Fishing pole rentals available on a first come, first served basis. Rental cost is $5 per pole. A container of worms is included with each registration. The cost is $25 per family of 4; $8 per person. Walk-ins are welcome; cash or check only on site.

Seining Along Sandy Hook Bay

Mondays, Wednesdays & Friday, June 20, 22, 24, 27 & 29 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth
Discover a variety of fish, crabs and other sea creatures as we pull a seine net through the calm waters of Sandy Hook Bay. Closed-toe shoes are required. Meet on the beach near the park entrance. Parents or guardians are required to stay with and supervise their children. No swimming during the event. Weather permitting. FREE! 

Nature Lecture Series: Ospreys of Monmouth County

Thursday, June 23 from 7-8 p.m.
Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center, Port Monmouth
Learn about this amazing aquatic raptor from foraging for fish to raising a family to threats for its survival during this eye-opening presentation. FREE!

Life in a Freshwater Pond

Thursdays, June 23 & 30 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Freneau Woods Park, Aberdeen - Meet outside the Visitor Center.
Join Park System Naturalists to explore a freshwater pond and look for basking turtles, hopping frogs, hunting herons, splashing fish and more. Discover the unique life that lies underneath the water in a freshwater pond. Wear closed-toe shoes. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. FREE!

Concert in the Park: Altha Sings - Sentimental Journey Swings!

Friday, June 24 from 7-8:30 p.m.
Thompson Park Theater Barn, Lincroft
Hear the melodies of Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Barbra Streisand, and many others during a performance by this 17-piece Big Band and singer Altha Morton. Set includes favorites from the hay-day of swing. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, food and soft drinks. The concert is outdoors; however, if the weather is inclement, the concert will be moved indoors. FREE!

Antique Auto Display

Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold
See pre-1948 automobiles on display. Weather permitting. FREE!

Under the Summer Stars

Saturday, June 25 from 10-11 p.m.
Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth - Meet in the beachfront area.  
Join our guide and look for key objects and constellations in the summer night sky.  Bring a camp chair to rest on as we star search and a flashlight to light your way in the dark. Program may be cancelled due to overcast skies or inclement weather. Open to all ages; under 18 with adult. FREE!

Performance in the Park - A Midsummer’s Night Sonnetry: Fourteen Sonnets by William Shakespeare

Sunday, June 26 from 4-6 p.m.
Thompson Park Theater Barn, Lincroft
Listen to performance readers explore and recite fourteen of Shakespeare's most poignant sonnets. FREE!

To learn more about these Park System activities, please visit www.MonmouthCountyParks.com or call the Park System at 732-842-4000. For persons with hearing impairment, the Park System TTY/TDD number is 711. The Monmouth County Park System, created in 1960 by the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, is Monmouth County’s Open Space, Parks and Recreation agency.