Too Hot to Stay Indoors!
The big event not to miss this year is the 22nd annual Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival in Marine Park May 30-31 and June 1. It’s free and always draws the best in area acts and national headliners. The colorful festival is three full days and nights of jazz and blues on three stages with great food, crafts and plenty of family fun. Red Bank’s best restaurants are known to put out samples of their finest dishes at the food court, and there’s always plenty of classic festival food, too. Relax on the grass to enjoy the park’s riverside view of sailboats and hear great music non-stop from the big Marina and Riverside Stages or the more intimate Harbor Experience Stage. Go early and park for the day, as this event, produced by the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation, is expected to draw 150,000 attendees this year. That’s hot!

Just west of Marine Park on Front Street is another beautiful setting for concerts: Riverside Gardens Park, where Comcast and Brookdale Public Radio sponsor the Comcast Jazz in the Park series on Thursday evenings July 10 - August 21. Artists include local and New Jersey favorites like The Jazz Lobsters, Tom Timko and the Horndogs, Terraplane Blues, and Chuck Lambert. This idea of cool jazz and blues for warm nights in the park started more than a decade ago to build awareness of the site for local communities to enjoy — and what could be better than enjoying a cool breeze off the river and smooth sounds of jazz in the park for free?

So, want to hear some hot new songwriters in a different setting? How about great original music outside, with a great sound system and under the stars? Well, that’s exactly what happens at Riverside Gardens Park on Friday nights starting July 11 with Comcast Songwriters in the Park. This is a free event that is sure to bring out the best in singer-songwriters. Just a few years old, it has proved to be a huge success. The talent is carefully chosen by Brookdale Public Radio's Jeff Raspe, music director/on-air host at the area’s premiere original music station. Featured songwriters of past summers have included Steve Forbert, Pat DiNizio, Rhett Miller, John Easdale, Willie Nile, Jill Sobule and more.

The biggest and best fireworks show choreographed with patriotic, rock and classical music isn’t on TV this year. It’s right in Red Bank, where visitors will find great restaurants, shopping and all the excitement that Independence day has to offer. You won’t want to miss Red Bank’s Kaboom! Fireworks on the Navesink July 3. The river sets the scene for this spectacular event with radio simulcast music filling the air all around town. You can feel the heat from this sight-and-sound event like no other.

In addition to the big shows, you can find other interesting events on the street this summer, including the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation’s Reckless Steamy Nights. The foundation and the Woman’s Club of Red Bank open a cool Victorian house on the last Friday of the month for evenings of entertainment and camaraderie. Visitors can relax on the porch or wander through the beautiful rooms inside while they enjoy great jazz and blues music. Visitors can BYOB. So take a walk around Red Bank and bring your friends and a bottle of wine to enjoy the warmth and the music.

Anywhere along Broad and Monmouth Streets on Saturday nights in June, July and August you might just be surprised by one of many talented street performers out to show you their skills. Local sponsors bring musicians, magicians and other performers to the sidewalks with Streetlife. Or, bring your lawn chair or blanket to stretch out and enjoy a movie for free under the stars in July and August at Movies in Riverside Gardens Park.

Red Bank makes it easy this season to have fun and hear great performances outdoors. Enjoy the hot summer nights of entertainment in a town where indoors just isn’t big enough to hold all the talent.