At the end of May, the borough's Recreation Committee recorded a short entry about the Manasquan Inlet Tug of War. After repeated attempts to coordinate the event with Manasquan, the committee decided it would not take place this year. The next line in the minutes set out what would happen instead.
New local only Tug of War Family Day will be worked on for 10/10 at Jenkinson's Inlet beach.
So the rope stays on this side of the inlet on Saturday, October 10. That one change says a lot about the whole month. Point Pleasant Beach's October is mostly planned by its own committees and its Chamber of Commerce, and this year even the tug of war, which used to depend on cooperation across the inlet, is a home event.
How the Recreation Committee rebuilt the tug
By June 22, the committee had voted to hold the Point Pleasant Beach Tug of War on Jenkinson's Beach, near the Pavilion, the bathrooms and the Aquarium, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The vote was unanimous. The format is 16 teams of 12 people, with a $50 registration, and the committee set a goal of raising $10,000 for local charities. Jenkinson's will sell food and drinks on the beach. Back in May, the organizers also said they hoped to work with Make-A-Wish again.
The early team list was all local businesses: Lift Gym, Amped Fitness, Shore House and For Shore Pools. The borough's September newsletter invited more businesses and local organizations to put a team together, pick a charity, and register by emailing [email protected].
The day runs on a fixed schedule:
10 a.m. Team check-in begins
Noon First heat
Rain date Sunday, October 11
The old event depended on two towns agreeing to it. This version needs a dozen people from a local gym and a free Saturday. And nearly everything else on the October calendar is built the same way.
The Bandshell and Arnold Avenue carry the rest of the month
Take out Jenkinson's, and most of October's dates are posted by the borough or the Chamber. Most happen within a few blocks of the Bandshell at Arnold and Baltimore Avenues. In date order:
- Sunday, October 4. The Book and Literacy Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bandshell, with live music between author sessions. The same afternoon, from 2 to 6 p.m., a meatball competition is planned at the Arnold Avenue Firehouse. The judges are Joe Spano, Joe Leone and the owner of Casa D'Angelo. That plan was announced at the July 11 meeting of the Non-Resident Taxpayer Advisory Committee and hasn't been confirmed anywhere since, so check before you go.
- Thursday, October 8. The Senior Committee hosts its Bocce Bash from 1 to 4 p.m. at Pleasure Park, 702 St. Louis Avenue. The listing says everyone is welcome.
- Saturday, October 10. The tug of war on Jenkinson's Beach. This is also the registration deadline for the Scarecrows at the Beach contest.
- Sunday, October 18. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk starts at the Bandshell. Registration opens at 8 a.m., and the walk begins at 10. Scarecrows also have to be on display by this date.
- Saturday, October 24. The Fall Concert & Car Show fills the Bandshell from 1 to 4 p.m.
- Thursday, October 29. The Chamber's Witches Walk takes over downtown Arnold Avenue from 4 to 8 p.m.
- Friday, October 30. The scarecrow contest winners are announced. First prize is a $100 Chamber gift card.
The prizes are small and the turnaround is short. Registration closes October 10, scarecrows go up by October 18, and winners are named October 30. Like the tug, the scarecrow contest is built for people who are still in town after Labor Day.
Jenkinson's keeps the boardwalk open on weekends
On the boardwalk, Jenkinson's runs a different kind of October. Boo at the Boardwalk is listed for October 17, 18, 24 and 25. It includes trick-or-treating, live entertainment, character appearances and Halloween activities. Jenkinson's also lists half-price rides on fall weekend dates, including October 11 and 12 and each Boo at the Boardwalk day.
That puts the busiest stretch of the month at the inlet end of town. The tug kicks it off on the 10th, and the next two weekends belong to Boo at the Boardwalk.
A downtown with new places to stop between events
The October calendar also lines up with a quieter change downtown this year. Several storefronts have new tenants, and the borough has said it wants more.
Gourmand opened May 13 at 641 Arnold Avenue, in the historic Gottlieb Building. Executive chef Imer Jose Garcia serves a seasonal modern American menu with dishes like wagyu lasagna, yakitori, birria ramen, branzino and spicy rigatoni. The restaurant is BYOB and also offers tableside mocktails. It opens at 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and reservations go through OpenTable. The restaurant's site and OpenTable list different Sunday closing times, so call ahead if you plan a late dinner. It's a short walk from the Witches Walk route, and the Bandshell isn't much farther.
The Market of Point Pleasant Beach brought a full grocery store back to the former Stop & Shop at 505 Richmond Avenue. It stocks produce, meat, seafood, prepared foods and household essentials. The store soft-opened July 10 and held its grand-opening celebration July 24. At the July committee meeting, the borough gave its hours as 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
On the same stretch of Richmond Avenue, OB Diner reopened under new ownership at 1519 Richmond Avenue, with a menu led by Chef Diego Sanchez.
One opening is still pending. Five Dimes Brewery is building a taproom at 334 Hawthorne Avenue, near the train station. Its Point Pleasant page still says "fall 2026" with no opening date, and the brewery says it isn't booking events or live music at this location yet.
At the July 11 meeting, Mayor Doug Vitale said he hopes to attract "experience" businesses like wine tasting, candle making and kids' activities, and possibly a men's store. The same minutes list properties that are still empty, along with a mixed-use project planned for the former Bank of America lot: 24 condos or apartments with retail on the first floor. A downtown full of events is the easiest way to show prospective tenants that people are still walking Arnold Avenue in October.
How the calendar continues into November
The pattern holds after Halloween. The Chamber's Beer on the Boards comes to Martell's Tiki Bar on Saturday, November 7, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. It features local beer, spiked seltzers, hard cider, a buffet and music by So Shot. The Chamber's Tree Lighting and Santa Arrival follows on Friday, November 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It includes a DJ, horse-and-carriage rides, refreshments, children's activities and photos with Santa at Ocean County Music. That weekend, on November 28 and 29, Jenkinson's offers Photos with Santa on the Amusement Park Train.
For local businesses that don't have a team yet, there's still time. The tug of war on Jenkinson's Beach takes 16 teams of 12, registration is $50, and sign-ups go to [email protected].
The families we work with at Clayton & Clayton have followed the shore's fall calendar for generations, and we're always glad to talk about how Point Pleasant Beach spends its off-season. If you're thinking about what this town looks like the rest of the year, schedule a confidential consultation.
