Photo by C. Leslie
www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com 87
round to celebrate the uniqueness
of this Victorian town, such as the
Girlfriends’ Getaway Weekend
in February, Chocolate Lovers’
Weekend in March, a Vintage
Car Show in May and a British
Car Show in September, the Fall
Harvest Festival Arts and Craft
Show in October and the Victorian
Holiday Festival and House Tour
in December. A stroll along Main
Avenue anytime of the year is a
rich reminder of Victorian life with
its many quaint gift shops and
antique stores.
Art shows, craft fairs, flea markets,
house and inn tours, concerts and
fireworks, along with kite-flying and
sandcastle contests, volleyball,
boogie board and inner-tube races,
and lifeguard competitions fill the
calendar. Anglers catch fluke,
kingfish and striped bass right off
oceanfront jetties. Take a walking
tour of historic sites on tree-lined
streets. Come during the summer
to visit the Tent Colony, a historic
community of 114 tent homes
replete with manicured lawns and
flower boxes. Stop by the Centennial
Cottage dating to 1879, or visit the
Historical Society Museum. Check
the Historic Sites & Collections
section of this guide for information.
The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting
Association, whose mission is to
provide opportunities for spiritual
birth, growth and renewal in a
Christian seaside setting, runs the
town. Founded in 1869, the Camp
Meeting continues to put on a vibrant
program of preaching, teaching
and celebration. Each summer, the
historic Great Auditorium, known
for its massive 10,000-pipe organ,
excellent acoustics and seating for
6,000, is host to a classical music
series, free organ concerts, and
famous-name artists, as well as
religious services.
This year Ocean Grove will kick
off its 2017 summer season by
hosting over 300 vendors at the
Chamber of Commerce’s annual
Giant Spring Flea Market in June
and close the season with the Giant
Fall Flea Market in September. See
all that Ocean Grove has to offer by
visiting the town events calendar
at oceangrovenj.com/events.html.
Ocean Grove is a “dry” town, but
it’s just a short stroll down the
boardwalk to Asbury Park, a major
entertainment hub with concert
venues, clubs, restaurants, art
galleries, antique shops and a lively
boardwalk. It is easily accessible by
NJ TRANSIT’s North Jersey Coast
Line to the Asbury Park train station.
Reach the Ocean Grove Camp
Meeting Association main office
at 732-775-0035 or the box office
at 800-965-9324, or visit
www.oceangrove.org. Visit
www.oceangrovenj.com for the
Ocean Grove Area Chamber of
Commerce and contact them at
info@oceangrovechamber.org
or 732-774-1391.