Events & Festivals
Seaside Heights Polar Bear Plunge Returns March 14 — Here’s Exactly What to Know Before
One of New Jersey’s boldest and most recognizable winter traditions is back.
TIME AND PLACE:
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Seaside Heights, NJ
The Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights, presented by New Jersey Law Enforcement as part of the year-round fundraising efforts of the Law Enforcement Torch Run®, invites thousands to run into the frigid Atlantic Ocean — all in support of Special Olympics New Jersey athletes.
This isn’t just a dare. It’s a statewide movement. Every jump helps fund training, competition, and inclusive programming for athletes across New Jersey.
And if you’re planning to plunge — or even just attend — here’s exactly how the day unfolds.
Plunge Schedule & Key Locations
Saturday, March 14, 2026
9:00 a.m. — Registration Opens
📍 Blaine Avenue, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751
Participants check in, receive wristbands, and prepare for the plunge. Organizers strongly recommend arriving early — this event draws upwards of 8,000 participants plus thousands more spectators.
11:30 a.m. — Plungers Head to the Beach
The beach opens earlier this year to accommodate crowd flow. Expect heavy foot traffic along Ocean Terrace and the boardwalk access ramps.
1:00 p.m. — PLUNGE!
📍 315 Boardwalk, Seaside Heights
Beach area in front of Spicy Cantina
How to Access the Plunge Area
The plunge location sits on the beach directly in front of Spicy Cantina.
Plungers will enter the beach in front of Lucky Leo’s Arcade and must show their wristband to security at one of the designated boardwalk ramps.
To maintain safety and smooth movement, organizers have implemented single-use entrances and exits.
Beach Entrance Ramps:
• Ramp in front of Lucky Leo’s Arcade
• Ramp at Franklin Avenue
• Ramp between Lincoln & Dupont Avenue
Beach Exit Points:
• Ramp at Sumner Avenue (in front of Spicy Cantina)
• Ramp at Blaine Avenue
• Vehicle beach exit ramp at Grant Avenue (next to Casino Pier)
Important: Plungers do NOT need to enter the boardwalk near Spicy Cantina to access the beach.
Ocean Terrace will be closed to vehicle traffic from Sherman to Sumner Avenue and will be pedestrian-only. Participants are encouraged to travel along Ocean Terrace to reach entrance ramps.
Parking & Restrictions
• Bus and RV parking is available on Grant Avenue, closest to check-in tents.
• Parking is first-come, first-served.
• Personal drones are NOT permitted on site.
With attendance numbers this large, early arrival is strongly recommended.
Family Plunge Area — New Location
Families plunging together have a dedicated section on the northern side of the beach.
This area is reserved for:
• Registered families plunging together
• Children 18 years or younger accompanied by a parent or guardian
Access requires a white wristband, which must be shown to security.
Important Notice for Spectators
Due to significant growth of the event, spectators are NOT permitted on the beach.
This decision ensures the safe and efficient movement of participants entering and exiting the plunge area. While the boardwalk remains lively, only registered plungers may access the sand.
To accommodate those who want to watch remotely, organizers will provide a livestream of the plunge, with access details to be announced.
Why It Matters
The Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights is one of New Jersey’s largest and most impactful winter fundraising events. Through the Law Enforcement Torch Run®, funds raised directly support Special Olympics New Jersey athletes year-round.
It’s loud. It’s cold. It’s crowded.
And it’s pure Jersey.
On March 14 at 1:00 p.m., thousands will charge into the Atlantic — not for bragging rights, but for purpose.
Asbury Park is about to get loud again.
Sea.Hear.Now returns to the oceanfront Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, bringing more than 25 acts, professional surfing, art and thousands of visitors back to North Beach and Bradley Park.
And if you were waiting until this week to buy a ticket, there is some bad news.
The festival is officially sold out.
Organizers are directing fans without tickets to the official waitlist or Ticketmaster Verified Ticket Exchange rather than promising additional inventory.
That still leaves plenty happening in Asbury Park before, during and around the festival weekend.
Mumford & Sons Take Saturday Night
Saturday’s lineup covers a lot of musical ground before Mumford & Sons close the Surf Stage at 9 p.m.
Men at Work play the Surf Stage at 3 p.m., followed by Chaka Khan at 5 and The Offspring at 7. Over in Bradley Park, Fitz and the Tantrums are scheduled for 4 p.m., The All-American Rejects at 6 and The War on Drugs at 8.
The Sand Stage adds another mix, with Tom Odell at 4 p.m., Susanna Hoffs at 6 and Shaggy at 8.
Festival gates open at noon and the grounds close at 10:30 p.m. both days.
The Strokes Close Sunday
Sunday shifts gears without exactly slowing down.
Fontaines D.C. play the Surf Stage at 5 p.m., followed by Goo Goo Dolls at 7 and The Strokes at 9.
Elsewhere, Ziggy Marley performs at 6 p.m. in Bradley Park before Moby takes that stage at 8. Kim Gordon and Pixies handle the final two evening slots on the Sand Stage, at 6 and 8 p.m. respectively.
The result is a lineup that moves pretty freely between classic rock, alternative, punk, reggae, pop and newer indie acts. Sea.Hear.Now has always leaned into that kind of mix, and this year is no exception.
The Festival Starts Before Saturday
The weekend actually gets moving Friday.
Sea.Hear.Now is holding a free Kickoff on Cookman on September 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. along Cookman Avenue between Grand Avenue and Main Street. The performances are open to the public and do not require a festival ticket.
The festival’s late-night schedule also includes separate shows around town.
The Offspring’s Friday night show at The Stone Pony is already sold out. The Ocean Ave Stomp at the Stone Pony on Saturday night is sold out as well, while additional late-night events are scheduled at Wonder Bar.
For people who missed festival tickets entirely, Friday’s Cookman Avenue event may be the easiest way to get some of the Sea.Hear.Now atmosphere without buying a resale wristband.
It Is Still More Than a Music Festival
The stages get most of the attention, but Sea.Hear.Now was built around Asbury Park’s beach culture as much as its music history.
The festival will again feature a team surf competition with East Coast surfers competing between the Surf and Sand stages. Art created by musicians will also be displayed through the festival’s Transparent Gallery, and organizers have scheduled boardwalk parades during the weekend.
There is even an option for people who would rather start their day quietly.
Free beach yoga sessions are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. A Sea.Hear.Now ticket is not required, although participants must complete the festival waiver.
Expect a Busy Asbury Park
Anyone heading into town should expect crowds well beyond the festival gates.
There is no parking on the festival grounds, and organizers are encouraging public transportation and the city’s existing parking options. Asbury Park’s NJ Transit station is about a 15-minute walk from the festival area.
Sea.Hear.Now has grown into one of the biggest weekends on Asbury Park’s calendar. This will be the festival’s eighth edition, following a run of headliners that has included Pearl Jam, Green Day, Foo Fighters, The Killers, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Blink-182 and Hozier.
This year, Mumford & Sons and The Strokes get the closing slots.
By next Friday, however, the entire city will start feeling like part of the show.
For one September weekend, the beach, boardwalk, downtown bars, clubs and streets of Asbury Park will all be operating on festival time.
There are plenty of ways to spend the final hours of Labor Day weekend in Monmouth County.
Red Bank’s answer involves music, dancing and a stretch of Broad Street without any cars in the way.
Line Dancing on BroadWalk returns to downtown Red Bank on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, from 7 to 9 p.m., giving locals and visitors one last reason to stay out before the long weekend officially comes to an end. Red Bank RiverCenter lists the event as part of its ongoing BroadWalk programming.
Bring the boots if you’ve got them. If not, confidence will probably do.
Dancing in the Middle of Downtown
The setting is part of what makes the event different.
Red Bank’s BroadWalk is the seasonal pedestrian plaza on Broad Street, where a section of the downtown roadway is closed to vehicles and transformed into space for outdoor dining, public gatherings and special events.
For 2026, the plaza operates from May through September. Borough rules designate the section of Broad Street between Front Street and White Street as a seasonal pedestrian mall, closed to vehicle traffic during that period.
That means Monday night’s dance floor isn’t tucked away inside a hall or nightclub.
It’s right in the middle of downtown Red Bank.
Restaurants, shops and the rest of the downtown district remain within walking distance, making the event easy to turn into a full Labor Day evening. Dinner first, dancing afterward. Or dancing first and dessert when you realize two hours of line dancing was more exercise than expected.
One More Night Before Summer Slips Away
Labor Day has always carried a strange feeling at the Jersey Shore.
Technically, summer doesn’t end for another couple of weeks. But for most families, Labor Day Monday feels like the dividing line. School schedules return, vacations wind down and the relaxed rhythm of July and August starts disappearing quickly.
That’s what makes a simple downtown event like this a pretty good fit for the holiday.
No enormous festival. No complicated itinerary.
Just get downtown and dance.
Red Bank has increasingly used BroadWalk as a community gathering space, with live music, children’s events and other programming scheduled throughout the warmer months. RiverCenter, the organization that oversees the seasonal plaza, works with downtown businesses and the Borough of Red Bank on events intended to bring residents and visitors into the business district.
The line-dancing series isn’t disappearing with Labor Day, either. Another night is already scheduled for September 21, also from 7 to 9 p.m.
But there’s something especially appropriate about doing it Monday night.
One last warm-weather evening. One last holiday night downtown. And perhaps one last opportunity to pretend Tuesday morning isn’t coming.
What to Know
Event: Line Dancing on BroadWalk
Date: Monday, September 7, 2026
Time: 7–9 p.m.
Location: BroadWalk, downtown Red Bank, along Broad Street between Front and White streets
Red Bank’s official event listing does not currently specify an admission charge or advance-registration requirement, so visitors should check the event page for any last-minute updates before heading out.
For everyone who isn’t quite ready to surrender summer yet, Red Bank has provided a pretty simple solution.
Keep the music going for two more hours.
After a quieter start to spring, the Jersey Shore is beginning to feel the first real wave of pre-summer energy as major events and warmer weather draw visitors back to coastal towns across New Jersey this weekend.
From Asbury Park to Wildwood, boardwalks, restaurants, and outdoor venues are seeing a noticeable increase in foot traffic as locals and tourists alike take advantage of one of the busiest weekends the Shore has seen so far this season.
In Asbury Park, crowds gathered throughout the weekend for the popular Vegan Food Festival, which brought vendors, live entertainment, and a steady flow of visitors into the downtown and boardwalk areas. The event added to an already active atmosphere in the city, where warmer temperatures have helped kick off an earlier-than-usual spring surge for local businesses.
Restaurants and cafes near the beach reported heavier daytime activity, while live music venues and bars began to take on the kind of energy more commonly associated with late June than mid-May.
Further south in Wildwood, the annual “Bulls on the Beach” event drew large crowds looking for a different kind of Shore entertainment. The rodeo-style attraction has become a unique seasonal tradition for the area, mixing beach culture with western-themed competition and family-friendly festivities.
The growing activity comes at an important time for many Shore towns. Memorial Day weekend is less than two weeks away, and businesses across the coast are watching these early crowds closely as an indicator of what Summer 2026 could bring.
In towns like Belmar and Point Pleasant Beach, the signs of transition are everywhere. Outdoor dining setups are returning, seasonal employees are arriving, and boardwalk businesses that sat quiet through much of the winter are now reopening their doors daily.
For longtime Shore residents, this period carries a familiar feeling. The beaches are still manageable, parking is still possible, and the atmosphere retains some of the calm that disappears once peak summer tourism arrives. But at the same time, the energy is unmistakably building.
There is also a broader economic importance behind these early weekends. A strong May can set the tone for the months ahead, particularly for small businesses that rely heavily on seasonal traffic. Restaurant owners, shop operators, and entertainment venues all benefit from a strong start before schools let out and full vacation season begins.
Weather has also played a role. Mild spring temperatures and several sunny weekends have helped accelerate outdoor activity throughout coastal New Jersey. Families are returning to the beach earlier, and younger crowds are beginning to reappear in nightlife areas, especially in Asbury Park and Seaside Heights.
What stands out most, though, is the sense that the Shore is fully waking up again. After the slower pace of winter, the boardwalk sounds, restaurant chatter, and growing crowds all signal the unofficial beginning of another Jersey Shore season.
And if this weekend is any indication, Summer 2026 may arrive faster than many expected.
Sea.Hear.Now Is Sold Out. Here’s What Asbury Park Is Getting Next Weekend
Boots on BroadWalk: Red Bank Closes Labor Day With Line Dancing
Labor Day Weekend Isn’t Over: 5 Things to Do in Monmouth County Sunday and Monday
From the Jersey Shore to the DJ Booth: Pauly D Is Still Having One Big Party
Is the Jersey Shore Becoming Too Expensive for the Families Who Built It?
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