Arts and Culture Come Alive in Southern Ocean County in March

Manahawkin, NJ, February 21, 2008 - For the culturally crazed and arts aficionados, March is a magical month in southern Ocean County, as the area abounds with a wide selection of special events which offer excitement, amusement and fascination.

The Barnegat Branch of the Ocean County Library and the Barnegat Recreation Department will host a special Women's History Tea on March 1, at the Library, 112 Burr Street, Barnegat, beginning at noon.  At the tea, a program will be performed by Anne Pasquale, entitled "Liberty Belles," which presents stories of female immigrants of various nationalities through story, song and characterizations.  For more information contact the library at (609) 698-3331.

Captain Donald Launer will be the guest speaker at the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History, Saturday, March 1, when he will present a talk on "Navigation through the Ages."  The talk begins at 7:00 p.m., and admission is free of charge, although reservations are requested.  The museum is located at 528 Dock Road, Beach Haven.  For more information and reservations contact the museum at (609) 492-0202.

Also Saturday, March 1, the Long Beach Island Foundation for Arts and Sciences, 120 Long Beach Boulevard, Loveladies, will present, "LBI Neighbors: Turtles," one of its weekly Science Saturdays lecture series, beginning at 1:30 p.m.  Admission is free of charge for the series, which covers a broad range of topics exploring science, technology, art and society.  The topic on Saturday, March 8, will be "Alternative Energy Panel;" on March 15, it is "Smart Homes/Green Buildings;" on March 22, "Caring for the Coast" will be discussed and on March 29, "LBI Neighbor: Ospreys" will be presented.  For more information contact the foundation at (609) 494-1241.

A special watercolor demonstration featuring artist Nancy Barch will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday, March 3, at the Pine Shores Arts Association, 94 Stafford Avenue, Manahawkin.  The demonstration will be followed by a two-day watercolor workshop presented by the artist Tuesday and Wednesday, March 4 & 5.  For information contact the association at (609) 597-3557.

Starting a windowsill herb garden might be a perfect way to subdue the winter blues and grow fresh ingredients for culinary creativity.  The Reynolds Garden Shop, 201 East Bay Avenue, Manahawkin, is offering a Gardening Workshop providing everything necessary for growing container herbs, Saturday, March 8, along with a Floral Workshop for creating ornamental baskets of fresh cut flowers, Saturday, March 29.  Both programs begin at 2:00 p.m. and have a $20 fee for materials.  Contact the shop at (609) 567-6099 for information.

There are several activities to choose from Saturday, March 15, beginning with
"All About Waterfowling," from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Lighthouse Center, 7th Street and Navajo Drive, Waretown.  Presented by the Natural Resource Education Foundation in cooperation with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and New Jersey Waterfowlers, the program includes discussions and demonstrations on retrievers, decoy carving, sneakboxes, waterfowl identification, and more.  For additional information contact the center at (609) 698-8003.

"I Love Lucy To Death," a delightful dinner comedy and murder mystery will be presented by Whiterose Productions as a fundraiser for the Surflight Theatre, Saturday, March 15, beginning at 6:30 p.m.  The evening will include a three-course dinner at The Gables, 212 Centre Street, Beach Haven, followed by the murder mystery and dessert at the Show Place Ice Cream Parlor, Centre Street and Beach Avenue, Beach Haven, at 8:00 p.m.  Contact Surflight Theatre at (609) 492-9477 for information.

The opening night reception of "Gems of the Silent Screen," an exhibit of nearly 40 rare and one-of-a-kind silent movie posters from 1915-1930, also will be held Saturday, March 15, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., at Unshredded Nostalgia, a unique gallery at 323 South Main Street, Barnegat, which features 17th through 20th century posters and memorabilia from Hollywood, sports and the world of politics.  The exhibit runs through Sept. 15 and is highlighted by posters of Charlie Chaplin, in Fireman, Lillian Gash, in Birth of a Nation and William S. Hart, in Truthful Tulliver, among others.  For information, contact the gallery at (609) 660-2626.

Direct from New York, "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," an off-Broadway musical, also will  be presented Saturday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m., at the Ocean First Theater at the Stafford Township Arts Center, 1000 McKinley Avenue, Manahawkin.  For more information call (609) 489-8600.

An eclectic selection of those wonderful but now unwanted items can be found at one of the area's largest annual flea market, Wednesday, March 26, from 9:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Thursday, March 27, from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the St. Francis Community Center of the St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, 4700 Long Beach Boulevard, Brant Beach.  Contact the center at (609) 494-8861 for information.

The Ocean Acres Country Club, 925 Buccaneer Lane, Manahawkin, is the venue of the Southern Regional Baseball Spring Golf Outing, a scholarship fundraising event, Friday, March 28, with a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m.  For more information call the country club at (609) 597-9393.

Those with an eye for art will greatly enjoy a spectacular Art Show and Sale, Friday, March 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday, March 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the St. Francis Community Center of the St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, 4700 Long Beach Boulevard, Brant Beach.  More than 80 artists from throughout the tri-state area, along with some extremely talented high school artists, will display and sell their work in photography, water color, oils, acrylic, collages and other mediums.  The artists' reception will take place Friday evening.  Contact the center at (609) 494-8861 for information.

Concluding March events, the Stafford Township Education Foundation will present its 2nd Annual Children's Services Fair, Saturday, March 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Ocean First Theater at the Stafford Township Arts Center, 1000 McKinley Avenue, Manahawkin.  Many of the region's businesses and services for children of all age groups will offer exhibits and demonstrations throughout the day, everything from doctors, dentists and children's birthday party establishments, to all types of extracurricular activities, sports leagues, educational programs and organizations for children with special needs. Admission is free of charge.  For more information call the foundation's Child Care Services office at (609) 978-5700.

No one is wondering what to do as the winter months come to a close in southern Ocean County, as March's selection of the special events offer something to entertain most anyone.  Just imagine what Spring will bring!

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About the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce:

The Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce (SOCCC) is the region's primary business and tourism organization, representing 12 municipalities in the Southern Ocean County region for more than 90 years.  The SOCCC represents more than 630 businesses and organizations from throughout the island and neighboring mainland communities.  The chamber's goal is to advance the region as a vibrant place to live, work and play - fostering positive growth, development and prosperity, generating incremental income for the region's tourism-based economy and promoting member contributions to the business, civic, social and general community.  With offices in Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island, the SOCCC hosts several major annual events throughout the year, including a State of the Chamber conclave, a Business Expo, Living in Southern Ocean County Consumer Expo and its largest event each Fall - the Chowderfest - as well as on-going Member Events, Luncheons and Business Card Exchanges.  For information, contact the Chamber at 265 West 9th Street, Ship Bottom, NJ; (609) 494-7211 or visit on the web at www.discoversouthernocean.com.


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