Holiday Events In Lakewood: Tree Lightings And More

LAKEWOOD, NJ — There is no shortage of things to do in the Lakewood area to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Lakewood officials have not yet announced the township's Christmas tree and menorah lightings for 2022.

In addition to tree lightings, there are other fun events:

The Brick Children's Community Theatre group is performing "Elf Jr. The Musical" Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2-4, at the Stafford Township Arts Center, 1000 McKinley Ave., Manahawkin. Purchase tickets on the BCCT website.

See a Victorian Christmas celebration Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Ocean County Historical Society's Victorian Era Holiday Open House at the society, 26 Hadley Ave., Toms River. Meet and take pictures with a Victorian era Santa and enjoy a model train exhibit. Admission is free.

Bring the kids for a holiday craft in Santa's Workshop at Jingle, Jolly and Joy, A Family Celebration hosted by the Ocean County Artists Guild. Shop for handcrafted gifts while the kids enjoy Christmas stories and sing-alongs with Santa's elves. The event, on Saturday, Dec. 3, is free and held at the Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave., Island Heights.

The Seaside Park Holiday Market is Sunday, Dec. 4, at Seaside Park Elementary School. Crafters and vendors from 10 a.m.4 p.m., followed by the Seaside Park tree lighting at 5 p.m.

Winter Wonderland will transform Downtown Toms River into a winter village Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4. There will be face painting, a reindeer food bar, carolers, ornament painting and more from noon to 6 p.m. each day.

Check out hundreds of handcrafted quilts at the Holiday Quilt Show and Sale at Tuckerton Seaport, noon-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4.

Tuckerton Seaport will be offering Holiday Boat Tours on Tuckerton Creek, with make-and-take crafts, games, activities, a reindeer scavenger hunt, and more. Dec. 2-4 and Dec. 9-14. Boat rides are $15 per person and include a tour of the lighthouse.

See Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" performed at the Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven on multiple dates through Dec. 18. Tickets are $41 for adults, $31 for children and are available through the Surflight Theatre website.

Enjoy an evening of Christmas music with A Very Merry Christmas from the New York Tenors, performing at the Stafford Township Arts Center, 1000 McKinley Ave., Manahawkin, on Dec. 9. Tickets are $50-$60 and can be purchased online.

Cattus Island County Park will be hosting a free Winter Solstice Celebration at the park's Cooper Environmental Center, 1170 Cattus Island Blvd., off Fischer Boulevard. There will be campfires, story time, a visit from Santa and more, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Dec. 10.

The Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders is hosting a Christmas Train Show and open house at the club, 500 Country Club Road, off County Line Road, Kuser Hall, Pine Park, Lakewood, on Dec. 10-11 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Bring the kids to sing with Santa at the Albert Music Hall Holiday Show on Dec. 17. Santa leads a sing-along and children will be invited on stage with Santa during their 6:30 p.m. set. Tickets are $5 for adults, $1 for children with children 11 and under free. Albert Music Hall is at 131 Wells Mill Road (Route 532), a quarter-mile west of Route 9, in Waretown.

The Celtic Angels Christmas will fill the Stafford Township Arts Center, 1000 McKinley Ave., Manahawkin, with music and Irish dancing on Dec. 17. The group will perform Irish Christmas songs like Christmas in Killarney, classics including Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and Silent Night in Gaelic, "Oichie Chiuin." Tickets are $45-$55 and can be purchased online.

Holiday lighting displays are another holiday favorite. Some to catch in YOUR STATE are:

• Sea of Lights, Jenkinson's Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach. The light show is Dec. 9, 10, 16, 17, 27, and 28 and offers photos with Santa before Christmas, a Diving Santa after Christmas, and more.
• Magic of Lights, PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
• Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Great Adventure
• Lighting Up Nature holiday lights at Jakes Branch Park, Double Trouble Road, Bayville