Ocean Fun Days Return to Island Beach State Park and Sandy Hook for the Thirteenth Year

View the Ocean Fun Days schedule schedule here.

Ocean Fun Days are here again! Enjoy two days of free family fun at this annual event focused on New Jersey’s coastal environment. On Saturday May 21 Ocean Fun Days takes place at Island Beach State Park in Seaside Park, N.J. and on May 22 the event will be held on Sandy Hook at New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s headquarters in the historic Fort Hancock section of the park.  Both days are rain or shine from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and admission and parking are free.

Bring the entire family for a day of coastal crafts, touch tanks, energy conservation exhibits, energy scavenger hunts, eco tours, youth fishing clinics, face painting, giveaways and our famous fiddler crab races. On Sunday, there will also be an open house of the NOAA Marine Lab at Sandy Hook and tours of Fort Hancock’s historic sites.

Be sure to enter the free drawing for a chance to win a Jenkinson’s Family of Five Fun pack. This prize includes passes to the beach, amusements and mini golf, plus admission to Jenkinson’s  Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach.

New for this year is the “Picture-This, Caption That!” challenge. Students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 created photos with captions depicting how they conserve energy and help preserve our natural resources. At Ocean Fun Days, visitors will be able to cast their vote to select two winners who will receive guided field trips for their entire class to either Island Beach State Park or Sandy Hook.

Ocean Fun Days is presented by founding sponsor New Jersey Natural Gas, in partnership with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Each year we look forward to partnering with New Jersey Natural Gas and all our partners and exhibitors to offer this free event to the public. Everyone involved is truly committed to our state’s incredible shoreline and shares in our goal to educate the public about its sustainable use and care,” notes Claire Antonucci, executive director of New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium.

Visit njseagrant.org/education/special-events/ocean-fun-days.