Things To Do At The Shore This Weekend

Here are some exciting events taking place around Monmouth and Ocean Counties:

--It's the Tour de Fair Haven competition this Sunday. Hundreds of cyclists will race Fair Haven's streets in six races in a 1.7 mile enclosed course. Proceeds benefit the Fair Haven Foundation. The race starts Sunday at 7 am at the Fair Haven firehouse on River Road. www.tourdefairhaven.com

--The Festival of the Sea Carnival continues from 6 - 10 pm (weather permitting) on the grounds of St. Francis Church on Long Beach Boulevard. www.stfrancisparishlbi.org

--The Spring Lake Theatre Company will present the musical comedy "Anything Goes" at 8 pm Friday and Saturday nights at the Spring Lake Community House on Madison and Third Aves. www.springlaketheatre.com/tickets

--Tour the Manasquan Reservoir by boat. Multiple tours will be offered Saturday from 1 - 4 p.m. off Georgia Tavern Road in Howell.

--Ocean Township Italian Festival. This 4-day event annually attracts over 80,000 people with tastes of traditional foods and family fun. At Joe Palaia Park.

--Sickles Butterfuly & Peach Festival at Sickle's Market in Little Silver Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Food tastings, a corn shucking contest (3 - 3:30 p.m.), butterfly viewing from 9 - 4....and the butterfly release at 4 p.m.

--Big Sea Day in Manasquan Saturday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. (RAIN DATE 8/12). Surfing and boogie board contest, fishing contest, beach games, and a sandcastle building contest.

--Oliver! is presented at the Algonquin Arts Theatre on Main Street in Manasquan, featuring the Algonquin Youth Ensemble. Begins this weekend for an eight-production run.

--Sea Girt Lighthouse Tour. Explore every room - the keeper's office through the living quarters and up to the top of the tower. Exhibits present the history of the lighthouse and the keepers and later coast Guardsmen who operated this landmark. Bygone Sea Girt is recalled in photos. And there are photos and artifacts from the Morro Castle - the cruise ship that burned offshore in 1934 and led to a heroic rescue. Tours are free; donations are appreciated. The Sea Girt Lighthouse is on Beacon Blvd. Tours are Sunday 2 - 4 p.m.

(Manasquan-Belmar Patch, HulaFrog)