Weekend Events at the Jersey Shore

Christmas Tree Lightings! Candy Cane Hunts! Gingerbread, Trains, Santa Sightings, and all things Christmas! Here's what's happening around Monmouth and Ocean Counties this weekend, Dec. 13th through Dec.15th, 2013:

-- Manasquan Tree Lighting, Candy Cane Hunt, and Christmas in Manasquan all take place this weekend. The tree lighting and candy cane hunt for children ten and under takes place Friday night starting at 6 pm. Then on Sunday, from noon to 3 pm, it's Christmas in Manasquan. Come to the Main Street shopping area for light refreshments, holiday music, hayrides and a meet and greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus in front of Manasquan Lighting on Main Street. There, you'll also have the chance to win Manasquan Money that you can use at local shoppes. Manasquan Money will be given out every hour and winners must be present.

-- Belmar Christmas Tree Lighting...also rescheduled from last week's rain, the Borough of Belmar will light its tree at Pyanoe Plaza -- Main Street between 9th and 10th Avenues tonight at 6 p.m.

-- Project PACKMAN Holiday Concert at Sea Girt Elementary School on Rt. 71 Friday night at 7 pm. Great for the whole family, with student musicians in grades 7 - 12 from many area schools performing and Santa Claus appearing, too. The price of admission is one can of food for the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

-- The Sea Girt Lighthouse will be hosting Moonlight Holiday Tours during the upcoming full moon. The free tours will run from 6 - 8 pm on Sunday during the full moon. Guests will be able to climb the tower and be part of the first nighttime tours in the lighthouse's history. Famiies and children are welcome to attend this FREE. Refreshments will be served.

-- The Christmas Light Show: A dazzling display of holiday lights and effects synchronized to music at 2702 Woolley Road in Wall. The first show begins at 7 pm and is repeated again at 8:30 pm Friday and Saturday nights, and again on Sunday night, December 22nd. The show lasts about twenty minutes so dress warm. Plan on arriving about 40 minutes early in order to find parking and walk to the show...maybe with a small flashlight to illuminate your way. There will be music and refreshments before the show. The show is FREE and donations are welcomed to benefit Challenged Youth Sports for special needs children. Weather updates and directions available by clicking here.

-- Catch the spirit of the season Saturday at the Ocean County Library on Washington Street in downtown Toms River. The North Jersey Philharmonic Glee Club's FREE concert weaves Yuletide songs into a tapestry of goodwill. For more info, click here.

-- Warm your heart with White Christmas the Musical at Ocean County College in Toms River. The Exit 82 Theater Group of Toms River performs the adaptation of the film with Irving Berlin's timeless score starting Friday and through the 21st. Get ticket details here.

-- Casino Pier will have their 1st Annual Holiday Party in the Arcade Saturday, Noon - 3 pm. Lots of FREE stuff for your family to do, including an Ugly Sweater Contest, Arts & Crafts where your kids can create a holiday card for a soldier, reindeer and snowmen crafts, and coloring and puzzles, and fun games and prizes like a candy cane toss, build a snowman contest, Pin the Nose on Rudolph, and Candy Cane Limbo. Plus a visit from Santa with presents. Wear your ugliest sweater for a chance to win a prize. And of course the arcade is open to play games all day!

-- Holiday Events at Allaire Village: "A Christmas Carol" Friday, 7:30 pm, a one hour interactive version presented by the Traveling Literary Theater. For tickets call 732-919-3500 or click here. Christmas Lantern Tours Saturday from 5 - 8 pm (weather permitting) and again on Saturday, Dec. 21st. 90 minute tours leave every 15 minutes. Experience 19th-century holiday music in the Chapel, caroling and gingerbread baking in the Village, and beautiful holiday festivities in the Allaire Mansion. Call for tickets. And then there's Christmas At Allaire on Sunday from 11 am - 4 pm. Celebrate a 19th Century Christmas with the Villagers! Activities include music and dancing, holiday ornament making, visits from St. Nicholas, hearth cooking, caroling and more! $7 per adult, $5 per child. And while you're there, stop by the General Store for homemade, handcrafted holiday gifts and ornaments. ... PLUS...

-- The Christmas Express Train Ride with Santa on the Grounds of Allaire State Park. You and your kids can ride the train with Santa. Trains leave every half hour from 6 - 8:30 pm Friday. Tickets go fast, and must be purchased at the train station's ticket window. $6 fare. Brought to you by the New Jersey Museum of Transportation at Allaire State Park in Farmingdale (NOT affilliated with Allaire Village, which is in the same location.) Click here for details.

-- Scrooge at Spring Lake Theatre: The timeless tale of the miserable miser Ebenezer Scrooge. Tickets may sell out. Show is Friday at 8 pm. Prices $20 - $28. Click here for info.

-- A Celtic christmas concert: A family-friendly concert blending lively Irish dance and poignant stories about some of the customs that are now part of the holiday season tradition. Irish songs of the season include the Holly & The Berry,  Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake and Auld Lang Syne. At the Wall Public Library Saturday, 2 pm - 3 pm. FREE. Click here for details.

-- At the Info-Age History Learning Center in Wall, kids not only meet Santa...they go inside his workshop. The holiday spectacular features craft sessions with Santa and two of his reindeer...AND the Garden State Model Railroad Club's mammoth train display. It takes place this Saturday and Sunday and again next Saturday and Sunday on Marconi Road. Noon - 5 pm. Donation of $5 for adults, and $1 for kids.

-- Sit down to a pancake breakfast with Santa Saturday at Lakewood High School. Students host the get-together with games, face painting, and music. Proceeds from each $5 donation support PAL's community projects.

-- Brunch with Santa...bring your camera and snap a shot with Santa (with a great view of the water, too!) at Klein's in Belmar this Sunday from 11 am - 3 pm. Reservations required at 732-681-1177. $23.99 for adults, $8.99 for kids.

-- Gingerbread House Workshop at Barlow's in Sea Girt...a house party for kids! This year's workshop is bigger and better than ever but spots fill up fast so sign up now. It takes place Sunday from 2 - 3:30 pm. Fee is $18.

For more events, click here.