September on Long Beach Island offers something that the peak summer months simply cannot: space to breathe. Beach parking becomes readily available, restaurant reservations are easier to secure, and you can actually walk the length of the beach without navigating around dozens of umbrellas and chairs. The weather remains warm and inviting, but the frantic energy of July and August gives way to a more relaxed, contemplative atmosphere.

This is when locals reclaim their island, rediscovering favorite restaurants without long waits, enjoying peaceful morning beach walks, and reconnecting with the natural beauty that makes LBI special.

As we head into the final stretch of the 2025 summer season, businesses across the island are rolling out end-of-season specials and events that celebrate both the conclusion of another successful tourist season and the beginning of the island’s most authentic time of year.

Local Summer Exclusives

The best perks of Local Summer: cars and dogs are welcome on the beach in the off season!

Secure a Beach Buggy permit and drive your car right onto the beach at one of the designated entry points. No more lugging things around! Drive up with your fishing gear, camera equipment or all the kids beach toys. Check out the Vehicle Beach Access Guide for more information.

After October 1st, every beach is a dog beach! Bring along the pup for a walk and a swim. Dogs must be leashed and please clean up after them!

Local Summer and Fall Events in LBI

September 6

3rd Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta

From 10:00 am to 11:00 am, cardboard boats will be launched from the bay beach in Bayview Park to race around the buoy and return to the beach. The first boat back, in their heat, is the winner! 

Local’s Summer Concert

The first ever Local’s Summer Fire Pit Concert at 68th Street Beach, featuring The Discoteks! Starts at 6:00 pm.

September 13

Day at the Bay

Live music, a beer garden, food and merchant vendors and fireworks at dusk to celebrate 100 years! Head to Ship Bottom’s boat ramp from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

September 26

Comedy Night at Surflight Theater

A night of laughter with Headliner Michael Sommerville and Vince Valentine. Starting at 7:30 pm.

October 4 & 5

Beach Haven Chowder Cook-Off

This beloved culinary festival gathers chowder enthusiasts, local restaurants, and food lovers for a day of taste-testing, entertainment, and community fun in the Queen City. Located behind Bay Village. Saturday is free, and Sunday is ticketed.

LBI Sea Glass and Art Festival

Head to Things A Drift in Ship Bottom for handmade genuine sea glass jewelry, original coastal watercolors and artwork, handmade cards, curiosities, and nautical home décor created by local artists. Take your discoveries along for sea glass, fossil, and beach find identification. Learn at the sea glass and fossil lectures. Plus, get a chance to win recognition at the Best of the Best Sea Glass, Fossil & Artifact, and Wrack Line Sculpture Contests!

October 10 & 11

11th Annual LBI FLY Invitational Kite Festival

The skies above Ship Bottom beaches (18th-27th street) will be filled with some of the largest and most unique kites from all over the country, even one all the way in from Germany! A beautiful display will take place on the 11th, where you can join the Night Fly on 68th street beach at 6:30pm. Friday’s event is from 12-5 and Saturday is from 10-4. Hosted in partnership with the Passing Wind Kite Club and South Jersey Kite Flyers.

October 11

Shellabration

Another incredible event with the Jetty Rock Foundation, Shellabration spotlights oysters and their role in clean water and keeping our coastal ecosystem healthy. Enjoy coastal fare, live music, craft beer and cocktails, kids activities and a shucking contest! All proceeds will benefit the Jetty Rock Foundation’s Oyster Recycling Programs and related initiatives. Located at 6805 Long Beach Blvd in Brant Beach from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.

October 12

53rd Annual LBI 18-Mile Run and 12K

The St. Francis Community Center is hosting a run/walk with scenic coastal views and a well-supported race course for a great cause!

The tourists may be heading home, but for those who know and love LBI, the best season is just beginning. Welcome to Local’s Summer!

The Experience

During the two-hour tour, your group will cruise around the streets of Beach Haven with your favorite playlist pumping through 4 built-in, Bluetooth speakers, friends laughing and pedaling alongside you, and everyone you pass waving, honking, and taking photos of your rolling party. 

The bike makes 3-4 stops depending on how well groups manage their time at each location. “If they run a little bit longer at a place, then we shorten the amount of stops that they make,” Julie explains. “And everyone’s usually really cool with it because they’re having a good time.”

The route showcases some of Beach Haven’s most beloved establishments, each offering something unique:

• Tucker’s Tavern features an impressive rooftop bar that provides great views and atmosphere
• The Sand Bar serves up “the most delicious food” and regularly hosts live music
• Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club is famous for its consistent live music scene – “everyone loves the shell. The shell has live music all the time. It’s always exciting to be there”
• The Black Whale offers its own distinct neighborhood bar vibe
• Bird & Betty’s serves as the perfect finale to the experience

“All these places are staples of the island, and I just think it’s a really fun route,” Julie notes. The selection makes sense both geographically and experientially. Since PedalCycle can’t drive on the boulevard but can cross over it, this particular block provides the most time-efficient and enjoyable experience possible.

My PedalCycle driver, Julie, sees experiences like mine regularly. From the outside, it’s easy to underestimate the experience. 

“I think you don’t realize how much fun you’re going to have,” explains Julie, who joined the team for the first time this summer during her off time from teaching. “Everyone’s like, ‘oh, I don’t want to work for it,’ but you’re listening to music, you’re hanging out with your friends, you’re meeting new people, you’re exercising, and you’re outside.”

That’s the magic of PedalCycle. It transforms what could be just another bar crawl into an interactive, social experience that gets everyone involved. The multi-person bike accommodates groups while creating an instant party atmosphere that’s impossible to replicate in a car or on foot. Everyone is involved, even the people you pass on the street. 

The Story Behind the Fun

While the concept has been rolling through Beach Haven since 2018, current owner Sal Fiore Jr. brought fresh energy to the business when he purchased it this past June. Having previously expanded operations to Seaside Heights last year, Sal was drawn to PedalCycle for a simple reason: he was looking to be in the fun business rather than running a traditional needs-based or brick-and-mortar operation.

This seemed fun and he knew the old owner, which made the transition natural. When Sal took over, most of the partnerships with bars on the tour route were already established, giving him a solid foundation to build upon. The carefully curated route isn’t random. Each stop is chosen for its location and the fact that they had an outdoor element that complements the PedalCycle experience.

The Vibe is Everything

What truly sets PedalCycle apart isn’t just the bars or the bike, it’s the energy it creates. The bike is a vibe. Everyone on the street is always taking pictures or videos and waving and honking. The music is going. The mood changes when you’re on the bike.

This isn’t an exaggeration. The PedalCycle has become a Beach Haven attraction in its own right. Pedestrians stop to watch, cars honk in approval, and phones come out to capture the fun. You’re not just participating in an activity, you’re creating a spectacle that spreads joy throughout the neighborhood.

The music element adds another layer of personalization and fun. “Some people come with a playlist and they want to connect to the Bluetooth, and they can play the whole time,” Julie explains. “Sometimes they’re just like, ‘I like everything.’ And then you’re just trying to find things that they’re like… it can be really fun trying to figure out what people like to listen to. And then you throw in something that maybe they didn’t realize that they loved. And then all of a sudden everybody’s dancing on the bike and it’s fun.”

When talking about vibes, I need to shout out the group I was with, because their energy gave the tour +100 aura points. (Julie assured me this is what the kids are saying). They organized a game where each seat had an assigned number and they asked everyone on the street to guess a number from 1-10. The person sitting in the seat number they picked had to drink. It was a tough day to be number 7, but the game added an extra element of excitement and brought everyone into the experience. 

Designed for Everyone

Worried about the physical demands? Don’t be. All the bars are staples of the island and pedaling is only a little tough when going uphill, but if everyone pulls their weight it’s fine. “If there’s a small group, it does become more challenging. The more people you know, the easier it is. But it’s not a hard thing to do,” Julie reassures potential riders.

For those who want to participate without pedaling, PedalCycle has you covered. There are also seats with no pedals for those who can’t. The bike has four non-pedaling seats total with two on the sides and a bench seat in the back that fits two people. “Sometimes people switch around, you know, you’re not stuck in the same seat” throughout the experience, making it accessible and comfortable for everyone.

The experience even works in less-than-perfect weather. “You can do it in the rain. As long as there’s no lightning or anything like that,” proving that the fun doesn’t have to stop when New Jersey weather gets unpredictable.

Not Just for Tourists

While visitors love the novelty of PedalCycle, it’s become equally popular with locals looking for a fresh way to experience their own backyard. As someone who recently tried PedalCycle for the first time, I can honestly say I had so much fun unexpectedly because it’s not something I thought to do. 

Julie herself is a perfect example of the local connection. She’s a full-time teacher who usually did remote jobs during the break. She was “looking for a summer job that would get me outside and meeting people.” After getting sick of being in front of the computer, she discovered PedalCycle on Facebook and fell in love with the concept.

“I said I was going to try it out and I just loved it,” Julie recalls about her conversation with Francesca, who had been driving the bike since around 2016 or 2017. This local connection runs deep. The drivers know the island, understand the vibe, and genuinely enjoy sharing their favorite spots with both visitors and fellow locals.

Why PedalCycle Matters to LBI

In a world of standard tourist activities, PedalCycle offers something genuinely unique. As the only business of its kind in New Jersey, it gives visitors and locals alike a reason to see Beach Haven from a completely different perspective. It’s not just about the bars or the drinks, it’s about the shared experience of being part of something joyful and memorable.

For visitors, it’s an instant introduction to Beach Haven’s personality and hospitality. For locals, it’s a fresh way to experience familiar places with friends. For everyone involved, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best experiences come from trying something completely different.

Ready to Roll?

Whether you’re planning a birthday celebration, a bachelorette party, a family reunion, or just want to shake up your typical evening out, PedalCycle delivers an experience you literally can’t get anywhere else in New Jersey.

Looking for something extra special? On Friday, August 29th at 7:30pm, they’re hosting an over 30 singles mixer at both the Beach Haven and Seaside locations. Use code “MIXER” for 20% off. It’s a perfect opportunity to meet new people while experiencing the PedalCycle magic.

The combination of exercise, music, socializing, bar hopping, and pure spectacle creates something greater than the sum of its parts. As Julie puts it, “It’s a really good time” – and in Beach Haven, where good times are the whole point, that’s exactly what you want to hear.

Book your PedalCycle adventure and discover why this rolling party has become one of LBI’s most talked-about experiences. After all, when’s the last time your transportation was as much fun as your destination?

This year’s Independence Day weekend promises to be spectacular, with fireworks lighting up both bay and ocean skies, free concerts echoing across the dunes, and parades marching through charming beach towns from Barnegat Light to Beach Haven.

Whether you’re planning to stake out a prime spot for Beach Haven’s crown jewel fireworks display at Taylor Park or prefer the more intimate setting of Surf City’s bay beach show, LBI offers something for every celebration style. From family-friendly theatrical performances and festival rides to evening concerts under the stars, the island transforms into a red, white, and blue playground where summer memories are made. Pack your beach chairs, gather your loved ones, and get ready to experience why LBI’s 4th of July celebrations draw visitors from across the region year after year.

All Week Long

Festival of the Sea. St. Francis of Assisi Parish & Center parking lot. July 1st – 5th from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Get tickets.

Surf City Shuffle Scavenger Hunt. How You Brewin’, Surf City. Multiple Dates and Times. Get tickets.

Events on July 3rd

Lacey Fireworks Spectacular. Rainier Vista Community Park. 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm.

The Fireworks Display at Lacey Township High School. Event begins at 7:30 pm. Fireworks begin 9:15 pm.

The Jersey Tenors. Waterfront Park, Ship Bottom. 6:30 pm.

Rob Connolly. Wooden Jetty Beach, Holgate. 6:30 pm.

Fireworks in Surf City. 17th St. Bay Beach, Surf City. 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Cat 5 Band. Bird and Betty’s, Beach Haven. 9:00 pm – 12:00 am.

Events on July 4th

Tuckerton’s Fourth of July Parade. Begins at the intersection of Marine Street and Route 9 and ends at Great Bay Boulevard. 10:00 am.

4th of July Flag Event. LBI National Golf & Resort, Little Egg Harbor. Tee times until 2pm.

Unlimited Ride Pass. Fantasy Island. Unlimited rides for $35 a rider. 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm.

Roger Jinx & Happy Hour Before Fireworks. Buckalew’s, Beach Haven. 4:00 pm- 7:00 pm.

4th of July Clambake. Queen City Market. 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Get tickets.

Independence Day Parade in Barnegat Light. 10 W 10 St, Barnegat Light. 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm.

Annual Surf City 4th of July Parade. 5th Street at the bay in Surf City. 6:30 pm.

Fire Pit Friday. 68th Street Beach Fire Pits, Long Beach Township. 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

Fireworks Boat Cruise. Lighthouse Dock at Tuckerton Seaport. 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm. Get Tickets.

Annual 4th of July Fireworks in LBI. Taylor Ave Bayfront, Beach Haven. 9:30 pm.

GoodMan Fiske. Joe Pop’s, Ship Bottom. 10:00 pm.

July 4th Fireworks Party with 3AM Tokyo. Bird & Betty’s, Beach Haven. 10:30 pm – 1:30 am.

Events on July 5th

The Royals at Fire Pit Friday. 68th St Beach, Long Beach Township. 7:00 pm.

Fireworks at Barnegat High School. The event starts at 5:00 pm. Fireworks begin at 9:15 pm.

The Nerds. Joe Pop’s, Ship Bottom. 10:00 pm.

Friend Zone. Nardi’s, Long Beach Island. 10:00 pm.

Stealing Savanah. Bird and Betty’s, Beach Haven. 10:30 pm – 1:30 pm.

Remember to arrive early for popular events, bring plenty of water and sunscreen, and most importantly, take time to soak in those magical moments when the island comes together to celebrate our nation’s birthday. Whether this is your first 4th of July on LBI or your fiftieth, the memories you make this weekend will be treasured long after the summer sun sets. Happy Independence Day from all of us here on Long Beach Island!

The magic of summer evenings on Long Beach Island comes alive with the return of our beloved Free Summer Concert Series. This year’s lineup promises to deliver unforgettable musical experiences across multiple venues, from the bayside breezes of Ship Bottom’s Waterfront Park to the oceanfront atmosphere of Long Beach’s beach fire pits. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a day at the beach or seeking family-friendly entertainment under the stars, these concerts offer something for every musical taste, featuring everything from classic rock tributes to tropical island vibes.

Every Monday at 7:00 pm

Bay Breeze Park in Barnegat Light

• June 30 – Epic Soul
• July 7 – The Chris Fritz Band
• July 14 – The Kootz
• July 21 – Tequila Rose
• July 28 – Shorty Long
• August 4 – No Discipline
• August 11 – Pure Petty
• August 18 – Bullzeye
• August 25 – Facedown
• August 29 (Friday) – The Danksters

Every Wednesday – Two Venues

Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars (6:30 pm)

• July 9 – Mushmouth
• July 15 – Tequila Rose
• July 23 – Chevy Lopez
• July 30 – The Pickles
• August 6 – Ty Mares & The Metaphoricals
• August 13 – Riptide

Veteran’s Park in Beach Haven (7:30 pm)

• June 25 – The Pickles
• July 2 – Tequila Rose Band
• July 9 – Jimmy & The Parrots
• July 16 – Rave-Ons
• July 23 – Diablo Sandwich Band
• July 30 – The Suyat Band
• August 6 – The Kootz
• August 13 – Carnaby Street
• August 20 – McLean Ave Band
• August 27 – Gypsy Moon Duet

Thursdays at 6:30 pm – Two Venues

Wooden Jetty Beach in Holgate

• July 3 – Rob Connolly
• July 10 – Josh Werner Band
• July 17 – Ty Mares Trio
• July 24 – Gypsy Moon
• July 31 – Sahara & Zinnia Moon
• August 7 – Jack Mangan Band
• August 14 – Pentley Holmes
• August 21 – Allison Stella
• August 28 – James Gate

Waterfront Park in Ship Bottom

• July 3 – The Jersey Tenors
• July 10 – Simmerr
• July 17 – Dread Pilot Roberts
• July 24 – Tequila Rose Band
• July 30 – The Counterfeiters
• August 7 – Chris Fritz Band
• August 14 – The Verdict
• August 21 – Danny’s 52nd St. Band
• August 28 – Jimmy & The Parrots

Fridays & Sundays

68th Street Beach Fire Pits in Long Beach Township

Fridays at 7:00 pm

• June 27 – Suit & Mai Tai
• July 4 – The Royals
• July 11 – Man Down
• July 18 – Glenn Roberts Band
• July 25 – Frontiers
• August 1 – Chris Fritz Band
• August 8 – Who Brought the Dog
• August 15 – Garden State Radio
• August 22 – The Pickles
• August 29 – Sneak Attack

Sundays at 12:00 pm

• June 29 – Bryan Hansen Band
• July 6 – Acoustricats
• July 13 – Naughty Pines
• July 20 – Chevy Lopez
• July 27 – East Two Three
• August 3 – Gypsy Moon
• August 10 – Jimmy Brogan Band
• August 17 – Black Ties
• August 24 – Innlet
• August 31 – DJ Lotta

Pack your beach chairs, grab your friends and family, and join us for what promises to be another spectacular season of free outdoor entertainment. These concerts offer the perfect opportunity to enjoy the island’s welcoming energy while discovering new artists and reconnecting with familiar favorites. Don’t miss this chance to create lasting summer memories on beautiful Long Beach Island. Admission is always free, but the experiences are priceless.