Christmas concerts, holiday events and more things to do at the Shore this weekend

Folk music icon and Grammy Award winner Judy Collins is celebrating the season in Ocean County.

Collins brings “Holidays and Hits” to the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College in Toms River on Sunday evening.

The show is set to feature a festive mix of seasonal standards, Collins classics and selections from “Spellbound,” her 29th studio album, released earlier this year.

Go: Judy Collins’ “Holidays and Hits,” 7 p.m. Sunday, Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, Ocean County College, College Drive, Toms River, $47 to $57; grunincenter.org.

Here are more things to do at the Jersey Shore this weekend:

Whobilation at Birdsmouth Beer

Oceanport lager craft brewery Birdsmouth Beer has a lot to celebrate while they close out 2022, as this year saw the highly-anticipated business finally open for business at the Fort Monmouth complex.

Birdsmouth will be getting festive on Saturday for its inaugural Whobilation, a celebration with lots of Jersey fresh beer, live music by Erin Ober and Juan Julio O'Grady, the crowning of the First Holiday Cheermeister, a "ho ho ho" contest and more revelry.

Seasonal attire — think ugly sweaters, pajamas, Santa suits, Grinch costumes or Griswold-inspured threads — is optional but encouraged.

Go: Whobilation at Birdsmouth Beer, 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, 675 Oceanport Way, Oceanport; birdsmouthbeer.com.

Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor come ‘Home for the Holidays’ at the Basie

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff is on the road for the first holiday tour of her career, and she brings “Home for the Holidays” to the Vogel at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank on Saturday.

Bonoff is joined by fellow songsmith Livingston Taylor for the occasion, and they’re set to play a combination of holiday hallmarks and their own original material. Bonoff will also be drawing on “Silent Night,” her collection of Christmas music released in 2021.

Go: “Home for the Holidays” with Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor, doors at 6:30 p.m. and show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Vogel, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, $49.50 to $69.50; thebasie.org.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ live radio play in Freehold

It’s the most “wonderful” time of the year in Freehold this weekend. The Classic Radio Road Show Company is set to present a staged radio play inspired by Frank Capra’s classic 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Saturday afternoon at the Center Players’ Center Playhouse in Freehold.

There will be costumes, sound effects and music to augment the performance, and the show will be followed by an “It’s a Wonderful Life” trivia game.

Go: “It’s a Wonderful Life” radio play, presented by the Classic Radio Road Show Company, 2 p.m. Saturday, Center Playhouse, 35 South St., Freehold, $20; 732-513-8234.

The Wag brings Christmas cheer to the Strand

Jersey pop-rockers The Wag will be making things merry and bright on Saturday night at the Strand Center of the Arts in Lakewood.

Taking their cues from classic televised holiday specials, The Wag’s Christmas Spectacular promises songs, dance numbers, comedy sketches and costume changes, all centered on the theme of “Christmas Around the World.”

After Saturday night’s bow at the Strand, the band takes the show on the road for a Dec. 17 performance at the Middletown Arts Center, with proceeds from that evening’s engamement supporting the Monmouth County SPCA.

Go: The Wag’s Christmas Spectacular, doors at 6 p.m. and show at 7 p.m. Saturday, Strand Center for the Arts, 400 Clifton Ave., Lakewood, $20; www.strand.org.

Christmas celebrations near LBI

With light-up figures like crabs and snowflakes on every lamp post along Route 607 (Long Beach Blvd.), the holidays on the Island are truly a magical time.

And with that magic comes festive events throughout December. If you missed St. Francis' craft show a few weeks ago, but still want to party with the parish, check out the 50th anniversary Holiday Concert Fundraiser this Friday, featuring angelic vocalists Dakota & Elle. Wine and cheese will be available at intermission. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and $30 tickets are available at stfrancisparishlbi.org/dakotaelleconcert.

If you were still looking to peruse through a holiday market, take a trip off the island on Saturday for the annual Winter Wonderland & Christmas Market in Stafford Township. There will be food trucks and vendors (like Stafford's Yellow Dog Coffee Roasters and Toms River's Butter Me Up), an ice sculpture artist display, fire pits, photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and more. Also enjoy live entertainment by Manahawkin's Starlight Performing Arts Center.

The market runs from noon to 6 p.m. at Manahawkin's Heritage Park. If you don't want to drive, catch the free shuttle bus (running all day) from Stafford Township Municipal Complex.

Go: For St. Francis: 4700 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach; 609-494-8861, stfrancisparishlbi.org/dakotaelleconcert. For Winter Wonderland & Christmas Market at Heritage Park: 49 West Bay Ave., Manahawkin; contact Jen McBrien at 609-597-1000, ext. 8573, [email protected], staffordnj.gov.

Social Justice Book Fair for Collective Liberation in Asbury Park

A community comes together this weekend at the Social Justice Book Fair for Collective Liberation, a free event featuring local publishers, writers and booksellers on Sunday afternoon at Trinity Church in Asbury Park.

Sponsored by Light Brigade Collective, Trinity Church and the Asbury Park Book Cooperative, the event will feature vendors including Cats Luck Vegan of Neptune City, PM Press, House of Trash in Asbury Park, and the Asbury Park Book Cooperative.

Go: Social Justice Book Fair for Collective Liberation, 1 to 6 p.m. at Trinity Church, 503 Asbury Ave., Asbury Park, free.

'Terrifier' double feature in Atlantic Highlands

If you’re in the Bayshore, you’d better watch out: Art the Clown will be around this weekend.

SModcastle Cinemas, the downtown Atlantic Highlands moviehouse co-owned by Monmouth County auteur Kevin Smith, will host a special double feature of the cult favorite shockers “Terrifier” and “Terrifier 2” on Saturday night.

Instant modern horror classics among the midnight movie and convention set, “Terrifier” (2016) was filmed in Trenton, and “Terrifier 2,” released earlier this year, was filmed in Newark and Manalapan.

The “Terrifier” franchise is the saga of a murderous, demonic clown, and it’s become a sleeper sensation. Variety reported that the crowd-funded “Terrifier 2” was made for $250,000, and according to Box Office Mojo it’s brought in more than $11 million at the box office since it was released in October.

Members of the “Terrifier” cast and crew will be on hand at the SModcastle Cinemas for a question-and-answer session hosted by Smith as part of Saturday evening’s festivities.

Go: “Terrifier” and “Terrifier 2” double feature with cast and crew panel moderated by Kevin Smith, 7 p.m. Saturday at SModcastle Cinemas, 82 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands, $37; smodcastlecinemas.com.

Gabriela L. Laracca contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do include Christmas shows, Judy Collins