After a cold, snow-filled winter, racing fans will have ample opportunity to have an action-packed summer with Monmouth Park Racetrack’s 2026 promotion and events schedule.

With a focus on tradition and family fun, Monmouth’s 50-day 2026 season will see the return of a number of the Jersey Shore’s biggest and most-anticipated events.

Kicking off May 9 with Opening Day festivities, Monmouth Park’s promotional calendar will treat fans, horseplayers and entertainment seekers alike to a wide variety of food festivals, giveaways, specialty days and handicapping contests.

“After the winter we’ve all endured, there’s nothing we look forward to more than providing our fans with a wide variety of fun, family-friendly, affordable events and promotions to enjoy the summer season,” said marketing director Brian Skirka. “Monmouth Park has always been a place where lifelong memories are made and we can’t wait to see the familiar faces of our fans return for another amazing season.”

Following tradition, the Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival, presented by Surfside, Xfinity, and The Asbury Park Press, marks the start of Monmouth Park’s food festival season in its customary Memorial Day weekend time slot. The three-day culinary extravaganza features over 30 trucks offering a wide variety of culinary delights from Saturday, May 23, to Monday, May 25, plus live music all three days.

Continuing with long-time staples on the summer event calendar, Monmouth Park will again host the 54^th Annual New Jersey Irish Festival (June 7); Classic Car Show & Oldies Day (June 28); Italian Festival & Wine Tasting (July 25-26); Latin Festival: Tacos & Tequila (Aug. 2); Surf & Turf Seafood Festival (Aug. 15-16); BBQ & Craft Beer Festival (September 5-7), and Food Trucktemberfest (Sept. 12).

Bringing back the popular promotion from previous years, all weekend race attendees will have the opportunity to catch a special “toss series” t-shirt thrown out of the winner’s circle by each race’s winning jockey.

In addition to a full slate of festivals, Monmouth Park will offer three premium giveaway days in 2026. To go along with the Haskell Preview Day program on Saturday, June 13, the first 5,000 paying fans will receive a commemorative Monmouth Park beach tote bag. NYRA Bets Haskell Day on Saturday, July 18, will once again feature a commemorative Haskell hat giveaway. Fans in attendance for the August 23 New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival will receive a giveaway item, courtesy of Malouf Auto Group.

Among the other key events on Monmouth Park’s 2026 promotional calendar are:

• Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 10
• Father’s Day – Sunday, June 21
• Sun Cruiser Cigar Luncheon – Saturday, July 11
• Bags, Boards & Bands Cornhole Tournament – Saturday, Aug. 8
• Monmouth University Day – Sunday, Aug. 9

On the handicapping contest front, Monmouth Park continues to be a national leader. The $2,000 Pick Your Prize Handicapping Challenge, which has attracted over 300 entries in each of the last two years, will have a new date as it takes place on Haskell Preview Day June 13. In addition, Pick Your Prize players will compete for a new $100,000 bonus should a player win Pick Your Prize from on-site and then win the $300 handicapping contest taking place the following day.

The Pick Your Prize Handicapping Challenge anchors a contest calendar that also features events on May 9, May 30, June 14, July 18, Aug. 8 and Aug. 29.

Survival at the Shore, a free online handicapping game, will start for the season on Saturday, May 23.

On Friday, June 26, Monmouth Park will again host a charity event for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund at the new Pat and Lola’s Garden Bar (formerly Blu Grotto Beer Garden), with Monmouth Park jockeys serving as bartenders following the day’s live racing.

Continuing a fan favorite, Monmouth Park will feature free Family Fun Days, courtesy of Jerseysbest.com, on Sundays and special event days from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Monmouth Park’s free Dawn Patrol program, with a guided tram tour of the stable area on Saturdays starting in mid-June, also returns this summer.

Beginning Opening Day, fans will again be permitted to bring coolers into Monmouth Park’s picnic area on live racing days. All coolers must adhere to size limits and can only be brought through the Picnic Gate.

Fans can purchase tickets for general admission, festivals, reserved seats and more in advance via SeatGeek, Monmouth Park’s exclusive ticket provider. NYRA Bets Haskell Day tickets will be available at seatgeek.com/monmouth beginning Saturday, May 23.

For more information and a full listing of the promotional schedule and upcoming events, visit www.monmouthpark.com.