With a focus on tradition and family fun, Monmouth Park’s 2024 season will feature the Jersey Shore’s most action-packed promotional and events schedule.

Kicking off May 11 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.

In addition, continuing the popular promotion from a year ago, 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.

“As someone who has been coming to Monmouth Park virtually my entire life, nothing makes me happier than seeing fans of all ages spending a fun-filled day at the track,” said marketing manager Brian Skirka. “We pride ourselves on being the Jersey Shore’s premier, family-friendly entertainment destination, and we’ll continue to work endlessly to help make memories that will last a lifetime.”

Following tradition, the Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival, presented by 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 variety of culinary delights from Saturday, May 25, to Monday, May 27, plus live music on two stages.

Continuing with long-time staples on the summer event calendar, Monmouth Park will again host the 52^nd Annual N.J. Irish Festival (June 9); Classic Car Show & Oldies Day (July 7); Italian Festival & Wine Tasting (July 27-28); Latin Festival: Tacos & Tequila (Aug. 4); Surf & Turf Seafood Festival (Aug. 17-18); BBQ & NJ Craft Beer Festival (Aug. 31 to Sept. 2), and Food Trucktemberfest (Sept. 7).

The popular Win & Wine Weekend will return with nearly a dozen New Jersey wineries on June 29-30. This year’s event will also feature a cooking demonstration by renowned local chef David Burke on Saturday with food from Burke being featured both event days.

New to Monmouth Park’s 2024 event calendar is the Jersey Eats: N.J. Pizza Festival on Saturday, June 22. This event, organized by The Star-Ledger’s Jersey Eats, will feature 20 of the state’s top pizzerias.

In addition to a full slate of festivals, Monmouth Park will offer three premium giveaway days in 2024. To go along with the Haskell Preview Day program on Saturday, June 15, the first 4,000 paying fans will receive a commemorative Haskell Hat beach towel – showcasing the last 20 years of the iconic hat. NYRA Bets Haskell Day on Saturday, July 20, will once again feature a commemorative Haskell hat giveaway. A deluxe cooler bag, courtesy of Malouf Auto Group, will be given out to the first 4,000 fans on New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Day Sunday, Aug. 25.

Among the other key events on Monmouth Park’s 2024 promotional schedule are:

• Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 12
• Father’s Day – Sunday, June 16
• Heineken Cigar Luncheon & Monmouth University Day – Saturday, July 13
• Rutgers Day – Sunday, July 21
• Bags, Bands & Beer Cornhole Tournament – Saturday, Aug. 10
• Count Basie Center Day – Sunday, Aug. 11

On the handicapping contest front, Monmouth Park continues to be a national leader. The June 1 $2,000 Pick Your Prize Handicapping Challenge, which last year attracted a record 299 entries, anchors a contest calendar that also features events on May 11, June 2, July 20, Aug. 3 and Aug. 24.

Survival at the Shore, a free online handicapping game, will start for the season on Saturday, May 25.

On Friday, June 28, Monmouth Park will again host a charity event for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund at the Beer Garden at Blu Grotto, 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 June 22, 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 Stakes tickets will be available at seatgeek.com/monmouth beginning Saturday, May 25.

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