What you need to know about Sea.Hear.Now in Asbury Park this weekend

It's hard to believe, but one of the biggest music festivals in New Jersey is happening this weekend. Sea.Hear.Now has arrived in Asbury Park, and the set up is already under way ahead of the first shows this Saturday.

And no, that's not an exaggeration. This really is one of the biggest music festivals in the Garden State, featuring groups like The Offspring, Chaka Khan, The War On Drugs, The All-American Rejects, Shaggy, Men at Work, plus so many more. And that's just the lineup for Saturday.

Sunday keeps the action going with the Goo Goo Dolls, Fontaines D.C., Moby, along with Sunday's headliner, The Strokes. Saturday's headliner is Mumford & Sons.

With so much going on, it's important to know what's happening around that area of Asbury Park so you can prepare for the weekend.

Sea Hear Now 3

When Is Sea.Hear.Now?

• The Sea.Hear.Now Festival is happening Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20 from 12:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., with doors opening at noon both days.

Will security be hightened?

• Yes. Any time a huge festival like this comes to New Jersey, you can expect much tighter security.

Can I still get tickets?

• The festival is sold out, but you can join a waitlist to buy verified resale tickets. You can add yourself to the waitlist by going here.

Can I still attend the festival without tickets?

• You'll certainly be able to hear the performances going on throughout the day, so it's possible you can still hear a good show from outside the festival. You just won't be able to attend from the inside.

Mike Brant TSM

Will the boardwalk or any roads be closed off?

• Yes. Multiple road closures will be in place throughout the weekend.
• Ocean Ave. will be closed off between 4th & 8th Aves.
• Parts of 7th, 6th, Sunset, and 5th Ave's will be closed between Kingsley St. & Ocean Ave.
• Kingsley & Webb St. will be closed between 5th & Sunset Aves.

Where can I enter the festival, and which parts of the boardwalk are affected by the festival?

• The two main entrances to the festival are on 7th Ave by Kingsley St, and Ocean Ave by 4th Ave. The premium entrance to the festival is on the boardwalk near 4th Ave.
• The affected area of the boardwalk is between 4th & 8th Aves.

Will the beach be open during the festival?

• Parts of the beach should be open for those wishing to have a nice beach day. The festival primarily takes place north of Convention Hall, with vendors and other activities set up just to the south. From 4th Ave on south should be OK for beach access.

Will you be broadcasting live from the festival?

• We'll be broadcasting from the 1-800-GAMBLER boardwalk studio located between 3rd & 4th Aves ahead of the festival on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and is free to enjoy. Feel free to stop by and say hi before the festival begins.

Mike Brant TSM

I have more questions about the festival itself, including parking. Where can I find that?

You can find that at the Sea.Hear.Now FAQ page here.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.