While the annual Fireman’s Fair turns up the late-summer heat beginning Friday evening, The Wag closes out the season of free concerts on Saturday night, on the borough’s municipal dock. 

It’s the most bittersweet of all summerfun events: the annual Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair, that eight-day extravaganza of sights, sounds and delicious smells that transforms River Road into a festival of lights each August — while at the same time sounding a keynote for the season of back-to-school supplies and summer-love goodbyes.

The oldest (and, many agree, greatest) of all Shore area carnivals puts down stakes for the 55th consecutive year beginning this Friday, August 22, and continuing nightly (with the exception of Sunday, August 24) through Saturday, August 30. Expect all the old favorites to return once more to the fairgrounds surrounding the borough’s firehouse — from the kiddie-ride corridor, midway and “big kid” rides (Zipper, Wipeout, Rainbow), to the fire truck tours, Super 50/50 and “Out Back” snack bar grille. The famous fresh seafood kitchen and dining room — an attraction for which folks start lining up right about now — completes the picture, with funds raised dedicated to the operations of the borough’s century-old volunteer fire department. And, as always, all vendors, volunteers and food prep personnel are hometown neighbors.

Check redbankgreen for more on the 2014 Fireman’s Fair throughout the week — and check out the music down at the Fair Haven Municipal Dock this Saturday, August 23, when The Wag closes out August’s slate of free outdoor concerts at the north end of Fair Haven Road. The Middletown-based band co-fronted by Brian Ostering and Alicia Van Sant (with singer-songwriter-guitarist Don Lee often sitting in as well) takes to the season of open-air concerts like ducks to water — dealing out a set of upbeat, original pop music in one of the freshest local-music experiences to be had under the setting sun and stars. First notes scheduled to float out over the Navesink at 7 pm;  call (732)747-0241 x216 for weather updates and details.