Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, incorporated in 1908 and located on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a population of 12,206, reflecting an increase of 362 (+3.1%) from the 11,844 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,208 (+11.4%) from the 10,636 counted in the 1990 Census.

Red Bank was originally formed as a town on March 17, 1870, from portions of Shrewsbury Township. On February 14, 1879, Red Bank became Shrewsbury City, a portion of Shrewsbury Township, but this only lasted until May 15, 1879, when Red Bank regained its independence. On March 10, 1908, Red Bank was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature and was set off from Shrewsbury Township.

Arts and culture

Red Bank is a noted social and commercial destination, filled with boutiques, designer clothing and home stores, parks, and restaurants. Special events are scheduled throughout the summer, such as the KaBoomFest fireworks on July 3, which attracted as many as 150,000 spectators at its 51st annual event in 2010.

Since the 1950s, Red Bank has held the Annual Red Bank Sidewalk Sale. The 58th Annual Sidewalk Sale was held from July 27, 2012 to July 29, 2012, and was seen in "The Sidewalk Stash", the November 11, 2012 episode of the reality TV series Comic Book Men.

The town is considered a center of artistic activity, and is home to the Monmouth County Arts Council, as well as several art and photography galleries.

The Count Basie Theatre has hosted performers such as Kevin Smith, David Sedaris, Tracy Morgan, Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Foreigner, Andy Williams, Brian Setzer, B.B. King, and others. The Count Basie Theatre is also home to Phoenix Productions, a non-profit community theatre founded in 1988 puts on large scale musicals four times a year. The Two River Theater Company opened a large performance space on April 30, 2005, called the Two River Theater. Bruce Springsteen filmed his 2005 VH-1 Storytellers special at the Two River Theatre. The Marion Huber Theater, also operated by the Two River Theater Company, is a small black box theater, with seating for about 100.
Boating, sculling, sailing, and fishing are popular outdoor activities in and near Red Bank; in the winter, ice boats sail on the Navesink when it freezes over, as it did in 2009. The Monmouth Boat Club, Marine Park, and the slips of the Molly Pitcher Inn provide access to the Navesink and, from there, Sandy Hook and the Gateway National Recreation Area, the Jersey Shore and the Atlantic Ocean.

Broad Street is one of the borough's central streets and is known for its lavish Christmas decorations, which appear on the street during the holiday season. The street is closed to traffic for a free concert sponsored by Holiday Express, after which the lights are all lit again. Up to 7,000 people attend the shows annually.

An annual fireworks display (called "KaBoom! Fireworks on the Navesink") is held on July 3, which is popular with metropolitan residents. Red Bank hosts the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival in partnership with the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Society. "First Night", a New Year's Eve arts and entertainment festival, is a Red Bank event designed to provide an alternative to alcohol-related events.

In 1998, the Red Bank Armory was converted to an ice rink. It is home to the youth hockey team Red Bank Generals.

The George Sheehan Classic began in 1981 as the Asbury Park 10K Classic and quickly became one of the major road running events on the national calendar. The race moved to Red Bank in 1994 and was renamed in honor of Dr. George A. Sheehan, the prominent author, philosopher and area physician. The Classic was named one of the Top 100 Road Races by Runner's World magazine, and the Best Memorial Race in New Jersey by The New York Times. The 2012 running, shortened to a 5K race, attracted nearly 1,300 participants.