LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair

Saturday, October 18, 2025 | 10:00am - 3:00pm

Toms River Branch

 

Organizations Serving the LGBTQIA+ Community,

Workshops & Crafts,

and Special Guest Author Robyn Gigl!

Build community and connect with local organizations that offer services specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

 

Schedule for the LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair

Special guests will include:

 

Drop-In Events

 

Information Table | 10:00am - 3:00pm

Prize Wheel

→ Spin our prize wheel when you sign-in for the fair to get library swag, LGBTQIA+ centered books, and other fun freebies.

Raffle Baskets

→ Complete our Feedback Survey and turn it in before you leave to be entered into a raffle to win one of our prize baskets.

*One winner will be chosen and announced at 3:00pm after Robyn Gigl’s author talk. This winner will get first pick of the prize baskets and must be in the building at the time of the announcement. All other winners will be chosen and contacted by phone after the fair.*

 

Mancini Hall & New Book Alley | 10:00am - 2:00pm

Information Vendor Tables

→ Meet representatives of local organizations from our state and county who provide services specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

Green Room | 10:00am - 2:00pm

National AIDS Memorial Quilt Display

→ View a 12’ x 12’ panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt up close and in person alongside informative materials about the history of the AIDS Epidemic and its effect on the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

Maker Space (2nd Floor) | *10:00am - 2:00pm (while supplies last)

Pride Buttons

→ Share them, trade them, wear them! Drop in the Sparks’s Lab, located on the second floor of the library, to come and create your own buttons.

 

Workshops & Crafts

 

Children's Area

Drop-in Rainbow Craft | 10:00am - 12:00pm

→ Drop by the children's department and make a fun rainbow themed craft. For children of all ages.

 

Hometown Dairy

Invisible and Essential: Learning LGBTQIA+ Histories | 10:30am – 11:30am

→ Why is so much of LGBTQ+ history so hard to find? For generations, the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals have been intentionally suppressed, making their contributions and lived experiences largely invisible. This presentation will make the case for why learning this history is not just a matter of curiosity, but a crucial step toward empathy and connection. We will highlight key moments and figures that have been overlooked and discuss how understanding these historical narratives can foster a more complete and accurate view of the human experience. Join us to learn why this "invisible" history is, in fact, absolutely essential.

Presented by Kate Okeson, Director of the NJ Department of Education’s LGBTQIA+ Youth Equity Commission.

 

Self-defense Instruction | 12:30pm – 1:30pm

→ Presented by Nikki Valentines, an accomplished Athletic Trainer and Martial Arts Expert, a former World and National MuayThai Kickboxing Champion. For over 20 years, Nikki has been a dedicated fitness and health advocate in the LGBTQ+ community and has worked frequently with local organizations such as Garden State Equality and Barnegat Pride.

 

Guest Author: Robyn Gigl

 

Mancini Hall

Books for Sale

→ Purchase Robyn Gigl’s Erin McCabe Legal Thrillers, a series that Library Journal calls “topically relevant, edgy, and riveting… one to watch.” Attorney and activist Robyn Gigl tackles the complexities of gender, race, power and public perception in By Way of Sorrow, Survivor’s Guilt, Remain Silent and Nothing But the Truth, four legal thrillers with ripped-from-the-headlines plots and a unique protagonist who, like the author herself, is a transgender attorney.

 

Atrium

Author Presentation | 2:00pm - 3:00pm

→ Robyn Gigl will give an hour-long presentation about her journey as a trans author, attorney and advocate. She will also open the floor to questions from attendees.

 

Directions & Parking

Toms River Information

The LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair will be held at the Toms River Branch of the Ocean County Library

 

Directions & Parking in Downtown Toms River

Click here for directions to and parking information for the library.

Click here for additional information on parking options.

**Note that on Saturday, the upper level of the municipal garage behind the library is FREE, not metered, courtesy of the Ocean County Library. But space in the garage is limited, so please have alternate parking plans.

 

Food

Food Options in Downtown Toms River

→ There are several restaurants within walking distance of the library for your food needs.

More Information About Downtown Toms River

→ Click here to see the Downtown Toms River website.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair?

→ The LGBTQIA+ Resource fair aims to bring local organizations offering resources and services dedicated to serving the LGBTQIA+ community into a visible and freely accessible location. The goal is to provide information and build community by connecting these organizations with LGBTQIA+ patrons and allies in the safe space of the Ocean County Library.

Who can attend the LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair?

→ Everyone is welcome! The LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair is FREE and open to the public. You do not have to be a resident of Ocean County. You can view the event here.

What can I do at the LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair?

→ The fair begins Saturday at 10:00am with information vendors set-up in Mancini Hall and New Book Alley. Saturday’s vendor tables, workshops, and activities will culminate in a presentation by Special Guest Author Robyn Gigl beginning at 2:00pm.

Workshops include Invisible and Essential: Learning LGBTQIA+ Histories at 10:30am and Self-defense Instruction at 12:30pm.

For our younger attendees, there will be a craft in the morning from 10:00am - 12:00pm.

Who can I expect to see at the LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair?

→ Organizations confirmed to attend:

Do I have to register?

→ No! You may drop-in to the fair area or other all-day activities at any time. Sign-up for specific workshops will be available at the lobby information table on the day of the event.

Do I have to stay the whole time?

→ No, but we hope you do! You are welcome to come for just one workshop, browse only a few tables or stay for the whole day. If you are thinking of coming early, note that the library does not open until 9:00am and the fair will not start until 10:00am. The library closes at 5:00pm. If you get hungry in the middle of the day, there are restaurants in the area.

Can I come in Pride gear?

→ Yes!

When planning your outfit, please be aware the library’s code of conduct will be enforced. Proper attire, including shoes and shirts, must be worn.

What is the Code of Conduct?

→ The library’s code of conduct will be enforced throughout the LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair. Click here to read the Code of Conduct.

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