Businesses across Jersey Shore prep for New Year's weekend crowds
OCEAN CITY, NJ (CBS) - Jersey Shore businesses are preparing for large crowds for New Year's weekend.
Ocean City will be hosting its annual "First Night and First Day" entertainment this weekend to ring in the new year, which will be complete with fireworks, Japanese drummers and the Harlem Wizards basketball team.
Some Ocean City businesses are already seeing larger crowds than expected in the lead-up to New Year's Eve.
By The Sea store employee, Morgan Krier, said the warming winter week is a win for boardwalk businesses.
Businesses are buzzing with people in Ocean City ahead of New Year’s Eve. Today @CBSPhiladelphia at 4:30 & 6 pm, the reason why some businesses say they’re seeing bigger crowds than they expected. pic.twitter.com/tnxfeYR460
— Brandon Goldner (@GoldnerTV) December 28, 2022
"It's great for us, brings way more people up on the boardwalk than we were expecting already," Krier said. "It's getting busier, picked up already over the past two days, and we're expecting a busy weekend for sure."
At Manco and Manco Pizza, owner Chuck Bangle said the shining sun is a key ingredient to a successful New Year's weekend.
"It's all weather driven. The families are together," Bangle said. "They're coming down here because of the good weather, and we can't ask for any more than that, it's great!"
Other Jersey Shore towns are also celebrating the new year with their own events.
Margate Public Library will be holding a free New Year's Eve holiday concert, while several Atlantic City casinos will have their own New Year's celebrations.
On New Year's Day, Ventnor, Margate and Atlantic City will be holding polar bear plunges into the ocean.