Hear Philly: The Shore Thing - July 4th On Saturday = Bigger Holiday Weekend Than Normal At The Beach
By Andrew Kramer
CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) - July Fourth weekend is always a popular time for people to head down the shore.
With the holiday falling on a Saturday this year, shore towns are anticipating even larger crowds than usual.
Ed Berger with the Margate Business Association says July Fourth Weekend really gets things going for them:
"Although Memorial Day is the real kickoff, this is the official opening of summertime in Margate."
Berger says he's looking forward to an action-packed weekend:
"Throughout the course of July 4th weekend, there will be great summer sales, sidewalk sales, street festivals going on. Of course everybody's got the excitement of the fireworks, which happen again behind the pavilion between Granville and Huntington Avenues in the evening."
Michele Gillian with the Ocean City Chamber Of Commerce describes Fourth of July Weekend there as a hectic but fun time:
"We have our two big parades, one at the south end of the island and one at the north end of the island, and each year they get bigger and bigger and each year the kids can decorate their bikes and be part of the parade. We have all of our little misses and Ms. Ocean City and our junior misses participate. We have trash buster."
This year they will also have the Ocean City Theatre Company singing and entertaining, as well as fireworks on the 4th, Gillian says:
"We start early afternoon because we have activities on the boardwalk. We have yo-yo contests, we have bands and the fireworks will begin at about 9 o'clock."
Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio says they too have an exciting Holiday weekend planned as well:
"Fourth of July always begins with the Junior Olympics -- there's running, throwing, jumping competitions. And the winners will receive Olympic-style medals. The Atlantic Pops Orchestra will be performing a free concert at the Sea Isle Band Shell right at Excursion Park at 7:30 p.m."
And after that concert, Desiderio says, Sea Isle's fireworks show lights up the night sky:
"That will be on 50th Street so that everyone has a great view of these fabulous fireworks."
John Siciliano with the Greater Wildwoods tourism Authority describes Fourth of July weekend as their "biggest summer weekend by far:"
"The Boardwalk special Improvement District has a craft show on the boardwalk which brings a little bit of a different set of crafts of things for people to buy. We also, in the Convention Center, have the Sports Card, Toys, Comics and Collectibles Show, Independence Day parade, naturally in North Wildwood on the actual 4th."
Another marquee July 4th event in North Wildwood is the Patriotic Pooch Parade, where people dress up their pets.
All this, Siciliano says, before their fireworks show:
"The night of the 4th we're also going to have the Philly Pops for the first time playing across the street from the Convention Center, and that's going to be a free concert which is going to culminate in the Fourth of July fireworks."
And down in Cape May, Susan Krysiak with the Cape May Mid-Atlantic Center says their July 4th weekend features, for one, fireworks:
"July 3rd is fireworks over in Lower Township. July 4th we're going to have fireworks in Cape May."
And two, Krysiak says they feature a very exclusive event:
"It's called 'Dinner and Fireworks' and it's a five-course dinner at the Red Store which is a wonderful restaurant in Cape May Point. You're going to take the trolley over to the Cape May Lighthouse, climb the 199 steps to the top and have the opportunity to experience the fireworks display from the top of the Lighthouse."
More information about July 4th celebrations and fireworks down the shore can be found on the respective city websites.
Or CLICK HERE to learn more about all events taking place throughout the Jersey Shore this summer.
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