Things to do and places to go Memorial Day weekend in South Jersey

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1 Page 1 of 5 Things to do and places to go Memorial Day weekend in South Jersey By SEKIA MANGUM At The Shore Posted: Friday, May 22, :00 am If you re ready to show off your red, white and blue, South Jersey is the perfect place to have an epic Memorial Day weekend. Whether you just want to stroll in a parade, experience a concert or pig out at a roast, you'll have more than enough to keep you busy throughout the weekend. Memorial Day is not only a day off from work to host a picnic, open your pool or hit the beach, but a time to remember those fallen in the line of duty. So no matter how you choose to celebrate the weekend whether at a raucous party or with a quiet remembrance -- At The Shore has you covered. Kite Festival The annual Wildwoods International Kite Festival returns Friday, May 23, to Monday, May 26. Celebrate in Ocean City Unlocking the Ocean Hundreds of folks anxious to start the summer season will storm into the ocean noon Friday, May 22 still dressed in their business attire and work clothes to unlock the ocean during the Business Person s Plunge. Jump in fully clothed into the still-chilly waters while the Ocean City High School marching band plays Pomp and Circumstance, among other uplifting tunes. Call for more info. Beach Challenge The 31st annual Beach Challenge starts 7:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Ocean City Music Pier. The challenge features three spate events including the ocean paddleboard race ($65), a soft-sand adventure race featuring Navy SEAL-approved obstacles ($65) and a Fun Run for kids ($25). You can compete individually or on teams. To register, go to MemorialBeachChallenge.com or call Service for the Fallen

2 Page 2 of 5 A Memorial Day Service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, at Veterans Memorial Park, located at Fifth Street and Wesley Avenue. Rain location will be held in the Tabernacle Auditorium, 550 Wesley Ave. For more info call Spend the weekend in Cape May Crystal Gayle at Convention Hall Enjoy the sounds of country music legend Crystal Gayle 8 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave. Best known for her 1977 country-pop hit song Don t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Gayle s performance of timeless classics will be something you don t want to miss. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased by calling or DiscoverCapeMayNJ.com. Crafts and antiques show If retail therapy is more your idea of a holiday happening, hit up the Crafts and Antique show will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 24, at Cape May Convention Hall. Enjoy a day of shopping for handmade crafts, custom designed jewelry, fine art and photography, folk and other collectibles and antiques. Admission is free, but chances are you ll spend bundle here. For more info call Cape May Music Festival Discover the deep roots of traditional American music when the Cape May Music Festival presents the Atlantic Brass Band. The free, outdoor concert starts 8 p.m. Sunday, May 24, at the Rotary Bandstand, located at Lafayette Street and Lyle Lane. The 35-member band is a longtime Cape May favorite with their high energy and authentic British-style music. For more info, call or go to CapeMayMac.org. Jimmy s Smokin Pig Roast The Rusty Nail s Chef Jimmy Burton is truly a master on the grill. Starting 4 p.m. Monday, May 24, and running every Monday through Labor Day, Burton will roast an entire Berkshire pig straight from Cape Resorts Beach Plum Farm. Mouths will be watering for piggy platters and pork sandwiches fresh off the grill. Call The Rusty Nail is located at the Beach Shack, 205 Beach Ave. in Cape May. Top 3 parades Absecon Absecon will host their annual Memorial Day parade from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, May 25. The route will start at the American Legion Post No. 28, located at 560 New Jersey Ave., and ends up at Veterans Park. This year s grand marshal is Bob Knoeble, a WWII veteran. Many members

3 Page 3 of 5 of the community will participate including the Mainland Baptist Church entering a patriotic float. The excitement includes fire trucks, emergency vehicles and marching bands from Absegami and Pleasantville high schools. For more info, call Somers Point The Somers Point Memorial Day Parade begins at Dawes Avenue School 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, that proceeds down Shore Road and finishes at Patriots Park. Family members of fallen veterans are invited to carry pictures of their deceased military loved ones. A small ceremony honoring the fallen veterans will follow at Patriots Park, located at Bethel Road and First Street. For more info, call Bob Frolow Egg Harbor City The Egg Harbor City Rotary Club will host the city s Memorial Day parade 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 25, starting at the 500 block of Philadelphia Avenue. Participants will march down Route 30, make a left on to Lincoln Park and will end in front of the Legion Building and Rittenberg Manor. A performance by Cedar Creek High School band and chorus will take place 10 a.m. at Lincoln Park on Harding Highway. For more info, call Top 4 Music Spots Hopefest Music Festival Hopefest, a weekend-long event taking place Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 23, aims to bring awareness to addiction prevention while demonstrating that music, art and self-expression are tools for inspiring a healthy lifestyle. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience a weekend filled with speakers, information on addiction prevention, recovery resources, arts and craft vendors, great food and lots and lots of music by such kickin bands as the RIR All-Stars with Liberty Devitto, Billy Joel s former drummer, the Bubba Mac Blues Band and Mia Bergmann. Times for events vary. Tickets, which are $25 for a single day pass or $65 for a weekend pass, can be purchased at HopeFest.camp, where you can also find a complete schedule. HopeFest will be held at the Hope All Day Recovery Center, located at 600 S. Odessa Ave. in Galloway. For more info, call or info@hopeallday.org. Glenn Miller Orchestra The Jersey Shore Pops will present a tribute concert of the Glenn Miller Orchestra 7 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Ocean City Music Pier. The band will be joined by the National WWII Museum's Victory Belles, a vocal trio reminiscent of The Andrews Sisters. This special tribute will include all of Miller s top hits such as In the Mood, String of Pearls and Tuxedo Junction. Tickets start at $25 for balcony seating and VIP tickets start at $40. Go to JerseyShorePops.org for tickets or more info.

4 Page 4 of 5 Jazz, Blues and Beyond The Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts will host a musical ensemble with vocalist Jody Janetta, guitarist Ernie Trionfo and bass player Andy Lalasis. These three well-known Jersey musicians will blend their unique styles to bring the audience a memorable performance. This free show will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21. Call or millvilledevelopment@comcast.net to reserve seats. The RRCA is located at 22 N. High St. in Millville. The Greaseband The first of 30 free outdoor concerts at Wildwood Crest s Centennial Park will feature The Greaseband 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 24, in the annual Summer Kickoff Concert. The seven-man band also known as the Rock n Roll Party band performs cover songs from the 50s all the way up to the 90s for people to rock out and dance to. The show is free and the park is located at Fern Road and Ocean Avenue in Wildwood Crest. For more info go to VisitWildwoodCrest.com or call Wildwoods International Kite Festival Wanna fly a kite? Be sure to head down to the International Kite Festival, a four-day event that takes place Friday, May 22, through Monday, May 25, on the beach at Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood as well as inside the Wildwoods Convention Center at 4501 Boardwalk. This festival is the largest of its kind in the country and kite makers experienced and amateur -- from all over the world will attend. It all starts with the Unlocking of the Ocean Ceremony noon Friday on the beach at Andrews Avenue, where a large, ornate key will be used to unlock the ocean for the summer season. This kick-off event is free and open to the public. Later Friday night at 9 p.m. on the beach, people will fly their glow-in-the-dark kites in the evening sky and watch as they soar among the stars. This is a free event. Starting 9 a.m. Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, the East Coast Stunt Kite Championships will take place on the beach The cost is $10 to $15 to participate, but free to spectators. There are also free kite exhibits and workshops throughout the day. The Kite Festival auction will be held at the Wildwoods Convention Center 7 p.m. Saturday, where many unique kites and collectibles will be auctioned off. This is a free and open-to-thepublic event. Bidding is extra.

5 Page 5 of 5 From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, May 25, the World Indoor Kite Competition will be held in the Convention Center where kite fliers will face the challenge of flying their kites with no wind to assist them. Cost is $10 to $15 to participate, free to spectators. To register your kite, call or go to SkyFestivals.com. Registration is required for all participants, but those that are not competing in a competition can fly their kite for free all weekend.