Crest to host Summer Kickoff Concert with The Chatterband

PRESS RELEASE

WILDWOOD CREST – The long-anticipated start of the summer season at the Jersey Shore will once again be celebrated with the first of 24 free outdoor concerts hosted by the Borough of Wildwood Crest.

The Chatterberband will perform Sunday, May 27, at 7:30 pm in the Borough of Wildwood Crest’s annual Summer Kickoff Concert at Centennial Park, located at Fern Road and Ocean Avenue.

The Chatterband is one of the longest-running and most popular bands in the Delaware Valley. A nine-piece band with a full horn section and dynamic, versatile lead singers, The Chatterband regularly performs many of today’s pop, rock and dance hits, along with many of the most iconic pop, rock and dance tunes of all time.

The Chatterband annually plays well over 100 shows per year and has been a regular performer in Wildwood Crest for more than a decade.

The Summer Kickoff Concert is a FREE all-ages show. Attendees should bring a blanket or a chair. Centennial Park is located at Fern Road and Ocean Avenue.

The weekly Wildwood Crest Summer Music Series will begin in late June. Centennial Park will feature live music shows each Saturday from June 30 through Sept. 22 and each Wednesday from June 27 through Aug. 29. The full schedule is available online at wildwoodcrest.org.

For more information call the Wildwood Crest Recreation/Tourism Department at 609-523-0202.

Star Beach Bar to host grand opening Memorial Day Weekend

PRESS RELEASE


ICONA Resort Diamond Beach kicks off the summer in style with the grand opening of the BRIGHTEST new spot in South Jersey, “The Star Beach Bar!”

On Friday night, May 25, The Star Beach Bar and its extended family say ALOHA by welcoming summer travelers and locals for a soft opening for regular business. Patrons will get a sampling of the magnificent beach view, succulent food offerings and interactive family fun that ICONA’s newest beach concept has to offer.

Live entertainment starts at 4PM with an acoustic Duo!

The fun continues on Saturday, May 26 with the official Grand Opening of The Star Beach Bar.

DJ Mark Anthony will be hosting “ICONA Olympics” starting at 11 am, keeping families entertained all day long with your favorite beach games. There will also be a sand castle artist bringing to life some of the most amazing beach creations on the East Coast. The Passing Paradise Duo will perform at 4 pm.

As day turns to dusk, don’t miss out on the first of many annual lighting of the STAR ceremonies which will include a champagne toast at 9 pm, an authentic Polynesian Dance Show courtesy of Paradise Island Entertainment and a red carpet photo experience!

Drink Specials All Weekend:

$4.00 Miller Lite 16oz Aluminum Bottles

$4.00 Corona Drafts

The weekend’s festivities continue on Sunday with ICONA Olympics at 11 am and Reggae Sundays at 3 pm as The Star Beach Bar unveils it’s Every Sunday Funday program!

ENTERTAINMENT & FUN Schedule!

FRIDAY
Delco Acoustic Duo 6 pm - 10 pm
Life Size Jenga, Connect 4 and other beach games

SATURDAY (Grand Opening Weekend)
 Sand Castle Artists 12 pm - 4 pm
DJ / Host for ICONA Olympics 11 am - 3 pm
DJ 4 pm - 9 pm
Passing Paradise Acoustic Duo 3 pm - 7:30 pm
Paradise Entertainment 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Red Carpet Interview & Photo Experience 7 pm - 9 pm
Lighting of the Star & Champagne Toast at Dusk
Beach & Family Friendly Games
Valet Parking

EVERY SUNDAY FUNDAY
DJ/ Host for ICONA Olympics 11 am - 3 pm
Sunday Reggae 3 pm - 8 pm
Life Size Jenga, Connect 4 and other games

Saturday's Captain Kidd Pirate Day festivities to be moved indoors

Captain Kidd Pirate Day activities, to be held this Saturday, May 19, will be moved indoors due to the threat of rain.

North Wildwood Rec & Tourism the following on its Facebook page earlier today:

Due to the impending forecast, Captain Kidd Pirate Day activities will be held indoors at the North Wildwood Community Center, located at 900 Central Avenue.

We will continue to take registrations for the parade only, for boys and girls 12 and under. Children must be dressed in pirate-themed costumes for the parade. Prizes will be given for best costumes. You do not need to register for the treasure hunt.

Parade begins at 11 am. A modified treasure hunt will be held and will be followed with prizes given away, including a $500 grand prize, motel stays, restaurant gift certificates, bikes and more!

Summary of timeline and activities:

Pirate Costume Parade Check-in & Judging: 10-10:45am
Spectator and Non-parade participants arrival: 10-11am
Parade Begins: 11am
Treasure Hunt/ Raffle:  following parade for all children 12 years old and younger

Kick off your summer in North Wildwood with Capt. Kidd!

Call 609-522-2955 to register for the parade only or with any questions or additional information.

We hope to see everyone on Saturday at the Recreation Center!

Wildwood Crest announces 2018 beach lifeguard coverage

PRESS RELEASE

WILDWOOD CREST – The Wildwood Crest Beach Patrol has announced its coverage schedule for the 2018 summer season.

All beaches will be open and protected by lifeguards, weather permitting, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Memorial Day weekend, Saturday through Monday, May 26-28, as well as on Saturday and Sunday, June 2-3.

Beginning Saturday, June 9, all beaches will be open and protected daily, weather permitting, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3.

The Wildwood Crest Beach Patrol strongly advises all bathers to swim at lifeguard protected beaches only during the hours of operation.

For further information, call the Wildwood Crest Beach Patrol at (609) 522-3825.

Seaport Pier signage goes up, pool takes shape

With just over a week to go before the start of Memorial Day Weekend, Seaport Pier is abuzz with activity.

Over the past two days, signage has gone up on the north side of the main structure and above the main entrance. Meanwhile, the pool for the Starboard Swim Club has taken shape, and will soon be painted.

Seaport Pier is located at 22nd & Boadwalk in North Wildwood, on the former site of the Seaport Village shopping mall. The year-round, multi-purpose venue is on target to open for the upcoming holiday weekend.

Downtown Wildwood Farmer's Market to kick off Season #5

PRESS RELEASE

On the Saturday morning of Memorial Day Weekend, the Wildwood Business Improvement District (WBID) will kick off Season #5 of the Downtown Wildwood Farmer's Market at a new location and with many new members.

Over the past several years, WBID has developed Byrne Plaza, a first-class events complex at 3400 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Wildwood. Byrne Plaza will be the new home for the Farmer's Market as well as Fitness in the Plaza, Movies in the Plaza, Music in the Plaza, the Downtown Wildwood Marketplaces, Wildwood Art Foundation events and more.

The Farmer's Market has expanded from the 10-week season in 2014 to a 22-week season that runs from Memorial Day Weekend through October, on Saturdays from 8 am until 12:30 pm.

The vendor mix has also been enhanced so that everything from morning breakfast sandwiches and sweets, to "dinner to go" and wine are available for purchase. Our farmers bring their fresh grown produce and our bakers are up early to bring you baked goods, from from their ovens.

There are also plenty of specialty items that make great gifts. Come early and you'll receive your purchases in a Byrne Plaza tote bag, that will be available while supplies last. Free parking is located across the street in the lot behind the shops and the old farmer's market lot.

To add to the opening day excitement, the 2018 DOOWW Magnet designs will be unveiled during a ceremony at 10 am. Be there to be one of the first to get the latest, top secret DOOWW Magnet creation!

Besides shopping the Farmer's Market, families can play the Byrne Plaza lawn games and be entertained by The Masters of Magic and Fun, who will provide something new for the kids each week.

98.7 The Coast will broadcast live weekly and there will always be great music at Byrne Plaza. Come and see why TripAdvisor lists the Downtown Wildwood Farmer's Market as one of the best places to visit in the Wildwoods!

While you're Downtown, be sure to visit the local shops and restaurants, whose staffs have worked hard getting ready for the 2018 season, and are excited to see you.

For more information about Downtown Wildwood and the Downtown Wildwood Farmer's Market, including the complete schedule of Byrne Plaza events, visit us online at www.DOOWW.com and follow us on Facebook at Wildwood By The Sea.

There's always something to DOO in Downtown Wildwood!

Wildwood Memories with our Moms

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Well, what can we say? You guys came through once again in a BIG way!

We have been overwhelmed (and absolutely delighted) by the number of photo submissions received for our "Moms in Wildwood" feature.

Our "Wildwood Memories with our Moms" album is now up on Facebook, but we're still in the process of adding all the photos.

Once we're done, we'll be rearranging them into alphabetical order so that your family's photos will be easier to find. Please feel free to tag yourself and other family members in the pics.

And there's no deadline on this, even after Mother's Day, so keep the great photos coming...

You can send pics to us via our Facebook page or at wildwood365@gmail.com.

Thanks again to our great readers and supporters!

Cloak & Dagger Escape Rooms to open Memorial Day Weekend

Several months back, we noted that the popular escape room phenomenon was coming to Wildwood this summer, at the home of XD Dark Ride (4008 Boardwalk).

We can confirm that, via Brian Martin of XD Dark Ride, that Hamilton, New Jersey-based Cloak & Dagger Escape Rooms are being completed on-site, and will be open for Memorial Day Weekend.

There will be three escape rooms, with the following themes:

Room 1: The Hillbilly Still

Set in an old barn, guests must find and assemble the pieces to grandpa's moonshine still!

Room 2: The Knights Quest

The Knights of the Round Table come to life!

Room 3: The Swindler's Escape

Recover the townspeople's money from the clutches of the Swindler, as he tries to make his escape on the caboose of a 19th Century steam locomotive!

Stay tuned for more information, as reservations will begin to be taken in the coming days.

Cloak & Dagger Escape Rooms will operate alongside XD Dark Ride, an interactive, cinema-style shoot-em-up that debuted in 2016.

For additional info on XD Dark Ride, visit www.xddarkridepierpark.com/wildwood-new-jersey/

Tornado Watch in effect for Cape May County until 1 am

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch, in effect until 1 am EST on Sunday, May 13 for eight New Jersey counties:

Cape May County, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean & Salem.

Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms before 3am, then a chance of showers. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Patchy fog after 3am. Low around 55. South wind 8 to 10 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday
A chance of showers. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 59. Northeast wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11pm and 2am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 54. Northeast wind 7 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

All-new, expanded Capt'n Jack's opens today

Over the past several months, we've been following the progress of Capt'n Jack's Island Grill's expansion, into what was previously Sand Jamm Surf Shop's second level retail area.

The new space, which features a large dining room and bar, with Boardwalk and beach views, officially opens today at 11 a.m.

Check out the accompanying photos, and view more at Capt'n Jack's official Facebook page.

Surfside Pier kicks off 50th season

It all started with a giant fiberglass slide, back in 1969.

For the price of $345,000, brothers Wilbert and Bill Morey purchased oceanfront land off the Boardwalk at 26th Avenue, and installed their first ride on a narrow wooden pier, based on an attraction Bill had seen near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Wipeout! was an instant hit and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Morey Brothers, highly successful developers, suddenly found themselves in the amusement business. Within just a few years, they would expand Surfside Pier, adding several state-of-the-art attractions, including industry-sought after European imports.

Today, second generation partners Will and Jack Morey preside over not just one of the premier seaside amusement parks in the world, but one of the largest family-owned amusement operations of any kind.

When Surfside Pier opens at noon today, it will mark the beginning of its 50th season of operation.

The pier as it exists today - with popular attractions such as the Great Nor'Easter, Zoom Phloom, AtmosFEAR, KONG and "it" - simply could not have been imagined at the time of its humble beginnings in the late-1960's.

Surfside joins Mariner's Pier in operation on weekends. Adventure Pier will open for the season next weekend.

Mariner's will go to an everyday summer schedule starting June 1. Adventure Pier and Surfside Pier will begin everyday operations beginning June 8 and June 9, respectively.

For the the full schedule of hours, see: www.moreyspiers.com/info/park-hours

Inaugural Run to Remember to be held Sunday, May 27th

The inaugural North Wildwood Run to Remember will take place on Sunday, May 27, and will include a 5K run and 1-mile fun walk.

The event will be held in remembrance of Patrick Corcoran and the 74 Lost Sailors of the USS Frank E. Evans DD 754.

The race will begin and end at the North Wildwood Beach Patrol Headquarters at 15th Avenue & Beach.

Registration starts at 7:15 am, race promptly at 7 am.

Online registration before race day is $25.00. Race day registration will be $30.00.

All proceeds will benefit veterans of war.

For more information, visit www.nwwvetrun.com or call 267-566-8359.

Morey's Piers' newest attraction arrives

Courtesy of Morey's Piers

It's an exciting day at Morey's Piers as the Wild Whizzer, the beachfront amusement parks' premier addition for the 2018 season, has arrived for assembly!

The spinning family coaster, a product of SBF Visa Group, will debut in the weeks to come on the south side of Mariner's Pier.

Check out Morey's official Instagram page for a sneak peek at today's unpacking. (And be sure to return to the same link on Monday for a more extensive behind-the-scenes look as the ride is installed.)

Below is a demo video for the "Compact Spinning Coaster," courtesy of SBF Visa Group.

The Wild Whizzer has been customized for Morey's Piers, with cars themed as hover boards, twirling riders through the air on a figure-eight track layout.

Who's ready to ride?

Hooked On Books open for 2018 season

"Books are a uniquely portable magic."

- Stephen King

Hooked on Books, located at 3405 Pacific Avenue in the heart of Downtown Wildwood (directly across from the new Byrne Plaza) kicks off its 28th season today.

The store is open everyday with the following hours:

Friday & Saturday:  10 am - 8 pm

Sunday thru Thursday:  10 am - 6 pm

Hooked On Books is the only bookstore in the Wildwoods. You may notice from the photo above that it is sporting a new look this year, switching to an orange color scheme from its familiar bright yellow.

For more info, check out www.hookedonbooks.info.

Follow Hooked On Books on Facebook for additional updates.

Casey's on Third sold; will become North Shore Bar & Kitchen

UPDATE: North Shore management will be conducting on-site interviews for all positions on Saturday, May 12 from 1 - 3 pm. Applicants are encouraged to bring a resume.

***************

Casey's on Third (3rd & New York avenues) has been sold, and will soon reopen as North Shore Bar & Kitchen, according to a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is the new owner, with Steve Godfrey serving as general manager and Kris Serviss as chef.

Godfrey and Serviss, lifelong friends from the Mayfair section of Northeast Philadelphia, run Northeast Sandwich Co. in Rhawnhurst.

The now-former Casey's is currently closed and is planned to open in time for Memorial Day Weekend (with limited openings starting May 20).

Stay tuned for more information...