Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Wildwoods Celebrate Celtic Heritage During 21st Annual Irish Fall Festival September 20-23

PRESS RELEASE

The East Coast’s largest Irish Festival comes to North Wildwood Thursday, September 20 through Sunday, September 23 during the 21st Annual Irish Fall Festival.

The festival, designed to celebrate Irish culture and heritage through a variety of exciting events that are sure to entertain, tees off on Thursday, September 20, with a golf tournament at the Wildwood Golf & Country Club, located at 1170 Golf Club Road in Cape May Court House.

The tournament begins at 7:30 a.m. and is $90 per golfer with advanced reservations until Saturday, September 15 and $100 per golfer after that date. Space is limited and reservations are recommended. To reserve a spot, please call the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) at 800-IRISH-91.

On Thursday night, head to the Irish Music Tent, located at Olde New Jersey and Spruce Avenue, for a night of Live Amateur Boxing featuring 10 amateur bouts sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic Boxing Association featuring the Harrowgate Boxing Club of Philadelphia, PA vs. the Holy Family Boxing Club of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The bouts are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For advanced ticket sales please call 215-465-1778 or contact the AOH at 800-IRISH-91.

Vendors with Irish merchandise will line Olde New Jersey Avenue in North Wildwood Friday, September 21 through Sunday, September 23 from 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Irish memorabilia will be available for purchase along with Irish treats sure to satisfy any palate.

FREE live entertainment will also be featured along Olde New Jersey Avenue from noon-10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, including performances by Ballina, Broken Shillelaghs, Birmingham 6, Celtic Pride, First Highland Watch, Moira Maestro McKinney and many others. Additionally, Irish food and entertainment will also be available at most pubs and taverns in North Wildwood all weekend long.

Festivities on Saturday, September 22 kick off with a 5K Run starting at 8 a.m. Registration for the 5K Run will be at the AOH tent the day of the event, located between 1st and 2nd Avenue on Olde New Jersey Avenue. Various prizes will be awarded following the 5K Run. For early registration visit Owen’s Pub, located at 119 East 17th Street in North Wildwood. A $15 entry fee is required to participate.
Saturday’s entertainment continues at 10 a.m. with the Brian Riley Pipe Exhibition, located at 8th and Central Avenue. The exhibition will feature some of the best pipe bands in the East. FREE Irish dance lessons will also be available on Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Anglesea Volunteer Fire House, located at Second and Olde New Jersey Avenue.

On Sunday, September 23, everyone is welcome to celebrate in the faith and heritage of the Irish at Saint Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, located at Glenwood and Atlantic Avenue, for a 10:30 a.m. mass.

A special parade will follow the mass at 12:30 p.m. at 24th and Surf Avenue and continuing to Spruce and Olde New Jersey Avenue. The AOH is honored to have Brendan Moore, National President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians as the Grand Marshal, along with Seamus Boyle, former National President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, as a special guest.

Due to the large attendance expected for the Irish Fall Festival events, shuttle bus transportation will be available to ensure festival-goers are able to easily get around and enjoy all of the activities planned for the weekend. Buses will loop continuously in North Wildwood from 2nd and Olde New Jersey Avenue along Surf Avenue to 26th Avenue. Bus service through Wildwood and Wildwood Crest will also be available.

For additional information about the 21st Annual Irish Fall Festival, please call 800-IRISH-91 or visit www.CMCAOH.com.

For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.

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About the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority

The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) was formed in 1993 to consolidate the tourism economy of its three founding municipalities: Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and North Wildwood. The Wildwoods have won numerous travel and tourism awards, heralding the resort for its beaches, boardwalk and attractions.

The Wildwoods were named “Best Beaches in New Jersey” in the 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2008 Top Ten New Jersey Beaches public survey, sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. Wildwoods’ beaches were also named “Best Beach for Family Vacations,” “Best Beach for Tourism,” “Best Beach for Events,” “Best Beach for Eco-Tourism” and “Best Beach for Day Trips” in the same surveys. The Wildwoods were named #1 Boardwalk in the nation by FamilyVacationCritic.com in 2012; and Smarter Travel also named the Wildwoods Boardwalk, one of “Americas Best Boardwalks.” The 2012 list of “15 Destinations on the Rise” for TripAdvisor included the Wildwoods, and Home.com voted the Wildwoods one of “Americas Top 10 Scenic Seasides of the Summer.” In addition, the Wildwoods were voted “Best Town” in the 2009 and 2011 PHL-17 Philly Hot List, Jersey Shore Edition contest; and was one of Sherman’s Travel’s “Top Ten American Boardwalks” for two years in a row.

The Tourism Authority operates the Wildwoods Convention Center and acts as the island’s destination marketing organization overseeing the development, research, planning, marketing, advertising, promotion, public and media relations encompassing the tourism, meeting and convention industry in the Wildwoods. Additionally, the Authority funds, assists with and hosts more than 180 annual special events to enhance the visitor experience and extend the tourism season, including the Beach Monster Mash Truck Races, Family Nights On The Boardwalk, Friday Night Fireworks, the New Jersey State Barbeque Championships and Anglesea Blues Festival, Classic Car Shows, the International Kite Festival, Irish and Italian Festivals and the National Marbles Tournament, among others. 

For more information about the Wildwoods, contact the GWTIDA at 1-800-WW-By-Sea (800-992-9732) or visit its web site, www.WildwoodsNJ.com.

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