PRESS RELEASE
The Wildwoods, NJ – The 23rd Annual Irish Fall Festival, the East Coast’s largest Irish Festival, comes to North Wildwood Thursday, September 18 through Sunday, September 21.
The festival, designed to celebrate Irish culture and heritage through a variety of exciting events, tees off on Thursday, September 18, with a golf tournament at Cape May National Golf Course, located at Route 9 and Fairway Drive in Cape May Court House.
The tournament begins at 7:30 a.m. and is $90 per golfer in advance through Saturday, September 4 and $100 per golfer after that date; and includes golf fees, continental breakfast, cart, buffet lunch, beer, and prizes. Space is limited and reservations are suggested. To reserve a spot, please call the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) at 800-474-7491.
On Thursday night, head to the Concert at Wildwood Catholic High School, located at 15th and New Jersey Avenue, North Wildwood, NJ. Haley Richardson, an award winning fiddler, will open the concert, followed by Derek Warfield and the Young Wolftones.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For advance ticket sales visit the Wildwood Catholic High School during business hours or via mail by sending a check along with a self-addressed stamped envelope to 1500 Central Avenue, North Wildwood, NJ, 08260. For more information call Wildwood Catholic High School at 609-522-7257.
Vendors with Irish merchandise will line Olde New Jersey Avenue in North Wildwood Friday, September 19 through Sunday, September 21 from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Irish memorabilia will be available for purchase along with Irish treats sure to satisfy any palate. On Friday and Saturday, FREE live entertainment will also be featured along Olde New Jersey Avenue from noon-10:30 p.m.
As always, the concert will begin with our National Anthem sung by Dolly McGee, followed by the Irish National Anthem. Other featured performers include Timmy Kelly, Maura McKinney-Mastro, Ballina, Broken Shillelaghs, Birmingham 6, First Highland Band and many more.
On Saturday, special guest Haley Richardson will also perform. Haley is 11 years old and has won multiple awards both here and in Ireland for her fiddle playing. For more information stop by the AOH table located between 1st and 2nd Avenues on Olde New Jersey Avenue.
Festivities on Saturday, September 20 kick off with a 5K run starting at 8 a.m. Registration for the 5K run will be at the AOH tent located between 1st and 2nd Avenues on Olde New Jersey Avenue the day of the event. For early registration visit Owen’s Pub, located at 119 East 17th Street in North Wildwood. A $15 entry fee is required to participate, and cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Saturday’s entertainment also includes the Brian Riley Pipe Exhibition, located at 8th and Central Avenues at 10 a.m.
The show 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 2nd and Olde New Jersey Avenues.
On Sunday, September 21, everyone is welcome to celebrate the faith and heritage of the Irish at Saint Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, located at Glenwood and Atlantic Avenues, for a 10:30 a.m. mass. There will be a procession from the main entrance to the altar by the Protectors of the Faith Guards, the Cape May County Emerald Society Honor Guard and a liturgical bag piper soloist.
A special parade will follow the mass at 12:30 p.m. at 20th and Surf Avenues, continuing to Spruce and Olde New Jersey Avenues.
The Irish Fall Festival is pleased to announce that the 2014 Grand Marshal will be North Wildwood Mayor Emeritus Bill Henfey, who served as Mayor for 8 years, from 2006 to 2013.
In addition, the parade will also feature special guests Seamus Boyle – past national president of the AOH, Miss North Wildwood Maegan Sharkey, many fraternal organizations, bag pipe bands, Irish dance groups and much more.
Due to the large attendance the Irish Fall Festival attracts, 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 Avenues along Surf Avenue to 26th Avenue.
Shuttle bus service through Wildwood and Wildwood Crest will also be available. For detailed information please call 609-884-5230 or visit www.gatrolley.com.
For additional information about the 23rd Annual Irish Fall Festival, please call 800-474-7491 or visit www.CMCAOH.com.
For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.
###
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 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.
The Wildwoods have won numerous travel and tourism awards, heralding the resort for its beaches, boardwalk and attractions. The Wildwoods were named among the top three Boardwalks in the nation as a Best Boardwalk for Food by TheDailyMeal.com; #1 Boardwalk in the nation by FamilyVacationCritic.com in 2014, 2013 and 2012; and the Wildwoods’ Morey’s Amusement Piers were named in 2014 among the Top 25 Piers in the World by TripAdvisor and among the Top 10 Piers by Coastal Living Magazine. In 2013 the Wildwoods were also recognized as one of the Most Awesome Boardwalks in America by BudgetTravel.com; as the Favorite Shore Town by Delaware County Daily Times readers; as the Favorite Beach and Boardwalk by NJ.com readers; the Top Family-Friendly Beach Town by NerdWallet.com; and as One of America’s Top 10 U.S. Tourist Towns by families voting in FamilyFun magazine. They were also 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 were one of Sherman’s Travel’s “Top Ten American Boardwalks” for two years in a row.
For more information about the Wildwoods, contact the GWTIDA at 800-WW-By-Sea (800-992-9732) or visit its web site, www.WildwoodsNJ.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment