The New Jersey State Firemen's Convention: Meeting in the Wildwoods since 1975

Thousands of firefighters and their families representing every county in New Jersey migrate to the Wildwoods for a weekend of equipment displays, meetings, seminars, vendors, and a grand parade of trucks and equipment...

PRESS RELEASE

THE WILDWOODS - The annual New Jersey State Firemen’s Convention returns to the Wildwoods on Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14. Since 1975, the convention has been held in the Wildwoods during the second week of September. 

The Fireman’s Convention, with its large attendance and growth, generates a positive economic impact of over $10 million for the Wildwoods and Cape May County during the shoulder season. 

This decades-old Wildwoods’ tradition, however, was nearly halted in 2001 – as convention attendance began to outgrow the older, smaller Wildwood Convention Hall that existed prior to the construction of the new Wildwoods Convention Center in 2002. Today’s Convention Center is a modern, 260,000-square-foot venue able to accommodate over 7,500 attendees. 

“The New Jersey State Firemen’s Convention remains a significant event for our destination, attracting thousands of visitors to enjoy our beaches, world-famous Boardwalk, restaurants, businesses, and attractions, during our vibrant Fall Second Season,” said Louis M. Belasco, Greater Wildwoods Tourism, Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) Executive Director. 

Fire equipment vendors from the throughout the East Coast will display the latest fire apparatus in the Wildwoods Convention Center parking lots as part of the NJ Fire Expo. In addition to the apparatus, there will be vendors of fire-related products – often described as the largest exposition of its kind east of the Mississippi – in Fox Park, located across from the Convention Center. The NJ Fire Expo takes place on Friday, September 13 from 8 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, September 14 from 8 am to 1 pm.

One of the highlights and main attractions during Firemen’s Weekend is the NJ Firefighter’s Memorial Parade – a grand procession of gleaming firetrucks and apparatus/equipment that’s a family favorite. This year’s parade will be held on Saturday, September 14 at 2 p.m. along New Jersey Avenue, from Cresse Avenue in Wildwood Crest, proceeding north to 20th Avenue in North Wildwood. 

In addition, the Wildwood Crest Firefighters’ Weekend Craft Show at Sunrise Park in Wildwood Crest will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, September 13, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 14. For additional information on the Craft Show, please call 609-523-0202 or visit www.WildwoodCrest.org. 

On Sunday, September 15, the Wildwood Fire Company Annual Fire Muster will be held in the Wildwoods Convention Center. There will be a large display of old antique fire engines dating from the early 1900s to today. Fire equipment and fire trucks from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as local fire apparatus, will be on display in the grassy circle in front of the Wildwoods Convention Center. For more information, call 609-675-3595. 

For more information on the New Jersey State Fireman’s Convention, call 800-852-0137 or visit www.njsfa.com/. 

For more information on the parade or outside vendor opportunities, visit www.NJFireExpo.com. For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.