| Another great weekend, which will be followed by another great weekend!This weekend my focus is on the Asbury Park 5K road race. This is one of the best kept running secrets on the Jersey Shore. The finish for this fun event takes place on the AP boardwalk. The race starts promptly at 8 AM so arrive early. Even though I injured my toe, I am still committed to participating and the bet still stands: anyone who finishes ahead of me will get a free day pass to the AP Beach on Saturday. Go to www.jsrc.org for information or to register. You can also register the day of the event. Think you can?Another new restaurant opened last week in the downtown. At the Table is located at 311 Bond Street in the old Sister Sue’s spot. Haven’t been there yet, but I am hearing very good things. Call 732. 455.5093 for info. Asbury Park is the dining destination of choice and it just keeps getting better. I want to share that renovation work is going on at 508 Cookman (right next to Market in the Middle) and at Cookman & Press Plaza in the old Sonny’s location. Are there more restaurants coming? Stay tuned!
Asbury Park’s rich musical heritage continues to compose new chapters. Tonight Snoop Dog takes the stage at the international music icon Stone Pony. John Cafferty follows on Saturday and The Pretenders complete the weekend on Sunday. Everyone wants to play Asbury Park. So much music every weekend. Only in Asbury Park!
Save the date: The Mayor’s Ball this year will take place September 26th. This year’s theme is “Keeping Our Promise To The Children of Asbury Park.” Stay tuned!
Brian Long from Long Productions, San Francisco, California was in the city on Monday filming for a Liberty Mutual ad.
Sneak peek at the rest of August:
8-15: Clearwater Festival
8-16: “Born to Tri” Triathlon – Jersey Shore Triathlon Club
8-21: Collide-A-Scope
8-22 & 23: Great American Volley Ball Tournament
8-23: Asbury Park Historical Society Boardwalk Art Show
8-30: Flea Market – Bradley Park
And don’t forget, beach fireworks every Wednesday night courtesy of Madison Marquette. Huge!
The Showroom was featured in a great article in the new Metropolitan section of the Sunday NY Times. It highlighted all the great art things that are happening in Asbury Park. Congratulations to Michael Sodano and Nancy Sabino who have very quickly established The Showroom as the place for film, everything special and then some. They are this week’s AP Ambassador Award winners. I met Mike and Nancy when they first moved to Asbury Park and were inspired to produce the film Sense of Place. They have “Bought In” and it seems like every week they try to out do what they did the week before. Nancy and Mike thanks for all you do. Widescreen!
And don’t forget to vote for The Best of The Best in the Asbury Park Press Poll. Go to www.app.com and vote for your Asbury Park favorites. Do it!The Asbury Park Historical Society will be hosting a fundraiser for their 75th Anniversary Morro Castle Monument Fund on Sunday, August 9th from 3 to 6 PM at the Beach Bar. A donation of $25 gets you in. The AP Historical Society always throws a great party. Ironically, the Beach Bar is about100 yards from the spot where the Morro Castle beached in Asbury Park on its way home from Cuba. So, why not head down to the Jersey Shore’s best beach early and join Patti and me for this wonderful event at one of the Jersey Shore’s coolest venues. Be there!
The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a bus
iness luncheon next Wednesday, August 12th at TAKA, 632 Mattison Avenue. Renowned historian, Helen Pike will be our speaker. “Go Green, Go Show, Go Now” is the title of her talk taken from her newest book New Jersey: Crossroads of Commerce. This event will sell out so RSVP before Monday, August 10th. Call Cindi at 732.775.7676. Be there!
Unfortunately, I will have to miss the Chamber luncheon because I will be in Trenton making a pitch to the State to renew our Urban Enterprise Program (UEZ). I proudly serve as the Executive Director of the city’s UEZ program that provides economic incentives to Asbury Park businesses especially those that employ AP residents. This program has had significant impact on our current efforts to revive AP’s business community. It is critical that this program is renewed so we can continue to attract new businesses to Asbury Park and help those already here to grow and prosper. Stay tuned!
And next Wednesday, August 12th, also marks the opening night of Revision Theatre’s Full Monty at the historic Carousel House. Patti and I love these guys and hope to be there for the opening. For Ticket info go to www.revisiontheatre.org or call 732.455.3059.Start your weekend at the Asbury Park Transportation Center every Friday at 6 PM with the Mayor’s “Chill Out” Jazz Series. This Friday catch James Gibbs.
M Studios, the creative brains behind First Saturday, Collide-A-Scope and so much other great stuff in Asbury Park, is celebrating their 5th anniversary. Yea!
The Thursday night breach movie will not take place this week. Instead, The Asbury Park Film Initiative will host My Big Fat Greek Wedding on the beach on Sunday evening.
When I started writing this, I thought there really wasn’t a lot going on this weekend. Duh! This is Asbury Park and there is always great stuff going on and lots of it.
Wishes for a wonderful weekend full of sunshine and “Good Times.”
Tom Gilmour
Director of Commerce and Good Times
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Tom Gilmour serves as the Director of Commerce for the City of Asbury Park and is responsible for economic development, the APUEZ (Asbury Park Urban Enterprise Zone Program), special events, and the city’s employment initiative; “Asbury Works.” |
