| Asbury Park gave new meaning to HUGE last Sunday! The Guinness Oyster Festival exceeded all expectations. We hoped for 10,000 visitors but I’m sure we had at least that many. Congratulations to the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce for making this happen. It was one of the best and biggest events and a true indicator that the city is back. Patti and I were working the ticket tent at the entrance to the event at Cookman and Main. Every time a train came into the station, hundreds of revelers rushed to purchase tickets. Great music, great food, great fun, that’s what we are all about. On Monday, I unfortunately had to go to Trenton for a day full of meetings. Each stop when I introduced myself and said I work for the City of Asbury Park, someone mentioned the Guinness Oyster Festival. The one thing that continually keeps me motivated is there are so many people out there rooting for the city to come back and a significant number of those fans showed up on Sunday. Special thanks to Ruthanne Harrison of RUE Events who raised the sponsorships and operated the event, all the Chamber volunteers, the participating Asbury Park restaurants, the Asbury Park Police Department, Guinness, the Asbury Park Department of Public Works, Six Flags for all those great children’s activities, all our city merchants and of course to all of you. Yes, this will be an annual event and yes, this was truly, HUGE!
ArtsCAP, the Asbury Park Historical Society and the Asbury Park Urban Enterprise Zone Program are launching a new street banner program. Since this is Asbury Park, this will not be your typical generic banner program, but a citywide arts exhibit. Local artists are invited to submit designs for our “Imagine Asbury Park” banner contest. Artists may submit up to three designs for the banners by Monday, Nov 3, 2008. We expect to select 14 winners. Artists can go to www.artscap.org/bannerprogram. for entry information. This will be a very high profile event and sponsorships are limited, so contact Sonja O’Brien at 917.881.9508 or at sonjaobrien@ivyhill-cinram.com. for sponsorship information. Only in Asbury Park! Stay tuned!
Perry Garfinkel, acclaimed journalist who included Asbury Park in that great article he wrote for AARP Magazine, will be making a guest appearance at Marilyn Schlossbach’s newest restaurant, Langosta Lounge on Friday, September 19th at 8 PM. Perry is the author of “Buddha or Bust.” The event will focus on Buddha’s Message: The Ultimate Pampering of the Mind and Perry will explore how to use simple practices to cope with life’s Little (and big) stresses.
Marilyn will be hosting an opening party on Saturday night and . . . .
The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce will present another of its terrific business networking events at the Langosta Lounge on Thursday, September 25th at 5:30 PM. As I have mentioned many times, if you want to or are doing business in Asbury Park, you need to join the AP chamber. Why not come out and join us and check out Asbury Park’s newest restaurant. Quite Large!
Just a few of the great happenings in the city this weekend:
Thursday & Friday: “Sunrise, Sunset or Breakfast with Julia” (A Mother’s Alzheimer’s, A Daughter’s Survival Kit) a new play written and performed by Julia Sandra Rand and presented by the Black Box will be performed at the Berkeley Hotel. Thursday at 8 PM and Friday at 7 PM. $20 for adults and $10 for students & seniors. Call 732.455.3060.
Saturday: Main Street Farmer’s Market, Main & Sunset, 8 AM to 1 PM.
Asbury Jukes Keyboardist, Jeff Kazee, will perform at the Rocktography by John Cavanaugh at the Asbury Galleria on the boardwalk at 8 Pm. $10.
Yard Dog Roads Show, a hobo cabaret of vaudeville and rock and roll, at Asbury Lanes at 9:30 PM.
Roller Derby-Convention Hall: Jersey Shore Roller Girls All Stars vs. Wall Street Traitors 7 PM.
Paramount Theatre – Bouncing Souls
Rachael Yamagata at the Wonder Bar
Sunday: Giants (2-0) vs. Cincinnati
Bob Egan’s “Open-Mic” Night – Moonstruck, 517 Lake Avenue
Paradise recently announced a new menu of weekday events:
Wednesdays: “Wind Back Wednesday Retro Night”
Thursdays: Fuego Latino Night
Fridays: Drink Specials, Drink Specials, Drink Specials
And don’t forget to check out paradise’s new restaurant, Ketchup.
Next Week: Prevention First’s 9th Annual Chess Fest and the Boardwalk Relay Against Hunger. Stay tuned!
I got an email from Ellie Stoneley from Cambridge England who shared she is getting married this Saturday. Ellie and Roy were visiting Asbury Park during the 4th of July 2007 and got engaged. I wonder how many thousands of others got engaged in Asbury Park? We all know the city is very seductive. On behalf of the over four thousand subscribers to this email, we all wish you the very best and a marriage full of “Good Times.” Yes, this too is HUGE! Congratulations!
And less we forget, next week is birthday week at the Gilmour’s. Monday is father-in-law, Bob Ayling’s big day, followed by Patti’s birthday on Tuesday. Unfortunately, Patti has open house at her school on Tuesday, so we will be celebrating on another night in Asbury Park. Stay tuned!
This past weekend, I witnessed something I imagined and wished for a very long time. Large crowds of visitors and residents mixing it up and just enjoying all Asbury Park has to offer. I am so proud to be part of this, so proud of all our businesses, so proud to work with so many talented and dedicated people, and certainly, so proud of all of you who never gave up on this great little city by the sea. We truly are blessed. Stay tuned!
Wishes for a wonderful and safe weekend.
Tom Gilmour
Director of Commerce and Good Times
If you know anyone who would like to receive these weekly email updates, they may go to the city’s web site, www.cityofasburypark.com and subscribe.
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.” |
