The Borough of Wildwood Crest will host its third annual Christmas in July Festival on Saturday, July 24, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The event will be held overlooking the bay at Sunset Lake along New Jersey Avenue from Farragut to Miami avenues.
This year’s event will also include a holiday-themed boat parade hosted by the Wildwood Gables Yacht Club, as well as a house-decorating contest.
The Wildwood Crest Christmas in July Festival and Boat Parade will include live Christmas-themed and pop and rock music with Jamison Celtic Rock, a holiday-themed candy lane, magic shows, food and more. The event will also include a visit from Santa Claus, who will be on hand for free family photographs overlooking the bay. The Sunset Lake area will also be decorated for the holiday season.
Also on hand for the event will be Bob Kelly, the Philadelphia area’s favorite television traffic reporter. Kelly will assist with the festivities and raise awareness for Kelly’s Kidz, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the community to fund the resources needed to provide children in pediatric hospital settings items for play. Attendees to the festival are asked to bring a new unwrapped toy for donation to be given to children in local pediatric hospitals.
The boat parade will begin at approximately 8:45 p.m., with decorated boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards traveling through Sunset Lake for all to see. The event will also include a house-decorating contest for bayfront homes in the Sunset Lake area, with prizes going to the winners. Those interested in registering a boat or kayak for the parade or in participating in the house-decorating contest should email Maria at christmasjulyboatparade@gmail.com. Registration for both the boat parade and the house-decorating contest is free.
Prizes will be awarded to all participants in the boat parade, with grand prizes to the best-decorated boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Prizes will also be awarded to the winners of the house-decorating contest.
For more information about the Wildwood Crest Christmas in July Festival and Boat Parade, log on to wildwoodcrest.org or call (609) 523-0202.