SEA ISLE CITY – Sea Isle City’s Division of Tourism will host the resort’s annual Skimmer Festival Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21. Skimmer Weekend is Sea Isle’s largest summer festival, featuring two-days of family-friendly activities and plenty of free entertainment.
Founded in 1962, Skimmer Festival derives its name from the recognizable turn-of-the-century straw hats (also known as boater hats) that gentlemen often wore during the summer months.
On Saturday, Skimmer Festival will begin with a Seaside Market along Sea Isle’s oceanfront Promenade, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The market will feature 400 vendors selling a wide variety of merchandise, ranging from home goods, fashion apparel and fishing equipment to children’s toys, flags and artisan crafts. Also on Saturday, the popular Skimmer Food Court will offer a tempting selection of local delicacies and traditional festival-fare in front of Excursion Park, located at JFK Boulevard and Pleasure Avenue. Meanwhile, inside Excursion Park, festival-goers will enjoy live music by The Steve Santos Band and a variety of free family activities, including a photo booth, inflatable obstacle courses, face-painters, a “Waxy Hands” booth and more.
The festival’s annual Sand Sculpting Demonstration will take place on the JFK Boulevard Beach beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. Afterwards, while artists from Sand Pounders Professional Sand Sculptors are creating a one-of-a-kind sculpture for all to enjoy, the public is invited to compete in a Sand Sculpting Competition that will be followed by an award ceremony at 12 noon, at which time trophies will be distributed to the best amateur sand creations.
On Saturday night at 8:00 p.m., Split Decision will perform a free concert at the Excursion Park Band Shell. Concert-goers are reminded to arrive early if they want to enjoy bench-seating – or to bring blankets and folding chairs to spread-out on the park’s lawn.
Skimmer Festival will continue on Father’s Day, June 21, with an Antique Auto Show along the Promenade north of JFK Boulevard from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. While history-buffs and auto-enthusiasts are enjoying the many vehicles entered in the Auto Show, The Snake Brothers Band will fill the air with blue grass music on the Promenade at JFK Boulevard between 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon.
Also on Sunday, Free Guided Historical Trolley Tours will be offered every half-hour in front of Excursion Park from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The tours will be led by members of the Sea Isle City Historical Society, who will point-out notable landmarks and explain how Sea Isle has grown over the years.
At 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Mayor Leonard Desiderio will present trophies to the winners of the Antique Auto Show. Then, each of the vehicles entered in the auto show will parade through town, bringing this year’s Skimmer Festival to a spectacular close.
For additional information about Sea Isle City’s 2015 Skimmer Festival Weekend, phone (609) 263-8687 or visit www.VisitSICNJ.com.