Sea Isle City’s Harborfest 2013

SEA ISLE CITY – On Oct. 5, the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization will host their annual Harborfest celebration, which will delight music lovers, shoppers, competitive eaters, athletes and anyone who enjoys fresh seafood.

The fun will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the Harborfest 5K Run on Sea Isle’s oceanfront Promenade at JFK Boulevard. At the end of the competition, which benefits the wrestling program at Saint Augustine Prep School in Richland, NJ, prizes will be awarded to the event’s overall top runners as well as the fastest athletes in seven age groups.

Additional Harborfest activities will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. along 42nd Place and the Bay, where delicious seafood, nautical displays, live music by the Daisy Jug Band, and a vendors market with crafts, fashion apparel and collectibles will delight festival-goers.

At 1:00 p.m., the Harborfest Chowder Contest will begin, featuring chowders prepared by numerous local restaurants. For $5.00, festival-goers can sample each of the concoctions entered in the contest and then cast a vote for their favorite choice. The eatery that receives the most votes will win a trophy and “bragging rights” for having the best chowder in Sea Isle City.

At 2:00 p.m., local religious leaders will gather on the commercial fishing docks along 42nd Place for a Blessing of the Fleet, which will be begin with bag pipe music provided by the Atlantic City Fire Department Pipe Band. Clergy from several denominations will participate in this ecumenical service.

Then, at 3:00 p.m., the festival’s exciting Raw Clam Eating Contest will begin along 42nd Place. At the end of this entertaining competition, which always attracts a large crowd of spectators, prizes will be awarded to the contestant who eats the largest number of raw bivalves in the shortest amount of time.

“People enjoy this festival because it’s on the bay and it embraces Sea Isle City’s fishing tradition,” said Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization President Chris Glancey. “Sea Isle began as a small fishing village, and Harborfest embraces that rich history, which we want to keep alive. It’s a reminder of our past and celebrates all we have on the bay.”

To learn more about Sea Isle City’s 2013 Harborfest celebration, phone (609) 263-9090 or visit www.seaislechamber.com. For more information about the Harborfest 5K Run, phone (609) 263-3611 or visit www.lacosta-seaisle.com .