Hear Philly: The Shore Thing - Skimmer Festival, Turtles and Food Trucks Galore
By Andrew Kramer
SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. (CBS) - June is always an action packed month in Sea Isle City, and this year is no exception.
Katherine Custer - the Director of Community Services for Sea Isle, says their longstanding popular event -- the Skimmer Festival -- gets things going starting June 20th.
"The big draw on Saturday is our Skimmer Seaside Vendors Market, which has over 400 vendors selling everything from toys to socks and clothing and home goods. Also on Saturday we offer a lot fo free family activities from free moon bounces and a photo booth to waxy hand booth and face painters and balloon artists and much more."
And we can't forget about the music and food.
"We also have the Steve Santo Band playing a free concert at the Band Shell and of course the fabulous food court that has over 20 terrific food vendors," Custer says. "Then that Saturday night, we have a free concert at the Band Shell once again, featuring split decision.
And that's just day one. Custer says Skimmer Sunday kicks off with the annual Antique Auto Show beginning at 9 a.m.:
"They typically get about 100 classic vehicles and really I can tell you every year, it seems to get better and better -- vintage vehicles like you've never seen before."
And like Saturday, Custer says the second day of the Skimmer Festival features plenty more.
"We have music by the Snake Brothers Band on our Promenade from 10 a.m. to noon. We'll offer free, historical guided trolley tours. Then we'll wrap up Skimmer weekend with an award ceremony where we'll give trophies to the best vehicles in the Antique Auto Show, and then at 1:30 p.m. on Father's Day we have an Antique Auto Show parade through town."
A few days later on June 24th, the Eco-minded Sara the Turtle Festival returns to Excursion Park from 7 p.m. -9 p.m.
"There'll be environmental displays from local Eco organizations, there'll be hands-on animal exhibits -- so families will get the chance to hold exotic snakes and other critters they might not normally see," Custer explains. "We have a very fun diaper derby, which is a baby crawling contest. And then for our older kids we have what we call 'turtle races' which are sprinting races on the sand."
And live many of the other Sea Isle events, there will be live entertainment among other activities during the festival.
And rounding out the month of June, Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio says over two dozen vendors will be on hand for the Food Truck Fest:
"It's a great three-day festival with music, great food and other surprises, entertainment, etc."
As far as examples of some of the food people will get to try...
"The chessesteaks and the grilled cheese, french fries and waffle fries and chicken cutlet sandwiches with broccoli rabe, etc. Then you have a waffle truck that will be there -- ice cream, waffle, something like that. You have some really gourmet trucks there -- you have a Mexican truck, some other ethnic groups."
The Food Truck Fest takes place June 26-28 and returns again in September.
For more information on all Sea Isle events go to visitsicnj.com.
Or CLICK HERE to learn more about all events taking place throughout the Jersey Shore this summer.
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