July Fourth Weekend

Posted 6/27/06
By Jacob Schaad Jr.

The July Fourth holiday is on a Tuesday this year - that means an expanded weekend of festiovities in Cape May and the Wildwoods.

Cape May gets get off to an early start hosting the Kiwanis pancake breakfast, starting at 7 a.m. at Convention Hall on July 1. Wildwood also gets a jump on things, with a sports card, comic book, beanie and toy exposition and a sky diving extravaganza, both starting on June 30. The expo runs until July 2 and the skydivers will jump through July 4.

North Wildwood will turn to art on July 1 when the city sponsors a sidewalk chalk competition from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Eighth Avenue field. Prizes will be awarded for the best drawings.

Parades

The focus of any July Fourth celebrations, of course, is on its parades and fireworks. Cape May will hold its parade at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, starting at Philadelphia Avenue and moving along Beach Drive to Patterson Avenue. Grand marshal will be Captain Curtis Odom, commander of the Coast Guard base. Appropriately the Coast Guard band and color guard will be featured.

Meanwhile, North Wildwood, which likes to be known as the parade capital of New Jersey, waits until July 4 at noon for 2 parades rolled into one. The first will be the conventional July Fourth parade which will feature decorated bicycles. The second will be its second annual Pooch Parade for which prizes will be awarded for the best dogs that are patriotically costumed. Adding pizzazz to the parade will be the appearance of the Phillies Phanatic. The parade begins at Atlantic and 15th Avenues, proceeds north on Atlantic to First, then east on First to Surf where judging will take place and prizes awarded by Mayor Bill Henfey.

Fireworks

The skies will brighten on the night of July 4 when Cape May and Wildwood will both shoot off fireworks. Cape May’s pyrotechnics begin at 9 p.m. and for the third straight year crowds will gather on the beach to watch the fireworks. They'll be shot from a barge in the ocean.

Wildwood ‘s fireworks display will take place one hour later at 10 p.m. The launching pad will be on the beach.

Here are some of the other activities scheduled for the July Fourth weekend:

• Cape May, July 1, Al Raymond band dance at Convention Hall, 7 to 9 p.m. for children and from 9 to 10 p.m. for adults, free;
• July 2, Convention Hall, Christian concert at 7 p.m. and performance by Cape Harmonaires barbershop group, starting at 9 p.m, free.;
• July 3, Cape May Kids Playhouse, starting at 10 a.m. at Convention Hall.
• The Wildwoods: North Wildwood, opening of city’s 19 outdoor concert series by Cape Harmonaires at Lou Booth amphitheater at Ocean and Second Avenues, starting at 8 p.m. on July 1. All concerts are free.
• Wildwood Crest, Gazebo by the Sea craft show at Ocean Avenue and Rambler Road, Wildwood Crest, on July 1 and 2. Free. July 2, starting at 7:30 p.m., concert at Crest Pier by Lou DeMeis. Free.
• Wildwood, June 1 to 8, Delia’s Warehouse Sale, Wildwoods Convention Center, 9 a..m. to 8 p.m.

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