Myth: Labor Day marks the end of summer. As we all know in Asbury Park, the best part of summer is just beginning. This past weekend, Asbury Park WAS the place to be! On Sunday, Patti and I arrived at the beach around 1 PM. I almost started crying. The beach was packed. The boardwalk was packed. Our favorite spot on the beach was packed. This is what we have all been working for. There is no turning back. It was very much like the beach I remembered from my youth. Garret Giberson, our Director of Public Works who oversees the city’s beachfront operation shared that Sunday set a new beach record and our beach revenues are the best they have been in over 20 years!
A very special thanks to the DPW and our beach staff that keeps our beach one of the cleanest and safest on the Jersey Shore. And a big thanks to all the boardwalk merchants and Madison Marquette who somehow, someway, got it done and brought the boardwalk back to life. This has been a great summer so far and we are looking forward to many more great summer days. Yes, very, very HUGE!

Speaking of boardwalk merchants, I owe a big apology to the Mayfair Boardwalk Grille. A couple of weeks ago, I unintentionally mentioned their business in not so complementary terms. Thankfully, a reader pointed this out to me. I am truly sorry for this mistake and apologize. The Mayfair is the icon business on the boardwalk that represents all of the good from the past and all of the greatest yet to come. Their burgers and dogs are part of the fabric that keeps bringing thousands back to the Asbury Park beach.

So, it’s First Saturday and so the downtown will be rockin’ on Saturday night! This month our theme is “Labor of Love, Building an Educational Foundation for the Future.”

We will be selling bricks and all donations will be used to purchase school supplies for the upcoming school year. Call the AP Chamber at 732.775.7676 for info. This is a great time to rediscover our downtown shopping and dining district. The Bangs Avenue parking garage will be open for free parking. Great merchandise, great food, great music and great fun!

In conjunction with the City’s First Saturday’s event, ArtsCAP will be hosting an opening night reception for artist Olympia Hostler’s “Liquid Life” Art Show from 6 to 9 PM at Core Restore at 630 Mattison Avenue. A portion of the proceeds will benefit ArtsCAP. The Garden Marketplace, 519 Bangs Avenue will be hosting a book signing and wine tasting from 7 to 10 PM. International Author and Wine enthusiast, Gary Vaynerchuk star of Winelibrarytv.com will be signing copies of his new book, 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight and Bring Thunder to Your World. eZENtial, 658 Cookman Avenue (Shoppes at the Arcade - upper level) will be presenting an in-store poetry reading and book signing, “Summer Love in Bergen Norway,” featuring Lourdes Lozano Lauber at 6 PM.

This weekend:
Thursday, September 4th: A. J Swearingen & Jonathan Beedle will be perfoming “The Music of Simon & Garfunkel” at 8 PM at Tim McLoone’s Supper Club.
Friday, September 5th: Jillian Rhys at Madison Park.
Saturday, September 6th: Main Street Farmers Market - 8 AM to 1 PM at Firemans Park, Main Street between Fifth and Sunset Avenues.
Back to School Block Party 1 AM to 3 PM at the Bangs Avenue Elementary and Middle School Playground. Rain date: Sept. 7th. Volunteers needed. Call Lori Ross for info at 732.502.5727.
First Saturday Downtown, “Labor of Love” - 6 to 10 PM.
Beach Concert, 5th Avenue beach, Hang Daddy and fireworks at 8:30 PM.
Sunday, September 7th: another great beach Sunday!

Still time to sign up for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement’s Golf Tournament to be held on Monday, September 8th. Call 732.776.5727 or Don Brockel at 732.531.0912.

Today is my little brother David’s birthday!

A great story on hurricanes appeared in the New Jersey section of last Sunday’s NY Times. A very cool and scary picture of the Asbury Park boardwalk taken during Hurricane Carol (August 31, 1954,100 mile per hour winds) introduced the article.

Football season kicks off tonight when the Super Bowl Champion Giants host Councilman Ed Johnson’s Washington Redskins. Since I met Ed nine years ago, I think the Giants record against Washington is 16-3. Councilman, it looks like it’s going to be another long season. Stay tuned!

Do I need to remind anyone that next Sunday, September 14th is the Guinness Oyster Fest? We tried this event four years ago and it was a big success. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Ruthanne Harrison of RUE Events and the support of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce this year’s Guinness Oyster Festival is bigger and better than ever! The festival takes place in the downtown on Cookman Avenue from 12-6 PM. Black 47 will headline the event and DeSol, Joe Hurley and Rogues March, Deni Bonet and the Mayors Players will provide a great afternoon of great music. Six Flags will provide musical entertainment for the younger set. Admission is FREE! Patti and I will be manning one of the food and drink tickets tables so stop by and say hello. This is one Asbury park event you don’t want to miss! More details to come next week. Stay tuned! HUGE!

As most of you know, the next two months are probably the best time to enjoy the Jersey Shore. In the tourism industry it is referred to as the “shoulder season.” In Asbury Park it’s just referred to as downright beautiful. So, where will you be spending your weekend? Hope to see you in the Park.

Wishes for a wonderful and safe weekend.

Tom Gilmour
Director of Commerce and Good Times

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Tom Gilmour serves as the Director of Commerce for the City of Asbury Park and is responsible for economic development, the APUEZ (Asbury Park Urban Enterprise Zone Program), special events, and the city’s employment initiative; “Asbury Works.”