Memorial Day weekend kicks off at the Jersey shore
Memorial Day weekend kicks off at the Jersey shore
Beachgoers flocked to the Jersey shore on Friday to kick off the Memorial Day weekend. Widely considered the 'unofficial start of summer', Memorial Day weekend figures to be a boon for shore town businesses that manage to scape by during the colder months.
WILDWOOD, N.J. - Many are keeping up with the tradition of spending Memorial Day Weekend down the shore.
"The whole family is coming down. We’re all going to be crammed in the house, sharing seats and making breakfast. It’s what we love to do," said Todd Patterson. "We have to come down and see the kite festival now that we have a little one. So get to see the kites and we get to relive the memory over and over again."
Brendan Storino handles the mic floor at Ed’s Funcade on the Wildwood Boardwalk. He’s a La Salle University student and lives in Port Richmond.
"This is actually my sixth summer doing this. I love coming down here," said Storino. "Memorial Day weekend is like the unlocking of the summer. Everyone comes down. My Philly people out there they all filter down here."
Every year, businesses gear up for the busy holiday weekend that marks the beginning of the season down the shore.
Felicia McReynolds of Playa Bowls said her team came in days earlier to cut up fruit and make sure everyone was on the same page.
"Memorial Day weekend is always packed. The beach, the rides open, the water park opens… it’s just a fun time down here," said McReynolds. "We’re expecting a lot of people. We’ve been prepping nonstop."
Richard Sullivan and Charlotte Crawford are from Ben Salem. They took their first dip of the season in the ocean.
"It’s cold! I said to him, I think I’m getting used to it but maybe I’m just numb," said Crawford.
Last year broke records when it comes to hotel occupancy and visitor spending, according to the Wildwoods Convention Center, and this season is already on pace to be another record breaking season.