Spring Events are Plentiful in the Wildwoods as Winter Fades Away

WILDWOOD – Springtime in the Wildwoods has finally arrived! With the new season comes a full calendar of events throughout April and May that are sure to please anyone visiting the five-mile island.
Leading up to the start of the official tourism season during Memorial Day weekend, the Wildwoods Convention Center hosts three youth sporting events. First, Cheer Tech hosts two days of cheerleading competition Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 during the ECC Shore Show Down and “Beast of the East” Cheerleading Competition – featuring the area’s top cheerleading teams competing to impress the judges, as well as the crowd. On Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23, the South Jersey Wrestling Association hosts the 8th Annual “War at the Jersey Shore” National Folkstyle Wrestling Championships featuring 50 youth weight classes spread across four age divisions, along with a high school division with 16 weight classes.
At the end of April, the Wildwoods celebrate the start of spring and Easter weekend with a selection of festive holiday events. On Saturday, April 23, families with little ones can take part in two festive Easter egg hunts throughout the island. Families can pick from the annual Elks Easter Egg Hunt in North Wildwood or the Greater Wildwood Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt in Wildwood – both set to begin at noon on the beach. On Easter Sunday, April 24, Morey’s Piers hosts its Opening Day & Easter Celebration from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.– boasting fun for the kid in all of us including rides, food, entertainment and an Easter egg hunt. Also on Easter Sunday, families can head to North Wildwood for the annual Ed’s Funcade Easter Sunday Egg Hunt starting at 12:30 p.m.
Throughout the end of April and the beginning of May, the Wildwoods will host many of its annual, classic events. Indoor band units from eight different states head to the Wildwoods Convention Center Thursday, April 28 through Sunday, May 1 for a weekend of music and performing during the Wildwoods’ Tournament of Bands Indoor Championships. One weekend later, classic cars of all makes and models will fill the Wildwoods Boardwalk for four days of cruising and awards during the 19th Annual East Coast Boardwalk Nationals Car Show Thursday, May 5 through Sunday, May 8.
Two Wildwoods’ classics will take place during the weekend of Friday, May 13 through Sunday, May 15 – the 6th Annual Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce Sensational ‘60s Weekend and the Wildwoods Spring Bike Rally. First, the Sensational ‘60s Weekend will be a blast from the past for three days featuring a Friday Night Dance Party; a Saturday afternoon Street Fair with free live entertainment, food & merchandise vendors, fun games and contests; a classic car show; and Doo-Wop bus tours. Saturday night, it’s the ’60s era concert featuring the Spinners, The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley and the Contours featuring Sylvester Potts. For more information and for concert ticket prices, call 609-729-4000 or visit www.gwcoc.com.
The Wildwoods Spring Bike Rally, Friday, May 13 through Sunday, May 15, is expected to attract thousands of bikers to the five-mile island for a weekend of motorcycles, vendors and a special “Ride the Wave Motorcycle Run” on Sunday, from Camden to the Wildwoods, to benefit the families of fallen public safety workers throughout the region.
Memorial Day Weekend will officially kick-off the 2011 tourism season with the Wildwoods’ annual Unlocking of the Ocean Ceremony on Friday, May 27, in conjunction with the start of the 26th Annual Wildwoods International Kite Festival. The kite festival, which runs from Friday, May 27 through Monday, May 30, will feature kite flyers from around the world, kite building and flying classes, kite-flying events and competitions and giant 300’x150’ kites that can be seen from miles away.
Also during Memorial Day Weekend, the Wildwoods will host an all-day long Wildwoods Vietnam Veterans Celebration of Heroes Festival on Saturday, May 28 at Fox Park across from the Wildwoods Convention Center that will include vendors, free live entertainment and a nighttime candlelight vigil honoring our fallen heroes – which will take place at the Wildwoods Vietnam Memorial Wall. Also on May 28, Morey’s Piers will host a Curley Fry Festival featuring contests and events for all ages – including amateur eating competitions to see who can eat the most Curley Fries in the shortest amount of time allotted.
Please see below for the list of the Wildwoods’ special events and dates for Spring 2011:*
April 2-3: Spring Sports Festival Basketball Competition
April 5-7: Wildwood Wholesale Gift Show
April 9: Gymnastics Beach Classics
April 13: Business at the Beach Expo
April 16: Annual Post Card Show and Open House
April 16: ECC Cheerleading Shore Show Down
April 17: “Beast of the East” Cheerleading Competition
April 21-23: War at the Jersey Shore Youth Wrestling
April 23-24: Easter in the Wildwoods
April 24: Morey’s Piers Easter & Opening Day Celebration
April 28-May 1: Tournament of Bands Indoor Championships
May 4: Wildwood Restaurant Showcase
May 5-7: Tall Cedars Convention
May 5-8: 19th Annual East Coast Boardwalk Nationals Car Show
May 7: Tall Cedars Parade
May 8: Morey’s Piers Mother’s Day Celebration
May 12-14: Knights of Columbus Convention
May 13-15: 6th Annual Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce Sensational ‘60s Weekend
May 13-15: Spring Bike Rally
May 14: Pirates Day with Captain Kidd
May 19-21: National Corvette Restorers Society Regional Meeting
May 19-22: First Annual All Ford Car & Truck Show
May 20-22: Morey’s Piers Beach Jam Spring Fling
May 27: Unlocking of the Ocean Ceremony
May 27-30: 26th Annual Wildwoods International Kite Festival
May 28: Vietnam Veterans Celebration of Heroes Festival
May 28: Morey’s Piers Curley Fry Festival
May 28-29: State Gymnastics Competition
May 28-29: Boardwalk SID Craft Show
May 29: Wildwood Crest Summer Kickoff Concert
May 30: Wildwood Official Memorial Day Service
May 31: Memorial Day Ceremony
*Please note that the information and dates above are subject to change.
No matter what time of year you visit – whether it be spring, summer or fall – there’s always something happening in the Wildwoods!
For more information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.