Sea Isle’s First Holiday Extravaganza Starts with Ice Skating

SEA ISLE CITY – On Nov. 23 – 24, Sea Isle City began the 2012 “Season of Giving” with the resort’s first Holiday Extravaganza. There are plans to make this an annual event.
Hosted by the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization in cooperation with the City of Sea Isle City, the inaugural extravaganza was a huge success – thanks to the many activities that took place at Excursion Park, including ice-skating, a parade featuring decorated fire engines, a tree lighting ceremony, live entertainment, a raffle for a wide-screen television, and the chance to meet Santa Claus.
The festivities began at 5 p.m. on Nov. 23, when an ice-skating rink was opened to the public in front of the Excursion Park Band Shell. While some families were lacing-up their ice skates, others were warming themselves with free hot cocoa and cookies, provided by the Sea Isle City Taxpayers Association. Meanwhile, a sizable crowd was gathering nearby on JFK Boulevard prior to the start of the evening’s Christmas Parade, which featured decorated fire engines from Ocean View, Seaville, Rio Grande, Woodbine, Marmora, Cape May Court House, Stone Harbor and Goshen fire companies. Bringing up the rear in the parade were several vehicles from Sea Isle City’s Volunteer Fire Company and a holiday float carrying Mayor Leonard Desiderio, Cape May County Clerk Rita Marie Fulginiti, Cape May County Sheriff Gary Schaffer and other welcomed dignitaries – including St. Nick.
After exiting the float, Mayor Desiderio and Santa Claus led a tree lighting ceremony at the base of Excursion Park, during which time a group of municipal employees, dubbed “The City Hall Solid Gold Singers,” led the audience in a series of Christmas carols. Also during the ceremony, the Goshen Fire Company was presented with a check for $200 and a large trophy after their fire engine was declared “Best Decorated” in the evening’s parade. Afterwards, families lined-up for a meet-and-greet session with Santa Claus in front of Sea Isle’s 30-foot Christmas tree before returning to the skating rink and spending the remainder of the night under flurries provided by an artificial snow machine.
The Extravaganza continued on Saturday afternoon, when the ice rink re-opened at 12 o’clock, accompanied by several vendors selling hot snacks and drinks. Soon, a team of students from The Dance Place Studio in Ocean City emerged on the Band Shell’s stage to perform several holiday dance routines, which were followed by Christmas carols sung by The Wasko Carolers of Center Stage Entertainment. Later in the day, Santa Claus returned to Excursion Park to spend two more hours with the many children in attendance.
During the extravaganza, the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization successfully touched the lives of ten families from New Jersey and New York, who were displaced by Hurricane Sandy. The ten families, identified with the help Governor Christie’s office and several forms of social media, were each given a complimentary house rental in Sea Isle City during the holiday weekend and a variety of other gifts, including baskets filled laundry supplies, toiletry items and snacks, and a free Thanksgiving dinner at a local restaurant.
Sea Isle’s first Holiday Extravaganza also coincided with the launch of Mayor Desiderio’s 2012 Holiday Toy and Food Drive, which will assist other Hurricane Sandy victims in the weeks ahead. Throughout the weekend, families deposited non-perishable food items and toys in collection boxes at Excursion Park, which will be added to other donations collected during the month of December.
To bring Sea Isle’s first Holiday Extravaganza to a close, the Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization announced the name of the winner of the weekend’s flat screen television raffle, which involved shoppers placing ballots inside entry boxes at participating businesses throughout Sea Isle City. The winner of the raffle was Maria DeMalo, of Moorestown and Avalon, who walked home with a 50-inch Vizio HD television.
“We always enjoy visiting Sea Isle City’s stores and restaurants,” said DeMalo, who stopped by the Sea Isle City Welcome Center with her family on Sunday morning to claim her prize. “The shopping is great in Sea Isle – and this TV will be a great Christmas present for my kids!”
To learn more about other holiday events taking place in Sea Isle City, visit www.seaislecitynj.us. To learn about the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization, visit www.seaislechamber.com or phone (609) 263-9090. To contribute to Mayor Desiderio’s 2012 Holiday Toy and Food Drive, drop off donations at VFW Post 1963 on JFK Boulevard (adjacent to the Sea Isle Bridge) or make cash donations (checks payable to “Hurricane Sandy Sea Isle City Relief Fund”) at any First Bank of Sea Isle City location. Donations can also be mailed to First Bank of Sea Isle City, 4301 Landis Avenue, Sea Isle City, NJ 08243.