On Saturday, July 15th, Surfrider’s Jersey Shore Chapter held its 17th annual Asbury Park Family Day at the Beach in Asbury Park, NJ. The day includes free access to the beach and it is packed with activities for kids and families including surf lessons, beach volleyball, an educational beach scavenger hunt, water safety instruction, arts & crafts and live music.
The important part of Family Day is that it is free. Most beaches in NJ charge a user fee to pay for the services offered by towns like lifeguards, trash collection and beach grooming. As a result, some families don’t actually go to the beach, especially in places like Asbury Park where there are a fair number of low-income residents.
The roots of the event go back even further than the name. Twenty years ago, in 2003, the Jersey Shore Chapter worked with the City of Asbury Park and organized support from all across the area to make surfing legal in the city. It was actually illegal for decades but not enforced. In the process of establishing this legal, daytime surfing beach, the chapter realized that there was an entire generation of people who lived in a beach town but were never encouraged to go to the beach, let alone learn surfing.
The chapter aimed to change this by working with the city's lifeguards, Recreation Department, the local Boys and Girls Club, and other groups to bring kids from the area and their families to the beach. After a few years of these “surfing clinics” there was so much community support for the event that it became known as Asbury Park Family Day.
The community support continues with many other organizations and groups, in particular the Mayor's Wellness Committee, helping to make it happen. Summertime Surf and the Asbury Park Surf Club provided the free surf lessons, and Belmar Beach Volleyball came up to Asbury Park for the afternoon. Live music was provided by Ken “Stringbean” Sorenson. For food, Whitechapel Projects baked delicious brownies, Jones Bars donated their locally made energy bars for the kids, and Killer Pies delivered excellent Jersey pizza. Other dedicated supporters include Wegmans of Ocean and the Asbury Park Department of Public Works.
In a city with an abundance of events, the Mayor has said this is his favorite event of the year! Thanks to everyone for making it great.
Video credit: Seasquatch.tv @seasquatch.tv
Photo credit: Michael McKenna @michaelmckennaphoto