Music and food lovers flocked to Sunsets at Ski Beach, Friday, June 25.
By BROOKE FELDMAN
VENTNOR – After the year that wasn’t, the city is offering a new venue for residents and visitors to enjoy live music, movies, food and drink on Friday and Wednesday evenings – the “Sunsets at Ski Beach” summer event series. The Special Events Committee held its second concert event Friday, June 25 at the bayfront park at Dorset and Burke avenues in Ventnor Heights.
Stefanie Demarco, who was front and center with her dancing daughter, said she heard the music from her home and ran down to see the excitement.
“I’m seeing people together again,” Demarco said. “It just feels like freedom.”
City officials and event planners are working to make better use of Ski Beach, the only free put-in location in the Downbeach area.
“Ski Beach is an asset that the city has not really been able to take advantage of for years,” Commissioner Lance Landgraf said. “Over the last four years, we have tried to increase our events here.”
The city special events team had the idea for Sunset at Ski Beach last summer but could not execute due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Now that everything has been lifted, we have been able to put this event together,” Special Events Coordinator Donna Peterson said.
“Summer Beach Jam,” another Ventnor City special event series being held at the Newport Avenue beach, was able to take place last summer due to the larger space available for social distancing. This summer, both venues are in full swing.
“It’s great to get back to that normal routine of being able to live at the shore and come outside on a Friday night to spend time with family and friends in a beautiful environment and listen to music,” Landgraf said.
Sponsors Tactical Public Safety, Farley & Ferry Realty, Michael A. Goloff CPA, and Insurance Agencies Inc. helped make the event at Ski Beach possible. Starting at 5 p.m., Ventnor residents and visitors enjoyed vendors including Traveling Tomato Wood Fired Pizza, Duck Town Tavern’s Duck Hut, Sean E. Gibson Photography and Savvy Vintage.
Many grabbed a cocktail at the beer garden and perused local art and fashion for sale.
The band, Legacy, took the stage at 6 p.m. showcasing tunes from the 1960s to today’s top hits.
Boat passengers passing by anchored themselves in the bay and danced to the music onboard their crafts.
“It doesn’t get much better than this,” said Denise Zimmerman of Savvy Vintage, one of the vendors. “I couldn’t think of a better location than on the water.”
Sunset at Ski Beach will return 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 30. The night will include a screening of Disney’s “Soul,” followed by more live music featuring Ricky Stevens and The Burnsiders.
“We are committed to making our community better,” Landgraf said. “With these events, we think we are going in the right direction.”
