MARGATE – It was perfect weather for the first day of the Margate Business Association’s two-day Fall Funfest by the Bay held along the Amherst Avenue Marina District, Saturday, Sept. 24.

Thousands of people crowded the avenue to browse handmade crafts and fine art, enjoy tastings of some of the areas finest restaurants, sip a sampling of vodka or beer and learn a little bit about the marine environment.

Festival goers were entertained on two stages – one for adults and one for children. Children enjoyed playing games on the blow ups at either end of the avenue, and took pictures with Miss New Jersey Augostina Mallous, who will be leaving for the Miss America Competition being held in Connecticut in early October.

Children and their parents were able to learn all about the marine life in the ocean and bay at the Sustainable Jersey tent set up next to Ray Scott’s Dock. At 4 p.m. a boat left the dock and traveled across the bay to an island where baby terripins raised at Ray Scott’s Dock were released into the water.

MBA President Ed Berger said he ordered the larger than normal crowd and the great weather.

“It’s really busy and it’s early yet,” he said around 1 p.m.

The festival will continue into the night when the adults come out to play for Funfest After Dark.

The event continues 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Miss Atlantic County Region Brooke Feldman, who lives in Margate, is scheduled to walk the avenue between 1-3 p.m. Also on the docket is Steve & Cookies By The Bay Dog Show being held in the parking lot at the restaurant.

In person registration starts at 11:30 a.m. when a K-9 demonstration will be held. The dog show starts at 1 p.m.

Categories: Margate

Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.