Schools are officially out for the summer, and we have entered full summer swing here in Sea Isle City! It is wonderful to see our beaches, promenade, and local businesses buzzing with families ready to make lasting memories. As we welcome back our seasonal residents and visitors, I want to emphasize safety. Please remember to swim only at guarded beaches where our Beach Patrol members are on duty. Additionally, with increased foot and bicycle traffic, I urge all drivers to stay alert, drive safely, stop for pedestrians at crosswalks, and always remain mindful of your surroundings.

We have an incredible lineup of family-friendly entertainment coming up that you will not want to miss. Our seasonal events kick off at Excursion Park this Saturday, June 27, with the return of our weekly Concerts Under the Stars. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy fantastic live music by the ocean. On Monday, June 29, families can join us for our beloved annual Sara the Turtle Festival, featuring environmental exhibits and fun activities for the kids. Then, on Wednesday, July 1, we will host our first weekly Movies Under the Stars night. Grab a blanket and enjoy a feature film under the night sky.

In addition to our traditional events, we are thrilled to host our very first drone light show next week on Tuesday, June 30 at 9:00 p.m. This high-tech visual display will take place over the marsh area located to the left of the kayak launch facing Dealy Field. For the absolute best viewing experience, I recommend finding a spot directly at Dealy Field or anywhere just to the north and east of the facility. It promises to be a spectacular night for spectators of all ages.

As we look ahead to Independence Day weekend, the excitement continues to build. On the 4th of July, our annual Junior Olympics will return to Dealy Field. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. for boys and girls ages 3 to 12, and the games will officially get underway at 10:00 a.m. This is a completely free community tradition, and I highly encourage families to participate or come out to cheer on our young athletes. I want to extend a sincere thank you to the volunteers from the Sea Isle City Yacht Club, whose dedicated help makes this event possible every single year.

Later that evening, you will certainly want to secure a spot for our spectacular 4th of July fireworks show starting at 9:15 p.m. We will be launching this year's display from a barge anchored in the ocean right off 50th Street, offering great visibility along our coastline.

Following some initial setbacks involving pipeline issues and rough seas, Norfolk Dredging has started pumping sand for our downtown beach replenishment project. Crews have already successfully placed over 100,000 cubic yards of sand. We are currently tracking toward a final completion date around the middle of July. As always, this specialized offshore work is highly dependent on weather conditions, so let us hope for calm seas over the next few weeks. You can track daily progress via the live link on our city website homepage.

I have two shout out’s for today’s newsletter: 

First, congratulations and a huge thank you to Jason and Kylie Kelce for another successful “Team 62 Fundraiser” to support autism. Sea Isle deeply appreciates all of Jason and Kylie’s efforts for this worthy cause, and the great spirit and enthusiasm they bring to the city. 

My next shout out goes to former Sea Isle City Public Safety Commissioner John Scarpa and his wife Jana. It was great to see these outstanding citizens the other night, who have always been great supporters of Sea Isle.

Because this is our final newsletter before the holiday, I want to leave you with one final request: please fly the flag! It would be truly magnificent to see every home and business in the city displaying Old Glory as we show our collective national pride and community spirit in honor of our country's historic 250^th anniversary.

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio

“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. --Abraham Lincoln