Uh oh! It’s that time of the year again. Family Fun Day is almost here!
On Saturday July 15, Surfrider Foundation is hosting the seventeenth annual Family Fun Day at the Beach from 12pm to 5pm. This will take place at Asbury Park Beach on the Eighth Avenue side. The rain date will be Sunday, July 16, 2023. Beach Day is free, but children must be accompanied by an adult. There will be so much going on including surfing lessons, beach games, and live music.
Before 2002 or so, surfing at any time of the year in any spot on the beach was illegal.
Diana Pittet, Surfrider
This event was chosen over any other idea because the organizers wanted to focus on something that involves surfing. Diana Pittet, a partner of Surfrider Foundation, mentions that Family Day began as a method for expressing gratefulness to the city for permitting surfing in Asbury Park. She said, “Before 2002 or so, surfing at any time of the year in any spot on the beach was illegal.” Their association, The Jersey Shore Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, worked very hard to make surfing legal in the City of Asbury Park. After this accomplishment, Family Fun Day at the Beach was their way of giving back and sharing the excitement of surfing.
The hard work behind this event definitely hasn’t gone unnoticed. Surfrider partnered with the Mayor’s Wellness Committee to make this event the best it could be. A handful of sponsors were also involved in this development, such as Summertime Surf, Asbury Park Surf Club, Belmar Beach Volleyball, the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County, Killer Pies, Jones Bar, Wegmans of Ocean, and Whitechapel Projects.
Ms. Pittet’s main takeaway for the event is to bring the community together. She said, “It’s a chance for the Asbury Park community to come together and share fun together in our shared backyard—the beach.” The goal is for everyone, including the organizations, to share smiles and have fun with one another. She also mentioned that making sure everyone stays safe and feels welcome creates a successful event.
It’s a chance for the Asbury Park community to come together and share fun together in our shared backyard—the beach.
Diana Pittet, Surfrider Foundation
Another thing Pittet shares with us is how far out the planning was done for the Fun Day. She said, “I started planning in January. The first thing that I do is check when there’s low tide around 12 noon on a Saturday in July or August.”
Along with that, she mentions that timing is very necessary for surfing lessons when it involves beginners.
The hardest part about planning the event is getting the word out. With Asbury Park being a small town, a lot of good events tend to go unnoticed.
Overall, it is heavily encouraged for everyone to come out for another great day in Asbury Park.
For more information, contact Diana Pittet at 917-847-5542 or email [email protected].