By DON STINE
For the first time in its history, the entire Asbury Park boardwalk will be open for the upcoming holiday season.
Asbury Park historian Helen Pike said that this will be the first time the boardwalk pavilions have been open during the colder, winter months thanks to one thing and one thing only- heat!
“The pavilions have been winterized by boardwalk developer Madison Marquette, including energy-efficient windows and new electric utilities,” she said.
Pike said that the original, early pavilions along the boardwalk were wood and shuttered after the summer season was over.
She said the present pavilions were built during Mayor Clarence Hetrick’s tenure and later in the decades after the great hurricane of 1944 destroyed many of the older ones.
“They were modern for their time but weren’t open for the holiday season. Walter Reade even closed the Paramount theatre in the winter despite the pipe that ran underneath the boardwalk from the heating plant at the Casino,” Pike said.
The month-long holiday season celebration will kick off at the boardwalk with a concert and tree-lighting ceremony from Friday, Nov. 28 through Monday, Dec. 29.
Two Christmas tree lightings will take place at the same time on Sun., Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.-one on the boardwalk outside Convention Hall and one on the large balcony of the Paramount Theatre. There will also be another tree near the Casino.
The tree lighting ceremony will be preceded by a screening of “White Christmas,” starring Bing Crosby, in the Paramount Theatre at 3 p.m. followed by Tim McLoone and the Shirleys performing on the boardwalk at 5 p.m. The band will also continue playing after the tree lighting.
For more information go to www.theAsburyParkBoardwalk.com
Other events will continue through December including music and movies.
“There will be a concierge station in Convention Hall where you can make dinner reservations, obtain transportation, or get the location of stores and gift information,” Johnson said.
Johnson said there will be kiosks in the arcade area, much like last year but that a special store has been added featuring “100 Fabulous Gifts.”
“The store will feature the best gifts to be found in stores on the boardwalk,” she said.
Pike and other authors will be signing copies of their books at the Asbury Galleria, located in the Third Avenue pavilion, on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this inaugural holiday season on the boardwalk,” Pike said.
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