Seaside Heights Music Festival Went Off Without A Hitch

by Patricia A. Miller

You couldn’t blame Seaside Heights police if they were a little nervous about preparing for the arrival of 30,000 people in town for the recent ”Gentlemen of the Road” music festival.

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department was on the scene with a mobile command unit, eight bomb-sniffing dogs made periodic inspections through the crowds, security was increased and an officer even patrolled the beach on horseback, Police Chief Thomas J. Boyd said.

In the end, none of the beefed-up security was needed.

“It was the nicest group of people we’ve ever had in Seaside Heights,” the chief said. ’I’ve been here for 53 years and been an officer for 31 years. The people were so nice, it was scary.”

The British group Mumford and Sons and a number of other bands performed on June 5 and June 6. At one point, there were 20,000 people camped on the beach, Boyd said.

“They are a class act,” the chief said of the band. ”It was just a real professionally-run event.”

Boyd credited Borough Councilman Christopher Vaz with bringing the two-day show to Seaside and Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy for his security help.

“He really helped Seaside Heights,” the chief said of the sheriff.

The wet and cool weather didn’t hurt either, Boyd said.

“It was a gift from God,” he quipped.

Photo credit: Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page.