Somers Point Bayfest Returning For 30th Anniversary

SOMERS POINT, N.J. — Bayfest will return to Somers Point for its 30th Anniversary. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday along the Historic Bay Avenue, rain or shine.

Bayfest features activities for all ages, along with food, crafts and music. Kids can watch The Give and Take Jugglers Arial performance, “The Little Circus,” and visit a petting zoo. Children can also get their faces painted and hang out with their favorite characters with Let's Party Painters.

The event features crafters and food vendors lining the streets. You can shop for jewelry and unique candles while snacking on baked goods or crab cakes.

Somers Point Bayfest was created to celebrate Earth Day and the environment. Originally, about 50 crafters would sign up. This year's Bayfest will feature about 120 crafters.

"Over the years, our committee has worked extremely well together to put on one of the largest single day festivals in New Jersey and each year we continue to get bigger and better," Geoffrey Hieb, chairman of Bayfest, said in a statement. "We couldn’t do it without the help of our amazing vendors new and old, promotors, and volunteers.”

This year's sponsors include the following: WAYV, Freedom Boat Club, Shore Medical Center, Dennisville Fence, Bath Fitter, Renewal by Andersen Window Replacement, Comfort Now, Metro PCS, Hand & Stone, Sun Up Zero Down, TAPT Rentals, The Press of Atlantic City, JASM Consulting, Eastern Sign, Archer Exterior Renovations, and Somers Point Rotary Club.

The Bayfest Committee uses the proceeds to help fund special projects for Somers Point residents. In previous years, fifth- and sixth-graders from Somers Point Dawes Avenue School participated in the festival with the Save the Bluff Fund. The project increased awareness while raising funds for planting of indigenous materials to help save coastal bluffs.

Bayfest hosts several environmental groups that help educate the public on local issues.

"Bayfest is always a great way to kick off our season because no matter what the weather is the week before or the week after, the last Saturday in April in Somers Point is usually nice," John W. Atwood, president of Jonathan's Harbor LLC, said in a statement. "Many events in our 32-year history just come and go, but Bayfest just keeps rollin' on!”

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