Oysterfest finds new home on Cookman
Organizers hope to increase downtown business
Asbury Park’s seafood festival is setting up shop in a new location this year.
Oysterfest will take place in the triangular plot of land across the street from the Wesley Grove condominiums this year, according to Passion Group logistics director Mike Hollemans. The three-day festival kicks off Sept. 7.
Previously, Oysterfest was held on Lake Avenue, occupying two city blocks with a linear layout. This led attendees to enter the festival, walk through in a straight line and exit on the other end, Hollemans said. Organizers this year hope festival-goers will spend more time perusing the fest’s offerings due to the triangular layout.
Passion Group and the city’s Chamber of Commerce are Oysterfest’s co-producers, and they jointly decided to move the festival, Hollemans said. The new layout was a motivating factor, as was the possibility of drumming up downtown business.
“When we do an event and it’s on Lake Avenue, [attendees] are going to go down Lake until they find it,” Hollemans said. “If we do this one on the east end of Cookman, people are going to go down Cookman and see the downtown restaurant and shops and then hit the festival. It will drive traffic to the downtown as opposed to around the downtown.”
Up to 25,000 people have attended Oysterfest over the course of the three-day event in the past, Hollemans said.
In addition to the new location, Passion Group and the chamber of commerce are holding a scavenger hunt to bring customers to downtown businesses. The chamber took this approach at a restaurant tour this year and “it worked out really well,” Hollemans said.
The festival will kick off this year with an open house on Friday night, Hollemans said. Admission will be free and beverages and food will be discounted. Attendees will also have the chance to dunk Mayor Ed Johnson in a dunk tank, with proceeds benefiting the Mayor’s Ball Foundation Scholarship program. The Tropical Impulse band will perform.
On Saturday, the chamber is sponsoring a city-wide sidewalk sale to coincide with the festival. And on Sunday, musicians will perform at the festival all day.
More than 60 craft vendors will be present at the festival over the weekend, as well as 20 food vendors. Beer, wine and soft drinks will also be available.
Friday’s events go from 5 to 8 p.m. Festivities will start at noon on Saturday and Sunday, ending at 10 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday. There is a $5 entrance fee, although children ages 12 and under will enjoy free admission.
