Vol. 4, No. 6, June 2007
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From the Hall to the Beach
Summertime means conventions, concerts and celebrations
During the first week of May, the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and the staff of SMG, the company that manages the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall, hosted a birthday celebration honoring the 10th year of the Convention Center.
Area elected officials, dignitaries, business leaders and more joined in an event that marked a decade of growth and change for Atlantic City. Since opening in 1997, the Convention Center has gone from 36 conventions and trade shows and nine public shows the first year to 62 convention and trade shows and 25 public shows in 2006. And those numbers are still growing, thanks to a dedicated sales staff led by Gary Musich, vice president of convention sales, along with the growing popularity of Atlantic City.
While summertime may not be the biggest time of year for conventions, it could be considered one of the most interesting. Returning for a fourth year on Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10 is the Drawin’ The Wild Card Tattoo Extravaganza.
Open to the public, this show is all about tattoos, and will feature the area’s hottest artists. Those who attend can browse more than 100 booths of exhibitors, and even get a tattoo done on site. There also will be contests, photo shoots, giveaways, food and beer.
Later in the month on Sunday, June 24, the DUB Magazine Custom Auto Show and Concert comes to the Atlantic City Convention Center for the first time. The show is billed as featuring “hundreds of the hottest vehicles” accompanied by a concert of the world’s top hip-hop artists. Different vehicles represented at the show include luxury, sport compact, SUV, 4x4, exotic, motorcycles and more. Registered vehicles will compete for more than $400,000 in cash and prizes. In addition, there will be dozens of celebrity-owned vehicles on display.
Of course, everyone knows that summertime in Atlantic City is full of sporting events, festivals, special events, celebrations and much more. All the casinos offer a full schedule of headliners, variety shows and comedy acts. But you don’t have to look any further than Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall to find some of the biggest, most sought after, and most eclectic.
Two of the Philippines’ finest singers perform at Boardwalk Hall on Friday, June 8 in Two Divas at the Movies. The musical collaboration will feature pop artists Kuh Ledesma and Pops Fernandez. Prog-rockers Tool come to Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, June 9.
The Hall also is home to heavyweight fights on June 9 (WBO championship) and June 23 (Cage Fury Fighting).
To the delight of Parrotheads everywhere, Jimmy Buffett, along with his Coral Reefer Band, makes his A.C. debut at Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, June 30.
And that’s just June. Additional acts and tours appearing at Boardwalk Hall have recently been announced including the Dancing with the Stars Tour on Friday, July 6, and Josh Groban, Saturday, July 21.
Tickets for events held at Boardwalk Hall are available at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 800-736-1420.
But summertime in Atlantic City is all about enjoying the beach and Boardwalk, the Atlantic Ocean, the back bays, and everything that goes along with that.
Start the summer with an Atlantic City tradition: the Atlantic City Seafood Festival, on Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17. The new location of the festival is on the grounds surrounding Bernie Robbins Stadium. Because of its new location, the Atlantic City Surf will follow the festival each night with a baseball game, making it a perfect outing for the family.
Organizers are planning live entertainment each day, and the popular Kiddie Korner, offering games and activities for children, will return along with much more.
One could say the summer season culminates with the Atlantic City Airshow “Thunder Over The Boardwalk” on Wednesday, August 15, once again presented by Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Nothing elevates summertime activity in Atlantic City like the airshow, with a full day of military fly-bys, demonstrations and civilian acts highlighting this free event over the beach and Boardwalk.
Between the seafood festival and the airshow you’ll find a calendar packed full of activities, including Race Across America (bikers arrive in Atlantic City from California starting June 18), the Atlantic City Pro Am Surf Contest Series (second tournament is June 9-10 next to the Pier at Caesars ), volleyball tournaments, and the Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Concert Series (see Cityview on page 50).
For more information, check our calendar of events at www.atlanticcitynj.com. Trust me when I say there is something special for everyone. The trick will be to fit it all into your schedule.
