2026

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March 19,  2026

Hot or cold, rain or shine, a waterman's work is never done. 
 Here, a clammer digs for clams on a tidal flat at low tide, behind the island.

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SUMMER'S COMING, SO IS THE FUN!  One of the things we all look forward to is the Thursdays at Surfside summer music lineup at Surfside Park.  The 2026 schedule has been announced, and includes favorites such as Yellow Brick Joel, Best of the Eagles, Don Jovi, 80's Revolution, and AM Gold.  Enjoying your favorite music next to the ocean on a summer evening...that sounds perfect!
 
ROGER STANFORD, Stone Harbor's long-time fire official, has retired after serving more than 16 years at that post.  Stanford had previously served 26 years in the Stone Harbor Police Department.  Roger will continue to serve as the fire chief at the Stone Harbor Fire Department, a position he's held for 36 years.
 
GULLY'S: COMING SOON!  27th & Dune Drive will soon see a new restaurant open up: Gully's!  The neighborhood restaurant & bar will serve high quality American cuisine with casual vibe and nostalgic feel.  Gully's will occupy the building at 2688 Dune Drive, formerly used by Black Cactus, which closed last fall.  Keep an eye out for Gully's opening and give 'em a try!
 
THE WETLAND'S INSTITUTE'S Dr. Lenore Tedesco spoke at the 2026 New Jersey Coastal and Climate Resilience Conference earlier this month, discussing "Nature-based Solutions to Build Resilience that Benefits People and Wildlife."  After speaking at the conference Dr. Tedesco brought more than 50 attendees down the coast to share firsthand technical details of the planned Salt Marsh Trail Revitalization Project, and to view the success of the Scotch Bonnet Island restoration project that restored five acres of tidal marsh using nature-based solutions.   Why not plan a visit to The Wetlands Institute the next time you're in town?  It's a great place to learn about the very ecosystem we all enjoy so much!  For hours, events, and more info visit www.WetlandsInstitute.org 
 
EASY & QUICK THINGS can help make summer more enjoyable, both for you, and for your summer tenants.  Just a bit of planning and preparation now helps avoid problems later.  Don't wait! Here are some ideas: 

-Schedule an HVAC tune up with your preferred provider.
-Select a wall or room in need of freshening and have it painted.
-Place fresh ant traps around your home to ward off inevitable summertime ant intrusions.  (Under appliances, in garage corners, and in the back of closets are great spots to keep the traps out of sight.)
-Talk to your landscaper about spring plantings, weed treatments, and lawn mowing.
-Schedule a deep cleaning of the whole house, followed by a carpet cleaning.
Need ideas specific to your property, or need contractor recommendations?  Call or email me!

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UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Winter Wine Dinner Series.  Carefully curated four-course menu paired with exceptional wines.  Cape May Winery, Friday, March 20th, 6pm. Read More
 
Somm's Table: Chile.  Explore and taste Chilean wine.  The Washington Inn, Saturday, March 21st, 3pm.  Read More
 
Bird Migration 101.  Avalon Free Public Library, Saturday, March 28th, 1pm. 
 
Easter Bunny Express.  Cape May Seashore Lines, Tuckahoe & Richland Stations, Saturday & Sunday, March 28th & 29th, and Saturday, April 4th.  For schedules and fares
 
Avalon's Bunny Hop.  Meet the Easter Bunny!  Veterans Plaza, Saturday, April 4th, 11am to 2pm. 
 
Easter Brunch at Icona Avalon.  Sunday, April 5th, 10am to 2pm.  Details here  
 
Easter Brunch By the Bay.  The Reeds at Shelter Haven, Sunday, April 5th, 10:30am to 3:30pm.
 Read More
 
Easter Sunday at The Washington Inn.  Three course brunch, 11am until 2pm, or Easter Dinner, 4pm until 7pm., Sunday, April 5th.  Menus and details   
 
Stone Harbor Job Fair. Details to follow.  Saturday, April 11th. 
 
Avalon Garden Club Spring Card Party:  Cheers to 50 Blooming Years!  Avalon Community Hall, Thursday, April 16th, 11:30am to 3pm.  Contact Joanna Morrison for tickets at 609-675-6846. 
 
Stone Harbor Sip & Shop.  Details to follow.  April 17th & 18th. 
 
Spring Dune Grass Planting.  Avalon Community Hall, Saturday, April 18th, 8:30am.  Please RSVP to Jordan Sykes at Community Hall: 609-967-3066 or jsykes@avalonboro.org 
 
Garden Club of Stone Harbor 2026 Plant Sale.  (Order deadline April 13th.)  Saturday, May 9th, 9am to noon.  To order 
 
Avalon Garden Club 50th Anniversary: Town Wide Yard Sale.  Saturday, May 9th, 8am to 3pm, Rain or Shine.  $20 fee for participating sellers Information & Downloadable application at www.AvalonGardenClub.org

 

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March 12,  2026

So simple, and yet so beautiful!  

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A TASTE OF SPRING!  After what has felt like an endless winter, Tuesday's high hit 72 degrees, giving us a taste of spring!  Blue skies and warm sunshine do wonders for the mood on the island.  From the office to Wawa to restaurants, everybody seems to be a bit happier after the warm up!  The only downside to the warm up has been intermittent patchy fog, sometimes heavy, that has occasionally enveloped the area.  
 
BUT IT'S TIME TO SHIVER!  Despite the recent warm weather, it's time for the Stone Harbor Shiver Polar Plunge this weekend!  The annual event includes a pre-Shiver party at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor Friday evening, plus Saturday morning pre-gaming at Fred's Tavern.  Participants will parade to the beach at noon for the Shiver Showdown, followed by the main event—the Polar Plunge—about 1:15pm.  The after party at Fred's, complete with music by the Quinn Brothers, is not to be missed!  If you're thinking the recent warm up will make the Polar Plunge a walk in the park, think again...although Saturday's high is forecast to be about 50, the ocean water temperature is still a very chilly 38 degrees!
 
IT MAY NOT BE OVER!  The latest forecast from Accuweather indicates a polar vortex split may bring more cold air to our area before it finally warms up for good, according to an article in the Atlantic City Press.  Though not a guarantee of cold air in our region, the polar vortex split is "stronger than normal," and may "trigger a pattern of rough weather" and an "ugly spring," according to the article.  Read the article
 
PARK THE CAR, TAKE THE GOLF CART:  You've surely seen them on 7 Mile Island—low speed vehicles, otherwise known as golf carts.  The battery powered vehicles are ideal for the low-speed traffic on the island, and provide an open-air experience that just feels like summer.  Interested in renting one during your stay?  Several companies rent them during the summer: 
Avalon Golf Carts
Harbor Outfitters
Stone Harbor Golf Cart
Ride the Goat
 
WHAT'S YOUR SUMMER PLAN?  Need a week's vacation?  Or are you looking to make it permanent?  Or thinking about selling?  I'm ready to help!  Call or email me! 

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UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Stone Harbor Shiver Polar Plunge Weekend. 

Pre-Shiver party at Yacht Club of Stone Harbor, Friday, March 13th, 6pm.  $35 entry fee at the door, cash bar.
 
Pre-game at Fred's Tavern, Saturday, March 14th, 10am
 
Parade to the beach, Saturday, March 14th, 12 noon.
 
Shiver Showdown, 96th Street & the beach.
 
Polar Plunge, 96th Street & the beach, 1:15pm
 
After party at Fred's Tavern with music by the Quinn Brothers.

Tide to Table Pre-Fixe Weekend.  The Washington Inn, Friday & Saturday, March 13th & 14th.   details and reservations,
 
St Patrick's Day Celebration & Parade.  Ceremony & parade starting at 2nd & Olde NJ Avenue and proceeding north on Olde NJ Avenue.  Saturday, March 14th, 12pm, North Wildwood. 
 
Winter Wine Dinner Series.  Carefully curated four-course menu paired with exceptional wines.  Cape May Winery, Friday, March 20th, 6pm. Read More
 
Somm's Table: Chile.  Explore and taste Chilean wine.  The Washington Inn, Saturday, March 21st, 3pm. Read More
 
Bird Migration 101.  Avalon Free Public Library, Saturday, March 28th, 1pm. 
 
Easter Bunny Express.  Cape May Seashore Lines, Tuckahoe & Richland Stations, Saturday & Sunday, March 28th & 29th, and Saturday, April 4th.  For schedules and fares visit:
 
Avalon's Bunny Hop.  Meet the Easter Bunny! Veterans Plaza, Saturday, April 4th, 11am to 2pm. 
Easter Brunch at Icona Avalon.  Sunday, April 5th, 10am to 2pm.  Details here:  
 
Easter Brunch By the Bay.  The Reeds at Shelter Haven, Sunday, April 5th, 10:30am to 3:30pm.  Read More
 
Stone Harbor Job Fair. Details to follow.  Saturday, April 11th. 
 
Avalon Garden Club Spring Card Party. Cheers to 50 Blooming Years!  Avalon Community Hall, Thursday, April 16th, 11:30am to 3pm.  Contact Joanna Morrison for tickets at 609-675-6846. 
 
Spring Dune Grass Planting.  Avalon Community Hall, Saturday, April 18th, 8:30am.  Please RSVP to Jordan Sykes at Community Hall: 609-967-3066 or jsykes@avalonboro.org;
 
Garden Club of Stone Harbor 2026 Plant Sale.  (Order deadline April 13th.)  Saturday, May 9th, 9am to noon.  To order visit

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March 5, 2026

This fellow is enjoying his bay view, while not the least bit worried about the sign!  

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MARKET STATS: Despite the ice and snow we experienced in January and February, the real estate market kept moving along.  14 properties have sold year-to-date in Avalon, and 5 in Stone Harbor.  For a detailed look at the market, see the latest Long & Foster Market Minute reports: Avalon  Stone Harbor
 
ELECTRONIC KEYPAD LOCKS are a great upgrade for your vacation home or rental property!  Benefits include: no keys to keep track of for visitors or tenants; assign custom codes to specific visitors; lock or unlock your door remotely (for wifi equipped smart locks) ; change your codes periodically for security.  Electronic keypad locks can be purchased from home centers for about $50 and up; smart keypad locks can be purchased for about $75 and up.
 
JOIN A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM: Avalon Beach Patrol is hiring for the 2026 season!  Lifeguards are needed to protect swimmers on our beaches this summer.  Think you have what it takes?  Visit this link to apply
 
SPRING FORWARD!  Don't forget to set your clock ahead by one hour Saturday night—daylight savings occurs at 2am Sunday morning.  We'll lose an hour of sleep but gain an hour of daylight in the evening!

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UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Shop-A-Holics: Sip, Shop, Sales.  The Princeton, Thursday & Friday, March 5th & 6th, 4pm to 8pm, Saturday, March 7th, 12pm to 7pm 
 
Blues, Brews, & Country Festival.  Mudhen Brewing, Wildwood.  March 6th to 8th. 
 
The Fiddle Club Presents: Irish Folk Music.  Irish jigs, reels, hornpipes and ballads as well as some classical music.  Avalon Free Public Library, Saturday, March 7th, 2pm. 

Stone Harbor Shiver Polar Plunge Weekend. 

Pre-Shiver party at Yacht Club of Stone Harbor, Friday, March 13th, 6pm.  $35 entry fee, cash bar.
Pre-game at Fred's Tavern, Saturday, March 14th, 10am
Parade to the beach, Saturday, March 14th, 12 noon.
Shiver Showdown, 96th Street & the beach.
Polar Plunge, 96th Street & the beach, 1:15pm
After party at Fred's Tavern with music by the Quinn Brothers. 

Tide to Table Pre-Fixe Weekend.  The Washington Inn, Friday & Saturday, March 13th & 14th. details and reservations
 
St Patrick's Day Celebration & Parade.  Ceremony & parade starting at 2nd & Olde NJ Avenue and proceeding north on Olde NJ Avenue.  Saturday, March 14th, 12pm, North Wildwood
 
Winter Wine Dinner Series.  Carefully curated four-course menu paired with exceptional wines.  Cape May Winery, Friday, March 20th, 6pm. Read More
 
Somm's Table: Chile.  Explore and taste Chilean wine.  The Washington Inn, Saturday, March 21st, 3pm.  Read More
 
Bird Migration 101.  Avalon Free Public Library, Saturday, March 28th, 1pm. 
 
Easter Bunny Express.  Cape May Seashore Lines, Tuckahoe & Richland Stations, Saturday & Sunday, March 28th & 29th, and Saturday, April 4th.  schedules and fares
 
Avalon's Bunny Hop.  Meet the Easter Bunny!  Veterans Plaza, Saturday, April 4th, 11am to 2pm. 
 
Easter Brunch at Icona Avalon.  Sunday, April 5th, 10am to 2pm.  Details here
 
Easter Brunch By the Bay.  The Reeds at Shelter Haven, Sunday, April 5th, 10:30am to 3:30pm.  Read More 
 
Stone Harbor Job Fair. Details to follow.  Saturday, April 11th. 
 
Avalon Garden Club Spring Card Party:  Cheers to 50 Blooming Years!  Avalon Community Hall, Thursday, April 16th, 11:30am to 3pm.  Contact Joanna Morrison for tickets at 609-675-6846. 
 
Spring Dune Grass Planting.  Avalon Community Hall, Saturday, April 18th, 8:30am.  Please RSVP to Jordan Sykes at Community Hall: 609-967-3066 or jsykes@avalonboro.org
 
Garden Club of Stone Harbor 2026 Plant Sale.  (Order deadline April 13th.)  Saturday, May 9th, 9am to noon.  To order

 

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