Ortley Beach Sky Lights Up With Kites

A giant frog and dragon were among the most colorful and interesting kites seen during the Friends of Ortley Beach Kite Night event held recently. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)

  ORTLEY BEACH – Proving pigs do fly, a few were spotted in the late summer sky over the 3rd Avenue Beach during a recent Thursday night.

  The pigs joined a rather large frog, a jellyfish and even a dragon. All hung in the air attached to a string as part of the last kite night sponsored by the Friends of Ortley Beach.

  The organization sponsored several summer kite nights held on Thursday evenings over the summer. The group sponsors many events to bring residents and visitors together throughout the year.

  During this last outing, FOB featured a children’s face painting activity sponsored by Barnacle Bill Miniature Golf and Arcade. FOB members also sold raffle tickets and held a jewelry sale on the boardwalk. The event proved to be well attended by many local and visiting families.

  Many attendees put out a blanket and watched the beautiful large-scale kites on the beach. Mr. Softee’s ice cream truck was also onsite. Group members sported their blue shirts that they were also selling during the event to members.

Members of the Friends of Ortley Beach organization gather in front of their stand featuring a jewelry sale which was part of the fun of the last kite night event of the summer at 3rd Avenue in Ortley Beach. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)

  Another popular event that FOB hosts is “Doggie Day” which was scheduled for this month. It was recently announced that this event has been postponed until next spring.

  Their next live meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on October 23 at St. Elisabeth’s Chapel at 5 3rd Avenue, Ortley Beach. On November 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. FOB will host its last speaker series event of the year which will focus on Toms River nautical history.

   This will be a Zoom format event and includes speaker Dan Crabbe who will provide an overview of the Toms River Seaport Society and its Maritime Museum on Water Street. Then Erik Weber will dive into past nautical ages and uses of the Toms River from the pre-colonial era to the present.

A variety of kites are seen over the ocean front on 3rd Avenue in the Ortley Beach section of Toms River Township. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)

  Crabbe has been a board member of the Toms River Seaport Society for the last 15 years and was president for nine years. Presently, he serves as treasurer. He and his wife, Nancy, are avid sailors, racing and cruising on all sizes of boats. He is a member of the Cruising Club of America and has been an officer of several sailing organizations. Crabbe co-authored the book “Chasing Roosters” with Gary Jobson, and he was inducted into the Barnegat Bay Sailing Hall of Fame in 2019.

  Weber worked in television and film in New York City before returning to his hometown of Beachwood in 2009, when he founded and ran the Riverside Signal newspaper for six years. Involved in local history since around the same time, he was hired as director for Toms River Seaport Society & Maritime Museum.

  This free event will be held via Zoom us02web.zoom.us/j/89679287051. The meeting ID is 896 7928 7051 and the passcode is Shino. You can also call (929) 205-6099.

  For further information about Friends of Ortley Beach visit friendsofortleybeach.org.