ISLAND HEIGHTS – For nearly 30 years, the Rotary Club of Toms River has played host to one of the township’s largest community events, Sailfest.
Sailfest has become the largest sailing event in New Jersey with vendors, live music, rides, a charity regatta and more that attracts over 15,000 people to Island Heights from throughout New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia.
All of the net proceeds from Sailfest have continuously helped provide significant funding that goes to our local community programs for schools, food banks, youth, veterans, homelessness, health care and other needs.
In order to keep everyone safe during the coronavirus health crisis, the 29th Annual Sailfest 2020 event will be charting new waters by going completely online at SailfestNJ.com on Sept. 12.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and by going online participants will help the Rotary Club of Toms River to continue its ‘wind-in-our-sails’ growth, success and community love of Sailfest.
The event will still include all the music, art, crafts, raffle and other nautical things which thousands of Sailfest fans have grown to love – and much more. Sailfest will start at 10 a.m. with a Veterans and 9/11 Reflection Ceremony to honor the men and women who serve our country or lost their lives during the tragic events of 9/11.
It will continue on with a full day of live music, sailing movies, sailing classes, classic Popeye cartoons, nautical workshops, boat tours, nautical storytelling by Navy veterans, auctions, raffles, vendors, and other sailing fun from the Jersey shore.
Musical performances will showcase regionally and nationally acclaimed artists Audio Riot, Geoff Kaufmann, Hank Cramer “The Shantyman,” The US Coast Guard Dixieland Jazz Band, William Pint and Felicia Dale, and the Garden State Radio Band to end the evening.
Also available will be various digital vendors as well as live video chat with them for any questions or custom orders.
As per tradition Sailfest t-shirts will be on sale, which feature artwork created by a different New Jersey artist every year.
These shirts can be purchased in advance or the day of the event at SailfestNJ.com and will be shipped right to your home after the event. Tickets, vendor spots and sponsorships can be arranged by visiting SailfestNJ.com starting at just $3.
For more information on how you can “hoist your sails” visit the club’s Facebook page at facebook.com/RotaryClubOfTomsRiver or e-mail Rotary@SailfestNJ.com
