39.0°,
Fair City to place holiday lights along the boardwalk
Effort part of a broader, year-round promotional campaign
City officials are rolling out the welcome mat this holiday season encouraging visitors to visit the “City by the Sea” not just in the summer, but year-round.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the holiday season following Hurricane Sandy, Long Beach is gearing up to continue its campaign from the summer when favorite son, actor Billy Crystal headlined its Open for Business advertising campaign. Now, the city’s plan is to encourage winter tourism with a dedicated winter marketing initiative.
The centerpiece of the initiative is Boardwalk Lights, a free holiday and nautical themed light show display on Long Beach’s newly rebuilt boardwalk. Families looking for a little sparkle during the holiday season are invited to stroll the boardwalk, and then visit the great local restaurants and shops throughout the city. The six-week-long event will be highlighted with special evenings featuring visits from Santa Claus, holiday music, caroling and more.
Other attractions include the West End Winter Wonderland, located on Long Beach’s renowned West End. Beginning Nov. 30, the West End will also be aglow with holiday lights. Special West End events and attractions include: picture taking with Santa on a surfboard, an “Elf Crawl” — a children’s scavenger hunt — and “First Night Out” New Year's Eve event with a ball drop at midnight.
To help get around the city, Long Beach’s old-fashion trolley will be providing free rides to other parts of the city so visitors can experience Long Beach’s shops and restaurants. “Boardwalk Lights promises to be a great family event to showcase the city and support our merchants who are just getting back on their feet,” said Long Beach City Council President Scott J. Mandel.
Boardwalk Lights festivities kick off on Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at National Boulevard, and will run through mid January. The nearly ¾ mile boardwalk light show will be held from Long Beach to Magnolia boulevards. Visitors can access the boardwalk from entrance ramps on Long Beach Blvd., Riverside Blvd., Edwards Blvd., National Blvd., and Magnolia Blvd. Boardwalk Lights will be open every evening from 5 to 9 p.m.
For more information about the City of Long Beach and Boardwalk Lights, log on to www.visitlongbeachnewyork.com. For special Long Beach Chamber of Commerce events and offers log on to www.thelongbeachchamber.com.
Boardwalk Lights sponsors include the Allegria Hotel, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Bridal Reflections, Capital One Bank, Citibank, Gino's of Long Beach, National Grid, Pam Air and Planet Payment and South Nassau Communitie Hospital.
