Summer Winds Down at the Shore

Signs of summer winding down are everywhere as kids leave for college, high school athletes are practicing for a new season and retail stores promote fall not summer items.

We’ve even had a few days of weather that at time has felt fall-like but that will likely end soon.  Regardless we are in the home stretch of the summer season which unofficially ends on Labor Day although many relish in what has become “Locals Summer” which begins the day after the holiday. I’ll talk more about that at some point later.

This is a good time to jam in the things you did not do over the last couple of months: eat pizza on the boardwalk, take the kids to the water park, enjoy an early evening at a restaurant that overlooks the water or catch a Lakewood BlueClaws game.  The schedule says they only have nine home games left but it appears they’ll be additions to that as the BlueClaws look to be playoff-bound for the first time since 2010.

In the meantime they have two games left on their current home stand and tonight will feature an autograph signing by former New York Met Howard Johnson.

The BlueClaws made news off the field Tuesday when they and the Philadelphia Phillies announced a partnership extension which keeps Lakewood as their Class “A” affiliate through at least the 2020 season.

Couple of notes here. St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church will host a charity basketball event on Friday night featuring former NBA players Horace Jenkins, Maurice Ager, Daniel Gibson and others.  It’s all for the benefit of “Operation Injured Soldiers” with game time 7pm on Friday.  For information you can call (732) 684-9769.

Also the Borough of Beachwood will host its inaugural Community Day this Saturday from noon-5pm at the Surf & Birch Park.  There will be live music, a petting zoo, food vendors, inflatables, games, giveaways, health assessments and more.  The event is presented by the Beachwood Municipal Alliance as well as the Recreation Department.  WOBM’s Hometown Crew will be on hand to join in the day.