#5 Broadway. Ocean Grove, before the Chamber of Commerce told us to decorate our houses. Paul Goldfinger photo ©. 2017

By Paul Goldfinger, Master-of-ceremonies @Blogfinger.net. 2017. Ocean Grove, NJ

We have known for some time that Asbury Park is heading towards year-round tourism to benefit their local commercial endeavors.  In addition since they want to be “hipster city,” they need to have all sorts of activities to attract that young crowd of tourists as well as new homeowners,  besides the restaurant and bar scenes.

During the summer season, OG experiences parking gluts aggravated by A. Parkers who love the free parking in the Grove, especially at the North End.  But that “season” is widening in both directions on the calendar.

So, now, in the latest issue of the Coaster, we learn that AP developer Madison Marquette will partner with the State’s largest provider of arts programing—-the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, to produce “live performances, arts education and community engagement events on the Boardwalk.”    They are primarily referring to large crowd shows to be booked at the Convention Hall and the  Paramount Theater.  They plan to “boost the number of nights that these venues will be active, while broadening the diversity of audiences.”  We don’t know what “community engagement events” are.

An executive with the NJPAC  is quoted as saying, “Our vision with Madison Marquette is to make clear the diverse opportunities for entertainment 12 months per year.”

But. even more interesting, is the announcement that the Ocean Grove  Chamber of Commerce is encouraging homeowners to decorate their houses for Christmas so that they can lure tourists into the Grove for more shopping action on certain nights of the week, and that of course will increase congestion at Christmas time—a deeply meaningful holiday for many residents in the Grove.

And if you think that they are doing this to liven up our “community and neighborhoods” for the sake of OG residents, you are naive. When was the last time the Chamber has done anything to specifically promote or help our community and its neighborhoods?

Those Grovers who decorate for Christmas are to be congratulated for enlivening the festiveness of that “most wonderful time of the year.”  But they don’t need an organized program by the Chamber of Commercials to encourage them, including telling them when to turn their lights on.

This is from the Chamber announcement of town walks and house lighting events for one month this season. (2017):

When did the leading Christian organization in town push for such a plan?  I have never seen a mention of it in the OG history books.

Instead, the Camp Meeting Association celebrates Christmas with noteworthy organized non-commercial programs such as the Live Nativity, caroling, the Christmas tree lighting, religious services, and other community types of events that promote happiness in town and not an inducement to crowds of tourists who are oblivious to the fact that people actually live in the Grove.

And this is from the OG Chamber of Commerce web site:

“Ocean Grove is a great day trip from Philly or New York. An easy train or bus ride can avoid all the shore traffic as well.
Experience the Jersey Shore in Ocean Grove.   We are open year-round!”

There are those OG big-shots who write off our congestion complaints by minimizing the problem, saying “Oh, it’s just a few weekends at the peak of summer.”  But they have agendas and they are probably pleased that the commercialism of the Grove will be maximized, not minimized, and the historic small town agenda of residents will continue to be ignored.

Christmas Day, 2015. the Bellizia family of Ocean Grove. Photo by Prosper Bellizia. ©

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….PENTATONIX: