By CHRISTIAN MANAHAN
Staff Writer

EGG HARBOR CITY – The Hometown Celebration appears to be on the move.

During a vote taken by the city’s Community Committee Wednesday, May 21, a 17 to 2 majority decided that it would be in the best interest of the city to move the annual July festival from the Egg Harbor City Lake Park to the downtown area, specifically between the 100 to 500 blocks of Philadelphia Avenue.

Present at the meeting were local business owners, representatives from civic organizations and elected officials.
Maggie D’Ambra Sr. and Terri Cantz, who co-chair the committee, did not vote.

A formal presentation by D’Ambra and Cantz is expected at the next City Council meeting June 12.

D’Ambra said the Hometown Celebration is being moved because of a lack of exposure at City Lake Park.

“We are down to just the non-profit organizations,” she said in describing the participants.

D’Ambra said that the event would be a bigger draw if it were moved to Philadelphia Avenue.

A preliminary plan for the celebration has the event taking place from noon to midnight on Saturday, July 12 from the 100 to 500 blocks of Philadelphia Avenue.

Setting up for the Hometown Celebration will take place the morning of the event, with the streets being blocked off on midnight July 12.

Musical entertainers for the event will be set up in front of the Rose Mohr Learning Center, with civic organizations and vendors stationed at various locations along downtown Egg Harbor.

The committee is also looking into providing a trolley service for patrons, as well as handicapped and senior citizen parking.

“There will be hurdles to overcome, but hopefully they can overcome them,” Mayor Joseph Kuehner Jr. said at the May 22 City Council meeting.

Councilwoman Carol Kienzle, who was not in attendance at the council meeting, opposed moving the Hometown Celebration, saying that one of its original objectives was to get exposure for the city’s non-profit organizations, such as the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs.

She also questions where the city would be able to conduct a fireworks display, which was the reason why the annual festival was moved from Lincoln Park to City Lake Park several years ago.

“I'm not against it,” Kienzle said in an interview, “but I don’t think it should be called the Hometown Celebration if it does move.”

Kienzle said she is not trying to bash the Community Committee for looking into moving the event, but she thinks more time should have been taken to plan a move.

“I don’t think (the Community Committee) allowed for enough time for a move like this,” she added.

Joe Manzoni, owner and operator of French Country Corner on Philadelphia Avenue, said he is also against the move, saying that the Hometown Celebration is already in a “perfect area.”

In a phone interview he questioned whether there would be adequate parking on Philadelphia Avenue and where the fireworks display would be conducted. 

“It has been down at the lake for the past five years,” said Manzoni, who also operates the concession stand at City Lake Park. “Sometimes you just have to leave it alone.

“Of course, I would like for people to come to my store, but I want to see it down at the lake.”