By Donald Wittkowski
It seems that Sea Isle City has some serious pull at the North Pole and in Hollywood.
How else could you explain the joint appearance of Santa Claus and fellow A-listers Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, Mary Poppins and Sofia the First in downtown Sea Isle on Saturday?
There they were, strolling along the sidewalks, hobnobbing with shoppers and posing for pictures.
“Merry Christmas!” Santa called out in his trademark booming voice while ringing his bells.
The Santa-led star power was part of the hoopla for the annual Holiday Stroll shopping and dining extravaganza sponsored by the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization.
Participating businesses offered sales and specials all day long, while families enjoyed the live entertainment provided by Santa, Mary Poppins and their fellow icons of the cartoon and movie world.
“I think Sea Isle is practically perfect,” Mary Poppins said in an oh-so-proper British accent. “I love the children. I also love the store owners, too. They are so hospitable.”
Like other Cape May County beach towns, Sea Isle is looking for ways to draw customers to its bars, restaurants and shops during what is normally a quiet time at the Jersey Shore.
Liz Essick, owner of Sunsations boutique, dresses up in festive garb for the Holiday Stroll.
Many of Sea Isle’s businesses have already closed up for the winter, but the Holiday Stroll is designed to give a boost to the shops that are still open for the Christmas season. Sunsations, a boutique on John F. Kennedy Boulevard, is one of them.
“It’s been a great day. I opened at 11 o’clock and I’ve had a steady flow of customers since then,” Liz Essick, owner of Sunsations, said of the benefit to her shop from the Holiday Stroll.
Essick noted that the Holiday Stroll showcases the local businesses while also offering big discounts to shoppers as an extra incentive to visit Sea Isle. Sunsations, for instance, was selling every item in the store at a 50 percent discount.
“These types of events bring people to town and show them that we still have stores open. And it allows customers to do their holiday shopping while buying things at great discounts,” Essick said.
From left, friends Elizabeth Stinson, Linda Vanney and Cathleen McDougall take advantage of the shopping discounts.
Friends Elizabeth Stinson, of Avondale, Pa., Cathleen McDougall, of Chadds Ford, Pa., and Linda Vanney, of Landenberg, Pa., were attracted by the big sales while walking around downtown on Saturday.
“We were supposed to be doing Christmas shopping, but we are doing ‘me shopping’ instead,” McDougall said with a laugh.
Vanney, who has a vacation home in Sea Isle, said this was the first time the three friends had ever shopped together during the Holiday Stroll.
“Honestly, we’re here for the deals. Fifty percent off, you can’t beat that,” Vanney said.
Vanney, McDougall and Stinson had just finished shopping at Sunsations during the 50 percent off sale. They were there at the same time that Santa, Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, Mary Poppins and Sofia the First popped into the store to mingle with customers and then hammed it up outside for photos.
Santa and the other costumed characters, supplied by the entertainment group Let’s Party Events, were brought in by the Chamber of Commerce to give the Holiday Stroll an even stronger family-friendly atmosphere.
“It is the best place ever to visit,” Santa said, giving his unequivocal endorsement to Sea Isle before getting ready to head back to the North Pole.
The towering holiday tree in Excursion Park adds to the festive atmosphere in downtown Sea Isle.
