Sea Isle City's 30-foot-tall Christmas tree in Excursion Park provides a festive backdrop for the colorful fireworks.
There were two fireworks displays in Sea Isle City for New Year’s Eve.
The first show was courtesy of Mother Nature. Wicked bolts of lightning flashed overhead as an unusual winter thunderstorm rumbled on for more than an hour at the shore.
Then, as if on cue, the drenching rain abruptly ended at about 8 p.m., just in time for the second display of fireworks – the one that New Year’s Eve revelers anxiously had been waiting for.
Although most cities have their fireworks display at midnight to welcome the New Year, Sea Isle traditionally starts its show at 8 p.m. as part of its family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration
Hundreds of adults and children lined the sidewalks downtown to watch the multicolored fireworks light up the night sky over the beach at John F. Kennedy Boulevard. The city’s 30-foot-tall artificial Christmas tree overlooking Excursion Park provided a festive backdrop for the fireworks.
The approximately 20-minute fireworks display provided a spectacular – and boisterous – welcome to the New Year and a fond farewell to 2024.
“Here we are. We’re waiting patiently,” Susan Fedoris exclaimed while getting ready for the fireworks along with her daughter, Mary Grace.
Fedoris, a Narberth, Pa., resident who owns a summer home in Sea Isle, took cover with her daughter under a restaurant awning.
She was hoping that the rain would stop for the fireworks – and got her wish.
“We thought it was possible, but we were hoping for the best,” she said.
Fedoris enjoyed what had been the sunny, relatively mild weather at the shore during the day to take a walk on the beach and go for a bike ride. She plans to continue her celebration in Sea Isle on New Year’s Day.
Another fireworks watcher, Guy Murray, a Seaville resident, had a one-word answer when asked whether the rain would spoil his New Year’s Eve celebration.
“Nope,” he said emphatically.
He paused for a moment to add, “At least it’s not snow. I love it.”
Revelers enjoy a break in the rain to venture outside for the holiday celebration.Before the revelers headed outside for the fireworks, Sea Isle’s bars and restaurants buzzed with customers as the New Year’s Eve celebration got underway for drinks and dinner.
“It’s packed with reservations. You can’t get a table,” Kathy Larkin, the general manager of O’Donnell’s Pour House, said while looking at the restaurant’s crowded dining room and bar.
Sharing drinks and a toast at the Pour House bar were Jim Carlin and his wife, Ginny, and Donna Conroy and her husband, Bob.
The Carlins and Conroys met while sitting down at the bar, struck up a conversation and suddenly seemed like old friends sharing a New Year’s Eve celebration.
“We’ll be longtime friends now. We started speaking and realized that we knew similar people,” Donna Conroy said of meeting the Carlins.
Bartender Mike McCormick pours some wine at O'Donnell's Pour House.Formerly of Delaware County, Pa., the Conroys now live on 39th Street in Sea Isle. The Carlins formerly lived in Sea Isle, but now reside in Ocean City.
After a toast, both couples talked about their New Year’s resolutions. Donna Conroy said her resolution was to be “healthy, kind and to have fun.”
Jim Carlin, who has been married to his wife for 55 years, joked that Ginny’s New Year’s resolution was to be nicer to him. He quickly added that he would be nicer to her, too, for his resolution.
With that, the Carlins and Conroys politely said goodbye while expressing hope that they would see each other again for New Year’s Eve next year.
“I hope so. I’m 81, so we’ll see how it goes,” Jim Carlin said with an optimistic smile.
From left, Jim Carlin, Donna Conroy, Ginny Carlin and Bob Conroy share a New Year's Eve toast at the bar at O'Donnell's Pour House.
