Belmar Seafood Festival 2009

(Credit: File photo)

It's that time again! Nothing more clearly defines that summer has arrived than the annual Belmar Seafood Festival. It will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. rain or shine. This is the 23rd year the free festival has been held at Silver Lake Park on Ocean Avenue between 5th and 6th avenues. The festival showcases some of the Shore's finest restaurants including, Klein's Waterside Cafe, Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty, The New Mr. Shrimp and much more. There will also be carnival-like food stands, crafts and live music throughout both days. After its success last year, the festival will feature a trolley that will run continuously from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Last year, there were close to 150,000 people that attended the festival, so here are some guidelines to follow:

• Expect it to be a hot day. There aren't a lot of shady places to hang out so bring an umbrella or wear lots of sun block.
• If you can choose the day to go, Saturday isn't quite as bad as Sunday.
• Alcohol-wise, there is only wine, so don't expect beer or mixed drinks.
• It sounds obvious, but the earlier the better for parking spots. There is a 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. parking curfew but, in the past, the cops have only enforced getting out by 7 p.m. and generally didn't bother people who got there early.
• The bands play closer to Silver Lake.
• Be hungry and ready to get messy.