Jake and Buttercup

This Sunday, June 6, starting at 12 noon, Slattery’s Golf Range and Mini-Golf in Northfield will be hosting its second annual Golf Fest to benefit Penny Angels Beagle Rescue.
It will be a fun day for the whole family, including your dog. A $15-per-person fee includes nine holes of mini-golf, a hot dog, soda and ice cream. There will be plenty of eligible beagles on hand if you’re interested in adopting a four-legged friend. Come as you are — golf clubs will be provided. The benefit will start at noon at Slattery’s Golf Range, located at 338 Tilton Rd. in Northfield. The rain date is the following Sunday, June 13.
“Last year the weather was horrendous,” says venue owner Ed Slattery. “We raised a couple hundred dollars for them but the weather really got in the way. We’re hoping

Lucy and Lola

for a nicer day this year because it’s for such a great cause. These people [Joan and Ken Kerr] have devoted their lives to these animals. I have three and I’d take more if I could.”
Representatives will be in attendance from Penny Angels Beagle Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to placing unwanted, neglected or homeless beagles in homes with loving families. For more information, call (609) 272-0520.

Some of this year's Miss Senior New Jersey contestants

UPDATE (6-4-2010) The winner of this year’s Ms. New Jersey Senior America pageant is Becky Orsatti of Atlantic City. She will represent New Jersey in the national competition, which will be held in Atlantic City in October.

Fourteen elegant ladies from various partss of New Jersye will be competing for the title of Ms. New Jersey Senior America 2010 at the Harrah’s Resort Concert Venue on Thursday, June 3) starting at 1pm. All 14 contestants are aged 60 and older and will be judged in four categories: interview, philosophy of life, evening gown, and talent. Upon winning the crown, the Queen becomes the delegate from New Jersey and will compete in the national Ms. Senior America pageant, which will also be held at Harrah’s in October.
Comedienne Helen Halpin McCarney, Ms Senior America 2005, and Dr. Sandra

Miss Senior America 2009 Gail Lizardy King, 60, of Long Island, NY

Greco M.D., Ms, Senior America 2003, will co-host as “Mistress of Ceremonies.” Outgoing Queen Bernadette Dudek, will deliver her farewell address, sing, and crown the winner.
The program will include a variety of other performances, and a special number to the song, “Dancing Queens”, which has been choreographed especially for this year’s pageant, by Miss New Jersey 2009. The pageant is rated general, and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or what’s happening in the region. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly

One of my favorite activities during the summer season is attending the numerous festivals that take place in the South Jersey region. With that in mind, here are the dates and some basic info on some of my favorite annual festivals for the month of June, beginning this weekend with the Holy Trinity Greek Festival that features fireworks and the best gyro on the planet.

JUNE
June 4-6
Holy Trinity Greek Festival, Mill Rd. and Ridge Ave., Egg Harbor Twp. The festivities begin at 5pm Thursday and Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday and continue until well past midnight. Features delicious Greek cuisine, games and amusement rides, Greek folk dancers, Greek music and fireworks. Free admission.
June 5
Annual West Cape May Strawberry Festival is held every year on the first Saturday of June in Wilbraham Park, West Cape May, 9am-5pm, featuring Jersey fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake, seafood, kettle corn, fresh produce, fresh barbecued meats, etc. Craft vendors, live music; free parking & admission. Call 884-9325 for information. Rain date June 6.
June 17
Chefs at the Shore, Atlantic City Aquarium, Gardner’s Basin, Atlantic City, 5:30-9pm, 348-2880, ext. 22. There will be a special appearance by Russ Newberry of TV’s Deadliest Catch, as well as live cooking demonstrations by local celebrity chefs. Guests will be able to sample all dishes, as well as premium wines and beers. Proceeds from Chefs at the Shore benefit the Atlantic City Aquarium and the Professional Chefs Association scholarship program. Tickets are $50.
June 27
24th Annual Red, White & Blueberry Festival, Bellevue Ave. at White Horse Pike (Rt. 30), Hammonton. The Blueberry Capital of the World honors New Jersey’s official state fruit from 10am-5pm with free admission and parking (free trolley from remote parking). Live music, kiddy rides, arts & crafts, a classic car show run by Cruisin’ Classics, incredible food and blueberries in every shape and form.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

It’s about 45 miles away — follow Route 40 towards the Delaware Memoiral Bridge — in Elmer, but each year the Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival brings together hordes of music lovers from the tri-state area to hear wonderful acts on two stages.

Celebrating its 50th year in 2010, Appel Farm hosts concerts throughout the year, but every first week in June it’s time for the big show.

Past performers at the June festival include Richard Thompson, Robert Cray, Amos Lee, Robert Randolph, Greg Brown. John Prine, Randy Newman and Joan Armatrading.

This year’s June 5 festival boasts current retro-soul sensation Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Patty Griffin with Buddy Miller, Richard Schindell and the Avett Brothers.

Find out more here.

The band Reilly will headline Saturday.

The broadcasting format that WXGN 90.5 FM adheres to is similar to the approach radio stations used to take years ago but seldom do anymore — one that’s dubbed album-oriented radio (or AOR) that offers musicians the opportunity to showcase a wider range of their original material.
“Part of what I think local radio needs to do is encourage more young up-and-coming bands,” says Bill Link, station manager of WXGN out of Ocean City. “When I grew up with radio as a kid in the ’70s, there were a lot of AOR radio stations putting on a ton of events that covered a variety of styles of new music. It was pretty common for the

The band SiLOam will co-headline Saturday night.

Philadelphia stations to host several concerts per year, and WXGN is a throwback to those days.”

Nicknamed “The X,” the station is also highly committed to the humanitarian causes that allow it to operate as a listener-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit group. WXGN hosts several charitable fundraisers each year, including the third annual Ocean City Beach Fest scheduled for this Saturday, May 29, at the Ocean City Music Pier. For more on this story,go here.

The Ocean City Fine Arts League is hosting its seventh annual Battle of the Bands fundraiser to support the classes, art educational events and gallery of the Ocean City Fine Arts League — a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. The event will take place at the Ocean City Music Pier on Saturday April 10, at 6pm, with professional musician Wayne Gallagher serving as emcee.  Performing are some of the hottest bands from the Philadelphia and southern New Jersey areas, including PBL, 1.2.3. Draw, Band of Ghost, Kill the Kid, Kickin’ Bear and the ChARTer Tech Band. Two of the bands are up-and-coming entertainers from the Ocean City High School and the ChARTer Tech School in Somers Point. Judges for this event are Tom Watkins — head of a regional music management business — and Herb “Bubba” Birch — musician and head of the Bubba Mac Blues Band from Ocean City.
Admission to the event is $10. Advance tickets are available at the Ocean City Fine Arts League, 608 Asbury Ave. in Ocean City, or at the City Hall Annex at 901 Asbury Ave., in O.C. Tickets will also be available at the door. — Kelley Anne Essinger

The Humane Society of Ocean City

An array of dogs, cats and miscellaneous creatures accompanied by their best friends, will obediently compete for ribbons on Saturday, April 3, starting 11am at Carey Stadium, 6th Street off the boardwalk in Ocean City. The annual event usually draws about 100 entrants and kicks off an array of Ocean City Easter Weekend activities.
Woofin’ Paws has always been a fundraiser for the Ocean City Humane Society. It takes on added significance this year as the Society has been working to capacity for months due to the recession. The facility is completely filled with dogs and cats from owners who can no longer afford to care for them.
A $5 entry fee for individual pets, or a $10 fee for multiple entries, supports the Society. Spectators are admitted free but donations to the Society are most welcome and encouraged. This year it is more important than ever for spectators to make on optional contribution.
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Ireland and Old Lace in Smithville will be hosting its free annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Saturday, March 6, from noon-3pm, and will include a CD signing with international recording artist Gaelic Storm. There will be live acoustic music, bagpipers and the Mist of Ireland step dancers will perform. Bring or purchase any Gaelic storm CD and have it signed by the band from noon-1pm.
For more information please call 404-4777 or go here.

Cyril Neville

Come celebrate Mardi Gras with a bang this year! Presented as part of the Tony Mart Reunion Series, this will not only be a party to remember, it will also be benefiting ACCESS ONE, a bona fide medical support charity in Atlantic County. The celebration comes complete with a real New Orleans second line parade, beads, a Mardi Gras costume contest, Caribbean rum punch, beads, authentic Cajun cuisine and did we mention beads? Cyril Neville, soulful singer of the legendary Neville brothers, will be performing at 8pm. The party starts at 5pm on Saturday, Feb. 27, at St. James Parish Hall in Ventnor, so there will be plenty of time to visit the fabulous buffet, complete with gumbo, smoked turkey, eggplant jambalaya, shrimp Creole, Mardi Gras King Cake and chocolate pecan bread pudding with rum sauce. This is all included with a tax-deductible donation of $25 per person. There is plenty of free parking and tickets can be purchased at the door. Tables of eight or more can be reserved by calling Janine Golden at 609-927-6662 or Nancy and Carmen Marotta at 609-653-6069. We hope to see you there! — Garrett Burrell

Tropicana Casino & Resort announces its second annual Festival Carnivale de Tropicana will take place Saturday, Feb. 5, from 6-10pm.
Grab your salsa shoes and get ready to celebrate a night of fun, excitement and great value with $5 food and beverage specials at participating venues. Feel the energy with salsa dancers, live entertainment, and hourly drawings for rooms, dinners, show tickets and more.
Participating Trop venues include A Dam Good Deli, A Dam Good Sports Bar, A Time For Wine, Alto Vino Wine Bar, Carmine’s, Corky’s BBQ, Firewaters, Hooters, Il Verdi, Palm Restaurant, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Planet Rose, Red Square, Wellington’s and Zeytinia.
Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar will also host the official after party “Noche de Carnivale,” featuring colorfully costumed Brazilian dancers, a master percussionist, Cuba Libre’s resident DJ playing tropical Latin beats, and complimentary giveaways including masks and beads.
To get the most from your Carnivale experience, stop by the IMAX Box Office, or the New Member Center in The Quarter to purchase Carnivale tickets on the day of the event, redeemable for exciting food, drink and entertainment specials at each participating outlet during the Festival. Then wind your way from one exciting venue to the next, indulging in signature Carnivale tastes to sip and savor.
During Festival Carnivale de Tropicana, all new Diamond Club and IN Card members will receive $25 for EZ Slots. Plus, show your Diamond Club or IN Card at the New Member Center to enter to win prizes at 7, 8, 9 and 10pm.
This free, property-wide celebration is your chance to eat, drink, dance and be outrageous!