ATLANTIC CITY- Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey’s tallest, will host a Birthday Celebration to honor the 156th birthday of the Lighthouse beginning Sunday, Jan. 13. Using “Abby” as inspiration, Atlantic City students have submitted poems, paintings, photographs, and drawings.  Cash prizewinners will be announced at 1 pm. and kids can climb free all day, 11am to 3:30pm.  The celebration continues Monday, Jan. 14 with “Buy One Get One” admissions all day.

Then, Tuesday, Jan. 15 is the actual birthday with FREE climbs for all and birthday cake from The Bake Works in Northfield following the annual Happy Birthday sing-along.  If you truly want to “DO AC,” then don’t miss this opportunity to experience a 360-degree view of Atlantic City’s sparkling skyline, and wish a Happy Birthday to Atlantic City’s oldest historic structure, as well as the country’s third tallest lighthouse.

The Absecon Lighthouse is located at 31 South Rhode Island Avenue in Atlantic City. It is open to visitors Thursdays through Mondays, 11am to 4pm. For more information about Absecon Lighthouse and its programs call (609) 449-1360 or visit its Web site at abseconlighthouse.org

— Christina Rodriguez

Lance Fung, founder of Fung Collaboratives

ATLANTIC CITY — A partnership between the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA), Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and curator Lance Fung of Fung Collaboratives has resulted in the current development of a five-year public art project to enhance vacant areas within Atlantic City.

Fung intends to create interactive living art spaces with help from distinct and forthcoming artists, designers and architects. The mission of ACA and Fung will be to transform idle areas of Atlantic City land into public art exhibitions for both residents and visitors of the city to enjoy for free. Fung hopes to encourage social interaction with the creation of the public art series, starting with a public meeting to discuss collaboration possibilities on Thursday, July 12. The discussion will be held from 6-8pm at the Absecon Lighthouse at on 31 South Rhode Island Ave.

Fung Collaboratives, founded in 1999, is an arts organization that specializes in temporary art installations throughout the world. The work of its founder has been featured at the Toronto and Beijing Olympics, Mexico, California and Egypt. Best known for his art presentation at Finland’s 2004 The Snow Show (pictured right) Fung has worked collaboratively with a list of renowned artists that includes the names of Yoko Ono, Sir Norman Foster, Kiki Smith and Tadao Ando.

The Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) is a New Jersey non-profit organization that focuses on the development of full-scale marketing for Atlantic City. For more information, go here. — Rebecca Mulberg

Jim Craine and the Atlantic City All Stars will provide Sunday's entertainment.

ATLANTIC CITY — On Easter Sunday, April 8, the city of Atlantic City, in partnership with the Steel Pier, will hold the resort’s annual “Easter Best Dressed Contest” on the Boardwalk in front of Steel Pier. The contest starts 1:30pm.

Winners of Best Dressed individuals (boys and girls up to age 15) and Best Dressed Family will receive great prizes (rides on the Steel Pier will not be open yet due to the renovations taking place, but the wait will be worth it!).

The Easter Bunny will arrive at 1pm and will give out free goody bags, prizes and discounts for children (while supplies last). A ride ticket booth will be open to take advantage of the Steel Pier’s “Buy One Ride, Get One Free” ticket book to be used when the ride renovations are complete.

Participating partners include Steel Pier, Absecon Lighthouse, Atlantic City Aquarium, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, IMAX Theatre at The Quarter, Hard Rock Café, James Saltwater Taffy and Coca-Cola.

Music will be provided by Jim Craine and the Atlantic City All Stars. Bill McCullough of McCullough Models will serve as the master of ceremonies.

For more information, contact Omar Nobles, acting Atlantic City special-events coordinator, at (609) 343-6326 or Sharon Franz, sales and marketing director for Steel Pier at (609) 513-1690.

ATLANTIC CITY — Absecon Lighthouse and Tanger Outlets – The Walk are sponsoring a “Happy Hour Celebrity Fashion Show” on Friday, March 30, in an effort to benefit Absecon Lighthouse’s educational programs for children.

The show will be held at the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield. Local celebrities will model the latest spring fashions featured in the stores at the Tanger Outlets.

In addition to the fashion show, there will be appetizers, a silent auction, a DJ, $5 drink specials and a cash bar. Doors open at 5:30pm and the show begins at 6:15pm. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by calling the Absecon Lighthouse at (609) 449-1360.

— Julie Pipitone

ATLANTIC CITY — Absecon Lighthouse (left) is yet again offering an educational series called “Kids Light Up The Arts” beginning on Sun., Jan. 29, and running through Sun., March 11.

It is an opportunity for children to learn and grow in visual and performing arts. There will be two-hour art classes offered from 1-3pm on Sunday afternoons, Jan. through March. The premiere series will also feature local artists, performers, and crafters to influence students to develop their own artwork. Students will have the chance to display their creativeness and individuality at an Art Show and reception on Sun., March 11 from 1-3pm.

In addition, classes will include theater and puppetry, dance, painting, literature, photography, and other art forms. Classes are $15 per student and $95 for the complete class series. Price includes all materials, supplies, and educational instruction. In order to reserve your child’s participation weekly, please call (609) 449-1360 or go here for more information.  

— Julie Pipitone

According to an article at the Wall Street Journal online, both houses of the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill Jan. 9 that would eliminate a mandatory 72-hour waiting period for a marriage or civil-union license, and increase the fee to $60 from $28. Currently, 29 states have no waiting period for a marriage license, but only two — Connecticut and Rhode Island — are in the Northeast.

According to the article, Gov. Chris Christie has not yet let his stance on the issue be known. Atlantic City casinos and wedding-service providers are watching closely what the governor does on the wedding bill, as eliminating the waiting period would help cultivate the city as a destination wedding location, it is mentioned. About 1.1 million visitors to Las Vegas attended a wedding in 2010, with an estimated economic impact of $722 million according to the most recent available figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Nevada has no waiting period for a license.
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ATLANTIC CITY — The Absecon Lighthouse, located at 31 S. Rhode Island Ave. in north Atlantic City, will host a 155th birthday celebration on Sunday, Jan. 15, starting 1pm.

The party will include a birthday cake from The Bake Works in Northfield and free climbs to the top until 3:30pm (closing time will be 4pm Sunday).

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience a 360-degree view of Atlantic City’s sparkling skyline, and wish a “Happy Birthday” to Atlantic City’s oldest historic structure, the tallest lighthouse in the state of New Jersey, and the third tallest lighthouse in the United States.

Click here for more information, or call the lighthouse at (609) 449-1360.

ATLANTIC CITY — The Absecon Lighthouse, located at 31 S. Rhode Island Ave. in Atlantic City, will host a holiday gathering Saturday, Dec. 10, from 6-8pm. “Holiday Cheer,” a professional caroling group, will sing a cappella carols of the season and invite guests to sing along. And to tune up your singing voice, some holiday cheer of wine, beer and light refreshments will be served.

A night climb to view the spectacular A.C. skyline at night is also included in the $20 fee, which benefits the historic lighthouse and all its activities.  Guests will enjoy the official lighting of our Christmas tree and have a chance to do some holiday shopping in our gift shop. Call the lighthouse at (609) 449-1360 or click here for more.

The local artist appears at the Absecon Lighthouse Oct. 15 & 16

ATLANTIC CITY — America’s original and largest lighthouse festival returns next Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15-16, when the 2011 Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey storms into the Garden State. The event helps raise awareness and much-needed funds for all of New Jersey’ historic sites and museums.

Artist Donna Elias

Eleven historic lighthouses, two life-saving stations and two museums are all taking place in this annual event that “challenges” you to visit as many of the states historic beacons as you can over one weekend. Visitors may buy a souvenir booklet for $1 and then get a free lighthouse stamp placed in it at each stop along the way.

The Challenge is free, requires no registration or signup, and participants can begin at any of the 15 locations. Most of the lighthouses will be available to climb for a small fee and several will offer rare opportunities to climb after dark.

Atlantic City-based watercolor artist Donna Elias created the artwork for this year’s official Challenge souvenir booklet, stamps, posters and T-shirts. Elias is well known by lighthouse enthusiasts as the artist behind the Great American Lighthouses Collection, a series of over 300 paintings celebrating historic beacons nationwide. Her paintings and prints, which also adorn several home decor lines, are sold worldwide.

Lighthouse Challenge poster

Elias is also well known in lighthouse circles for her philanthropic work and was happy to donate her art to the Lighthouse Challenge. Elias will be stationed at her hometown beacon, Absecon Lighthouse, (31 South Rhode Island Ave. in Atlantic City) both days, from 9am-7pm Saturday and 9am-6pm Sunday.

Challenge posters, T-shirts and other collectibles will be shown and offered for sale, as well as an exhibit of other works by Elias. For more information, go here or call the Absecon Lighthouse at (609) 449-1360.

ATLANTIC CITY — Ever have a hankering to climb a lighthouse by the light of a full moon? Looking for a recession-busting, date-night idea?

Well, the Absecon Lighthouse is offering nighttime climbs to correspond with the calendar’s full moons, with this Friday, July 15, being first of three scheduled this summer. Tickets to climb the 228 steps (New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse) are just $10 and include snacks and beverages. The last climb will be at 9pm.

Other full-moon climbs this summer are scheduled for Saturday, Aug 13, and Monday, Sept. 12.  For more info, call (609) 449-1360 or go here.