Surf City Bridge Jam on Saturday, May 15 will kick it off with food trucks, live music and family activities.
Get ready for a big day of fun in the sun! After a tough year due to COVID-19, we can all finally gather at Soundside Park for the Town of Surf City’s inaugural Surf City Bridge Jam on Saturday, May 15. Located next to the former location of the Surf City Swing Bridge, Soundside Park is the perfect location for an outdoor celebration for all ages.
Organized by the Town of Surf City, this event will have food trucks, a beer garden sponsored by the Salty Turtle Beer Company of Surf City and vendors of all types.
Speaking of entertainment, there will be two bands playing throughout the afternoon. Spare Change out of Greenville, North Carolina will play all types of rock, country and pop music, and their three-part harmonies and fiddle player set them apart from most area bands. Jolly Mon Jams out of Little River, South Carolina, specializes in steel drums.
During the afternoon organizers will be recognizing the bridge tenders of the historic bridge, which was known to the locals as the Sears Landing Bridge. Originally built in 1954, that steel truss bridge was operational until 2019, when the new high-rise bridge opened to accommodate the increasing traffic coming to and from the island.
Many of the locals have a sense of nostalgia for what the old swing bridge meant to them and will be sharing their stories. The city will honor the first three bridge tenders — Earl Glenn Batts, James Franklin Batson and Lacy Norman Atkinson. Their family and friends, along with other people who grew up here, will be sharing their memories and stories of what the Earl-James-Lacy bridge meant to them.
The families have shared about the close-knit ties these bridge tenders formed, the way they lived nearby, covered each others’ shifts and took care of each other as a family.
James Franklin Batson
Lacy Norman Atkinson
Earl Glenn Batts
If you are new to the area, it’s a great way to learn about the history of the island and meet some of the people who have been there all their lives.
It is going to be amazing just to be able to gather again, so this promises to be an extra special day for everyone. Be sure to get out your sunblock and your party hat. It’s time to celebrate! See you there!
For more information, visit the website surfcitync.gov/2305/Special-Events.
