Brad Hurtado still recalls the first time he saw the Fifth Avenue beach in Asbury Park, New Jersey back in 2000. “There were only 12 people on the beach, and only six of them were gay.”
Fast-forward to today and the town has become a sizeable gay enclave. Even though the town is only a little more than an hour from New York City, such booms don’t happen by themselves, and this one owes part of its zip to Road Trip, an annual event that began in 2001 and has been attracting beach-seeking ’mos ever since to the one-square-mile town on the water.
 “Road Trip is our signature event, and it’s been responsible for people relocating [to Asbury Park] either part time or full time,” says full-time resident Jill Potter, the chairperson of the Asbury Park Market Fund, the group that runs the weekend and whose mission is to spread the word that the burg is an “up-and-coming gay destination.”
This year the events begin Friday, July 18, with a Kickoff Party at the landmark Convention Hall featuring an underwear fashion show by Priape Wear, food and drinks from local establishments and fireworks at evening’s end.
The next afternoon is the inaugural Sand Blast, a dance on the Fifth Avenue beach DJ-ed by Eddie Baez.
“Instead of doing a nighttime dance, we wanted to showcase what we love about the town, and what’s special is the beach,” says Hurtado, who produces Sand Blast and is one of the organizers of the weekend.
From noon until 6pm, along with the DJ there’ll be a 50- by 70-foot dance floor, artist Chuck Feld’s live sand sculpture-building, a section of the bar at Convention Hall reserved just for revelers and a special “dance environment” created for the party. Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door.
For those of you worried about the party ending so early, you can visit one of the city’s four gay bars, especially Paradise, the oldest and largest club that features a pool and a bumping Saturday night party. Or if you want to skip the dance altogether, you can always lie on the beach peacefully, take part in gay history and take the real-estate trolley tour of the city or one of the other events that Road Trip has lined up to wow visitors.
Sunday is also packed with activities, including yoga and meditation workshops, a workout on the beach and a volleyball tournament.
With the beach, cocktails, a dance party and boys in their bathing suits, what’s not to come check out? N
Take a Road Trip from Friday, July 18, through Sunday, July 20. Sand Blast Saturday, July 19, at Fifth Avenue Beach. For more info visit RoadTripAsburyPark.com or SandBlastOnline.com.
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