Avalon’s annual Spring Kickoff Weekend arrives Friday-Saturday, May 11th and 12th.  The event includes an annual yard sale event, paper shredding day, hoagie and plant sale, bicycle auction, a Big Band dance, and a popular Wine & Spirits Festival presented by the Avalon Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber’s annual Wine & Spirits Festival kicks off the weekend on Friday, May 11th, at Avalon Community Hall, 30th Street and the beach.  More than 200 high-end wines and spirits from around the world are included in the event, along with hors d’oeuvres, cheeses, seafood, and live music from “Black Dandelion”.  The event begins at 6:30pm, and tickets are available; additional details are available on the Chamber’s website, www.visitavalonnj.com.

On Saturday, May 12th, thousands visit Avalon for the annual Borough-Wide Yard Sale sponsored by the Avalon Garden Club.  Map pickups detailing the various yard sale locations are available at Avalon Community Hall at 8:00am, with the yard sale starting at 9:00am.  Additional information and an application to participate in the event are available at www.avalonboro.net, and at the office of the Avalon Municipal Clerk inside Avalon Borough Hall.  Also highlighting the yard sale will be the Avalon Lions Club Yard Sale, also starting at 9:00am, at the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children on 26th Street.

The Avalon Department of Public Works will host two big events on Saturday.  The Borough’s annual free community paper shredding day event will occur between the hours of 9:00am and 2:00pm.  The Public Works facility will also host the Avalon Police Department’s annual bicycle auction at 12 Noon.  The Public Works facility is located at 14th Street and Dune Drive in Avalon.

The Avalon Volunteer Fire Department will also host two events on Saturday.  The Ladies Auxiliary will hold its annual plant sale between the hours of 8:00am and 3:00pm, and the annual Hoagie Sale begins at 10:00am.

The weekend concludes with a huge Big Band dance featuring Jersey Shore favorite “Star Band” inside Avalon Community Hall at 7:00pm.  For the complete Big Band dance schedule, visit www.avalonrecreation.org.