Seaside Heights adds curfew, backpack ban ahead of July Fourth after Memorial Day chaos

After a chaotic start to summer marked by arrests and violent fights among teens and young adults, Seaside Heights has adopted new boardwalk restrictions aimed at restoring order.

On June 18, borough officials approved updated curfew hours for minors and a ban on backpacks on the boardwalk. The new rules come after a particularly turbulent Memorial Day weekend that led to nearly 90 arrests and four separate, nonfatal stabbings, according to local police.

These measures add to existing ordinances, including an 8 p.m. beach closure and a ban on short-term rentals — like Airbnb — for people under 21 during prom and graduation season.

“We have to enforce these rules. It’s going to make some people unhappy, but that’s the way we have to do things,” Seaside Heights Mayor Christopher Vaz said at the June 18 borough council meeting. “This will help us. We’ve got tools now. If we enforce these rules, we’ll be back to the way we were.”

Seaside Heights is among more than two dozen Jersey Shore towns that have implemented teen curfews in recent years in response to large late-night crowds and a rise in underage partying.

The surge in late-night gatherings began after most COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in 2021. That summer, Shore towns started to see a shift — teens flocked to the coast, often traveling for hours without their parents’ knowledge, looking to meet up with friends and party.

What began as social meetups have, in some cases, escalated into chaotic crowds, sometimes leading to fights, stabbings, underage drinking, shoplifting, and vandalism.

While Seaside Heights experienced serious disruptions over Memorial Day weekend, most other Shore towns saw the holiday pass without major incidents, The Inquirer found.