Trump is having a rally in Wildwood on Saturday. Here’s what to expect.
The space designated for the rally can hold 30,000.
This Saturday’s rally for former President Donald Trump isn’t the first one being held in Wildwood, but it’s the first one on the Wildwood beach.
The former president held a rally at the Wildwood Convention Center in January 2020. The center wasn’t available for this rally, so Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. offered the beach.
But Wildwood, a Republican enclave and resort city on the southern end of the Jersey Shore, is used to hosting big events on the sand.
Troiano is anticipating about 25,000 people, which may sound like a lot for somewhere else, but for Wildwood, it’s “nothing more than a busy weekend down here.” Wildwood can see up to a quarter of a million people on the boardwalk on a normal busy summer night, he said.
“Even if it’s 30 or 40 thousand, we have these kinds of crowds all the time,” he added.
Where in Wildwood is the Trump rally?
The rally will take place on the beach at 3601 Boardwalk in Wildwood, which falls between East Lincoln and East Schellenger Avenues. The area can hold more than 30,000 people.
What time does it start?
Entry begins at noon and the event programming will start at 2 p.m. Attendees are advised not to arrive any later than 1:30 p.m. Trump is expected to speak about 5 p.m.
How can people attend?
Tickets have been available on a first come, first served basis on the Trump campaign website.
» READ MORE: Why Wildwood’s mayor invited Donald Trump to use the beach for Saturday’s rally
Will roads be shut down?
According to the Trump campaign, several roads will be closed near the event: East Spencer, East Spicer, East Garfield, East Lincoln, and East Schellenger Avenues.
Troiano expects heavy traffic.
Where can I park, and how else can I get there?
There is no designated parking for the event.
There is also parking at the Wildwood Convention Center, metered street parking on surrounding public roads, and nearby private lots behind the boardwalk shops along Ocean Avenue.
Parking close to the event will be difficult, and non-metered street parking can be found farther away from the boardwalk, Troiano said.
“If I was coming, I would park as far away as I could and hop up onto the boardwalk and take a nice leisurely stroll down the boardwalk,” the mayor said.
Uber and Lyft rides can drop off riders at the intersection of Atlantic and East Cedar Avenue, at 3515 Atlantic Ave.
Another option is hopping on the Wildwood tram, which starts running at noon and runs along the Wildwood boardwalk. A single ride costs $5.
What will security be like?
Attendees will be screened by the U.S. Secret Service, which provides protection for presidential candidates and former presidents. There are numerous prohibited items, such as umbrellas, selfie sticks, e-cigarettes, signs, and chairs.
How can I watch the rally from home?
C-Span will be streaming Trump’s speech live at 5 p.m. Right Side Broadcast Network, a conservative media company, says it will begin streaming the event on YouTube at 1 p.m.
Will there be protesters?
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., a Democrat whose district is on the northern end of the Shore, will hold a news conference the day before the event to take aim at Trump on abortion rights more than 100 miles north of Wildwood at his Long Branch office.
He will be joined by Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, Anjuli Ramos, director of New Jersey Sierra Club, and Kaitlyn Wojtowicz, vice president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. It will be livestreamed on Pallone’s Facebook page.
Troiano is expecting protesters the day of the event, and said “there will be a place for them,” despite initially joking that would be six to seven miles out to sea.