Thursdays extra busy downtown
By ELIZABETH LITTLE/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — Market Days have returned to downtown, featuring many activities to entertain shoppers as they stroll Asbury Avenue.
Market Days are held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays throughout the summer and include a magician, some musicians, pony rides and live princesses throughout the shopping district.
Stringband Novelties played the 1925 Art Landry tune “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Gal)” outside Stainton’s. It is a mummers-esque band composed of Bob Lightfoot on tenor saxophone, Bob Stango on the banjo, Steve Morris on accordion, Gary Stachowicz on alto saxophone and Chris Roetz strumming an upright bass.
The band made its debut Thursday, and the gentlemen said they had never played together prior to this engagement.
“What happened was that one guy has health problems, the alto player, and the other guy had an automobile accident. He couldn’t do it so we were stuck for an accordion and an alto sax,” Lightfoot said.
The musicians each have their own stories and relationships with music. Lightfoot has been playing for 30 years, and he also plays the keyboard. Meanwhile, Roetz has been playing the upright bass for seven years.
Even though Stringband Novelties has some new additions, the musicians said they play Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, weddings and even funerals. People just flock to their music, and they certainly drew a crowd Thursday.
“We did one at a cemetery one time, and the people had just buried someone else and they stayed to see the show,” Lightfoot said. “It makes the moment. You do the serious music first, then typical string band stuff.”
Lightfoot also noted that he has played around the world, saying he went to Hong Kong in 2004.
“We took 48 guys there. They had us in a nice hotel,” Lightfoot said.
As for now, Stringband Novelties is enjoying the Flanders Hotel during their stay in Ocean City.
Magician Chad Juros performed a magic show at Mark Soifer Park. Juros invited participants to the gazebo to be assistants. He performed Chinese-yoyo tricks and juggling, as well as handkerchief and ball tricks.
According to Juros’ website, he has been practicing magic for most of his life. It all started when he was diagnosed with leukemia. His father would perform magic for Juros to distract him. Fast forward decades later, and Juros has performed for the prime minister of Aruba, former President George W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, and has been featured on national television performing magic and spreading his motivational story.
Pony rides were provided by Marshall Steve’s Pony Rides outside the Ocean City Tabernacle. The business is based out of Galloway Township.
“We’ve been here for a while doing Ocean City. I did this for at least four years,” said Ashley Emmell of Marshall Steve’s.
Ponies are different from horses, Emmell said, noting the two they brought are named Buddy and Lil.
“They’re a little bigger than miniature horses, but not as big as horses,” Emmell said. “A fowl is a small horse, like a baby, then there’s horses and then there’s separate ponies.”
Ponies, because of their smaller size, are ideal for children to ride, she said.
Sophia Neal was excited that Market Days fell on her 10th birthday. It was a special birthday to get to ride a pony, but she said she has ridden before.