All About Daytona Beach

2007-11-22T12:56:00.001-08:00

Turkey Run 2007 is almost here

2007-11-18T04:33:00.000-08:00

THE 2007 TURKEY RUN IS ALMOST HERE.

CURRENT PRE-REGISTRATIONS ARE AT 3482 (Nov. 16, 2007)

GET READY, THE ACTION BEGINS THANKSGIVING DAY NOVEMBER 22nd, 2007

Most events happen at Daytona International Speedway, but there are nighttime events that will be held all over town.

Wednesday Nov 21, 2007
Registration: 5:00 to 9:00PM. in front of the Daytona International Speedway. There are long lines at 5:00PM so please be patient. If you register later in the evening there is no delay.
Mobile DYNO, FOOD, Music, Car Raffle tickets, T-Shirts and bunch of neat cars under the lights! Be there!

Thursday Nov 22, 2007
Gates 50 and 70 open for Car Show Participants at 7:00 AM.
Spectator gates open at 8:00AM
Registration opens at 7:00 AM inside the Speedway. Look for the REGISTRATION BLIMP!
Show ends at 4:00 PM.
Registration and Turkey Run Cruise Night: 5:00 to 9:00PM. in front of the Daytona International Speedway. There are long lines at 5:00PM so please be patient. If you register later in the evening there is no delay.
Nightime fun games start at 7:00. Trike races, Slow Drags, Flamethrowers and Teeter-totter. $100.00 to the winner of each event.

Friday Nov 23, 2007
Gates 50 and 70 open for Car Show Participants at 7:00 AM.
Spectator gates open at 8:00AM
Registration opens at 7:00 AM inside the Speedway. Look for the REGISTRATION BLIMP! Door prizes begin at 2:00PM behind the registration tent.
Show ends at 4:00 PM.
Registration and Turkey Run Cruise Night 5:00pm - 9:00pm. In front of the Daytona International Speedway.
Nightime fun games start at 6:00. Trike races, Slow Drags, Flamethrowers and Teeter-totter. $100.00 to the winner of each event.

Saturday Nov 24, 2007
Gates 50 and 70 open for Car Show Participants at 7:00 AM.
Spectator gates open at 8:00AM
Registration opens at 7:00 AM inside the Speedway.
Door prizes begin at 2:00PM.
Show ends at 4:00 PM.
Turkey Run Cruise Night begins at 5:00pm. In front of the Daytona International Speedway.
NO REGISTRATION ON SATURDAY NIGHT
Nightime fun games start at 6:00. Trike races, Slow Drags, Flamethrowers and Teeter-totter. $200.00 to the winner of each event.
Car raffle at 9:00PM.

Sunday Nov 25, 2007
Gates 50 and 70 open for Car Show Participants at 7:00 AM.
Spectator gates open at 8:00AM
"Sunday Only" cars welcome!
Registration opens at 7:00 AM inside the Speedway.
Church service begins at 9:30 AM at the stage behind registation.
Door prizes begin at 1:00PM.
Show ends at 4:00 PM.

For more information on activities scheduled, please check out the Chamber Website.

White Christmas in Daytona Beach

2007-11-14T10:47:00.000-08:00

Based on the beloved, timeless film, this heartwarming musical adaptation features seventeen Irving Berlin songs, including Sisters, Blue Skies, Count Your Blessings, and, of course, White Christmas. The perfect family event for the holidays! Shows at 2:00 pm and 8:00, depending on dates. See website or call for times.

FOR TICKETS IN PERSON: Box Office, News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach Street, Daytona Beach; Box Office Hours are 10am - 4pm Monday through Friday and two hours before curtain on performance dates. BY TELEPHONE: Charge tickets to your American Express, VISA, Mastercard, or Discover Card by calling the Box Office at 386-252-6200 or 1-800-854-5592 or order tickets go to website.

Rotary Gingerbread Spectacular

2007-11-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Rotary Club of Daytona West and the Volusia Mall are putting on a new event titled: Rotary Gingerbread Spectacular. It is a fun-filled display of giant gingerbread houses which will be displayed at center court from Nov. 9th - Dec. 31st. Admission is $2.00.

Sounds like something fun for the kiddies.

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch

2007-10-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful sight it was! It never gets old and brings tears to my eyes every time I see a launch. Space shuttle Discovery and a crew of seven rocketed into orbit today in pursuit of the international space station, where a formidable construction job awaits them. Discovery blasted off at 11:38 a.m., ducking through clouds. It carried a giant Tinkertoy-type link that must be installed at the space station before European and Japanese laboratories can arrive.

If you haven't seen one yet, you really need to look at the schedule and make plans to attend. It is definitely something you will never forget.

World surfer champion Kelly Slater detained in Israel

2007-10-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Wow, this is interesting. As a long time fan of Cocoa Beach resident, Kelly Slater I was shocked to hear that he was detained in Jerusalem for his involvement in a brawl that broke out in a bar. According to the Associated Press, Police detained eight-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater early Saturday after a scuffle with photographers who were trying to take pictures of him with an Israeli supermodel, police said.

Israeli photographers were waiting outside as the American surfer and model Bar Rafaeli left a hotel in the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya before dawn Saturday, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Slater pushed the cameramen in an effort to prevent them from taking pictures, a photographer at the scene told Channel Two TV.

"A brawl broke out and Slater was taken for questioning and later released," Rosenfeld said.

It was not the first time foreign guests of Rafaeli have scuffled with journalists. Earlier this year, Rafaeli and her then-boyfriend, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, created a media storm when he visited her in Israel.

After eluding journalists for days, the pair was met by a group of waiting photographers when they toured Jerusalem. Their bodyguards scuffled with photographers, punching some and damaging equipment.

Rafaeli later told an Israeli newspaper she wouldn't bring anyone famous to Israel "because there is a chutzpah here that you won't see anywhere else."

Slater, who is of Syrian descent, was visiting Israel for the first time as part of efforts by the group "Surfing for Peace" to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians through the sport.

Kelly Slater of Cocoa Beach is the most successful professional surfer in the history of the sport. Slater is an eight time world champion and has been sponsored by Quiksilver since 1990. He competed in the X-Games in 2003 and 2004. In May 2005 in the final of the Billabong Tahiti Pro contest at Teahupoo, Slater became the first to score two perfect rides for a total 20 out of 20 ASP two-wave scoring system (the corresponding honour under the previous three-wave system belongs to Shane Beschen from 1996). In 2006 Slater tied Tom Curren for most career tour victories, 34, at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, then in September of 2007 he passed Tom Curren by winning the Boost Mobile Pro at Trestles.

Official Biketoberfest Calendar

2007-10-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

Official Biketoberfest® Festival Weekend
October 18 - 21, 2007
WWW.BIKETOBERFEST.ORG
2007 EVENTS SCHEDULE

Join us for Biketoberfest®, a festival celebrating the joy of motorcycling. Activities include rides, shows, concerts & more. Contact the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, toll free at (866) 296-8970 or email info@biketoberfest.org for details.

Official Biketoberfest® Festival Weekend

October 18 - 21, 2007
Join us for Biketoberfest®, a festival celebrating the joy of motorcycling. Activities include rides, shows, concerts & more. Contact the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, toll free at (866) 296-8970 or email info@biketoberfest.org for details.

10/18-10/21 Official Biketoberfest® Event Welcome Centers - Complete listing of all events, activities and loads of information. Sign in and pick up an official event poster and wallet card. For information call (866) 296-8970 or visit www.Biketoberfest.org. Visitor Information Centers located inside: The Daytona 500 Experience, 1801 West International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach and inside Destination Daytona, 1637 North U.S. Hwy. 1, Ormond Beach.

10/18-10/21 Main Street Rally - The place to see and be seen. Festival includes vendors, entertainment and more. For information call Main Street Merchants Entertainment at (386) 252-1922 or (386) 255-9525.

10/18-10/21 Cruisin Café - Live bands, souvenirs, t-shirts, daily entertainment. For information call (386) 253-5522
or visit www.cruisincafe.com. 2 South Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach.

10/18-10/21 Froggy’s Saloon - Music day and night, souvenirs and more. For information call (386) 254-8808.
800 Main Street, Daytona Beach.

10/18-10/21 Dirty Harry’s - Three bands daily including the Scott Yvonne Band, Avarice and Groove Bone. Wet t-shirt contests at 2:00PM, 5:00PM and 7:00PM. T-shirts, souvenirs and more. Open 8:00AM to 3:00AM. No cover. For information call (386) 257-1944 or visit www.dirtyharrysdaytona.com.
705 Main Street, Daytona Beach.

10/18-10/21 Bank & Blues Club - The best in rockabilly with the Razorbacks. Also enjoy performances by Gil Dubois and Grammy nominee Tony O., all in a historic bank building. Open 11:00AM to 3:00AM.
No cover. For information call (386) 257-9272 or visit www.thebankdaytona.com. 701 Main Street, Daytona Beach.

10/18-10/21 Full Moon Saloon - Live Southern and Biker rock on two stages. On the inside stage enjoy the music of Kabin Fever. On the outside stage see performances by Martian Dope, KGB and Stone Throw. Contests, souvenirs and more. For information call (386) 253-1944 or visit www.fullmoonsaloondaytona.com. 700 Main Street, Daytona Beach.

10/18-10/21 Wise Guys Watering Hole - Great entertainment and fun. For information call (386) 253-8251. 415 Main Street, Daytona Beach.

10/18-10/21 316 Main Street Station Restaurant & Saloon - Daily activities, food and more. For information call (386) 248-0085. 316 Main Street, Daytona Beach.
www.Biketoberfest.org

Biketoberfest keeps tourism running, posted in the Daytona Beach News Journal

2007-10-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

DAYTONA BEACH -- Hotel operators in Volusia County, especially the east side, have looked forward to Biketoberfest for the past few years to help overcome a summer tourism season cut short by the early arrival of back-to-school in Florida.

But this year when the fabled special event rolls into town today through Sunday, it will serve more as the icing on the cake, according to a local tourism official.

"Biketoberfest is always a great economic pop for the economy," said Lori Campbell Baker, spokeswoman for the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Every year it brings quite a bit of money into the county and this year will be no different."

But this year, thanks to a later-school start (Aug. 20), area properties finished the summer season on the upside for a change. A check of public records shows through the first eight months of the year, the bed tax collected countywide is at about $6.34 million, an increase of about 3 percent despite the fact that late spring and early summer tourism -- specifically April and June -- were off this year.

"We're pretty excited about the figures we're seeing so far," Baker said.

Bob Davis, president of the Hotel-Motel Association of Volusia County, said occupancy for this year looks very promising based on comments he has heard from members of his group.

"Yes, (Biketoberfest) helps. Yes, it is a good event. And yes, it is a big boost," Davis said recently.

The Ocean Waters chain, with more than 2,000 hotel rooms spread among two dozen local hotels, is also expecting a boon from Biketoberfest after strong late summer bookings.

"Special events, in general, are very important to the Daytona Beach economy," said Tim Stockman, a vice president at Ocean Waters. "We look forward to a great event, with lots of visitors from all over the area coming to Daytona to enjoy our wonderful fall weather and everything that our city has to offer."

As a hotelier, I can tell you that I love these events but I have seen a sharp decline in the number of visitors over the last 2 years. At my hotel, I am running about 50% occupancy so far for the weekend. I expect to be at 80-85% occupancy, but 2 years ago I could have filled. Hopefully, things will turn around and the events will start bringing more bikers back into the area. I am looking forward to many more years of successful events in the Daytona Beach area.

Bret Michaels is coming to Daytona Beach

2007-10-16T16:42:00.001-07:00

Bret Michaels is coming to Daytona Beach for Bike Week. He will be playing with his solo band at the Broken Spoke Saloon, 1151 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach. Tickets are $10.00 and they are going fast.

FL Ticket locations in Daytona Beach: Nerve Marketing, 118 N. Beach St.; Skips Boots, 1320 W. International Speedway Blvd.; Atlantic Sounds, 138 W. International Speedway Blvd.; Willie's Tropical Tattoos, 825 S. Yonge St.

Call (386) 257-3030 for more information.

Check back for more Biketoberfest updates.

Museum of Arts and Sciences offers full color Laser Rock Concerts.

2007-09-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

My friends and I went to see Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, and it was a great show. I'm looking forward to seeing the Metallica show.

The Museum of Arts & Sciences announces the continuation of full color Laser Rock Concerts. These popular shows bring classic rock to life for hundreds of visitors each week. Daily admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children. Saturday evening, the show is $5 per show or $7 for the double feature. Saturday evening shows often sell out so guests are advised to come early or purchase tickets in advance. A cash bar and snacks are available at the Saturday evening shows and can be enjoyed in the planetarium.

Mon - Fri 3:00 pm
Sat & Sun 2:00 pm & 4:00 pm
Sat Night 7:00 pm & Special Feature at 8:15 pm

September 4 - 9
LASERMAGIC
Pop music hits from a variety of artists.

September 10-16
HYPNOTICA
Hypnotic electronic rock music.

September 17-23
LASERMANIA
Weird, wild and wacky rock music.

September 24 - 30
LASEROPOLIS
A world where both chaos and order exist within music and light.

October 1-7
LASER X
The alternative laser eXperience.

October 8-14
HYPNOTICA
Hypnotic electronic rock music.

October 15-21
LASER VINYL
10 Classic 60's and 70's rock groups first heard on 33 1/3 vinyl LP's.

October 22-28
LASEROPOLIS
A world where both chaos and order exist within music and light.

September 8 - Pink Floyd's The Wall
September 15 - Laser Metallica
September 22 - Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon
September 29 - Laser Zeppelin
October 6 - Pink Floyd's The Wall
October 13 - Laser Beatles
October 20 - Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon
October 27 - Laser U2

Top Daytona Beach Attractions

2007-08-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

The Top Listof the Largest area attractions as published recently in the Daytona Beach News Journal.

Attraction, address; year established; (number of visitors)
1. Volusia County Fair & Expo Center, 3150 E. New York Ave., DeLand; 1923; (1.7 million)
2. Daytona 500 Experience, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach; 1996; (500,000)
3. Daytona Lagoon, 601 Earl St., Daytona Beach; 1997; (424,000)
4. The Daytona Cubs, 105 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach; 1914; (147,677)
5. Ponce DeLeon Inlet Lighthouse, 4931 S. Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet; 1972; (124,932)
6. Speed Park Motorsports, 201 Fentress Blvd., Daytona Beach; 1997; (100,000)
7. Volusia Speedway Park, 1500 E. State Road 40, DeLeon Springs; 1965; (100,000)
8. Museum of Arts and Sciences, 352 S. Nova Road, Daytona Beach; 1955; (96,000)
9. Marine Science Center, 100 Lighthouse Drive, Ponce Inlet; 2002; (46,088)
10. Marine Discovery Center, 162 North Causeway, New Smyrna Beach; 1997; (39,000)
11. Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave., New Smyrna Beach; 1982; (3,000)
*Based on company reports. Figures are for total number of visitors in 2006. Not all attractions chose to participate. This list is not comprehensive. Some businesses may have been inadvertently omitted.

Interesting, huh? I have beeen to most of the attractions, but still have a couple on the list that I will need to check out.

Highlights of the Florida International Festival will air on Channel 15 this Sunday

2007-07-26T10:50:00.001-07:00

A DBCC Channel 15 Festival News Roundup will be shown at 5:30 p.m. Sunday recapping highlights of the Florida International Festival that ends Saturday.

Throughout the festival, Channel 15 has been airing daily news updates at 9 a.m., noon, and 3, 8 and 10 p.m. that include artist interviews, performance clips and audience commentary. The updates, hosted by Monya Winzer Gilbert and Shannon FitzPatrick, will continue through Saturday.

In addition, an hour-long documentary "Back to Daytona," filmed during the 2005 festival, will be shown for the last time at 10 p.m. today on Channel 15.

Also attending many of the festival events is Dave Laing of WNDB-AM. Laing, a former cello player, is recounting his personal experiences during the festival on various Black Crow radio programs.

Free Advertising on MoneyLinkz.net

2007-07-26T10:39:00.001-07:00

Would you like to increase visitors to your website or blog? If so, simply go to www.moneylinkz.net and add your website in the appropriate category. All sites must be clean, legitimate website. No pornography allowed.

#9 on List of America's Best Beaches for 2007 by Dr. Beach

2007-06-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Lighthouse Point Park has made it into the Top 10 List of America's Best Beach according to Dr. Beach.

The ambiance here is full of old world charm. It is a quiet area, very laid back, reminiscent of days gone by. Out on the jetty things get a bit more wild, as the waves crash against the rocks and spray seawater on the fishermen and sightseers. You will truly enjoy this delightful seaside attraction.

Besides a tour of the lighthouse, guests also enjoy beach and fishing activities. Take a walk along the coastline, soak up the sun, swim in the ocean, or fish from the pier. Whatever you do, you will create happy memories at Lighthouse Point Park.

Lighthouse Point Park is open from 6 a.m.- 9 p.m. There is a $3.50 per vehicle admission charge. For more information, call the Lighthouse Point Park office at (386) 756-7488.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

2007-06-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the 2007 All-Star Game Presented by Hooters. It will be held at Jackie Robinson Ballpart on Saturday June 16th at 7:05pm.

The Daytona Cubs games are always a fun and inexpensive evening out. Hope to see you there!

Pepsi 400 is right around the corner...

2007-05-28T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, May is coming to a close and June is rushing in which means that the Pepsi 400 is right around the corner. There are many rooms still available in the Daytona Beach area, but visitors may want to check out some of the hotels in Western Volusia County. According to my sources, there are many rooms available in Deltona/Orange City/Debary and they are at much lower rates than Daytona Beach. Avoid the traffic by taking one of the shuttles that depart from the hotels at various times.

Congratulations to Daytona Beach resident Ryan Lochte

2007-03-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

Spruce Creek High grad Ryan Lochte broke two world records at the world swimming championships in Australia today, temporarily overshadowing the record-breaking performance of teammate Michael Phelps. A frequent runner-up, Lochte emerged in his own right with a stunning victory in the 200-meter backstroke. He also was part of the team that scored a world-record victory in the 800 freestyle relay.

What's to do in Daytona Beach?

2007-03-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Cruise the beach. When the sun’s up the beach is the place to see and be seen. Hop in your car and cruise the hard-packed sand – it’s the best way to see the sights. Or grab a beach towel and pick a prime sunning spot in our one-mile traffic-free zone – where the only traffic you need to worry about is the two-legged kind. And there’s plenty of that!

Boogie boards, parasailing and more. Rather strike out on your own? In Daytona Beach, life revolves around the beach. Bring your board and join the surfers who ride the waves on the World’s Most Famous Beach. Or hit the water on a rental jet ski. Give parasailing a try and get a bird’s eye view of the sights or go skydiving for that true free-fall experience. Rent a beach bike or motor bike and explore the miles of driveable beach. Get a thrill at the Boardwalk Amusement Area and Main Street Pier that offer rides ranging from mild to wild!

When the sun goes down, the city comes alive with some of the hottest nightclub action in Florida. Whether you’re looking for a techno vibe, high- energy dance tunes, chart-breaking live concerts or a party-inducing reggae beat – you’ll find it here.

Need a break from the sun? No problem – there’s plenty to see and do in Daytona Beach. Adventure Landing is a thrilling water park that also offers miniature golf, great games and a two-level go-kart track. Best of all, it is just across the street from the beach! Be sure to check out DAYTONA USA, the ultimate motorsports attraction, adjacent to Daytona International Speedway. Whether you are a racing fan or not, you’ll have a great time playing with interactive exhibits, stock car simulators, and the ThunderRoundSound‘ movie will blow you away. If you are into Corvettes and classic cars, go to Klassix Auto Museum, which houses one of America’s finest collections of Corvettes, other classics, historic motorcycles and more. And if you want to take a few laps yourself, there are several go-kart tracks in the area including SpeedZone, which features stock car miniature go-karts as well as sports car style go-karts, Indy style go-karts and dragsters. Other go-kart parks offer batting cages, arcades and more. Or take a day trip to one of Orlando’s world famous theme parks.

A little culture. Want more from your Daytona Beach experience? Why not plan a trip to one of Daytona Beach’s cultural attractions. The Museum of Arts and Sciences offers multi-cultural exhibitions in art, science and history. The Southeast Museum of Photography at Daytona Beach Community College is one of the nation’s premier photography museums. Or take in a show at Seaside Music Theater.

Football Anyone? How about Daytona Beach Thunder?

2007-03-27T02:31:00.000-07:00

THIRTY MINUTES OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING: Airs tonight at 11 p.m. on WCEU Channel 15. Featured: Javan Camon tribute.

Come out and support the local team Saturday March 31st. Experience the next generation of football.

This Season's Games
Visiting Team at Home Team Date/Time
Augusta Spartans @ Daytona Beach Thunder 2007-03-31 / 6:30 pm
Daytona Beach Thunder @ Osceola Ghostriders 2007-04-07 / 7:00 pm
Daytona Beach Thunder @ Columbus Lions 2007-04-14 / 7:00 pm
Osceola Ghostriders @ Daytona Beach Thunder 2007-04-22 / 3:30 pm
Augusta Spartans @ Daytona Beach Thunder 2007-04-28 / 6:30 pm
Daytona Beach Thunder @ Columbus Lions 2007-05-04 / 7:00 pm
Osceola Ghostriders @ Daytona Beach Thunder 2007-05-12 / 6:30 pm
Daytona Beach Thunder @ Augusta Spartans 2007-05-17 / 7:30 pm
Columbus Lions @ Daytona Beach Thunder 2007-05-21 / 6:30 pm
Daytona Beach Thunder @ Augusta Spartans 2007-06-01 / 7:30 pm
Daytona Beach Thunder @ Columbus Lions 2007-06-08 / 7:00 pm

ART IN THE SUNSHINE: A TWENTY MILE ROAD PROJECT

2007-03-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

The Museum of Arts & Sciences is proud to present Art in the Sunshine: A Twenty Mile Road Project. This project will include over 100 volunteer artists who have created over 250 roadway masterpieces for the enjoyment of travelers in the Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach vicinity. All of the recycled road-sign art has been created by Florida artists interested in beautifying the landscape of East Volusia County. The art will be on display from March 17 to April 27, 2007 and will cover an estimated twenty-mile stretch of Daytona Beach. The founder of Art in the Sunshine is Volusia County Echo Program Coordinator Margaret Schnebly Hodge who describes the project as simply art for arts sake. Artists will be working on completing the artwork March 10 11 from 9am to 5pm at the Museum of Arts and Sciences. Installation Location: Williamson Blvd north of International Speedway Blvd, Tomoka Farms Rd south of International Speedway Blvd, and LPGA Blvd between International Speedway Blvd and Williamson Blvd. Participating Property Owners Consolidated Tomoka Land Company, Daytona Flea and Farmers Market, and Myron Kirton. Participating Organizations / Companies providing scrap materials Museum of Arts & Sciences City of DeBary City of DeLand City of Deltona City of Ormond Beach City of Port Orange County of Volusia More information, additional images, and a map of the installation are available upon request. You can also view the Art in the Sunshine website by visiting www.moas.org and clicking on the Art in the Sunshine logo.

Spring Break Nationals

2007-03-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

Check out Spring Break National! Every year, thousands of car enthusiasts flock to Daytona Beach for the "World's Most Famous Soundoff". Participates compete for prize money, trophies and recognition. This is always one of my favorite events.

Spring Break in Daytona

2007-03-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome Spring Breakers!

March 11-31st 2007
Every year, Daytona Beach welcomes Spring Breakers from near and far. This year, the beach seems to be a little more crowded and area vendors are a little busier. Looks like the problems with getting a passport may have benefited our area this year. As always, one of the hottest places to be is on the pool deck of the Desert Inn.