Ann Richardson started visiting the Seaside Heights boardwalk on Easter Sunday as a child and continued the tradition throughout her life.
On Sunday, the 75-year-old Lakewood resident was back again to defend her title in her category of annual Easter Promenade best dressed contest.
"I remember coming here as a child for the Easter egg hunt, and my family would always come here during the Easter holiday," Richardson said. "It's just so nice to see people dressed up on the boardwalk because there's such a difference (in attire) between Easter time and the summertime. Plus, it always feels nice to dress up."
This year, Richardson entered the contest as a couple with 76-year-old Bob McKinley, also of Lakewood, who won then men's best dressed contest in 2013.
"We're going to be competing against a lot of families this year, but we're going to let the chips fall where they may," McKinley said. "(The promenade) emphasizes Easter, family and fun. You go to church in the morning and then come here and enter the contest with all of the other people. It's a cordial and festive time, and that's how we treat it. We're kind of hooked on it now."
The Easter Promenade is an annual tradition for sisters Isabelle and Sarah Eisenstein, of Brick Township, who came dressed this year in pink and purple dresses, white hats and handmade umbrellas.
"I like that you get to dress up and see the other costumes," said Isabelle Eisenstein, 13.
"I'm half Jewish and half Christian, so it's fun for me to have my Christian side and sort of be a girly girl for the day, because I don't get to dress up like this a lot," Sarah Eisenstein said.
The six female cousins of the Reitnauer and Nucci families didn't dress up for the promenade this year, but they still visited the beach and the boardwalk as they do every year.
They took their annual picture holding hands on the beach and then took a group photo with the Easter Bunny.
"We do these exact pictures every year," said Robin Reitnauer, of Maryland. "We come here and do this while their grandma is getting her house ready for Easter. It's a great tradition for us, especially when the weather is nice like it is today."
Sunday's nice weather also helped entice newcomers to the Easter boardwalk tradition.
Toms River residents Kathy and Joe Humphrey went to church with their 5-year-old daughter, Kate, and twin 2 year olds, Jack and Grace, in the morning and then headed to the Seaside Heights to try out the promenade for the first time.
"It's nice outside, people start to get out more to enjoy it, and you can get tickets for the rides today," Kathy Humphrey said. "It gets people excited for summer.
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