Philadelphia, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/23/2019 --It's that time of year again, Chickie's & Pete's—the iconic Delaware Valley restaurant group—is celebrating the official kick-off to summer by paying tolls for drivers heading down to the Jersey Shore this Memorial Day weekend. Chickie's & Pete's, best known for their world famous Crabfries®, will be paying tolls for all drivers on Friday, May 24th from 5pm-6pm at the Egg Harbor, New Jersey exit. This is the 6th year in a row Chickie's & Pete's will celebrate this official kick-off to summer by paying travelers tolls.
Chickie's & Pete's and STJA are inviting all travelers to join them at the Frank S. Farley Plaza to celebrate Free Toll Friday and the start of the holiday weekend with free family fun. Free samples of food and beverages will be offered by Starbucks, Hershey's Ice Cream and Fresh Attractions courtesy of HMSHost—restaurateur and operator of Farley Service plaza. Coke's Monster Energy Drink will be available to help refresh and invigorate the crowd. In addition, fire and rescue equipment from Atlantic City International Airport and the New Jersey State Police— which operates a station at Farley Plaza—will be on display. The New Jersey State Police is scheduled to land one of its helicopters, and will bring other rescue equipment for kids of all ages to checkout. Also attending the event will be SOULMAN, the mascot for the Philadelphia Soul, along with two Soulmates.
A demonstration by a State Police dog search and rescue team is planned, and they won't be the only canines there with Cape May Carriage company bringing a small group of dalmatian puppies for children to meet, greet and pet in a supervised area. Youngsters will also enjoy the chance to visit ambassadors from the Funny Farm—an animal rescue sanctuary that provides a home for farm and zoo animals. Among those making a guest appearance will be Farley the Farm Manager, a Border Collie; Tucker, a German Shepherd with Megaesophagus; Adele, the Diva Chicken; Happy, a new baby chick; Booger, a baby goose; Taz, a kitten along with other kittens and an anonymous baby pig.
The event includes almost 40 organizations, vendors and exhibitors from across South Jersey. Get free samples while they last, and of course don't miss the one-hour toll-free, eastbound passage at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza as the SJTA kicks off another 100 Days of Summer.
"We're excited to be back at Farley's Plaza hosting one of our favorite annual events this year." said Chickie's & Pete's founder and CEO, Pete Ciarrocchi. "We love to send everyone off to the shore in good spirits before a big holiday weekend!"
This Friday will see more than free tolls, food and entertainment. It also marks the first weekend of Chickie's & Pete's 4th annual "Summer of Shellfish". The Summer of Shellfish features new, LTO menu items all summer long at participating Chickie's & Pete's locations. This Monday all Chickie's & Pete's locations will be offering a special Memorial Day Menu consisting of 2x Snow Crab Legs, Ultimate Crabfries® and their Red, White or Bleu Mussels.
For a complete list of summer events, visit chickiesandpetes.com for details.
About Chickie's & Pete's
Chickie's & Pete's is a Philadelphia-area based crab house and sports bar with full service locations primarily across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Founded in 1977 by Peter and Henrietta "Chickie" Ciarrocchi, Chickie's & Pete's started as a single location in the Mayfair neighborhood of Philadelphia and has since grown to become one of the most recognizable brands in the region. They have been recognized by ESPN as being the top sports bar in North America. Chickie's famous, one-of-a- kind Crabfries® can also be found at concession locations in stadiums, arenas, boardwalks and amusement parks across the nation.