Blog Archives
5th Annual Return to Asbury to Take Place Aug. 5-7
By Taleen Babayan
FLArmenians Guest Contributor
ASBURY PARK, NJ – Following the Armenian tradition of friendship, camaraderie and music, hundreds of Armenians will gather in the historically rich Asbury Park for the fifth annual “Return to Asbury,” scheduled for August 5-7, 2016.
Following their grandparents and great-grandparents footsteps when summer weekends were spent on the beach in the 1950s and 1960s, a new generation of Armenians has emerged who will socialize on the beach, dance to traditional Armenian kef music and participate in tavloo and volleyball games.
Cocktails at the beachfront Watermark will kick off the weekend, followed by a day of fun and games on the 7th Avenue beach. The highlight of “Return to Asbury” will feature a joyous “kef” on Saturday night at the newly built hotel The Asbury, featuring talented musicians of a new Armenian generation, including Yerakouyn Band and Steven Vosbikian.
Yerakouyn, a trio of Armenian-Americans from Northern New Jersey who play Armenian folk music, consists of Shant Massoyan (guitar, vocal), Raffi Massoyan (oud, drums) and Raffi Rachdouni (keyboard).
They will be joined on stage by Steven Vosbikian (clarinet, zurna, vocals), Vicken Makouchian (keyboard) and Markos Shahbazyan (drums, dhol).
Vosbikian himself is a descendent of the Vosbikian Band, who played kef music at Asbury Park in the mid 20th century and continues his family’s tradition – all in the name of a good cause.
“The money we raise from Return to Asbury will allow for us to have shvis and dhols created for students here in local Armenian schools,” said Vosbikian, who will give music lessons in person to the students. “The instruments will be handmade in Armenia and will contribute towards continuing the Armenian musical tradition here in the U.S. for the next generations.”
“Return to Asbury is an event created by Armenians, for Armenians,” said Arsine Kaloustian, former Return to Asbury chairwoman and Florida Chair of the Armenian Assembly of America. “All are welcome to recapture the magic that our parents and grandparents felt in those hot summers many decades ago. This event is truly timeless, where strangers can become friends within minutes.”
In fact, a participant was so inspired by the event that he himself stepped up to chair this year’s event.
“This event is like none other in our community,” said Alan Minoyan. “And it’s important that we preserve important social and cultural events such as these so our heritage doesn’t fade away.”
“Return to Asbury” will take place from August 5-7, 2015, with the main affair taking place on August 6 at 8 pm. For tickets and more information, please visit return2asbury.eventbrite.com. Have a story or photo to share from the past? Please submit them at info@return2asbury.com.
All proceeds for the event will benefit Armenian music education, specifically to buy Armenian school children musical instruments and keep the “kef” going well into the future.
This article originally appeared in the Armenian Weekly and is republished with the expressed written consent of the author.
Armenians Return to Asbury 2016
Return to Asbury is hitting the beach for its FIFTH YEAR in a row!
For Armenian Americans on the East Coast in the 1950s and 60s, Asbury Park, New Jersey was THE place to come together on summer weekends. Days were spent on the beach and in the ocean, and at night everyone would gather at the Hye Hotel, the Van Hotel, the Sunset Lounge and the Hye-Da-Way kef room. Friends and families crowded the boardwalk, and the sounds of the oud and doumbek filled the air.
With Return to Asbury 2016, we’re bringing back this summer tradition — in perfect symmetry with the historic beach town of Asbury Park, which is currently in the midst of its own exciting rebirth! Come run away to the beach with us!
Return to Asbury 2016 Kef on the Beach will feature music by:
YERAKOUYN
Shant Massoyan: Guitar/Vocal
Raffi Massoyan: Oud/Drums
Raffi Rachdouni: Keyboard
&
Steven S. Vosbikian: Clarinet/Zurna/Vocals
Vicken Makouchian: Keyboards
Markos Shahbazyan: Drums/Dhol
Staying through the weekend? No problem! We have secured a discounted room rate of $240.00 per night at the The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel, just call: (732) 776-6700.
Tickets to all events can be purchased here.
Because of restrictions with the venues, tickets CANNOT be sold at the door. There are NO REFUNDS once tickets have been purchased. Please plan ahead!
Have a story or photo to share from the past? Please submit them at info@return2asbury.com.
All proceeds to benefit Armenian music education, specifically to buy Armenian school children musical instruments and keep the Kef going well into the future!
Share this event on Facebook and Twitter.
Florida Armenians invites you to join us and fellow Armenians on the beach! We hope you can make it!
How Armenian American Candidates Fared in the 2015 Election
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Managing Editor
*Updated 6:37pm.
**Updated Thursday, November 12, 2015 at 11:18am.
Although 2015 is not a national election year, Tuesday, November 3rd was Election Day in the United States, where non-federal candidates vied for several state and municipal seats. National attention was focused on marquee races for Kentucky Governor and control for the Virginia legislature, but Armenian Americans were watching smaller contests on the East Coast.
There were eight Armenian Americans on the ballot in the 2015 U.S. elections, one each in Florida, Maine, and Virginia, and five in New Jersey.
Beginning in the Sunshine State, Mark Samuelian was running for Miami Beach City Commissioner in Group VI, a non-partisan seat. Samuelian, originally from Boston, MA, ran a solid, grassroots campaign but fell just 77 votes short of victory. The Miami Herald recommended Samuelian, however, Florida Armenians withheld their endorsement. “It is telling when an Armenian American candidate fails to win the endorsement of the state’s largest Armenian American organization,” stated Florida Armenians Public Affairs Director Arsine Kaloustian. “We wish Mark the best of luck in his future endeavors,” Kaloustian said.
At the opposite end of Interstate-95, the Pine Tree State had a more well-known candidate on the ballot. Lawyer and author of “Nowhere, A Story of Exile,” Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte ran a successful campaign as a Democrat for Westbrook City Council Ward III. “As a child, first coming to the U.S. as an Armenian refugee from Baku, Azerbaijan, I was always in awe of the American democratic process,” Turcotte said in an email statement to FLArmenians.com. “It inspired me to vote the very minute I could, becoming an American citizen at the age of 19. So, to actually run for office and garner 64% of the vote has been an incredibly meaningful and emotional process for me. I am very thankful to receive the people’s support and hope to make them proud in the years to come,” Turcotte said.
With her decisive victory, Turcotte becomes the city’s youngest and only female councilman. She is also the first Armenian refugee from Azerbaijan to win an election in the United States.
In Connecticut, Republican challenger for mayor of Newington Roy Zartarian unseated the Democratic incumbent 54% to 46%. In fact, on Tuesday night Republican’s swept the Newington mayor’s office, city council, and school board. “Our statement on our materials was, ‘Had enough already?'” Zartarian told the Hartford Courant. “People in Newington have had enough. Now it’s up to us to make this right.”
In the Garden State, five Armenian Americans were on the ballot in Bergen County, New Jersey. Haworth City Councilman Glenn Poosikian, the Democratic incumbent, was elected to his fourth term. Independent challenger Roger Tashjian was also elected to the Oradell City Council. In Old Tappan, John Shahdanian II won a seat on the City’s Board of Education. Unfortunately, Paramus Board of Education candidate Kohar Boyadjian and River Vale Board of Education candidate Dr. Armine Lulejian-Manookian were unsuccessful in their bids.
Finally, in the Old Dominion State, Democrat Martin
Mooradian, Jr. ran an unsuccessful campaign for State Assembly District 27. This Richmond-based, safe-Republican seat is home to a large Armenian American community. However, the majority of Armenian Americans in Richmond are registered Republicans. While Mooradian won the endorsement of the Armenian American community of Richmond, the district’s demographics were too much for the young Mooradian to overcome.
In total five out of nine Armenian American candidates on the ballot in 2015 won election, an 80% success rate. On the winning side, one incumbent retained his seat, while four challengers were successful. On the losing side were four political newcomers, but it’s too early to tell if they will seek office again in the future.
*This article was updated to reflect the fact that the Miami Herald recommendation for Mark Samuelian is their equivalent of an endorsement.
**This article was updated with Roy Zartarian’s election results.
Florida Armenians 