WEEKEND HAPPENINGS: Miss America, Beauty & the Leash, Air Festival & More

Show us your shoes! After eight years in the desert, Miss America returns home this weekend. The three preliminary nights finished on Thursday, but 200,000 spectators are expected on the Atlantic City Boardwalk Saturday at 5pm for the traditional Miss America Parade, followed by the pageant itself Sunday at 8pm at Boardwalk Hall.

Hotel rooms are sold out, restaurants will be packed and the weekend should be an excellent time to DO AC!

But, Miss America's not the only weekend activity in South Jersey, by a long shot! You are invited to join me and my dog Sheba outside the Trump Taj Mahal Sunday at 2pm for the "Beauty and the Leash Dog Pageant". Lite Rock and the Taj Mahal want to give the most talented dogs (and most creative owners) a chance to showcase those talents for cash and prizes.

High school football also returns to South Jersey this weekend, with games Friday night including Hammonton @ Holy Spirit, Oakcrest @ Egg Harbor Township, Absegami hosting St. Joseph and Atlantic City @ Millville.

Here's a look at some other fun things to do this weekend in South Jersey...

Concerts, shows and appearances:

- Borgata: Russell Brand, Fri. 9/13 Music Box

- Tropicana: Kool & the Gang, Sat. 9/14

- House of Blues @ Showboat: Get the Led Out, Sat. 9/14

- Revel: World Series of Fighting, Sat. 9/14

- Trump Taj Mahal: Alan Jackson, Sat. 9/14

- Borgata: Steven Lynch, Sat. 9/14 Music Box

Other fun stuff this weekend:

- Ocean City : 28th annual Air Festival, Sat & Sun. 9/14&15, including the Boardwalk Aerobatic Airshow Sunday from 1-3pm

- Cape May: Food Fest, a week-long festival of food and wine, beginning Sat.9/14

- Wildwood: Firemen's Weekend, Sat & Sun. 9/13-14