{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} [[File:Edward M. Eggleston - Pennsylvania Railroad - Atlantic City, 1935.jpg|thumb|1935 promotional poster by Edward M. Eggleston]] '''The Orange Loop''' is a neighborhood near the beach in downtown Atlantic City with a focus on restaurants such as Cardinal, bars, coffee such as Hayday, public art, and live music establishments such as indie rock venue Anchor Rock Club<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1qgdeleqvpPCknxeZvCulyVESd6SgCKQ|title=Indie AC|website=Google My Maps}}</ref> and Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/orange-loop-atlantic-city-mark-callazzo-evan-sanchez-tennessee-avenue/article_59df7ec4-5ef8-11ee-8eda-e7d6b26d6c4d.html|title=Orange Loop turning around Atlantic City's 'dead zone'}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/atlantic-city-music-anchor-rock-club-20210729.html|title=An indie venue is coming to life in Atlantic City from a team with Johnny Brenda’s cred|first=Dan|last=DeLuca}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/atlantic-city-music-anchor-rock-club-20210729.html|title=An indie venue is coming to life in Atlantic City from a team with Johnny Brenda's cred|first=Dan|last=DeLuca|date=July 29, 2021|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wjla.com/good-morning-washington/off-the-boardwalk-into-the-vibe-discover-the-orange-loop-in-atlantic-city-the-arts-great-food-murals-good-vibes-fun-drinks|title=Off the Boardwalk, Into the Vibe: Discover the Orange Loop in Atlantic City|first=Good Morning|last=Washington|date=June 5, 2025|website=WJLA}}</ref>
==Location== [[File:St Nick Tolentine AC NJ.JPG|thumb|St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church on the Orange Loop.]] The loop runs perpendicular from the boardwalk inland roughly to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, and includes the three beach blocks of New York Avenue, St. James Place, and Tennessee Avenue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-shore/atlantic-city-orange-loop/|title=In Atlantic City, Developers Envision Attractions Beyond the Boardwalk|first=Jennifer|last=Finn|date=August 5, 2020|website=New Jersey Monthly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2022/06/5-monopoly-themed-murals-bring-walls-of-atlantic-city-beer-hall-to-life.html|title=5 Monopoly-themed murals bring walls of Atlantic City beer hall to life|first=Tim |last=Hawk |date=June 15, 2022|website=NJ.com |access-date=October 24, 2024 }}</ref> It is bounded by Tennessee Avenue, New York Avenue, Pacific Avenue and the boardwalk (with St. James Place running down the center) and derives its name from the orange color of those three beach blocks on a traditional Monopoly gameboard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newjerseystage.com/asburymusic.com/getarticle2.php?titlelink=orange-loop-rock-festival-to-take-place-june-10-12-in-atlantic-city|title=Orange Loop Rock Festival To Take Place June 10–12 In Atlantic City|website=www.newjerseystage.com|date=May 9, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catcountry1073.com/big-change-in-atlantic-city-orange-loop-restaurant-scene/|title=Big Change in Atlantic City Orange Loop Restaurant Scene|first=Joe|last=Kelly|website=Cat Country 107.3|date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/news/local/2020/10/21/atlantic-city-downtown-fasano-bourre/5661329002/|title=Developer wants to give Atlantic City downtown new identity|first=Anthony V.|last=Coppola|website=The Daily Journal}}</ref>
==History== thumb|1925 pageant poster, Atlantic City Historically, Tennessee Avenue was a shopping and dining district in the city, prior to urban blight.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://whyy.org/articles/atlantic-citys-tennessee-avenue-become-next-south-street/|title=Could Atlantic City's Tennessee Avenue become the next 'South Street?'}}</ref> The vicinity of New York Avenue on the loop and what was then Snake Alley (now Schultz-Hill Boulevard) one block over was once known as a bustling 1970s-era gay neighborhood and nightlife district.<ref>Simon, Bryant. [https://archive.org/embed/2002-ac-ny-av-life-and-death-of-gay-ac "New York Avenue: the life and death of gay spaces in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1920-1990."] Journal of Urban History 28.3 (2002): 300-327.</ref> Venues like the Saratoga Club (now the site of Cardinal at 201 S. New York Ave), the Chez, the Rendezvous, the underground club Pukalani and the Chester Inn contributed to the culture and nightlife of the area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-was-once-famous-for-its-gay-bars-now-it-has-none/article_49970734-0ba2-11ee-b236-53a2c3e934bd.html|title=Atlantic City was once famous for its gay bars. Now it has none.|first=SELENA VAZQUEZ Staff|last=Writer|date=June 18, 2023|website=Press of Atlantic City}}</ref> <ref>Laurie Greene. Drag Queens and Beauty Queens: Contesting Femininity in the World's Playground (December 18, 2020)</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://outinjersey.net/we-all-miss-new-york-avenue-in-ac/|title=We all miss New York Avenue in AC|first=Mortimer|last=Spreng|date=May 25, 2023|website=Out In Jersey}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.queermusicheritage.com/fem-larson3.html|title=Ted Larson Collection - Danny Windsor's Funtastiks|website=www.queermusicheritage.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://atlanticcityweekly.com/arts_and_entertainment/creatures-of-the-night/article_d9e37846-95a1-57f2-bd8e-3af26cf94650.html|title=Creatures of the Night|first=Jim|last=Waltzer|date=January 22, 2009|website=Atlantic City Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/snake-alley-no-more/article_eb3a1bf7-51ac-5dcb-902d-fa9776cae881.html|title='Snake Alley' no more|first=SELENA VAZQUEZ Staff|last=Writer|date=October 6, 2023|website=Press of Atlantic City}}</ref> In the late 2010s, a number of investors began efforts to revamp properties in the area with the aim of attracting back and growing more walkable dining and nightlife in the neighborhood along with residents and the arts.<ref>name="auto"</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phillymag.com/best-of-philly-archive/anchor-rock-club/|title=Anchor Rock Club|date=July 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.inquirer.com/life/atlantic-city-gay-pride-chelsea-neighborhood-20220416.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527210517/https://www.inquirer.com/life/atlantic-city-gay-pride-chelsea-neighborhood-20220416.html | archive-date=2023-05-27 | title=Atlantic City tries for a gayborhood as the party returns to the Boardwalk town | date=16 April 2022 }}</ref> <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/atlantic-city-concert-venue-anchor-rock-club-new-york-avenue-20191017.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529194750/https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/atlantic-city-concert-venue-anchor-rock-club-new-york-avenue-20191017.html | archive-date=2023-05-29 | title=Atlantic City has a new non-casino music venue, with South Philly ties | date=17 October 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitphilly.com/things-to-do/food-drink/johnny-brendas/|title=Johnny Brenda's|website=Visit Philadelphia}}</ref>
==Establishments and events== The outdoor Orange Loop Amphitheater hosted the Frantic City punk and indie rock music festival on the loop in 2022, emceed by Fred Armisen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://atlanticcityweekly.com/arts_and_entertainment/orange-loop-amphitheater-goes-indie-with-inaugural-frantic-city-festival/article_eacdd7cc-38df-11ed-a9b9-4f273401f70f.html|title=Orange Loop Amphitheater goes indie with inaugural Frantic City festival|first=RAY|last=SCHWEIBERT|website=Atlantic City Weekly|date=September 20, 2022 }}</ref> The inaugural Orange Loop Rock Festival, with rock acts from the 1980s and 1990s, took place in 2022 at the Showboat Festival Grounds (several blocks east of the actual district).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metaltalk.net/orange-loop-rock-festival-stone-temple-pilots-l-a-guns-and-hoobastank-highlight-day-three.php|title=Orange Loop Rock Festival / Stone Temple Pilots, L.A. Guns and Hoobastank highlight day three | MetalTalk - Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews|date=June 22, 2022|website=MetalTalk - Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews | We are MetalTalk and we publish Rock 'n Roll}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sojo1049.com/the-10-coolest-outdoor-bars-in-atlantic-city-nj/|title=The Coolest Outdoor Bars in Atlantic City|first=Heather|last=DeLuca|date=July 15, 2023|website=SoJO 104.9}}</ref> A number of venues on the loop hosted shows during the North to Shore Festival in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/will-the-anchor-rock-club-revive-atlantic-citys-music-scene/|title=Will the Anchor Rock Club Revive Atlantic City's Music Scene?|first=Jennifer|last=Finn|date=November 9, 2021|website=New Jersey Monthly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/12706/20191021155357/https://njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/anchor-rock-club/|title=Anchor Rock Club Aims to Amp Up Atlantic City's Music Scene|date=September 17, 2019|website=New Jersey Monthly}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/>
==See also== * New Jersey music venues by capacity * LGBT history in Atlantic City * Dante Hall Theater * Noyes Arts Garage * Nightclubs in Atlantic City * Stockton University's Atlantic City campus
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orange Loop, The}} Category:Neighborhoods in Greater Atlantic City, New Jersey Category:Culture of Atlantic City, New Jersey