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Every July 4th weekend, Avalon’s basins fill with boats dressed in red, white, and blue as patriotic music echoes across the water. Onlookers gather to enjoy the annual July 4th Boat Parade—typically held on July 3—as the decorated fleet makes its way through the channels. But the moment everyone waits for comes at the end: The Outnumbered, the final boat in the lineup, loaded with 5,000 official Avalon t-shirts and a crew ready to toss them into the cheering crowd.
It’s the moment everyone waits for, and this year, the tradition returns - with a slight date change to the actual holiday - Friday, July 4th at 3pm.
Once again, The Sudell Team and crew will lead the final lap of the parade aboard The Outnumbered, loaded from bow to stern with this year’s official Avalon July 4th tees. The shirts - colorful, collectible, and now a symbol of summer itself on the 7 Mile Island - are launched into the crowds by a crew of volunteers, students, and longtime friends.
But behind the flying tees is a deeper story - of friendship, persistence, and maybe even a little mischief.
Back in the day, all the way back to 2009, a group of shore house friends - Jen and Adam Szyfman, Stephanie and Bill Zednick, Dave Baxter, and his children Amanda, Blake, and Hanna - decided to add their own twist to the town’s annual July 4th Boat Parade. Armed with a stack of screen-printed t-shirts from ACE Screen Printing (The Szyfman’s business, theshirtdr.com), they boarded their boat and set out to toss tees into the crowds lining the basins.
A free, commemorative t-shirt symbolizing summer on the 7 Mile Island? Easy sell. It was a hit with the public - and…a miss with local law enforcement. That first year quickly earned the crew a ticket from the Avalon Police Department for tossing projectiles into the water.
The founding crew was not deterred, and for many years continued to toss tees to eager onlookers - and beg for forgiveness later. After years of good-natured negotiations (and maybe just a few fines), they finally struck a deal with the town: t-shirts could be tossed by hand, not launched (looking at you, Adam Szyfman), and the team had to retrieve any that missed. The rules were simple, and from there the tradition expanded.
The crew returned every year, growing the effort into a cherished part of Avalon’s holiday weekend celebrations. Rain or shine, they folded, tossed, scooped, and smiled, quietly building a legacy from the deck of their boat.
And as time moved forward, as with many traditions, the next generation steps in.
Max Szyfman, son of Jen and Adam, has been on board since he was little. Now 9, he’s become a key part of the operation - helping organize, recruit friends, and of course, toss tees. But it’s not just Max.
What started as a friends-only effort has grown into a family affair, with kids from the original crew, plus classmates from Max’s school at Avalon Stone Harbor Elementary School. That’s also how The Sudell Team got involved—once their kids and Max became classmates and friends, it made perfect sense to fold them into the mix. Before long, they were all piling onto The Outnumbered - a boat sized to handle the growing number of tees each year.
It’s no longer just a holiday activity. For these families, it’s a transition that was handed down, like a favorite recipe or a family photo album - except this one involves folding 5,000 t-shirts and tossing them to begging onlookers.
As the kids grew, so did the effort. In recent years, the annual t-shirt tradition has become a school event, with students now involved in every step, from design and packing to the actual tossing.
Each spring, Avalon and Stone Harbor Elementary students are invited to submit original artwork for the design. The winner’s design graces the front of thousands of shirts each summer. This year, that honor goes to Brynn Cunningham, a graduating 8th grader from Avalon Elementary School.
But the effort doesn’t stop at the artwork. In 2023, an issue emerged: the tees that didn’t make it to the docks were sinking quickly. The solution came from Mr. Millevoi’s 2nd-grade class at Stone Harbor Elementary, who turned the issue into a science lesson. They tested a variety of t-shirt weights and materials, tracking how long each took to sink. The class repeated the test this year, with 3rd Grade science teacher Mrs. Salevsen, and thanks to their continued research, this year’s tees are printed on a more buoyant, bay-friendly material.
On Friday, July 4, at 3pm, the Avalon Boat Parade kicks off - and the final boat is the one to wait for.
The Outnumbered, loaded with 5,000 tees, will sail in last, captained by the Sudell Team, and crewed by Max’s friends, families, and, of course, members of the original crew. The cheers always grow louder as this boat nears, signaling the start of the toss - a chaotic moment that defines summer in Avalon.
And no…you cannot request specific sizes, people.
Collecting the annual July 4th t-shirt has become a tradition for many Avalon families, like those that collect the annual beach tags (also designed by school students). Each shirt marks a summer, a phase of life, a memory made with friends and neighbors on the water.
What began with a boat and a crew of mischievous friends has grown into a multi-generational movement that now involves entire classrooms and local businesses. Sponsors help support printing costs and are proudly listed on the back of the shirt each year.
That original crew still shows up every year - sometimes throwing, sometimes watching from the docks - as their children carry on the work they started nearly two decades ago.
So this July 4th, look for The Outnumbered. You’ll hear it before you see it. And if you’re quick, you might just catch a piece of Avalon tradition flying your way.
