Ocean City’s 32nd Annual Doo Dah Parade brought tens of thousands of visitors to Ocean City on Saturday afternoon. A spectacular blue sky may have been the main attraction for the event, which kicked off at noon and traveled through downtown Ocean City on Asbury Avenue and finished on the Ocean City Boardwalk.
The Doo Dah Parade featured Grand Marshal Regis Philbin. The TV Celebrity, actor, singer and entertainer is also hosting the Mr. Mature Pageant this evening at the Music Pier.
In attendance was Mark Soifer, the legendary Director of Community Affairs for the City of Ocean City, who in 1985 started the Parade. He is also the brains behind the creation of the Mr. Mature America.
The procession included bands, pageant queens, community organizations, Martin Z. Mollusk, Wonder Bear, and roughly 600 basset hounds.
The PieAsco — in which parade attendees are invited to smoosh friends and family with shaving cream pies in honor of comedian Soupy Sales — concluded the event.
The Doo Dah Parade in Ocean City is part of a weekend dedicated to humor and is modeled after an event in Pasadena, Calif. It has served as an early-spring draw for Ocean City and starts a series of special events that will continue through the summer, fall and into the New Year.
The beach, boardwalk and downtown shops remained busy throughout the day.
