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Some dressed in business suits and toted briefcases. Some wore dresses and high heels. Others opted for costumes. There was a pirate, a mermaid, and a giant French fry guy, to name a few. They made the slow procession into the ocean at the Ninth Street beach in Ocean City on Friday at the start of the Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff to the busy summer season. The pirate blew on his conch shell, signifying it was time to march. All the while, Pomp and Circumstance played, courtesy of the Ocean City High School Band. And so began the Business Persons Plunge.

Soon, shoppers may have no need to drive to Philadelphia or Cherry Hill to buy upscale apparel, skin care, specialty foods and home decor. In fact, this Friday, Ocean City’s landmark nearly 100-year-old former Crown Bank building at 801 Asbury Ave. will open to patrons who long for some extra special, one-of-a-kind and higher-end merchandise than they may have seen along the popular shopping district that stretches from Sixth Street to 13th Street.

Carey Stadium is home to major Ocean City High School sporting events, and it is also used by college teams. But the scoreboard needs to be replaced. It is antiquated and has failed on occasions. City officials have said it is even difficult to find parts to keep it operational. On Thursday, it is anticipated that City Council will approve a resolution to accept a gift of a new scoreboard.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed its environmental analysis of the proposed Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind project along the South Jersey coast, according to a federal news release. The approval of the Environmental Impact Statement is another step toward the construction of a controversial project bitterly opposed by elected officials in Ocean City and other coastal communities in Atlantic and Cape May Counties.

Ocean City is quickly completing crucial parts of road and flood-mitigation projects before shutting them down for the busy summer season. The projects include paving and pipe work on West 17th Street as well as the creation of a retaining wall in the area of a stormwater pumping station for the bayside neighborhood. Separately, the city is completing concrete work for road and drainage project on Waterway Road before Memorial Day weekend. The overall project is scheduled to be finished by June.

On Saturday, Ocean City High School students went from dining and dancing at the historic Flanders Hotel for the prom to enjoying games, inflatables, snacks and prizes galore at the After-Prom celebration. The free festivities ran from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. at the high school. It was made possible through the volunteers who gave their time to the event as well as local businesses that donated food, gifts, games and more.

Before the dancing, dining and socializing came the part of the evening that leaves the most lasting impression -- the red carpet. Ocean City High School prom-goers didn’t let a little rain ruin their night as they sashayed, strolled, and sauntered down the red carpet inside the Flanders Hotel on Saturday night.

The Ocean City Board of Education members went over a lot of ground Thursday night, from who would lead the district and where the superintendent search is to date, and whether it would be wise to change their regular meeting night.

“We Belong Cape May County” will host Ocean City’s first ever OC Pride Fest celebrating the LGBTQ+ community on Saturday, June 10. The event kicks off at 9 a.m. at 6th Street and the Boardwalk. Festivities will include a Pride Walk.

Ocean City Schools Superintendent Matthew Friedman said he agonized over whether he should take a position in another district or stay in the resort just as he was getting to know the community and settling in. Ultimately, he opted to take another position. He will leave the district June 30, after spending a year in Ocean City, to begin a position as the superintendent in a larger district close to his home in Bucks County, Pa.