By Maddy Vitale
Giselle Ardelean, 7, of Ocean City, had a pretty busy schedule to keep Saturday. First, she got her hair done up in a braid with glitter, then she joined the police department as a “junior officer.” Then it was off with her friends and family for a boat ride.
Giselle and her mom, Christina, and their friends, Alexis Salisbury, 4, and her mom, Stephanie, of Margate, set out on a journey to the first-ever Bayside Family Day on Saturday at the Second Street Marina in Ocean City.
From 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., families had an array of activities to enjoy — from water sports demonstrations, to live music, to food and activities for all ages.
“We’re getting ready to go on the Miss O.C. boat cruise,” Giselle exclaimed. “So far, my favorite part of today is when I got my hair done with glitter.”
Christina Ardelean said Bayside Family Day was a hit with her family.
“This is great. Ocean City is our home and we don’t usually come back by the bay. It is beautiful and such a great event for the kids,” she said.
Stephanie Salisbury noted that she went up to the bay last year to eat at Dockside Restaurant. Seeing all of the things for kids to do at the bay gives them more options when she visits the Ardelean family in Ocean City, she said.
Organizers of the event said it really did what it was designed to — shine a spotlight on the bayside businesses and all of their attractions.
“For the first time doing an event on the bayfront, it is wonderful. The turnout is wonderful, and the weather is fantastic,” said Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce.
When it comes to Ocean City, it is about the four “B’s,” the beach, bay, Boardwalk and the bridge, Gillian noted.
“Our hope is that Bayside Family Day gets bigger and bigger each year,” she said.
Among the demonstrations were mini-rides along the bay. One of them was in a “pirate ship” by Pirate Voyages.
Mary Butterhof, of Egg Harbor Township, watched as her son, Andrew, 5, wielded a plastic sword and giggled with other children while awaiting his ship.
“It’s Ocean City. You have to have fun here,” Butterhof said with a laugh.
R.J. Beauchamp, 6, of Gloucester City, N.J., was pretty excited to be at Bayside Family Day.
His parents, Carolynn and Bobby Beauchamp, said that by noon, when they sat down to have lunch, they had already experienced a lot of activities.
“We went on Miss Ocean City,” Carolynn Beauchamp said of a mini-boat ride.
R.J. proudly displayed a bottle that contained a technicolor hue of sand art he created. He had also tried his hand at crabbing during a demonstration earlier in the morning.
But the 6-year-old boy didn’t say too much. He was too busy enjoying his “walking taco,” a taco made of beef, cheese, lettuce and stuffed in a bag of Doritos. That was in addition to his soda and a hot dog with ketchup.
TJ Heist, an organizer of Bayside Family Day, owns businesses on the bayfront including Totally Tubular Water Sports and Jet Drive Exchange.
Back in March, Heist and several other bayside business owners discussed holding an event to showcase the bayfront and all it has to provide to residents and visitors. When they presented it to the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Ocean City, both were very receptive and led the way in creating the celebration.
“The Chamber and the city really put it together,” Heist pointed out. “The businesses really got onboard. Hopefully, we will grow it and more businesses will be interested.”
Heist looked around at the crowd of families listening to live music, eating a variety of food and taking boat rides, and said, “Look around. The weather is beautiful. It is crowded. It couldn’t be better. Before today, some of the people didn’t even know this area existed. Now they see how great it is and how it is open for everyone to use.”
David Hartman, co-owner with his wife, Alene, of Daks Kayaks, called the first Bayside Family Day a major success.
At the start of the event, people were already lined up to try out Daks kayaks.
“We already put 12 to 15 families out on the water,” Hartman noted by 1 p.m. “People are standing in line for them.”
Ocean City Free Public Library Director Karen Mahar enjoyed the day from the Bookmobile.
“I think for its maiden voyage this event is going really well,” Mahar said. “There is a nice array of food vendors and community service organizations and I hope to see it continue to get bigger and bigger.”
