Ocean City Seeks Contestants for Mr. Mature America
Pageant Registration is also open for Doo Dah Parade participants
Entries are open for contestants in the Mr. Mature America Pageant on April 14. Mr. Mature celebrates the achievements of men 55 years and older. The pageant, now in its fifth year, mixes talent, good looks and self-deprecating humor. The Ocean City Music Pier crowd is raucous and appreciative as the contestants ham it up on stage, competing in talent, poise and interview segments. If you have what it takes to be the world’s next “Mr. Mature” (or if you can talk somebody into it), complete the online entry form available at www.ocnj.us/mrmature or call Michael Hartman at 609-525-9284 for more information. Deadline for sign-ups is March 14.
Regis Philbin, the 2017 host, questions contestants in an on-stage interview.
The event is the first and only pageant of its kind in the United States. Erik Estrada, who captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide in his six-year run as highway patrol officer Frank Poncherello in the TV series "CHiPs," will be host of this year’s show. The historic Flanders Hotel returns as a founding sponsor this year. The Flanders will cater meals for contestants and will offer special rates for attendees during the pageant weekend.
Tickets for the show ($18 to $30) are on sale now and available at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice, by calling 609-399-6111, or in-person at the City Hall Welcome Center or the Roy Gillian Welcome Center on the Route 52 causeway.
The Mr. Mature Pageant takes place on the evening of the Doo Dah Parade on April 14 to cap off a day filled with humor and nostalgia. Registration also is open for any individuals, groups or businesses who want to participate in the Doo Dah Parade at noon that day. Joining the parade is a great way to bring awareness to your business or cause before the summer season. Sign up at www.ocnj.us/Doo-Dah-Parade.
The Doo Dah Parade was first held in Ocean City in 1986 as an event to herald the end of income tax season. It featured unusual entries like beach chair drill teams and fan clubs of legendary comedians. The parade begins on Asbury Avenue at Sixth Street, proceeds to 12th Street and turns east to the boardwalk. This year it will pass the Ocean City Music Pier and finish on the boardwalk at Sixth Street. For more than a decade, the parade has been anchored by a legion of dogs from the Basset Hound Rescue League.
SPORTS MEMORABILIA SHOW ON APRIL 28-29
Ocean City will introduce a new event – a Sports Memorabilia Show – at the Ocean City Music Pier on April 28 and 29.
The show will feature a weekend of events and table sales dedicated to athletes, fans and collectors. Celebrity guests will be part of the show, which runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days.
Event organizers are currently seeking vendors for the event. Visit www.ocnj.us/Sports-Memorabilia to register. For more information, call 609-399-6111.
JACKIE EVANCHO TICKETS ON SALE
Jackie Evancho
Tickets are on sale now for a special Ocean City Pops performance on July 29 featuring the remarkable vocal talents of Jackie Evancho.
The young singer first dazzled American television audiences at the age of 10 – gaining global recognition with her debut on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” She finished as runner-up in that competition and has continued to make history with achievements that include: youngest solo platinum artist, youngest Top 5 debut artist ever in the United Kingdom, youngest person to give solo concert at the Lincoln Center and the highest-ranking debut artist of 2010. All six of Evancho’s albums have hit No. 1 on the Billboard Classical chart.
She will perform with the Ocean City Pops orchestra 7:30 p.m. July 29 at the Ocean City Music Pier. For tickets ($30 to $45), visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice, call 609-399-6111, or stop by the City Hall Welcome Center or the Roy Gillian Welcome Center on the Route 52 causeway.
UPCOMING EVENTS
‘ALL OVER THE PLACE’ EXHIBIT AT ARTS CENTER (through March): South Jersey artist Lolly Grilli brings her exhibit “All Over the Place” to the Ocean City Arts Center March 2 through March 31. A “Meet the Artist Reception,” free and open to the public, will be held Friday, March 9, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Her work will be for sale and ranges in price from $95 to $300. “My subject matter can be ‘all over the place,’ but are images that I’m attracted to and inspire me,” Grilli says. “My hope is that my paintings are easily relatable, speak to the viewer in some way, and if they should adorn your home, are like the background music to your life.”
MAKERS DAY AT THE LIBRARY (March 9): The maker movement in the United States isn’t just a hobby – it’s having a significant impact on school curriculum development and growing local economies. To celebrate making and maker culture, residents throughout New Jersey will come together on Friday, March 9 and Saturday, March 10, 2018 in libraries, schools, museums, colleges, makerspaces, businesses and other community locations. NJ Makers Day is designed to be a statewide event that celebrates, promotes, and in many cases may introduce maker culture, as well as the values associated with making, tinkering and STEM-based learning.
The Ocean City Free Public Library will be a participating site for New Jersey Makers Day 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 9. Community members of all ages are invited to join in for an exciting day filled with activities focusing on maker culture. Come and try Strawbees, Bloxels, Makey Makey, Google Cardboard VR and more. For more information, call Julie Brown at 609-399-2434 ext.5222
