Dear Friends, I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. We have much to be thankful for in Ocean City. It was great to see so many people at the Christmas in the Downtown celebration yesterday. The event is a great alternative to the craziness of Black Friday, and it's a great reminder to shop local. I encourage everybody to return to the downtown and boardwalk today to shop locally on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 24) and throughout December. Breakfast with Santa, free downtown horse-and-carriage rides and photos with Santa in a lifeguard boat are all part of the fun. Visit www.oceancityvacation.com or download the free OCNJ app for more information. Our online beach tag store is now open at www.ocnj.us/beachtags/. Seasonal beach tags can make great stocking stuffers, and they’ll be available at a discounted $20 through May 31. You also can purchase them at City Hall, the Route 52 Welcome Center, the Knight Building at 12th and Haven, the municipal building at 46th and West, or at the Aquatics and Fitness Center.
First Night is not far away, and if you have not purchased admission buttons for your family, there is still time to take advantage of a $5 discount. Through Nov. 30, you can order your buttons for $15 online at www.FirstNightOCNJ.com or at the City Hall Welcome Center and the Route 52 Welcome Center. Rain is in the forecast for today and Monday, and we're anticipating higher-than-normal tides over the next few days. Please keep track of conditions and be prepared to move vehicles. As of now, the highest tides are predicted for 9:17 a.m. Sunday and 10:08 a.m. Monday. We will update you with notifications if the National Weather Service issues any advisories. Warm regards, Mayor Jay A. Gillian
