O.C. Happenings: Martin Z. Mollusk Day, "Ballroom With a Twist"

Ocean City’s hermit-crab mascot will seek his shadow in a local version of Groundhog Day at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11, on the beach at Ninth Street. Martin Z. Mollusk has successfully predicted an early summer every year for more than four decades (sometimes, of course, with the creative use of flashlights by his handlers). Everybody is invited to join the fun as we collectively will the long-awaited arrival of summer. Special guests for Martin Z. Mollusk Day will be “Dancing With the Stars” professionals Emma Slater and Tristan MacManus, who will return to the Ocean City Music Pier at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for a high-energy dance and hit-songs show titled “Ballroom With a Twist.” Saturday morning’s program also will include the debut of Mollie Mollusk, Martin’s wife of more than 45 years. Together, the Mollusks make up the first family of “America’s Greatest Family Resort.” The winners of the 2019 Martin Z. Mollusk Coloring Contest will be honored and their artwork unveiled to the public. “Ballroom With a Twist” will take center stage on Saturday night. The show features performers from “Dancing With The Stars,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” The Voice” and “American Idol” together on one stage. The show will bring sizzling dance moves by professionals dancing samba, waltz, foxtrot, quickstep and jive, while favorites from “The Voice” and “American Idol” finalists join the bill with their hit songs. Tickets ($25 to $40) are on sale now. Visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice, call 609-399-6111, or stop by the City Hall Welcome Center (Ninth Street and Asbury Avenue), the Roy Gillian Welcome Center on the Route 52 causeway, the 46^th Street Welcome Center, or the Music Pier Box Office (on Saturday). "Ballroom With a Twist" will feature top dancers who will swirl and dance the night away at the Ocean City Music Pier. (Courtesy City of Ocean City) The lineup for Ocean City’s show includes: ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Pros:  Tristan MacManus, Emma Slater (Mirror Ball Champion) Corp:  Anya Fuchs, Oksana Platero ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Jonathan Platero (All Star) Magda Fialek Allen Genkin ‘American Idol’ Von Smith ‘The Voice’ Dani Moz International Stars Tony Pututau, CJ Bair, Patricia Kaniowski ALSO THIS WEEKEND PACKAGE GOODS ORCHESTRA (May 10): A free concert 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Free Public Library’s Chris Maloney Lecture Hall will feature “songs you’ll love … to the moon and stars and back.”  NIGHT SKATE AND BOWL JAM 2 (May 10): The Ocean City Skate Park will hold a skateboard exhibition 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 10 (rain date May 17). Entry fee is $5 for male and female skaters of all ages and another $5 to enter the Bowl Jam Skate Contest (with prizes to the winners). Lights will be provided by the Ocean City Fire Department, music by DJ Bill, and snacks/drinks by St. Peter’s United Methodist Church. MODERN MUSCLE CAR INVASION (May 11): Modern muscle cars will be displayed on the boardwalk between Fifth Street and 14^th Street from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.modernmusclecarinvasion.com. Zoe Herishen, founder of “Chica de Mayo,” shows off some of the moves that make her an accomplished skateboarder at the age of 12. (Photo courtesy of Tracey Herishen) CHICA DE MAYA (May 11): Chica de Maya encourages all girls of all ages and abilities to learn to skate, show off their talents, and participate in a bowl jam, mini jam, giveaways, crafts and more. Zoe Herishen, a 12-year-old skating star, is the founder of the event and will be participating. The event is 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Ocean City Skate Park (Fifth Street and Asbury Avenue). It had originally been scheduled for May 5 but was postponed due to weather. TUNES FOR TREES (MAY 11): Piano men Scott Nuss and Andrew Hink will perform the best of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s in a concert to benefit the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. The show features sing-along music on dueling grand pianos. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Tabernacle (550 Wesley Avenue). General admission is a donation of $15 per person ($10 with a school ID). Tickets will be sold at the door, based on availability. For tickets in advance, email [email protected]. HOME SHOW (May 11-12): The Spring & Summer Series Residential Living & Leisure Event is the perfect kick off for your spring and summer home improvement projects. The event will be packed with fun, giveaways, expert advice, savings and more. The expo brings the best of the best in the area all together under one roof. Show hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Ocean City Civic Center (Sixth Street and Boardwalk). WEST CHESTER SENIOR STRINGS (May 12): A free Mother’s Day concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. COMING UP IN MAY AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION HEARTWALK (May 18): Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the Sports and Civic Center (Sixth and Boardwalk). Walk begins at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call 609-223-3731. X MARKS THE SPOT TREASURE HUNT (May 18 and 19): The 10th annual open beach metal detecting hunt at the Ocean City Music Pier runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, starting with a special hunt for kids (ages 2 to 13) on Saturday morning. Loaner detectors available. The event includes an optional big silver hunt on Saturday and optional gold hunt on Sunday (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) in addition to two regular prizes each day. Visit www.ecrda.org for registration information or sign up at the Music Pier on the day of the event. Sponsored by the East Coast Research and Discovery Association. For more information, call 732-276-8251. OCNJ TRIATHLON/DUATHLON (MAY 19): Quarter-mile pool swim followed by a 2-mile run, 16-mile bike and another 2-mile run. Kids course is half the distance. Pool swim slots are 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. The Run-Bike-Run starts at 9 a.m. For more information, call 609-399-6111 or visit www.ocnj.us/race-events. WALK TO END LUPUS NOW (May 19): The 11th annual Walk to End Lupus Now South provides people affected by Lupus and their families with the opportunity to come together for one unified purpose: ending lupus. Register at the Sixth Street practice field off the Boardwalk. The walk begins at 10 a.m. For more information, visit www.walktoendlupusnowsj.org or call 1-866-517-5070. The business people luck out with mild water temperatures during the Business Persons Plunge in 2018. UNLOCKING OF THE OCEAN AND BUSINESS PERSONS PLUNGE (May 24): Participants dress in business suits, carry brief cases and march into the ocean to the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” to welcome the new season. Event starts at noon on the beach adjacent to the Music Pier. For more information, call 609-399-6111. 31 MEMORIAL BEACH CHALLENGE (May 25): The main obstacle course challenge is a soft-sand adventure race followed by a kids fun run. Staging at Ninth Street Beach. For registration information, visit www.memorialbeachchallenge.com or call 856-905-0583. MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE (May 27): 11 a.m. at the Ocean City Tabernacle, 550 Wesley Avenue. For more information, call 609-399-6111. NATIONAL MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE (May 27): National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans, wherever they are at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, to pause in an act of national unity for a duration of one minute. The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. Greg Murphy of Buglers Across America will sound Taps to commemorate the moment. It will be broadcast on the boardwalk public-address system. American Legion Post 524 Adjutant Jack Hagan explains the symbolism of the empty table during the Memorial Day ceremony at the Ocean City Tabernacle in 2018