Blockbuster Memorial Day Weekend in O.C.

By Maddy Vitale Memorial Day weekend in Ocean City was one of the best in years, officials say. With the perfect weather, inviting beaches, an abundance of events, activities, restaurants and amusements to choose from, “America’s Greatest Family Resort” had a spectacular holiday. “We saw record numbers of people all three days and we saw people enjoying all Ocean City has to offer throughout the weekend,” said Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We had three days of incredible weather with sunny skies and temperatures over 70 degrees.” The kickoff to the weekend, Friday, May 24, began with a lot of activity on the Boardwalk and in the downtown early, as the city rang in the summer season with the Business Persons Plunge, the “Unlocking of the Ocean” and “Unlocking of the Beach.” The zany events at the Moorlyn Terrace beach next to the Music Pier attracted hundreds of visitors and residents to watch the fun. The Business Persons Plunge is a hit among visitors and residents. The weekend continued on that positive track, with very few accommodations remaining for last-minute tourists, Gillian said. Unlike summer seasons with less than stellar weather, this weekend is one for the books and one that officials say they hope is the norm throughout the season. “With Mother Nature cooperating, we are all looking forward to a fantastic 2019 season,” Gillian said. Gillian noted that some of the increased activity in the resort could have to do with the fact that Ocean City was named by Coastal Living Magazine as one of the top 10 places to go on Memorial Day weekend. It is one of several honors bestowed on the resort by the magazine, including the 2018 title of “America’s Happiest Seaside Town.” Still, even if every weekend doesn’t turn out picture-perfect as the last, there is always something to do in the resort, from rides and attractions, to shopping in the downtown or on the Boardwalk. Gillian also mentioned the array of entertainment at the Music Pier and the culinary delights at the city’s restaurants as major draws for visitors. Surf Mall, owned by Wes Kazmarck, the president of the Boardwalk Merchants Association, says the weekend was fantastic for all of the merchants. Wes Kazmarck, president of the Boardwalk Merchants Association, called Memorial Day weekend “chart topping” for the 150-plus merchants. Kazmarck, who has been the merchants association president for about 11 years, said he has been a Boardwalk business owner since 2002. “Out of all the years I’ve been in business, this was my best one," he said. "I think it is unique this year, because we had a very wet spring. Everything lined up perfectly weather-wise for Memorial Day weekend. I haven’t seen Ocean City so crowded in a long time. The sheer volume is just a great sign for the summer ahead.” He said Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start to the summer season and is typically used as a barometer of what the entire summer will be. “Everyone I spoke to said they were either on the cusp of or had a record-breaking weekend,” Kazmarck noted. “You had the beach day, the shopping day and chilly nights.” That translated to spending on sweatshirts more than Kazmarck could recall in past years. Another top seller was anything that said "Ocean City," he added. “I know the boutiques did really well, too,” he said. Jody Levchuk, who, with his family, owns the Jilly’s stores on the Boardwalk, said it was an unbelievable weekend. “We had a very successful, busy weekend,” Levchuk commented. “Our staff really worked hard all weekend. There were positive vibes all weekend long from visitors and locals taking advantage of the great weather.” Jody Levchuk says his family-owned Jilly's businesses were hopping over Memorial Day weekend. The downtown was also bustling with visitors and residents taking advantage of the specialty shops and restaurants along Asbury Avenue, the city's Public Information Officer Doug Bergen said. One thing is for certain, officials are hopeful the trend continues throughout the summer. “It’s hard to remember a Memorial Day Weekend with such gorgeous weather from beginning to end. The beach, Boardwalk and downtown were all jammed with people having fun,” Bergen said. He pointed out that the city does not have final numbers yet, but beach tag sales and parking revenue were both exceptional. “A steady stream of cars ran from the bridges back to the (Garden State) Parkway for Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings,” Bergen said. “After a long and wet spring, I think everybody was ready to get outside to enjoy a taste of summer. You really couldn’t ask for a better start to the summer season.” Mark Soifer, retired Ocean City public relations director, comes out of retirement to "unlock" the beach to start the summer season.