Mr. Mature America 2019 Jack Merritt will turn over his crown on April 9 to a new title holder.
Entries are open for contestants in the Mr. Mature America Pageant on April 18.
Mr. Mature celebrates the achievements of men 55 years and older. The pageant, now in its seventh 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.
All Mr. Mature America contestants are expected to pick a community service cause or nonprofit organization they would represent as Mr. Mature America.
A people’s choice program will be implemented in which contestants can collect donations through a voting board in front of the Ocean City Music Pier from April 1 to April 18. A portion of the proceeds will go towards Mr. Mature America 2020’s service cause. The new people’s choice competition will make up 5 percent of the overall score.
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 15.
"Brady Bunch" star Barry Williams, now 65, serves as host for this year's Mr. Mature America Pageant. (Photo courtesy of Distractify.com)
The event is the first and only pageant of its kind in the United States. Barry Williams, who starred as America’s most reliable big brother in the 1970s sitcom “The Brady Bunch,” will be host of this year’s show. The historic Flanders Hotel returns as a founding sponsor this year.
Tickets for the show ($25 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 18 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. It finishes 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.
