Spring Block Party, Ocean City Pops Shows Coming Up

One of Ocean City’s premier events – the Spring Block Party – will go off rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. More than 350 crafters, food vendors and entertainers will line a mile of downtown Asbury Avenue between Fifth Street and 14th Street. The Block Party helps draw tens of thousands of people to Ocean City for a pre-summer weekend of fun. Entertainers and bands will perform at various spots along Asbury Avenue between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Just a few of the perennial favorites include Chad Juros (creating balloon animals at 5th Street), Big Daddy (at 6th Street), the Robert Boney Band (7th Street), and Keith Hickman (at 14th Street). Pony rides for children will be available on the grounds of the Ocean City Tabernacle (at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors including Asbury Avenue restaurants will offer food of every variety. Street parking will be free at all metered spots and downtown parking lots in Ocean City, including at the Transportation Center lot (Ninth Street and Haven Avenue) and at the municipal lots on the 700 and 800 blocks of Central Avenue. The weekend celebration also includes table sales by downtown and Boardwalk merchants, with discounted merchandise set up between Sixth Street and 14th Street on the Boardwalk and Asbury Avenue throughout the weekend. TICKETS FOR 2022 OCEAN CITY POPS SEASON GO ON SALE THURSDAY The 2022 lineup for the Ocean City Pops is set, and tickets for the individual shows go on sale starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 12. The legendary local orchestra has been a fixture at the Music Pier since 1929, and the upcoming season includes a wide variety of music for all ages and tastes. To purchase tickets, visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice, call 609-399-6111 or stop by one of the welcome centers at City Hall, the Route 52 causeway or the Music Pier. Here are upcoming performances through July: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform at the Music Pier on June 26 with the O.C. Pops. Opening Night: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Sunday, June 26 Ocean City Music Pier The Ocean City Pops starts its 2022 season with a legendary band that is on a decades-long mission to celebrate and revitalize jazz and swing music — America's original musical art form — and bring joy to audiences around the world.  Star-Spangled Spectacular Night 1 Sunday, July 3 Carey Stadium Join Maestro Vince Lee for an evening of patriotic music and popular hits. This will also be the debut of a brand-new outdoor concert stage, provided by the Friends of the Ocean City Pops. This second annual outdoor concert is free and open to the public. No ticket or advance registration is necessary. Bring a beach chair or blanket for this event. Star-Spangled Spectacular Night 2 Monday, July 4 Carey Stadium A second free outdoor patriotic concert. No ticket or advance registration is necessary. Ode to Joy: Beethoven's 9th Symphony Wednesday, July 6 Ode to Joy: Beethoven's 9th Symphony Ocean City Music Pier Originally planned for Beethoven's 250th birthday, this monumental concert brings one of history's most beloved and famous works to the Ocean City Music Pier. A symphonic choir, four soloists, and a full orchestra will team up for the first full performance of this work in Ocean City history. Great American Songbook Sunday, July 10 Ocean City Music Pier George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin are just a sampling of what you will hear from one of the most important eras of American Music – Tin Pan Alley. Star Wars and Beyond: A John Williams 90th Birthday Celebration Sunday, July 17 Ocean City Music Pier With a career that spans an incredible seven decades, John Williams has helped to create some of the most memorable moments of the silver screen. Maestro Vince Lee leads an expanded Ocean City Pops orchestra in selections from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, E.T., and so much more. Bring the whole family, and don't miss the pre-concert events featuring characters from the movies. Bill Scheible Returns Wednesday, July 20 Ocean City Music Pier Ocean City Pops conductor emeritus Bill Scheible returns to the Music Pier. A fixture of the Ocean City music scene, Maestro Scheible leads his long-time colleagues in a collection of standards and favorites. Jackie Evancho Sunday, July 24 Ocean City Music Pier Ocean City favorite Jackie Evancho returns to Ocean City. A worldwide sensation when she was only 10 years old, she first dazzled American television audiences with her stunning debut on NBC's “America's Got Talent.” Evancho is excited to bring new songs and familiar favorites to the Music Pier stage. Broadway Smash Hits! Sunday, July 31 Ocean City Music Pier The Great White Way extends to the ocean for this concert. As Broadway roars back to life, join Maestro Vince Lee, the Ocean City Pops, and special guests in a celebration of the world of theater. Hear Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Stephen Sondheim, and much more. Jackie Evancho will perform on July 24 with the Ocean City Pops. (Photo courtesy City of Ocean City)