Ocean City Christmas Parade Dazzles Downtown

Ocean City’s holiday season kicked into high gear Friday night with the annual downtown Christmas Parade, drawing families to Asbury Avenue for an evening of lights, festivities, music and celebration.

The procession began at 6 p.m. and featured local bands, energetic dance teams, classic cars, colorful floats wrapped in lights and garland, and Santa himself as it traveled from Sixth to 11th streets under the avenue’s holiday decorations.

“It’s just a really great way to get into the Christmas spirit,” said Jackie Wise, who was enjoying the parade with her husband, three sons and parents-in-law. “It’s a fun tradition. The kids absolutely love it.”

Buddy the Elf, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Frosty the Snowman, the Grinch and characters from “Frozen” all appeared on floats.

    The Wise family enjoys the parade.
  

Ocean City High School’s Drama Guild, color guard and girls’ cross-country team, which recently won the New Jersey Group III Cross-Country State Championships, also had a float.

Other sponsored floats included McMahon Insurance, Pete Madden of Gold Coast Sotheby’s, OCNJ Entertainment, The Shoppes at the Asbury and the Stainton’s family of stores.

Hot chocolate was being sold outside of Jon and Patty’s and Jay’s Crab Shack was serving crab bisque in addition to hot chocolate.

Dennis and Susan Dickerson have been going to the Christmas parade for the past 10 years. They said they always enjoy the organic, small-town feel that the parade offers.

“It’s just a great small-town parade,” Susan Dickerson said. “It’s not like a lot of other parades, like in Disneyland, that feel like big commercial productions. The kids are laughing and dancing, everyone's simply having a good time, just great small-town fun.”

Mayor Jay Gillian and various local pageant winners drove by sitting on top of cars, greeting families with smiles and waves.

    The Woodland String Band serenades the crowds.
  

Numerous marching bands played classic Christmas tunes, including the beloved Hobo Band, the Ocean City High School Marching Band, the Woodland String Band, the Interboro High School Marching Band from Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, and the Absegami High School Marching Braves.

Danielle and Victor Nappin, deputy mayor of Upper Township, said the parade is an annual tradition for them and their kids and is their first real Christmas celebration of the season.

“It always gets us excited for the holidays,” Victor Nappin said. “We have our little milestones as we get towards Christmas, and this parade is one that's always on our list.”

The Seashore Dog Training Club marched with festively dressed dogs and puppies, stopping to greet families for a quick pet along their route.

    The Nappin family makes the parade an annual tradition.
  

Susan Giunta attended the parade with her grandchildren, Maddox and Keller Giunta, for their first time.

“We’ve been excited to just see the whole parade,” Susan Giunta said. “We just recently moved here and saw the Halloween parade, which was great. We're excited to see what the floats are and what the Christmas parade is all about.”

Maddox and Keller said they were most excited to see Santa Claus, who concluded the parade in a horse-drawn carriage, greeting children and chuckling along the way.

    Susan Giunta attends the parade with her grandchildren, Maddox and Keller Giunta, for their first time.
  

    Mickey and Minnie wave to the crowds from their float.
  

    The Hobo Band is a holiday favorite.
  

    An inflatable Grinch decorates one of the colorful floats.

    Spectators line the sidewalks along Asbury Avenue.