Night in Venice to Celebrate 67th Anniversary on July 23

Night in Venice will return to Ocean City for the 67th time at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 23, and registration is now open to all boat and bayfront homeowners who want to participate in this year’s celebration. Plans are in the works, and the city will make an announcement about a special grand marshal later this week. Another guest will be Jackie Evancho, who will be performing with the Ocean City Pops in a special concert 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 24, at the Ocean City Music Pier. Since she first dazzled television audiences at the age of 10 as a runner-up on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” Evancho has released a string of platinum and gold albums with sales of over 3 million. She was a hit in a previous show with the Ocean City Pops on Night in Venice Weekend and wanted to participate in the parade again. Tickets for her show are available at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice or by calling 609-399-6111. The optional theme will be “Mummers: Struttin’ on the Bay,” a tribute to the colorful costumes, themed entries and distinctive string bands that define Philadelphia’s annual New Year’s Day parade and Ocean City’s Tuesday nights on the Boardwalk. Once again, a fireworks display will light up the bay and cap off the festivities on July 23. The boat parade and decorated bayfront home contest provide a chance to be part of the highlight of the summer season in Ocean City. Thousands of spectators line the bayfront, and thousands more attend private parties at homes along the route from the Ocean City-Longport Bridge to Tennessee Avenue. Elaborate decorations at bayfront homes are a colorful part of the boat parade. Entries for boats and homes are currently being accepted online at www.ocnj.us/niv or by calling 609-399-6111. Acme returns as a presenting sponsor for Night in Venice this year. Free shuttle transportation will be available and free grandstands will be set up at street ends along the route. For more information on participating in the event or attending, visit www.ocnj.us/niv. THIS WEEK IN OCEAN CITY: At noon on Saturday, June 11, Mustangs, Corvettes and other high-performance American cars will rumble onto the Ocean City Boardwalk for the Modern Muscle Car Invasion. As many as 500 vehicles will remain on display on the boardwalk from Fifth Street to 14th Street until 5 p.m. For more information, visit modernmusclecarinvasion.com. This event was rescheduled from May 7, when it was postponed due to inclement weather.  This year’s Miss Artisan Scholarship Pageant and Show will be held 7 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Ocean City Music Pier. Entertainment will be a concert by the Original Hobo Band. Admission is free. For more information, call 215-708-1000 or visit www.artisansaomp.org. The weekly Farmers Market opens for the season on Wednesday, June 15, at the Tabernacle Grounds at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue. Hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.