Ocean City rolls into late October on Thursday (Oct. 25) with its 71st annual Halloween Parade. The event is a favorite on the fall calendar and features local children, families, bands, entertainers, businesses and organizations costumed for the occasion. The parade starts at 7:15 p.m. Thursday and proceeds down Asbury Avenue from Sixth Street to 11th Street.
The event is sponsored by the Ocean City Exchange Club. Watching the parade is, of course, free – with great spots to catch all the action from either side of downtown Asbury Avenue. Late registration for participants in the parade will be available at a table staffed from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on parade night at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue in front of GG’s Diamond Tailor Shop. For more information, call 800-813-5580 or visit ochp.blogspot.com.
The Greater Ocean City Theatre Company’s annual Halloween Costume Party is set for 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 at the Ocean City Yacht Club. Tickets are $75. The party is for adults (21-and-over) and includes food, dancing and prizes. To purchase tickets, visit the Theatre Company’s website at www.oceancitytheatrecompany.com by Thursday.
Traditional trick-or-treating hours in Ocean City will be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Halloween – Wednesday, Oct. 31.
ALSO COMING UP:
Ocean City Chamber of Commerce Annual Welcome Night (Oct. 24): Ocean City Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Welcome Night invites the community to the Ocean City Sports & Civic Center 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 24. Meet Ocean City groups, businesses and organizations. Free to attend. For more information, call 1-800-BEACH-NJ.
Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament (Oct. 27): The Ocean City Fishing Club invites families and individuals to compete in its 50th Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 27. “Residents and vacationers should know that you don’t have to belong to a team to participate in the tournament,” Tournament Co-Chairman Bobby Dever said. “Each year we have family members and individual anglers who register to fish on our beautiful Ocean City beaches—and some go home with trophies and bragging rights.” Registration for the tournament will take place from 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Oct. 27 at the Ocean City Intermediate School, 18th Street and Bay Avenue. It costs $80 for a six-member team, while individuals can sign up for only $15. For more information, call Dever at 267-251-2306 or email bdever65@comcast.net (or contact Mike Collins at 215-595-7261 or hkmike3@gmail.com).
Cape Shore Chorus (Oct. 27): The Cape Shore Chorus Sweet Adelines International will perform 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Ocean City Music Pier. The concert features special guest Gimme Four! Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children and students. Proceeds benefit the Cape Shore Chorus Scholarship Fund. Call 609-628-2846 for more information.
“Clue” on Stage (Nov. 2 and 3): The Ocean City Theatre Company presents a comedy based on the cult classic film and popular board game. It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well … dead. So whodunit? “Clue” features a cast of student performers in grades 6 to 12. Show time 7:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier Tickets are $12. Call 609-399-6111 or visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
Trail of Two Cities 5K (Nov. 3): This 3.1-mile run or walk travels a point-to-point course over the Ninth Street causeway from Ocean City to Somers Point. The race starts at 8 a.m. For information and pre-registration, visit www.ocnj.us/race-events or call 609-525-9317.
Quiet Festival Returns Sunday, Nov. 4
Ocean City once again will welcome the calmer season with its annual Quiet Festival. This year’s event will take place on Nov. 4 at the Ocean City Community Center at 1735 Simpson Avenue.
Activities will include:
Create-your-own Ocean City puzzle and guided tour of the Ocean City Historical Museum.
Royalty Storytime with Miss Ocean City, Junior Miss Ocean City and Little Miss Ocean City: Young princes and princesses are invited to come in costume.
Quiet Pet Competition: The traditional showcase event of the Quiet Festival takes place at the Senior Center. This year, the event also will feature building block and stuffed animal displays.
Bubble-Blowing Bonanza: Our quiet version of a fireworks finale.
All of the events are free. For more information and a schedule, visit www.ocnj.us/quietfestival.
First Night Buttons on Sale Now
All-inclusive admission buttons for Ocean City’s popular and family-friendly First Night New Year’s Eve celebration are on sale now. The price is a discounted $15 through Nov. 30, and they can be purchased at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice or by calling 609-399-6111. You can also purchase tickets in person by visiting the Roy Gillian Welcome Center on the Ninth Street causeway, City Hall’s Welcome Center at 861 Asbury Avenue or the Welcome Center at 46th Street and West Avenue.
First Night includes more than 70 shows and activities at venues throughout Ocean City. The Spinners will provide headline entertainment during three shows at the Ocean City Music Pier.
Come see Genevieve Goings, one star of Disney Junior’s “Choo-Choo Soul.” The duo began as a hip-hop/soul children’s album of music before the brand was acquired by Disney. In the show, Genevieve is a soulful and hip singing train conductor who will engage children in sing-alongs, dance routines and lots of other crowd participation as she performs the hits seen on Disney Junior.
