BlogThe Automobile Association of America's AAAWORLD MAGAZINE has just selected our Doo Dah Parade in its Ten For The Road, their picks “for the Top 10 Events in the Region.” Ocean City was one of only two communities in New Jersey to be selected, the other being Cape May for its Sherlock Holmes Weekend. Ocean City consistently wins awards as a community for its tourism, downtown and environmental achievements. It was just named as one of the most vital independent retail (downtown) markets in the nation by the Independent Retail National Leadership Summit. It has been named the number one family beach resort in the country by the Travel Channel, the number one vacation spot in the region by the Philadelphia Inquirer, one of the Ten Most Unforgettable Vacations in the Nation... Read More
Meadowlark Lemon, A Legendary Contributor to Black History Month
Meadowlark Lemon, the phenomenal basketball player and beloved star of the Harlem Globe Trotters, will be a timely grand marshal for the City’s Doo Dah Parade on April 16. He will be an excellent follow-up to Black History Month celebrated in February. In his more than 25 seasons, Meadowlark played in 16,000 games, in 94 countries performing before kings, queens, presidents and popes. He was the premier ambassador of American good will to multi millions of fans here and in over 100 countries. He is an important figure in the integration of sports in this country. Meadowlark and the Globe Trotters also focused much needed attention on American basketball and the fledgling National Basketball Assn. (1)They showcased the skills of black players providing pro basketball with a welcomed... Read More
Doo Dah Entries Available, Meadowlark Lemon Dinner Set
Registration forms for the City's 26th Annual Doo Dah Parade are now available at City Hall Annex, 901 Asbury Ave., 609-525-9300, on weekends by calling 609-364-4010 or by emailing msoifer@hotmail.com.The event is set for Sat., April 16 (just two months away) starting at noon. Entry in the parade is free. Grand Marshal will be Meadowlark Lemon, the legendary Harlem Globe Trotter and a member of the National Basketball Association’s Hall of Fame. Meadowlark will be a special guest at a dinner Theater program in his honor on April 15 at the Flanders Hotel. He will greet guest, sign autographs, pose for photos and sign copies of his new book. Impersonators of legendary comedians will also pose for photos and greet attendees prior to their performances. The Ted Prior band will be featured. For... Read More
Two Theater Companies Present Valentine Shows This Weekend
The Ocean City Theatre Co. and the Ocean City Repertory Theater will both present Valentine’s programs this weekend. Michael Hartman’s O.C. Theatre group is offering a CABARET of BROADWAY LOVE SONGS on Sat., Feb. 12 at the Hughes Performing Arts Center, 6th and Atlantic Ave. starting 7:15 p.m. with a Dessert reception. The program begins at 8 p.m. The Show will feature an array of unforgettable love songs plus production numbers from West Side Story and Wicked. The Theatre’s professional cast of performers presented outstanding shows with the Ocean City Pops this past summer and recently during First Night. They return to offer the community a delightful Valentine. Tickets purchased before 4 p.m., Feb. 11 are $12 a... Read More
Does Your License Plate Feature Ocean City? Send us a Photo!
Are you like Ocean City enthusiast, Jane French? Does your license plate proclaim your affection for this family resort and community like Jane's 02BN0C? If so, we’d like to see it. We want to have a contest to find the Most Outstanding Ocean City Boosting License Plate in existence! Here’s how to enter. Email a photo of your plate to msoifer@hotmail.com or send a print to Public Relations, City Hall Annex, 901 Asbury Ave., Ocean City, N.J. 08226. Winners will receive plaques featuring replicas of their plates. We may even have T Shirts made showing the best entries to offer to the public. Jane’s license plate story is an interesting one. Here’s what she has to say: “About 20 years ago I semi-retired my ’85 Cadillac known as “JANIE 1” and bought a second car, a Jeep,... Read More
Hermit Crab & State of Louisiana to Set Record Straight at Press Conference
35-YEAR CONTROVERSY TO BE AIRED AT CITY HALL ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY FIRST - By Mark Soifer, Ocean City Publicist A long simmering , “misunderstanding” between Ocean City’s renowned weather predicting Hermit Crab and the State of Louisiana will be aired and hopefully settled finally and for posterity. City officials deem the matter important enough to schedule a Press Conference for 11 a.m. Tues., Feb. 1 at City Hall Council Chambers. The controversy dates back to August 1975 when Martin Z. Mollusk, Ocean City mascot and celebrity shadow seeking weather expert, was married on the 10th St. Beach. The nuptials were conducted by the late Mayor B. Thomas Waldman. Popular TV personality, Captain Noah, was the official witness. Over a thousand guests, mostly stunned beach goers, attended. Martin was joined in matrimony with Mollie... Read More
Meadowlark Lemon to be Grand Marshal of Doo Dah Parade
Meadowlark Lemon, the world famous "Clown Prince of Basketball" and a NBA Hall of Famer, will be grand marshal of Ocean City’s Doo Dah Parade on Sat., April 16. He will also be guest of honor at a dinner theater program in his honor on Fri., April 15 at the Flanders Hotel. Tickets to this event will be available through the Public Relations Office, 609-525-9300. Meadowlark Lemon was the most popular member of Harlem Globe Trotters. His name and patented hook shot are ingrained in the memories of generations. He has performed his on court artistry in almost every country in the world. Meadowlark has traveled more than 5 million miles and played in more than 16,000 basketball games. His love for the game brought smiles to generations of fans in over 100... Read More
Martin Luther King Celebration Set for Saturday at High School
The City's Annual Service honoring Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, Jr.is set for 1 p.m., Sat., Jan. 15 at the William and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center in Ocean City High School, 6th and Atlantic Ave. Ocean City was the first community in Cape May County to hold such a ceremony. It was organized by the late Rozelia Cobb, a beloved teacher at Ocean City Intermediate School. Her work is carried on today thanks to the generosity of Wonderland Pier, the Sentinel Ledger and Keith Hartzell. Attorney Nathan Davis and Rev. Gregory Johnson will be guest speakers. Rev. Johnson will recite Dr. King’s inspiring “I Have a Dream” speech. Those to be honored with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. awards for their service to the community include Dwayne Wilson, Gary Jessel, Emma Davis,... Read More
How Martin Mollusk Got His Name & Other Important Matters
Yes, Martin Z. Mollusk is not a mollusk. He is a Crustacean. We know that. Martin, our weather predicting mascot knows that. His name has nothing to do with his species. Martin’s biography, Rhyme and Punishment, makes it perfectly clear how and why Martin got his name. A bit of background: Martin was born somewhere along the Zambesi River in Africa. As the biography explains, he was deserted by his parents: “An orphan crab, cast out one summer, by callous parents, what a bummer… Just left alone to scritch and scratch through brittle bark and brutal thatch…” At this point Martin had no name because his crabby parents neglected to give him one before they took off. Then one day while reading the Swamp Gazette, he noticed an advertisement about Tepid Swamp,... Read More
