Ocean City has an unusual way of welcoming the fall season. Four years ago, we initiated the Mr. Fall Gal and Mr. Fall Guy contest also known as the King and Queen of Plop competition. The event will be held on Fri., Aug, 31 at 11 a.m. on the 9th Street Beach opposite the Music Pier. Contestants are asked to greet the fall season, always a lovely time of year, by falling dramatically (and in slow motion) to the sand. Those performing the most dramatic renditions will be crowned the King and Queen of Plop. After the winners are announced, all contestants will hold hands and perform a mass plopping, as a goodwill, no sore loser gesture. Contestants may register starting 10:30 a.m. at the 9th St. Beach. Entry is free and... Read More

Ocean City’s unique, WEIRD CONTEST WEEK, “Wacky But Not Tacky” continues through Friday. On Wed., Aug. 15, it’s That The Way the Cookie Crumbles,” starting 11 a.m. at the Pavilion of the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. Contestants are asked to sculpt something meaningful out of giant cookie produced by Ward’s Bakery. On Thurs., Aug. 16 it’s Clip Art, produce a work of art from paper clips PLUS the Wiggle Your Ears Contest PLUS, we will present the IMMY Award to Ocean City for Imagination to Doug Jewell of Air Circus. Last year’s winner, Jerry Lukas will be on hand to demonstrate cartooning. The grand event concludes on Fri., Aug. 17 with Little Miss Chaos and Little Mr. Chaos, children from 3 to 5 bang on pots and pans and... Read More

For 39 years the MISS CRUSTACEAN Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant has attracted hundreds of curvaceous crustaceans and their best friends. On Aug. 1, America’s most glamorous Crabettes will congregate at 1 p.m. on the 6th Street Beach to compete for the “Coveted Cucumber Rind Cup,” symbol of Crustacean Comeliness. A cucumber represents a year’s supply of groceries for a hermit crab if supplemented with tree bark, pizza crust and a dash of swamp water. In addition to the coveted cup, the victor gets to waddle down a flower bedecked runway as adoring throngs sing the Pageant’s theme song, “Here It Comes, Miss Crustacean.” The new Miss Crustacean follows in the footsteps of such legends as Crabunzel, Taxi Crab, Crabopatra and Crabahontis. The Pageant is followed by the rollicking Hermit Crab Races with about 150... Read More

Now is the time to register for NIGHT IN VENICE if you haven’t already done so. Night In Venice will be held this Sat., July 28 starting 6 p.m. The Parade begins at the Longport Bridge and ends at Tennessee and Bay Ave. To enter boat or home competitions, register at www.ocnj.us/NIV or stop at Room 214, second floor of City Hall, Mon.-Fri. from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 609-525-9300 or email msoifer@hotmail.com. After hours, call 609-364-4010. There is a Merchants of Venice SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, Fri., July 27 in the downtown from 5 to 9 p.m. with entertainment and rides for the children sponsored by Comcast. Viewing the BOAT PARADE: Free Grandstand Seating is provided along the Parade Route and there is a free shuttle service available from the Airport Parking... Read More

As the 100th Anniversary of WOODY GUTHRIE’S birth draws near, tributes to the folk troubadour, humanitarian and rambling man are planned from as far away as Austria and Germany with hundreds of thousands participating. Ocean City will present its own tribute on Mon., July 16th, when ARLO GUTHRIE, Woody’s renowned son accompanied by talented family members, entertain at 8 p.m. in the Music Pier Auditorium, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. Woody Guthrie wrote about 3,000 songs, one of which, This Land Is Your Land, has become immensely popular and is sung widely in this country and throughout the world. Arlo at 65 continues to perform. He is one of the nation’s great folk singers and an entertaining story teller like his father. His talking-singing blues classic, Alice’s Restaurant, is always enthusiastically greeted at Guthrie concerts.... Read More