WHILE NEARLY EVERY SEASHORE RESORT on The Jersey Cape is unique in its own way, Ocean City, the northernmost barrier island in Cape May County, is perhaps the most unique because of a special events calendar that ranges from frivolous to down-right weird. Whatever it’s called, Ocean City has carved a niche in the family vacation market by creating and hosting a variety of special events from spring through autumn that are as unusual as they are fun. Many of the resort’s events are traditional, such as an Easter Parade, car shows or block parties, but the real attraction for the resort are its offbeat events.

Visitors to Ocean City will undoubtedly take advantage of the island’s eight miles of glorious, clean beaches and its three-mile-long boardwalk replete with amusements, a water park, the landmark Ocean City Music Pier and an array of sights, smells and sounds emanating from hundreds of shops and eateries. The resort also offers plenty of recreational facilities and outdoor activities such as fishing and golfing and a host of top-quality restaurants.

Ocean City’s incomparable calendar of unconventional events begins with the annual Doodah parade held each April, usually over the weekend closest to the deadline for filing income taxes with the IRS. Precision talents, such as a beach chair drill team, are highlighted during the event that has been one of the city’s hallmarks for the past 17 years, as are four-legged participants such as packs of Basset hounds and greyhounds. Ocean City’s own version of Ground-hog Day is Martin Z. Mollusk Day, held in early May on the beach, in which a hermit crab – Martin Z. Mollusk, of course – is urged to come out of his shell so it can be determined if he sees his shadow. No matter if the hermit crab actually sees its shadow, the forecast is usually for an early summer.

The city’s annual Freckle Contest held each July is usually a big draw for children and adults alike. The largest event held in Ocean City is its annual Night in Venice, one of the largest boat parades in the world. Boat owners and waterfront homeowners decorate their properties in a huge, fun-filled festival on the city’s bayside. A few weeks later Ocean City, which is host to the annual Miss New Jersey Pageant each June, puts on the Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant. As if they truly believe their hermit crabs are attractive, hundreds of people enter the pageant each year. In early August, there’s the annual Twins Contest, in which pairs of people born on the same day to the same mother vie for title of most identical. The Pamper Scamper, held about a week later, is a race for the crawling crowd. Not to favor the other end of the age spectrum, that event is followed by “The World’s Oldest Baby Parade.”

Things get really strange in Ocean City by mid-August, when the city hosts its annual Weird Contest Week, including activities such as artwork with French fries, saltwater taffy sculpting and wet T-shirt throwing. As August ends, the city celebrates with an annual invitational miniature golf tournament. September is filled with more mainstream events, such as a Street Rod Weekend, a barbecue cook-off, art festival, air show at the municipal airport and antique and collectibles show. October, too, is more conventional – but no less fun – with a fall block party and the city’s immensely popular Indian Summer Weekend. But before things really settle down for the winter, the city has an annual Quiet Festival every November featuring low-decibel activities such as seashell listening, mimes, silent clowns and sea creatures. The end of the year is celebrated with First Night Ocean City on December 31st, featuring fun entertainment for New Year’s revelers of all ages.

Although the seaside resort of Ocean City is more than 100 years old, it continues to develop new and interesting special events to attract
families to the resort and keep them coming back.

With ample hotel accommodations, bed and breakfast inns and vacation rental properties available, coupled with the resort's seashore amenities and superlative calendar of events, Ocean City truly is America’s Greatest Family Resort.

For more information call 1-800-BEACHNJ or visit www.njoceancity.com•
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