OCEAN CITY — Decked out as Captain America, 7-year-old island resident Sean Connolly flew past his competitors to win the opening heat of the annual 1-mile Superhero Run on Saturday morning.
The popular event (among children of all ages, apparently) kicked off the OC-CON Festival, now in its sixth year, and was followed by a Superhero Obstacle Course on the track at Ocean City High School.
The two-day event returned to the Music Pier on April 2-3 and is among the many activities hosted each year in America’s Greatest Family Resort.
Best known for portraying Arthur Morgan through performance capture in the 2018 video game “Red Dead Redemption 2,” Roger Clark held meet-and-greet sessions both days. Scheduled artists included Tony DiGerolamo (“The Simpsons” and “Bart Simpson” comic books), Bob Petrecca (Marvel Comics), Luke Petrecca (Upper Deck and the Dear Hunter), Michael S. Bracco (“The Creators” and “The Monuments”), Galica Graphics and Pharos Creative Studios.
The weekend also featured two performances by the Ocean City Pops Orchestra playing themed music and the Saber Guild Zeffo Temple conducting lightsaber training. The event was capped off by the Cosplay Contest.
Warming up for the run, Anthony Houseal, of King of Prussia, Pa., said he and his wife, Dorothy, came down for the weekend event.
“We come down here as frequently as we possibly can,” he said.
Looking fit at 40, the father of four said he was interested in both the running and comics events.
“I’m a diehard comic book and action figure fan since I was tall enough to hold one,” he said. “Running, I’m trying to do more of, so this is a great incorporation of both.”
The couple were planning to attend the Ocean City High School Drama Guild’s production of “The Drowsy Chaperone” later that evening.
“We’re trying to make it a full, engaged Ocean City weekend,” he said, noting the couple got married on the beach at 13th Street.
It was not the property management professional’s first foray in the Superhero Run. Anthony said he had run in 2019 and was training to run in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut the island down.
“I’m trying to improve my 2019 time,” he said. “It’s fun, a great way to incorporate both my passions.”
Tim and Lindsay Dinan of Sparta were attending their first OC-CON with children Annie, 10, Will, 8, and Teddy, 2. Will loves to run so Tim has been hitting the road more lately and trying to convince Annie to join them. Teddy was just along for the ride in the jogging stroller.
“We’re going to give it our best shot,” Lindsay said.
Junior Miss Ocean City Makenna Fleming and Little Miss Ocean City Arianna DiAntonio said they were “pumped up” for all of the fun spring events coming up, such as the Doo-Dah Parade on April 9, the Easter Fashion Stroll on April 16 and the Ocean City Flower Show on June 3-5.
“It’s like a family thing for us now and I can’t believe that this year I’m actually helping out,” Fleming said of the flower show.
“We get to help all of the little kids and it’s going to be so much fun,” DiAntonio said.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff