By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — America’s Greatest Family Resort is known for its wild and wacky events and has successfully paired one with shopping to give a boost to downtown merchants in a traditionally slower time of year.
The city celebrated its “Earlier than the Bird” downtown shopping extravaganza from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 21, featuring giveaways, great deals and, of course, people wearing their pajamas.
The event is designed to bring shoppers to the city before Thanksgiving, hence the name.
Robbie Roselle, Diane Young and Gail Simon were decked out in matching outfits consisting of plaid pants, a long-sleeved white T-shirt sporting the logo “Merry Everything,” blue vests and fascinators fit for the Kentucky Derby. They said they attend the event every year but this is their “first outfit year.”
They come for the bargains, the atmosphere and, this year, for the weather. It was sunny and cool but not cold, perfect for shopping without having to wear bulky coats, hats and scarves.
The Ocean City residents, who noted they are all pickleball players, said they would be wearing matching outfits in the future but maybe not the headpieces.
A group of women from the Mt. Laurel area adorned with matching light-up Christmas tree bulbs said they like to support local merchants.
Ellen Edwards of Mt. Laurel, Marianne Bielec of Medford, Peg Bocella of West Berlin and Nancy Grenon of Mt. Laurel get together every year for the event.
“It’s nice this year because the stores have been slow and it’s nice to support them,” Bocella said, noting they spend summers in the city.
“We come every year with friends, the four of us, and we always buy something,” Grenon said.
Jessy and Kathryn Swatek of Wyckoff were getting a little mother-daughter time in their reindeer onesies. It was their first time at Earlier than the Bird, which they found out about through social media and the Ocean City app.
Jessy Swatek said they have a house in the city and will be moving there permanently next year to be closer to her other children in Philadelphia. She said she likes “the good deals and it’s fun. It gets you out to get started on the Christmas season.”
It was warm outside but Alyssa Zimmerman, 18, an Ocean City High School graduate, mother Tracey Zimmerman and sister Holly Zimmerman, of Northfield, were not quite melting in their snowman outfits, complete with white onesies, a red scarf and black felt hat.
“This is our favorite part of the holiday season. We kick off our holiday season down here every year,” Tracey Zimmerman said, noting they buy new onesies for the occasion.
“We started coming down here from Pennsylvania and used to drive two hours to attend Earlier than the Bird,” she said, adding that they like “the whole atmosphere — dressing up, the music and starting the Christmas season.”
Delaney Brogan, 14, Mackenzie Brogan, 15, Victoria Parks, 16, and Shannon Brogan, 21, all of Ocean City, looked like they just rolled out of bed.
“We come almost every year,” Shannon Brogan said. “We just kind of wake up and go shopping.”
Dolores Wilson of Longport and Becky Dickerson of Ocean City were shopping downtown dressed in turkey onesies. They love getting dressed up for the event.
“We come every year and we’re trying to hunt down the turkey now,” Wilson said, referring to the turkey giveaway. “It’s so much fun just to be out and about with everyone.”
The women said they have a different outfit every year for Earlier than the Bird.
“One year my grandson was with us and he was the miniature Santa Claus and we were the two tall elves,” Wilson said.
“We did Christmas trees one year and we have been in the Christmas parade and we probably have about 40 costumes,” Dickerson said, noting they also participate in the city’s popular Halloween parade.
“Ocean City is just so much fun, so many activities. We love it,” Wilson said.
Mary and Lyle Taggart didn’t go fancy but did dress down in their pajamas — she with a Coke-themed outfit and he with an Ocean City sweatshirt and pajama pants. It was their first time at the event, which they drove in for from Akron, Ohio.
Mary Taggart was a little embarrassed to wear her pajamas at first but felt more comfortable after seeing everyone else dressed up.
“We come every summer but this is the first time we came in cold weather,” Lyle Taggart said.
“We saw this so we decided to come this time of year,” Mary Taggart added.
“Mary says this is her happy place,” Lyle Taggart said.
Julie Bickings with children Caroline, 10, Alice, 8, Rose, 6, and Johnnie, 4, of Ocean City, said they attend the event every year.
The kids said their favorite part is “eating.”
“The Drip N’ Scoop doughnuts are amazing. Their free coffee is amazing,” Julie Bickings said.
“And the hot chocolate,” added Johnnie.
Bickings planned to get some shopping done but said it turned into more of an outing with the kids.
“I thought I was going to come for an hour by myself and they all woke up and were like ‘We’re ready! We’re ready!,” she said, so they ended up spending the whole morning downtown.
“They’re scoping out free food. I’m trying to scope out good deals but I don’t know how well I’m doing right now,” she said.
Bickings said the children were excited to buy books.
“They love getting the books,” she said outside Sun Rose Words & Music on Asbury Avenue. “A family friend gives them a gift card every year to Sun Rose, so they’re about to go in and pick out their books and they are excited about that.”
Phyllis Turner of Somers Point, who was toughing it out on a broken foot, and Jean Kling of Sewell, who has a house in Ocean City, were dressed in matching plaid pants, white snowman T-shirts, vests, hats and masks, they said they plan their outfits well in advance.
“We’ve been thinking about it since January what we are going to be,” Turner said. “And we gradually collect the pieces.”
Linda and Dominick Falcone of Medford, Debby and Joe Falcone of Blackwood and Maggie and Jeff Pugh of West Norriton, Pa., had just come out of Ocean City Coffee Co. when approached by a reporter.
“We like hanging out with our friends, getting out in the fresh air and buying from local businesses,” Maggie Pugh said, adding that they own a condo in the city and visit for summer, fall and winter events.
“We’re here all the time,” she said.
Wearing matching robes with Santa hats and carrying a sign reading “Christmas in Ocean City,” sisters Kelli Krechel, Colleen Nardini, Suzanne Gallagher and Shannon Cogan were pulling double duty — shopping and celebrating one sister’s birthday.
Their parents have a house in the city and Cogan lives in Marmora.
“We are Cogan sisters celebrating Colleen’s 50th birthday at Earlier than the Bird,” she said, noting they love the “small-town charm.”
“We come every year, we love it,” Gallagher said.
