OCEAN CITY — Ocean City’s 69th annual Night in Venice boat parade and house decorating contest is set for 6:30 p.m. July 20 and this year will honor musician Jimmy Buffett and provide a chance to celebrate the music and carefree persona of the songwriter, who passed away in September after more than five decades of writing, recording and performing timeless classics.
Dave Winslow, a retired executive and Fourth Ward representative on City Council, returns again as chairman of the Night in Venice Committee. He served in the same role for many years beginning in the 1980s, and continues for yet another year.
The group also will include Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michele Gillian, Ocean City Community Services Director Daniel Kelchner and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian.
“A tribute to Jimmy Buffett is perfect for our summertime event,” Mayor Gillian said. “I’m excited to work with Dave and the committee to make this year’s event better than ever.”
Winslow also announced this year’s presenting sponsors: ACME and OCNJ Watersports. Entries are currently being accepted from all those who want to participate in the annual bayfront celebration.
The boat parade and decorated bayfront home contests provide a chance to be part of the highlight of the summer season in Ocean City. Thousands of spectators line the bayfront, and thousands more attend private parties at homes along the route from the Ocean City-Longport Bridge to Tennessee Avenue.
The theme is always optional, and entries for boats and homes are currently being accepted online or by calling (609) 399-6111.
ESPN reporter and host Marty Smith will be grand marshal of the boat parade. Smith, who owns a home in Ocean City, will be joined by family members for the 69th anniversary of the festive summer event.
Smith is one of the most recognizable personalities in sports media. For nearly 20 years at ESPN, Smith has produced in-depth interviews, vulnerable storytelling, game broadcasting and breaking news across every ESPN platform, and in almost every major sport, including college football and basketball, the NFL, NBA, NASCAR and IndyCar, Formula 1, the horse racing Triple Crown, the Masters Tournament and the PGA Tour.
Smith’s wife of 24 years, Lainie (Cocozza), is an Ocean City native, a 1995 graduate of Ocean City High School and Miss Night in Venice 1995. The Smiths reside in Lake Norman, N.C., and have three children, Cambron (18), Mia (15) and Vivian (12). Every June, the Smith family makes the trek north to come back to Ocean City, where they spend the entire summer vacation season in America’s Greatest Family Resort.
“It’s great that the Smith family has such close ties with Ocean City, and I’m honored to have Marty as our grand marshal,” Mayor Gillian said. “They’ll be right at home on the water for this summer’s spectacular event.”
Philadelphia Eagles veteran Brandon Graham and his family will be special guests and appear in the boat parade. Graham will return for his 15th season with the Eagles this year. He is a former first-round draft pick and all-pro defensive end who helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2018 and provided a strip sack of Tom Brady that helped seal the victory in the closing minutes.
His work ethic, talent and loyalty to the team have made him a fan favorite, and the Graham family has made Philadelphia their home.
“Brandon represents everything that Philly fans love, and it’s a great honor to have the Grahams join us,” Mayor Gillian said. “They’ll get a warm welcome from everybody in Ocean City.”
Two presenting sponsors will help add prizes and excitement to the event. ACME Markets returns as a presenting sponsor, and OCNJ Watersports will return this year (after its sister business, the Jet Drive Boat Exchange, was a presenting sponsor last year). ACME and OCNJ Watersports made cash and in-kind contributions to help enhance the event this year.
“Best in Show” prizes (for boats over and under 24 feet) will include a $1,000 gift card to OCNJ Watersports (Beachy Tiki boat tours, Totally Tubular Watersports or Totally Tubular Aqua Park). The prize is good for one private tiki boat charter for up to 32 guests, but it also could be broken down and used for any of the OCNJ Watersports activities.
Prizes for the other boat parade categories (“Best Decorated,” “Best Comic,” “Best Original” and “Best Musical” for boats over and under 24 feet) will include a $300 gift card to OCNJ Watersports for first place, $200 gift card for second place, and $100 gift card for third place.
Prizes for the 14 zones in the house-decorating contest will include a $100 gift card to OCNJ Watersports for first place, $75 gift card for second place, and $50 gift card for third place.
The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce will donate a one-year membership and two marketing email blasts (combined $600 value) to the “Best Commercial Entry” and “Best Community Organization/Non-Profit Entry” categories in the boat parade.
Tickets for a concert featuring the Jimmy Buffett tribute band The Landsharks are currently on sale. The show will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, at the Ocean City Music Pier and will be a perfect warmup for Night in Venice.
Ticket sales are also open for a special viewing area at the Bayside Center for Night in Venice.
The Bayside Center at 520 Bay Ave. will be open with family entertainment and activities for the boat parade. The viewing area will include a picnic spot and snack stand, face-painting, a DJ and bleacher seating. Ticket prices will be $6 for children (12-and-under) and $10 for adults (with service fees included). The area will remain open and provide a perfect spot to view a spectacular fireworks display after the boat parade.
The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. and the fireworks display will go off at about 9:30 p.m. Gates open at 4:30 p.m.
Entertainment will be provided until the parade arrives and will resume until the fireworks start. No alcohol is permitted, and no parking will be available, but the free shuttle service will be available from remote parking at the Ocean City Municipal Airport, Ocean City Community Center and Shelter Road parking area.
Tickets for the concert and the viewing area will be available online at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice, by calling (609) 399-6111 or in person at the Music Pier, City Hall, the Welcome Center on the Ninth Street causeway and the 46th Street Information Center.