By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — “We love Ocean City and this is very festive because you come out here and get to be on that carriage with all of the decorations on the avenue,” Sandi Pikulinski said. “At time like these we need things that are tradition.”
The Dennis Township woman was talking about the free horse and carriage rides through downtown the city sponsored by the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce.
Families lined up up a recent Saturday to take part in what has become a holiday tradition for many.
Twin sisters Sharon Campolo, 55, of Mays Landing, and Pikulinski brought their grandchildren and some friends along for the ride. They were joined by Jon Campolo and twin sister Ava, 10, cousin Colton Grey, 8, and Mia Rodriguez, 2.
Campolo said they visit Ocean City every Christmas season to take the carriage rides.
The service is operated by New Freedom Carriage, owned by Ben and Ann Mills of Monroeville, Salem County.
They specialize in weddings but also take their horses and carriages to special events around southern New Jersey.
Shane Mills, 34, said he and his father have been operating the horse and carriage service in Ocean City for 17 years. They started with one carriage and have had as many as four, but this year have just two.
Ocean City is the only town where they operate weekly for Christmas, but they do weddings, parades, proms, birthday parties and other events.
“We always have at least two down here because it’s so popular,” he said, adding that the company has five horses and eight or nine carriages.
Mills and his wife, Kelly, were helping people into and out of the carriages.
“It’s a family business. We all help and we all work together,” he said, noting that the carriages are disinfected between trips.
A ride lasts about 20 minutes and take participants on a tour through part of the downtown business district, from the Ocean City Tabernacle at Sixth Street to 11th Street on Asbury Avenue.
Many businesses are decorated for Christmas, while some have special events going on. The Grinch shared the sidewalk with Santa and Mrs. Claus outside SiLLy JiLLy’s Holiday Factory at 1014 Asbury Ave., waving to riders as they passed and offering photo-ops.
The city decks out its lampposts with boughs of holly and red bows, with more strung across the avenue, while Christmas music plays in the background.
Ordinarily it’s a shorter ride, from outside City Hall on Ninth Street to 11th Street and back, but this year trips start and end at the church so that social distancing is possible.
That’s both good and bad for those taking a tour. Good because the ride is more than twice as long as usual; bad because people have to wait longer. Therefore, showing up well in advance is recommended.
One carriage is large and can hold as many as 10 riders, while the other one, operated by “Uncle Elmer,” can hold only about four to six riders.
Ben Mills said they average three rides per hour per carriage, so about 18 total trips during each three-hour event.
Waiting in line for a ride were Dave and Katie Keller, 40-somethings from Freehold, Monmouth County, along with daughters Camryn, 6, and Carly Jane, 4. They have a summer house and return throughout the year for special events with Gerard and Beth Rites of Scotch Plains, Union County, along with their children Brayden, 12, Kylie, 10, and Nolyn, 8.
“I like horses,” Nolyn said.
Following a quick U-turn that elicited excited exclamations, Gerard Rites said the group was having a good time.
“Great weather, not too cold,” he added as the kids began belting out “Jingle Bells.” “All we need is hot chocolate.”
Linwood residents Brian and Bree Kern where there with their two sons, Bryce, 5 and Jamison, 3, and daughter Finley, 7 months. Since they live nearby, they try to take advantage of all the city has to offer.
“Not this year too much but we try to, like the parade (which was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic),” Bree Kern said. “Anything outside we try to do.”
Brian Kern said it’s a new experience for Finley.
“She’s never been on this. We’ve done this in the past with them and it’s kind of a tradition of ours,” he said.
“We promised them if they waited in line nicely we would go get them Johnson’s Popcorn and they are really excited about that,” Bree Kern added.