OCEAN CITY – Ocean City’s premier autumn event – the Fall Block Party – will go off rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9.
More than 400 crafters, food vendors and entertainers will line a mile of downtown Asbury Avenue between Fifth Street and 14th Street. The Block Party helps draw tens of thousands of people to Ocean City for Columbus Day Weekend.
Entertainers and bands will perform at various spots along the Avenue between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Just a few of the perennial favorites include Big Daddy (at Sixth Street), the Pennsport String Band (at 13th Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Keith Hickman (at 14th Street). Pony rides for children will be available on the grounds of the Ocean City Tabernacle (at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors including Asbury Avenue restaurants will offer food of every variety.
Street parking will be free at all metered spots and all municipal parking lots in Ocean City, including at the Transportation Center lot (Ninth Street and Haven Avenue) and at the municipal lots on the 700 and 800 blocks of Central Avenue.
A 9 p.m. fireworks display over the ocean caps off the evening. The show will be launched from a barge off the Ocean City Music Pier and will be best viewed from the boardwalk and beach between Fifth Street and 14th Street.
The Indian Summer Weekend (Oct. 9 to 11) celebration also includes table sales by downtown and boardwalk merchants with discounted merchandise set up between Sixth Street and 14th Street on the boardwalk and Asbury Avenue throughout the weekend.
OCFD open house
The Ocean City Fire Department and IAFF Local 4032 will hold their annual open house at the station at 550 Asbury Avenue from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7.
The community is invited to this free event. It will feature a live burn demonstration, a “smoke house” where kids can safely learn to navigate a dark and smoky structure, tours of trucks, “stop-drop-and-roll,” hot dogs and pretzels.
The annual event coincides with national Fire Prevention Month and gives the community a chance to learn more about how the department works. Off-duty firefighters from the local firefighters’ union volunteer their time to produce the event.
Rain date will be Oct. 8. For information, call (609) 525-9182.
