Monday, September 17 – Sunfest To Kick Off Busy Weekend

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City celebrates the start of the fall season with four fantastic days of food, arts and crafts and live music when Sunfest 2007 shines on the resort’s Inlet lot, Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 20-23.

Ocean City’s most popular festival, the 33rd Annual Sunfest, will delight all ages with 180 crafters, live entertainment, hayrides on the beach, children’s activities and the 23rd Annual Adeler Jeweler’s Treasure Hunt. In and around four big-top tents, there is something for every member of the family to enjoy at this fall celebration.

Sunfest opens with a parade on the Boardwalk beginning at 9:30 a.m. at 12th St. and ending at the Sunfest festival grounds with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20. The fun continues throughout the day and all weekend. A key part of Sunfest has been the Adeler Treasure Hunt where participants search for $10,000 in gems. Adults participate in this fun event by digging for gems, which are buried just a few inches under the sand. The treasure hunt takes place on the beach near the entertainment tent on Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m.

This year’s headline entertainers are the Fabulous Hubcaps performing at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20 with ticket prices at $5 and $10. Country music’s Josh Gracin and Heartland perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21, with tickets prices set at $15, $20, $25, $30 and $35. The legendary Wayne Newton will entertain at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 to a sold-out crowd.

Also, enjoy free performances by The Zim Zemarel Orchestra on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. and Randy Lee Ashcraft & The Saltwater Cowboys on Sunday at 5 p.m. Performers also include FAB Band, Frank and Trish, the Diamonds, Teenage Rust, Sir Rod, the Recreation Line Dancers, Rhythm Kings, Bob Sima, Rick K and the Allnighters, N.O.M.A.D., Phillips Ragtime Band, the Beach Bumz, Rising Sun Reggae Band, Mary Lou and the Untouchables, J.R.Booker, Frankie and the Pack, Georgia Lea and Stone Cold Country, Jesse Garron’s Tribute to Elvis, Annie Sidley and RED. All are sure to be a hit.

Admission to the four-day festival is free.

Coinciding with the event is the Sunfest Kite Festival, which will take place along the beach with kite-making workshops, kite flying games, relays, kite competitions and much more.

Over in Berlin, town officials are preparing for their most anticipated special event of the year with the Berlin Fiddlers Convention, which will start Friday evening and run through Sunday. The event features a bluegrass music contest on Saturday afternoon as well as plenty of other live entertainment.

To read all the week’s news, see The Dispatch’s website on Friday or pick up the hardcopy at any of the more than 200 outlets in the Ocean City area.