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 2008 shines on the resort’s Inlet lot, Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 18-21.
Ocean City’s most popular festival, the 34th Annual Sunfest, will delight all ages with over 180 crafters, live entertainment and hayrides on the beach. In and around four big-top tents, there is something for every member of the family to enjoy at this event.
Sunfest 2008 opens with a parade on the Boardwalk beginning at 9:30 a.m. at 12th St. by Phillips By The Sea and ending at the Sunfest grounds with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18. The fun continues throughout the day and all weekend long.
Sunfest always features great musical performances and this year is no exception with headliners The Platters, The Marvelettes and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters performing at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 with ticket prices at $10 and $20. Country music’s Rodney Atkins performs at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, with tickets prices from $20 to $35. The Commodores will entertain at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, with ticket prices offered from $15 to $35.
Also, enjoy free performances by The Shades of Blue Orchestra on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. and the Key West Band on Sunday at 5 p.m. Performers also include Jay D. Henley & The Stone Broke Band, Lauren Glick Band, Quiet Fire, Shore Jazz w/ Holly Lane, Larzine, Poole & The Gang, Teenage Rust, Sir Rod, the Recreation Line Dancers, Bob Sima, Rick K and the Allnighters, Phillips Ragtime Band, Rising Sun Reggae Band, Mary Lou and the Untouchables, J.R. Booker, Frankie and the Pack, Jesse Garron’s Tribute to Elvis, and RED. All are sure to be a hit.
Admission to the four-day festival is free. Tickets for headline acts are on sale at the box office located in the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. Box office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or you may order tickets by calling TicketMaster at 1-800-551-SEAT; in Baltimore, call 410-547-SEAT, and in Washington D.C., call 202-397-SEAT.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Sunfest without plenty of delicious Eastern Shore food and this year’s event promises more of the tasty fare. Sunfest visitors will enjoy everything from crab cakes to oyster fritters, Philly cheese steaks to Greek gyros and BBQ. The Gourmet Tent is a must try, featuring coffees, fudge, nuts, candies and delicious pastry items.
Also, this year at Sunfest will be 12 demonstrating artists who will dazzle you as they create their artistic designs right before your eyes.
Sunfest hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday.