Friday, April 24–City Special Events Planned To Fill Void In Calendar

OCEAN CITY – The third weekend in June is shaping up to be an epic one for the town of Ocean City, as two major events will take place showcasing some of the resort’s favorite outdoor activities on a professional level.

Most of the attention and excitement for the weekend of June 19-21 has been about the nationally-televised AVP Crocs Pro Volleyball Tour that’s coming to Ocean City this year, but the other event that will be running simultaneously during that event is shaping up to be just as grandiose for the resort.

According to promoter Brad Hoffman, Beachfest will be a citywide event featuring both pro and amateur surfing, skateboarding, body-boarding, paddle-boarding, BMX events and will include a triathlon and a “fun-run” on the beach which families are encouraged to join in on.

The best part, however, as pointed out by Councilwoman Mary Knight, is the fact that spectators will not have to pay a fee to see the majority of these events, which will be spread out at various locations all over Ocean City.

“There is a fee to be a participant in some of these events,” said Hoffman, “and the one gated area that we will be charging admission to is at the Beachfest Village at the (Roland E. Powell) Convention Center.”

Hoffman explained that the professional and amateur surfing competitions, which will be sponsored by K-Coast Surf Shop and Reef Sandals, will be free to the public and will take place on the beach at 37th Street.

In addition, all the skateboarding events will take place at the downtown Ocean Bowl Skate Park on 3rd Street and will also be free.  Other complimentary events include the triathlon and the five-mile run on the boardwalk.

Hoffman told the Mayor and City Council during his update on Monday night at City Hall that there are over 500 participants already signed up, but he is hoping to get the number of participants up to 1,000.

“We are very excited about the progress of the event so far, and we feel that Beachfest embraces the beach culture and represents what Ocean City is really all about,” said Hoffman. 

The Ocean City Beach Patrol will help put on a paddleboard exhibition, also free to the public, to showcase the newest trend in surf culture, and other new hybrids of the sport will be showcased as well such as kiteboarding and the Indoboard training device.

At the convention center, which will be transformed in Beachfest Village for the weekend, Hoffman said that 14 bands will perform throughout the weekend, and a Dialed Action Sports Show, consisting of “high-flying pro BMX and skate demos” will be held as well.

Hoffman also told the council that the Ocean City chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will put together a surf museum which will feature surfboards and woody wagons from the 1950’s to present.

Hoffman hopes the town will give their support from a marketing standpoint to ensure that the event’s first year becomes a successful one.

“This is a great event, and I hope we make a defined effort to get this out there to the public,” said Councilman Joe Hall.