Spring Cruisin Event Kicks Off Thursday In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY — The 25th Annual Cruisin Ocean City, presented by Miller Welders, returns to the beachside resort town of Ocean City on May 14-17.

This nationally recognized event attracts more than 3,500 customs, hot rods, street machines, classics and more from over 20 states plus Canada. The 25th Annual Cruisin will have more than 10,000 event participants taking part in various car shows at the Convention Center on 40th Street, the downtown Inlet parking lot and various citywide locations.

Scheduled to appear at this year’s Cruisin from the classic TV show “The Dukes of Hazard” is Tom Wopat, better known as Luke Duke. He will be at the event Friday, Saturday and Sunday for meet and greets and photo ops. Also joining in on the excitement, from the hit TV show Fast N’ Loud and from Gas Monkey Garage will be Christie Brimberry, who will be at Cruisin Friday and Saturday signing autographs, posing for pictures and talking about all the fun they have at Gas Monkey Garage. Additional entertainment includes live music, games, celebrity Stars Deejay, Cruisin Gold Deejay and more.

Thursday night will feature The Doo Wop Project live in concert at the new Ocean City Performing Arts Center inside the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. This show features stars from the Broadway shows “Jersey Boys” and “Motown the Musical.” Hear some of your favorite songs by Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Four Seasons, Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and more. The doors open at 7 p.m. and show time is 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $35 and can be purchased by calling or visiting the Ocean City Box Office 410-723-8601 or Ticketmaster 1-800-551-SEAT. For more information on the concert. visit www.oceancityconcerts.com.

Another great feature activity held as part of Cruisin is the Express Auctioneer’s Collector Car Auction. New this year there will be three days of auctions. The Collector Car Auctions will take place on Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15 inside the Convention Center. The preview will begin at 9 a.m. and the live auction begins at 10 a.m. both days. Plus Saturday, May 16 there will be a Car Memorabilia Auction at 10 a.m. and an Exotic and Specialty Car Auction at 2 p.m. For more information on the auctions, or if you are interested in being a seller or a buyer, visit www.occollectorcars.com or call 410-243-9999. Spectator entrance into the auction is included with your Cruisin spectator ticket.

Some of the country’s top national names will be showcasing their products in the manufacturers midway at the Inlet parking lot daily. At the Convention Center, there will be many other vendors selling automotive merchandise along with arts, crafts, jewelry, T-shirts plus other specialty items both inside and outside.

Additional Cruisin Ocean City highlights are the special Boardwalk Parades that will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. Staging begins at 27th Street on the Boardwalk and the parades begin at 8 a.m. from North Division Street going south to the inlet.

On Sunday, the Grand Finale Awards will take place at the Inlet. Before Cruisin comes to an end, there will be more than 500 trophies, plaques and awards presented plus over 3,000 giveaways.

Tickets are $10 a day for Thursday and Sunday and $15 a day for Friday and Saturday, good at both locations. Children under 14 are free with an adult. Show hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday with the Grand Finale Awards starting at 2 p.m. Visit www.cruisinoceancity.com for more information.