Rebecca Evans
Staff Writer
BERLIN – As the first month of summer arrives to the area, so do the streams of new high school graduates fresh from commencement.
These “junebugs” come to Ocean City from around the area and beyond to celebrate and blow off steam after graduation.
The Play It Safe program offers the new graduates the opportunity to enjoy what Ocean City has to offer and participate in over 40 free events and activities including laser tag, minigolf and a scavenger hunt on the beach.
Through the Play It Safe program, 25 girls and 25 boys can compete in the Pizza Tugos Pizza Eating Contest on Saturday, June 2. On June 4 and 11, graduates can learn how to paddle board at 48th Street Watersports or spend the day at Splash Mountain. Rides at Speedworld will be free for the first 200 graduates on June 7.
The full calendar of events can be found at www.playitsafeoceancity.com.
All the activities organized by Play It Safe are free to new high school graduates.
Play It Safe, which runs from May 30 through June 15, is a program organized by the Ocean City Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Committee that, “…encourages recent high school graduates to celebrate responsibly without the use of alcohol or drugs.”
Since 1989, the Play It Safe program has endeavored to provide recent high school graduates with free and safe alternatives to the party scene.
The food, prizes and funds for Play It Safe are donated in part by community members.
The Town of Ocean City provides supplemental funding to the program, most recently $7,500, according to the Play It Safe website.
For those not part of the class of 2018, there is still plenty to do in Ocean City this weekend.
The 22nd Annual Mako Mania Tournament marks the beginning of tournament season in Ocean City. The fishing tournament starts Friday, June 1 and continues through Sunday, June 3. There will be daily weigh-ins at Bahia Marina on 21st Street between 3:30 and 7:30 as competing fishermen bring in mako sharks, bluefish and thresher sharks.
The Baltimore Ravens Roost Parade will take over Baltimore Avenue between 19th and 26th street on Saturday, June 2 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The parade, part of a larger weekend convention event, will feature players from the Baltimore Ravens as well as over 50-member Ravens Roosts from Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.