OCEAN CITY — OceanCity.com has announced the winners of the 2018 Best of Ocean City® contest, wherein visitors and locals alike nominate and vote for their favorite businesses in Ocean City’s longest running, most prestigious contest of its kind.
Now in its ninth year, Best of Ocean City is the only local popular vote not tied to advertising or sponsorship, instead relying on voters’ enthusiasm to propel the most engaged businesses to the top.
Winning an OceanCity.com Best of Ocean City® award is a triumph for Ocean City businesses. Winners are prominently recognized within the local community and receive a coveted certificate of achievement and distinctive window decal to display throughout 2018 and into 2019.
“This all started when hotels were coming to us wanting this information — guests in the hotels wanted to know who they recommended as the best businesses, which is why it’s imperative that the Best of Ocean City not be related to advertising,” said OceanCity.com CEO Ann McGinnis Hillyer. “We want to provide every visitor in Ocean City with real, true recommendations for the best businesses in town.”
The awarding of the title of ‘Best of Ocean City’ falls on the readers of OceanCity.com and their nearly 180,000 Facebook fans. With more votes than any other contest, results were tallied across 38 categories including Best Restaurants, Best Bars, Best Activities and Best of the Boardwalk.
“When some businesses find out they won, they’ll say they didn’t even know they were participating,” Hillyer said. “Nobody signs up for this contest. The Shrimp Boat didn’t even know they were included in the voting, for instance, but now they’re very glad to have won.”
The full list of award winners, runners up and editors picks, in addition to five-year winners, can be found online at www.OceanCity.com/best-of-ocean-city. Best of Ocean City 2019 polls are now open at www.OceanCity.com/best-of-ocean-city-2019.