OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Museum will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a beach themed party — Surfin’ the Seventies — at Fager’s Island on Saturday, Oct. 20.
“We chose the theme because the 1970s were a seminal time for Ocean City,” said Museum Society President Nancy Howard. “So much was going on — the condo boom, the founding of many iconic businesses, Fager’s being one of them, and, of course, surfing was very big.”
DJ Batman will provide music for the bash that begins at 1 p.m. The casual atmosphere will make it easy for guests to relive this exciting time. Those who weren’t here in the 70’s will be able to gain from those who were.
“We expect that partygoers will celebrate and reminisce about the1970s,” said Fager’s namesake John Fager.
In 1891, the present museum was built as a Life-Saving Service station. The surfmen stationed at Ocean City became an integral part of the newly developing town. The Coast Guard used the building until 1964.
The building was used by the city for various government departments but fell into a state of disrepair. In 1977, the building was scheduled for demolition. A group of concerned citizens formed the Ocean City Museum Society and with the generosity of the Mayor and Council the building was saved by moving it to its present location. It opened as a museum in the winter of 1978.
An Ocean City Spirit Award will be presented during the party. The award will be presented to someone who has acted to preserve the history of Ocean City. Rules for the Spirit Award can be found on the website. There also will be a 50/50 raffle. Guests are encouraged to bring photos of the period. There will be a “memories” board where they can post their memories of Ocean City.
The Museum Society is a nonprofit that is dedicated to inspiring and supporting the interpretation and appreciation of the cultural and natural history of Ocean City, and the Worcester County coastal region. This society is responsible for funding many of the museum’s public programs and exhibits.
Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com; www.ocmuseum.org or mail a check to OC Museum at PO Box 603, Ocean City, Md. 21843. For additional information and updates check out the Museum’s Facebook page.