OCEAN CITY — The O.C. Air Show, scheduled for mid-June, was postponed this week amid concerns over the lingering effects of the COVID-19 crisis although the show’s producers remain committed to rescheduling the event later in the summer.
The O.C. Air Show, originally scheduled for June 13-14, is one of the highlights of the town’s special events lineup and provides a significant jumpstart to the meat of the summer season. However, like other significant special events scheduled for this spring and early summer, the O.C. Air Show this week was postponed, but not cancelled.
Instead, air show producers are scrambling to find dates later in the summer that are amenable to the many performers and the town of Ocean City. The air show’s website now lists the event as “coming in July or August.” O.C. Air Show Chairman Brian Lilley announced the move this week and said event organizers realize the importance of the air show to Ocean City and are working on potential new dates.
“The O.C. Air Show is one of the top economic impact-generating events in Ocean City,” he said. “With the distress that COVID-19 is causing to the local economy, we are making a tremendous effort to reschedule the event and do our part to help all of the local businesses that prosper every year on air show weekend.”
While the air show can be seen from all over the resort area, there are certain events and viewing areas where large crowds gather and social distancing could not be accomplished even if there is some semblance of a return to normalcy by mid-June. Ocean City officials this week continued discussions on a phased-reopening of the town when the coronavirus abates although it remains uncertain at this point what that might look like and what restrictions might be in place.
O.C. Air Show officials this week said any tickets that have been purchased in advance for the VIP Penthouse, Skybox, Flight Line Club and Drop Zone Beach will be honored on the new dates, when they are determined.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to be the featured act this year, but it is uncertain if the Thunderbirds or many of the other acts scheduled this summer will be able to rework their schedules to accommodate an O.C. Air Show later in the summer. The Thunderbirds’ website by midweek still listed the O.C. Air Show with the original mid-June dates.
