OCEAN CITY — Before it was cancelled this year, Sunfest was moved back a week because of potential conflicts with a pop-up motorized special event, but discussion this week turned to will the date change become permanent.
After another troublesome unsanctioned car event last fall wreaked havoc in Ocean City, the town’s elected officials, staff and other stakeholders began brainstorming on ways to eliminate, or at least minimize some of the illicit behavior associated with the event on the last weekend in September.
In the months since, the town successfully had legislation passed to strengthen the special event zone bill, and its motorized special event task force has come up with new ways to hopefully curtail some of the recklessness associated with the pop-up car rally, as the event is now being called, including a stronger towing ordinance, possible traffic pattern changes and a program that will allow police to enforce laws on private property with the consent of the property owner, among other things. Incidentally, the motorized special event task force met on Thursday for likely the last time before the pop-up event later this fall although the meeting was held too late for any new details to be included in the print edition.
Another action taken by the town following last year’s raucous pop-up event was moving Sunfest from its traditional dates in September to the first weekend in October. The change was made over concerns the traditionally low-key and reserved Sunfest event was aligned to fall on the same weekend as the anticipated pop-up car rally.
Of course, the point became moot when Sunfest was cancelled this year because of ongoing COVID-19 concerns. However, formal approval for the dates for Sunfest over the next few years is needed at some point to allow staff to begin lining up vendors, booking entertainment and contracting with the tent company, for example. On Tuesday, Special Events Director Frank Miller came before the Mayor and Council seeking approval for Sunfest dates for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
In an effort to avoid a conflict with the unsanctioned pop-up car rally in the future, Miller proposed Sept. 30-Oct. 3 for 2021 and Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in 2022. In 2023, Sunfest could be moved back to its original dates of Sept. 21-24 because a shift in the calendar that would leave another full weekend in September that year for the pop-up event.
While most agreed Sunfest in the coming years should be scheduled in such a way as to avoid falling on the same weekend as the unsanctioned event, Councilman Dennis Dare questioned why the decision had to be made so far out.
“For 46 years, Sunfest has been held on a certain weekend and all of the attendees and vendors look ahead for the dates,” he said. “I understand why we temporarily moved it this year, but I’m not sure we need to go any further. Why do we need to decide this on Sept. 1?”
Dare said he envisioned a time when Sunfest could be returned to the third weekend in September in the future. He voiced concern about the senior citizen demographic that typically enjoys Sunfest and even raised concern about the weather if the event is moved later into the fall.
“We might be able to return to the dates we’ve had success with,” he said. “I’m very hesitant to move the dates two and three years out, although I understand the reasoning.”
Council President Lloyd Martin said he preferred the later dates for Sunfest because September takes care of itself and more events are needed in October.
“Moving Sunfest back to Sept. 30 next year might even extend our season a little further,” he said. “I don’t think there is much difference in the weather between the two weekends. I like to see the shoulder season weekends filled in. We can always revisit this if we have to.”
Councilman John Gehrig said the later date proposed for Sunfest in the future made sense and cautioned about moving it around too much in the interest of continuity.
“I don’t want to go back,” he said. “You could talk me into pushing back to the first full weekend in October. We can always find other events to fill in September.”
Councilman Mark Paddack said if some of the initiatives borne out of the motorized task force are successful, there might not be as much concern about the conflict between Sunfest and the pop-up car rally in the future.
“Through the motor vehicle task force, the special event zone legislation has been strengthened, we’re updating our towing ordinance and we’re talking about modifying traffic patterns for the unsanctioned pop-up event,” he said. “I think they will get a real surprise this year. I’m in favor of moving it for one year, but there might be an opportunity to move it back to its traditional weekend in the future.”
The council voted to approve the proposed Sunfest dates for 2021 and to revisit the dates for out years in the future.
