Labor Day weekend in Ocean City will be a real celebration in 2021. Summer vacation might be coming to an end, but at least you have this four-day weekend to help ease you back into the swing of things.
Mary Mossburg – My kids were so excited for an impromptu trip to the beach this past weekend!!
And spending the long weekend in Ocean City is probably the way to say goodbye to the summer and hello to earlier sunsets and falling leaves. Labor Day is the last busy weekend of the season that maintains a festive summer feeling. It also tends to be the last weekend to enjoy many of Ocean City’s special summer events, like Sundaes in the Park (last night Monday, Sept. 5) and the OC Drone Show both at Northside Park. You can get your sundaes from 7-9 and then watch the drone show starting at 9 pm (last night Monday, Sept. 5). Then, Ocean City moves towards Fall with a few popular events in September like Bike Week and Sunfest.
Be sure to enjoy the Maryland sunshine, play on our white sand beaches and just relax while you still can. Boardwalk businesses and rides will still be open and the Ocean City Beach Patrol will remain on duty throughout the weekend (in-stand from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), so head to the beach and enjoy one last dip in the Atlantic.
And take advantage of the…
FREE Live Music at the Jellyfish Festival, Sept 4 & 5
Join us for 2 days and nights of live music on the beach. All you care to drink options available on Saturday
Live Wire Media and Shore Craft Beer bring you 2 days of unforgettable live music Saturday and Sunday. All music is FREE, just be sure to reserve your tickets online. Don’t forget to bring your beach towels or blankets and chairs so you can sit in the sand, enjoy the music, watch the waves and enjoy the local craft beer, wine, hard seltzer, Hoop Tea and other beverages available all weekend.
There will be vendors lined up along the boardwalk south of the Caroline Street Stage. More vendors will face south towards the inlet and you can access them all from outside the fenced area. There’s a fitness zone, a craft area, spike ball and a cornhole tournament. You can enter the fenced area FREE and enjoy the live music and have access to individual drinks all weekend.
If you like the idea of live music and sitting in the sand with a drink, then you might love the all you can drink options on Saturday from 12 – 4. If you are feeling important and want a real deal, you can buy the VIP tickets. You have your own tent with free pizza slices, you get a white festival t-shirt with a cool jellyfish logo, a commemorative pint glass when you leave, and 4 HOURS OF ALL YOU CARE TO DRINK OPTIONS. You also get a protected hour where you can talk to brewers and brewery reps. The cost for being a VIP is only $65, but we will likely sell out, so buy your tickets now!
Drink options include over 35 different craft beers, hard cider, hard seltzer, Hoop Tea and more.
If you still like the all you can drink options and think 3 hours is enough, you can buy the GA tickets for only $45. The first 1200 ticketed people to arrive at the festival will get a glass when they leave.
The Town of Ocean City hosts Sundaes in the Park almost every Sunday evening in the summer from 7 to 9 p.m. There’s live music, ice cream sundaes (of course) and sometimes a few surprises, too.
Story Haensler – Sundaes in the park the weekend I bought my first beach house 7/18/21
Nature
Since the temperatures are soon to drop, Labor Day weekend is a fantastic time to take one last pontoon ride or jet ski out on the water. Consider taking a thrilling trip on the bay at Odyssea Watersports, or try a nature tour on the OC Bay Hopper. The Bay Hopper also has ice cream cruises and Shore Craft Beer Cruises. While neither of these tours is really focused on nature, you usually see the wild ponies of Assateague, lots of cool birds, and even dolphins. No guarantees – but your odds are good!
Nightlife
Obviously a holiday weekend means live music and taking advantage of happy hour specials, so be sure to check out the special events happening at venues like Seacrets,The Greene Turtle, The Shrimp Boat and Macky’s.
Family Fun
Because most local amusements are still open on weekends through September, you’ll still be able to visit Jolly Roger, Trimper’s, Baja Amusements, The Escape Room, OC Paintball and more. Labor Day Weekend is also the last weekend of the season for the Jolly Roger Splash Mountain water park. If you’re looking for less thrill and a little more chill, treat your family to a game of mini golf at any one of the many indoor and outdoor courses that Ocean City has to offer.
It’s always sad to see the summer go, but one last weekend trip to OC is the perfect way to ring in a new season.
Despite what this picture might tell you, Labor Day weekend isn’t normally as crowded as holidays like the Fourth of July–really!
And if you still need a hotel room…
These are some of our favorite hotels that still have rooms if you want to spend just one more weekend at the beach. Check out OceanCity.com’s area guide to ensure you find the perfect location for your trip.
Kristin is a writer and photographer in Ocean City, Maryland, and is the content manager for OceanCity.com and other State Ventures, LLC sites. She loves getting reader-submitted stories and photos, so send her an email anytime. She also works part-time at the Art League of Ocean City and the Ocean City Film Festival and lives just off the peninsula with her dog and fiancé. Her photos can be found on Instagram @oc_kristin.
