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Fun & Free Activities at the Ocean City Center for the Arts

Art League of Ocean City
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You know it’s great when I have to write a whole separate article just to tell you about all of the free events and activities we are offering at the Ocean City Center for the Arts. There’s so much to do at no cost!

1. Free Tuesday Night Lecture Series

This free lecture series at the Ocean City Center for the Arts is designed to create conversation, encourage curiosity, and cultivate knowledge-sharing in our art community. Our next lecture is on Tuesday, April 18, from 6 – 8pm. Speaker Diane Thomas Mitchell will be discussing ways to recover and nurture the artist within each of us. We are ALL born to create. Space is limited, so register online at artleagueofoceancity.org  or call us at 410-524-9433.

2. Free Healing Series – “Art & Soul” 

Artist Debbi Dean-Colley uses art to improve physical, mental, and emotional well being. $10 donation suggested. Supported by Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. Our next workshop is on April 21 from 6 – 8:30pm creating wonderful rock mandalas. Pre-register online or at  410-524-9433.

3. Free First Friday Opening Reception

Meet the artists, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, and see the new exhibits featuring a variety of local artists. Complimentary refreshments will be served and admission is free. The next reception will be held on Friday, May 5, from 5 – 7pm. The Divine Feminine show is occupying the entire Arts Center; A show by women, about women and for women and everyone! Curated by Deborah Rolig and assisted by Dee Gray.

Divine Feminine show featured the whole month of May.

4. Women’s Marketplace Artisan Fair

A gathering of artisans selling a variety of wares to the public, creating an open market feel. Entry to the artisan fair is free. Friday, May 5, from 5 – 9 pm & Saturday, May 6, from 10 am – 3 pm.

5. Free Live Music at “Originals Only”

This event creates an environment for the next generation of local artists and musicians to perform in a drug-free and art-focused space, a venue where they can safely jam and express themselves. Our next show is Saturday, May 6, at 6pm. Reservations are not required, so come enjoy music and art demos right in our art gallery.

Originals Only in the Thaler Gallery.

6. Free Healing Sound Bath

Join us at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on Sunday, May 7, at 10 am for a healing experience with Chrissy Ehrhart.

7. Free Family Art Saturdays

Your family can get together to make art to take home! Made possible by a grant from the PNC Foundation. Because of the wonderful response, we must limit participation to 30 people (children and families). Our next Art Day is Saturday, May 13, from 10 am – noon. Pre-register to reserve your spot by calling the Arts Center at 410-524-9433.

Free Family Art Day once a month – limited to 30 adults and children.

8. Free Divine Feminine Reading & Lecture

“The Divine Feminine: An Anthology of Seaside Scribes” Reading will be held on Monday, May 15, from 2 – 4 pm curated by Kathleen Martens. Join us to celebrate the literary arts, as local women authors perform readings from their works of fiction and poetry. You’ll be captivated by the diversity of these talented coastal writers. The fun doesn’t end there! On Tuesday, May 16, from 6 – 8 pm Dr. Judy Pierson will be giving a lecture on “Stepping into the Embrace of the Great Mother: Learning to Love Yourself and to Let Yourself be Loved”.

9. Free Outdoor Musical Performances

Directed by Ocean City native Kyler Taustin, Songs for a New World, Jason Robert Brown’s breathtaking song cycle, will be presented at over 10 outdoor venues throughout Massachusetts and Delmarva as Brown Box’s Premier Musical. The musical will be performed right in our courtyard at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on Saturday & Sunday, May 20 – 21, at 7:30pm. More information at brownboxtheatre.org.

Songs for a New World will be presented at over 10 outdoor venues throughout Massachusetts and Delmarva as Brown Box’s premier musical spectacular.

10. OC Film Festival

The mission of this new event is to showcase local and regional filmmakers from June 8 – 11, 2017. The OCFF promotes diversity and uniqueness in its mission to engage the community with the world of film. Local filmmaker William Strang-Moya is encouraging submissions until May 1 at oceancityfilmfest@gmail.com. It is free to submit your work! Admission will be ticketed.

The event will feature short and feature-length films with opportunities for the audience to meet the filmmakers and discuss their work.

11. Art’s Alive Fine Art Show

Ocean City’s biggest and best fine art show is on June 24 – 25 from 9am – 5pm at Northside Park (125th Street bayside). Stroll through artist displays and shop their beautiful artwork. Grab lunch from a local food truck. Enjoy wine by the glass or a craft beer as you take in the sights while the kids create a masterpiece at the many free children’s art areas. Admission to the event is free and there really is something for everyone! Visit ococean.com for more details.

12. Something you might not consider: Free inspiration! 

Even simply taking a stroll through our gallery will have you feeling inspired. With the artwork changing every month, there’s always something new to come and see.

Visit www.artleagueofoceancity.org for a full list of upcoming classes, workshops, and events.

Reserve Your Spot Now for Art Weekend 2017!

Art League of Ocean City
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Art Weekend takes place at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th Street bayside in Ocean City, MD.

Saturday & Sunday, April 22 – 23, 10am – noon and 1 – 3pm.

2 days and 4 unique art classes for a flat fee of $100. For adults and teens 13+. No art experience is necessary!

2 days and 4 unique art classes for a flat fee of $100!

Be inspired by our talented art instructors and create four unique and beautiful works of art for only $100. Create a painting in watercolors, paint beach scenes in acrylics, get your hands into clay making garden houses, and work with paint on glass. You’ll be guided every step of the way by our professional instructors who are working artists themselves. On Saturday, artist Geri Gaskill will be painting watercolor owls. Also on Saturday is glass painting with artist Debbi-Dean Colley. On Sunday, you’ll be able to paint acrylic beach scenes with artist David Simpson AND make ceramic garden houses with pottery instructor Nancy Barnas. All materials are provided. Lunch options available. Space is limited, so reserve your spot now!

To reserve your spot, call 410-524-9433 or visit www.artleagueofoceancity.org

Brown Box Theatre Project Launches Free Outdoor Musical

OceanCity.com
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Brown Box Theatre Project is set to tackle their most ambitious production to date with an outdoor presentation of Jason Robert Brown’s hit off-Broadway musical, Songs for a New World. Featuring a dazzling cast of professional talent, Brown Box will bring the magic of contemporary musical theatre straight to Delmarva May 20-28.
Expanding upon their annual tradition of touring accessible Shakespeare productions throughout the Delmarva Peninsula each summer, Songs for a New World kicks off Brown Box’s season of free, outdoor programming. The musical will become an unmissable cultural event in Delmarva’s vibrant nightlife with open-air performances in the streets of Berlin and Salisbury, local parks of St. Michaels and Chincoteague, and outside of the Ocean City Center for the Arts.
Kyler Taustin, Brown Box founder and Executive Artistic Director, explains that he was inspired to direct Songs for a New World because of its timeliness and urgency. “The play is about taking risks, taking steps. We are in a time of great change; personally, professionally, and universally; and this play speaks to that turn, the pivotal shift, the unavoidable leap that must be taken to accept, embrace, and champion change.”
“It’s about one moment.” Songs for a New World, Jason Robert Brown’s breathtaking song cycle, weaves together the stories and voices of a diverse cast of characters in a musical journey that transcends time and space. A soaring, vibrant score transports the audience through a mesmerizing exploration of the unknown world and the tough choices that follow. Bursting with life and discovery, Songs for a New World begs to be liberated from the walls of a theater, and will be presented at over 10 outdoor venues throughout Massachusetts and Delmarva as Brown Box’s premier musical spectacular.
All Songs for a New World performances are free, outside, and open to all audiences. Funding for this event is provided in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, and the Talbot County Arts Council – organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
ABOUT THE COMPANY – Brown Box Theatre Project’s mission is to create high-quality theatre and deliver the unheard voice directly to communities to expand the reach of impactful, professional performing arts. We implement a bold approach to our productions that connects audiences and artists through vibrant and enlightening experiences to transform the way theatre is created and consumed. Brown Box breaks down barriers that separate the masses from live theatre by bringing the very best in performance, design, and collaboration to unconventional venues and underserved destinations to reach the widest audience possible.

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD
Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Brown Box Theatre Project
Directed by Kyler Taustin
PERFORMANCE LOCATIONS AND TIME:
May 20-21 – Ocean City Center for the Arts | 502 94th Street, Ocean City, MD
May 25 – Downtown Salisbury | Main Street, Salisbury, MD
May 26 – Muskrat Park | 207 Willow Green Street, St. Michaels, MD
May 27 – Robert Reed Waterfront Park | Chincoteague Island, VA
May 28 – Downtown Berlin | Corner of Main Street and Pitts Street, Berlin, MD

All performances begin at 7:30pm.
All performances are FREE and open to all audiences. No reservations required.

Fans flock to annual Birding Weekend

Boardwalk Birdie
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Spring has sprung and birds of a feather are flocking together for the annual Delmarva Birding Weekend later this month!

The 22nd annual Spring Delmarva Birding Weekend is set for April 27-30, 2017, allowing birdwatchers to spot a variety of early-arriving migrating birds like warblers, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors in several hot spots. The event is open to novice and veteran avian-fans, as guided walks and paddle excursions are suited to all.

The Delmarva peninsula in general is a haven for birdwatchers, but Worcester County in particular features a vast variety of ecosystems like a barrier island, cypress swamps, tidal wetlands and secluded fields. Assateague Island is the nesting ground for the endangered piping plower. While paddling down Ayres Creek in Berlin, birders are likely to see bald eagle, osprey, herons, egrets, hawks and gulls. Sailing down the Nassawango Creek invites avian fans to find birds that enjoy a swampy environment, such as barred owls, prairie warblers and American Redstarts.

Other animals, like the famous Assateague Island horses and beavers along the Pocomoke River could be found while enjoying a tour of Worcester County’s natural beauty.

photo by: destinationdelmarva.blogspot.com

Visiting birders can socialize at “Tally Rallies” hosted by restaurants and breweries held across the region. Locally, Burley Oak Brewing Company in Berlin and M.R. Duck’s in downtown Ocean City are hosting tallies. More than 200 species have been recorded during this weekend festival.

There’s also several boating excursions planned for the long weekend, like the Shorebird Explorer, which will leave the Talbot Street dock in Ocean City on April 29. The boat will take visitors on a two-hour tour around Skimmer Island and north shore of Assateague Island, perfect for those that need to check coastal bird species of their lists like Purple Sandpiper and Royal Tern.

For more information, including a full itinerary of events and their locations, go to http://delmarvabirding.com/. Registration is still open

 

Clean up Berlin Day announced

OceanCity.com
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Clean up Berlin Day is Saturday, April 22, 2017

Celebrate Earth Day by joining the Town of Berlin in a 10-year tradition – Clean-Up Day. This annual event, scheduled on Saturday, April 22nd is the kick-off for Take Pride in Berlin Week. For more than a decade volunteers have dedicated a few hours on an April Saturday to help give Berlin’s Parks and neighborhoods a spring cleaning. Individuals and teams are needed to help with planting, weeding, raking, mulching and whatever else needs attention. This is a great opportunity for students to earn service hours.
The main clean-up areas are Stephen Decatur Park on Tripoli St. and Henry Park on Flower St., with sign-up in either park starting at 8:30 AM. Some supplies will be available for use, but participants are encouraged to bring their own if possible; rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows are always needed.
There will be a free children’s activity at 11:00 am in both parks and students from Salisbury University will be on hand with information about green initiatives.
Volunteers can also choose to spend their time anywhere they feel needs attention. Trash pickup will be available; items for pickup will need to be placed in one location at the clean-up area and the Town must be contacted so that crews are aware of the need. To register a location or to notify the Town of a pickup location, email Mary Bohlen at mbohlen@berlinmd.gov or call 410-641-4314.
For more information can also find us on FaceBook at “Take Pride in Berlin Week”.

EVENT: Clean-Up Berlin Day
DATE/TIME: Saturday, April 22, 8:30 AM to Noon
LOCATION: Stephen Decatur Park and Henry Park
NATURE OF EVENT: Annual Clean-Up
Contact: Mary Bohlen mbohlen@berlinmd.gov www.berlinmd.gov

Spotting a seal in Ocean City: A primer

Boardwalk Birdie
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What to do when spotting a seal in Ocean City.

A little seal pup was spotted on the beach on Saturday, reveling in the bright sunshine and oblivious the dozen people standing fifty feet away watching him take a snooze. The seal, described as a young juvenile, spent a good amount of time just lolling on the sand on near 39th Street. It was spotted Saturday morning by a young boy who was on the beach enjoying the sunrise.

“We’ve been coming down to the beach 30 years, and we’ve never seen a seal before,” said Nick Travisano, the boy’s father. “He came in all excited.”
The seal was not as delighted to see the young visitor.
“He said, ‘Dad, he growled! And he showed his seal teeth,” Travisano said. “My son ran one way, and the seal went in the other direction.”
The seal did a fair bit of hopping around in the water in the early hours, but by noon he was settling in for a siesta on the beach. It wouldn’t be bothered, as National Aquarium representatives blocked off a 50-foot area.
Although seals look like cute cuddly creatures, they’re wild animals and can be extremely dangerous. Seals are semi-aquatic, meaning they spend lots of time on land. The three common reasons are to rest, to pup or to molt. Typically, it’s exhaustion that brings these adorable creatures to shore—and if so, stay away! You don’t want to put yourself in the path of a cranky seal. They’ll bite you, and seals can carry several diseases like herpes or rabies.

It also happens to be against the law to disturb their rest, as seals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. That’s why whenever someone calls in a seal spotting to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program they’ll  sends out a team to keep people at least 50 feet away.
Saturday’s seal pup marks the eighth seal that has gone sunbathing on the Ocean City beach since January.

Who to call

•If you see a seal that appears to be in distress, call the Marine Animal Rescue Program at 410-576-3880 or 1-800-628-9944.

•If you spot a seal that seems to be just resting, register it with the Maryland Coastal Bays Program at www.mdcoastalbays.org or call 410-213-2297, ext. 106.

 

 

Still Time to Nominate Your Favorite Greenies for Worcester Green Awards

OceanCity.com
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There is still time to nominate your favorite greenies and let everyone in the community know what a terrific job they are doing to preserve natural resources and protect the environment.

Now through Monday, April 10, Worcester County Tourism invites you to nominate a community leader, business, lodging, restaurant, or teacher for the 6th annual Worcester Green Awards for their contributions to promoting environmentally friendly practices, strategies, and products. This year’s award winners will be recognized during the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association dinner meeting on April 20 in Ocean City.

Nominations are being accepted in the following five categories: Community Leader- Business Person or Organization for a long-term contribution to the environment; a Business for making a positive ecological footprint in areas like storm water, recycling, sedimentation and erosion controls, construction debris reuse, and energy innovation; a Lodging that has implemented practices like recycling, use of organic cleaning supplies, reduction of water consumption and use of alternative energy sources; a Restaurant that strives to buy local, recycle, reduce waste and energy consumption and involve staff and community in their program; and a Teacher who has demonstrated leadership in teaching others about the environment.

Applicants will be judged on their overall level of commitment, measurable environmental benefits or progress, cost savings, and customer outreach and engagement. To qualify, applicants must reside or operate businesses in Worcester County.

Worcester Green is sponsored by Worcester County Tourism, Comcast Spotlight, OceanCity.com, OC Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, and Maryland Green Travel. The purpose of the program is to encourage Worcester County businesses and community leaders to engage in environmentally-sustainable practices, learn more about such practices, and grow their businesses at the same time. 

Learn more about the Worcester Green Awards at www.visitworcester.org.

Berlin’s going pink!

OceanCity.com
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America’s Coolest Small Town is doing its part for ‘Race for the Cure’

The Town of Berlin is going to paint the town pink in honor of the Komen Race for the Cure Saturday, April 8 all over the downtown. More than 25 local businesses will participate in the event, decking out the fronts of their stores in sidewalk chalk with drawings and inspirational quotes, in an effort to turn the town into a giant greeting card for all the runners and supporters who participate in the Race for the Cure in Ocean City.

Although nearly all the local merchants are participating in the chalk event, nearly a dozen are going the extra mile by offering special “Paint the Town Pink” sales. 

According to town officials, the festivities will center around Fins in downtown Berlin where there will be live music and happy hour pricing during the festival. Fins will donate 10 percent of all their proceeds that day and shops will be donating a portion of all sales to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Research Center. There will be pink beer from Big Oyster Brewery as well as pink beer from Burley Oak. But the festivities extend beyond the area in front of Fins, though. In fact, AGH will sponsor a Pink Lemonade stand at the opposite end of town by the Berlin Visitor Center.
The Worcester County Tourism Office will sponsor a pink costume/outfit competition centered in the parking lot behind Fins where prizes will be given for the best costume/outfit, including a pink kitchenaide mixer, a pink scooter and pink pet toy.
So arrive in pink, and be prepared to paint the town pink! Kids and pets welcome.
Discounts around town are as follows:

The Beez Kneez-15% off for Race participants
Victorian Charm–Donating the following for the Costume Contest Prizes (1)Adult costume a pink striped backpack and free monogram ($47 value)(1)Kids –Simple Southern pink backpack ($15 value)Present flyer to receive 10% off –excludes Brighton
Church Mouse–Pink clothing at $1.00 each and will make donation to Komen.
Maryland Wine Bar–Pink wine slushies for $7.00
Patty Jeans–Pink Sangria and raffle for a pink clutch. Portion of that days sales goes to Komen
Baked Dessert Café–Pink strawberry shortcake cupcakes and tart cherry pie with special discounts for those currently battling this disease and survivors.
On What Grounds–Homemade Pink raspberry truffles
Fins -Will donate 10% of all their proceeds to Komen MD, live music, Komen Kolsch beer too. Runaway Tide General Store -20% off anything pink in the store
Crush & Crab $5 Pink Crush -50% of each crush donated back to Komen
The Treasure Chest -Pink polishing cloths for $4 regular $8. Drawing for a Pink Jewelry Case
Oh My Hair –Pink Hair Strand Extensions for $10
Sisters –Pink Moscato drink specials and 20% of bar proceeds donated to Komen.
World of Toys –10% discount off of entire purchase
Una Bella Salute–20% off robust olive oils and 10% off all other olive oils
Stuarts Antiques–20-70% off back room items, 20%-50% off Fine Jewelry
A Little Bit Sheepish -10% discount on all pink yarn that day
Heart of Gold Kids: Pink refreshments & 15% off everything pink in the store.
The Atlantic Hotel: Special Pink dessert featuring layers of Strawberry cream with a pecan crust
INCA RUINS-10% off and 10% donation to MD Komen on your Purchase if you’re wearing Pink! Spend $50 and get a Special Breast Cancer Awareness Perfume and Wristband Free!(Max10 Gifts).
Siculi –$ 5.00 Cosmo and Siculi’ Lemonades; $12 Shrimp Salad & $8 Beet Salad, will donate a portion of proceeds to Komen.
Main Street Deli –$1.00 pink cupcakes, will donate a portion of their proceeds to Komen.
Bruder Hill–Offering Pink lemonade, 50% discount on all jewelry to all race participants.All purchases go towards two raffles of $25 each, with a portion of the proceeds going back to Komen. Nest -15% off all pink items in the shop
Gilberts Provisions–10% for those wearing their race numbers
Berlin Butcher Shop–10% of sales donated to Komen.
TaDa–Will be giving away 6 Nora Fleming bud vases and pink ribbon minis to shoppers throughout the day

A decade of the arts at Bayside

Seaside Cindy
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Freeman Stage celebrates its 10th Season as Delaware’s Hidden Arts Gem

As someone who is not a native Delawarean, I have enjoyed learning more about the diamond state in the last seven years than I ever knew before.  So, when I found out about the Freeman Stage at Bayside from a coworker last month, it sounded too intriguing for me to not investigate.  The Freeman Stage is the centerpiece of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, a nonprofit arts and philanthropic organization established as a legacy to Joshua who was killed in a helicopter accident in 2006.  In life, Joshua worked with his father,real estate developer Carl M. Freeman.  Both gave back heavily to the communities that they helped to develop.  The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation carries on the mission that Joshua shared with his wife Michelle which was to create memorable performances and inspire arts education for all.

Informal interviews give us the ability to find out what makes a company tick.  We get to find out what makes the employees happy, the visitors happy, and what makes them return year after year. In looking for more information about what seemed like a diamond in the countryside, I was granted the opportunity to interview Alyson Cunningham, Communication and Public Relations Manager at the Freeman Foundation.

Although I spoke with Alyson over the phone, I swore I could feel her smile as she reminisced over some of the events at the Freeman Stage, even though she herself had only been with the Foundation for little over a year.  “Since 2008, the Freeman Stage at Bayside has contributed around $13 million to local Sussex county’s local economy in general.  Michelle Freeman has referred to Sussex county and this area of Delmarva as sort of being an arts desert.  We’ve been able to bring the arts to people who may not necessarily have an opportunity otherwise, without them having to travel to major metropolitan areas.”

Six quick facts about the Freeman Stage

  1. Tickets to most events are available online. Create an account with Eventbrite.com if you don’t already have one. It will make ordering tickets go more smoothly. You can purchase tickets through Freemanstage.org, Eventbrite.com or through the Eventbrite app.
  2. Freeman Stage at Bayside puts on lots of free programs,  including a Saturday morning children’s series, Thursday shows, and most general admission shows are free for children ages twelve and under. To check for which shows are free please visit Freemanstage.org.
  3. This year’s program lineup is available here. There are a wide variety of unique and diverse performances in addition to tribute and national acts.  New to the Freeman Stage this year is comedian Jay Leno and a new speaking event with Baltimore Ravens football player Justin Tucker.  Justin has a degree in music, sings in seven different languages and has an arts background in addition to his football career.

    Freeman Stage with Ghost of Old Stage
  4. This year the Freeman Stage has gotten a face lift – the wooden stage was torn down after the last season and replaced with a mobile standard industry stage more commonly used at concert venues and festivals. This new stage will help with artist production in advance since this is a more standard stage to plan performances.
  5. The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation is a fundraising arts non-profit, public charity, just like the Freeman Stage. They have an arts in education program and an outreach program.
  6. The arts in education program is primarily in schools where they host the longest legacy mural project. In almost all middle schools in Sussex county, the Freeman Foundation worked one-on-one with 100% of students and teachers and local artist John Donato in painting murals of book spines, each with a different theme such as books, characters, etc. Look for them in a Sussex county middle school near you.

    Beacon Middle School Mural Project
  7. The Freeman Foundation Outreach program works with nonprofits in Worcester and Sussex counties where they bring visitors to the stage in the summer to experience an arts event for those who otherwise would not be able to do so. Some of these visitors are from an Ocean City program called Believe in Tomorrow House on The Bay, which helps families in dealing with cancer or terminal illnesses.  The outreach program helps them to find reprieve in the arts, even if for a couple hours or a day.

 

Time to Visit Freeman Stage at Bayside

Justin Moore Concert 2016

If you’re like me and didn’t know about this concert hall at the beach, now is the time to pay them a visit.  Alyson shared a couple of her most precious memories at the Freeman Stage at Bayside, such as the moment when school children from Worcester and Sussex counties jumped off their yellow busses with excitement in their faces as they prepared to see the arts for the first time.  Last year the Freeman Stage bussed in over 8,000 students from towns more rural than coastal ones.  Seeing them jump and dance afterwards as they returned to their busses brought joy to Alyson.  Another moment she recalled was watching a senior citizen sitting in the back jamming and singing along with a performer as if he was back in his younger days watching David Bowie himself.  Alyson reiterated, “Seeing that connection is a reminder of what the stage means to people.  Either those happy memories are brought back or they are creating new ones.”

Photos courtesy of Doug Phillips, Creative and Digital Manager for the Freeman Foundation

Ocean City is Going to the Dogs

Seaside Cindy
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Boardwalkin’ for Pets

As more families travel with their fur-family members, hotels, motels and vacation rentals are becoming accommodating.  For Boardwalkin’ for Pets, the annual fundraiser for the Worcester County Humane Society, this is especially helpful for out-of-towners to bring their pets to join in the fun and fundraising efforts.  Boardwalkin’ for Pets is hosting their 18th Annual fundraiser on the Ocean City, Maryland boardwalk on April 22, 2017 beginning with registration at 8:30 AM at the Ocean City Boardwalk Inlet.  Rain or shine, the walk begins at 9 AM and participants can walk either two and a half miles, five miles or walk the distance of your choice.  All participants get a free photo on the beach from Images by Sara Professional Photography.  There are three prizes for different donation amounts.  For $25 raised, each participant gets a bandana, for $50 you will also get a tee and for $100 they will add an insulated water bottle.

Heather Bahrami, Boardwalkin’ for Pets Chairman and Board member recommends, “Clarion in Ocean City is dog friendly, and if you look on Facebook there are many rental companies that will do weekend rentals with pets.”

If your family wants to participate in Boardwalkin’ for Pets but doesn’t necessarily live close by, there are many choices for staying in the Ocean City area with the whole family, including the four-footed kind.  The following list was crafted by yours truly, including tips for each location.

Pet Friendly Ocean City Hotels

CLARION RESORT FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL – OCEANFRONT

10100 Coastal Highway

Weight Limit: None

Fee: $39.00 Per Room for first pet

Additional pets: $15.00 fee

 

LA QUINTA INN & SUITES

106 32nd Street;

Weight Limit: None; Fee: None for first two pets; Additional pets: Additional $10 per pet; Designated Pet Area: Yes; Waste Bags Provided

COASTAL PALMS OCEANBLOCK HOTEL

120th Street Coastal Highway

Weight Limit: None; Fee: $50 for first pet; Additional pets: $15 per day up to two pets; Designated Pet Area: Yes; Waste Bags Provided: Yes

 

COMFORT SUITES

12718 Ocean Gateway

Weight Limit: None; Fee: Before May 1st $35 per pet per stay; After May 1st $35 per pet per night; Designated Pet Area: Yes; Waste Bags Provided: Yes; Dog Treats Provided: Yes Please note: Pets are relegated to first floor rooms only.

WINDJAMMER OCEANFRONT RESORT

4503 Atlantic Avenue
 

Weight Limit: 50 lbs. for one pet or; Combined 70 lbs. for two pets; Fee: $25 per day for up to two pets; Designated Pet Area: Yes; Waste Bags Provided: Yes

THE BAREFOOT MAILMAN

16 35th Street
 

Weight Limit: None; Fee: $10.00 per night for first night; Additional Pets: $5 each pet; Designated Pet Area: Yes

THE SAFARI MOTEL

1 13th Street

Weight Limit: 50 lbs.; Fee: $20 per pet per night; (Only 1 big dog per room, 2 small dogs per room); Designated Pet Area: No – but will guide to walking area nearby; Dog Waste Bags Provided: Yes

Friendly Reminders

Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times in Ocean City. Dogs are allowed on the boardwalk and beach on a leash between October 1st to April 30th (which means during this event, they’re allowed).

Did you know that Ocean City has its very own Dog Playground?  It’s located Bayside in North Ocean City between 91st – 146th streets.  

Dinner and Silent Auction

If you’re interested in participating in this year’s Boardwalkin’ for Pets, please visit: http://worcestercountyhumanesociety.org/boardwalkin-for-pets/ and join a team or create your own campaign.  Bahrami was proud to note that the Worcester County Humane Society has teamed up with Crowdrise.com this year to facilitate event fundraising.  You can track your progress, spread campaign awareness via social media, share your team’s story and thank event donors – all through a few clicks and key strokes on Crowdrise.com.  Don’t forget, there is a dinner and silent auction the night before.  At last year’s dinner, over 300 people came out to eat and join in the fun as they bid on donations from around the world.  This year’s silent auction and dinner will be Adolfo’s on the Ocean City Boardwalk at 13th Street in three family style seating’s at 4, 6 and 8 PM.  To view the online portion of the silent auction please visit: https://www.32auctions.com/2017BoardwalkinforPets.  To purchase dinner tickets, visit here: http://worcestercountyhumanesociety.org/boardwalkin-for-pets/.

#Boardwalkinforpets

If your team enjoys taking photos (especially of furry models) please share your photos on social media using hashtag #Boardwalkinforpets.  Feel free to ask questions on the Facebook event page located at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1840827346191528/.  My husband, fur-sons Solo, Luke and I will see you at Boardwalkin’ for Pets!

Photos for this post were taken at the 2016 17th Annual Boardwalkin’ for Pets and are courtesy of Ocean City photographer Robert J. Banach of OceanCityCool.com and Heather Bahrami of the Worcester County Humane Society.

Craft Beer plein air artists announced

OceanCity.com
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The inaugural Shore Craft Beer Fest: Chincoteague will not only feature all and only local beer, but also will be an arts-driven event. Local artists will paint scenes of the beer festival all day and sell them (along with selected other work) at the festival after party. We will update this page as more artist submit bios, but we are expecting as many as 10 artists to participate in the event. To stay up to date, subscribe to our Craft Beer Newsletter or bookmark this page.

Although born and raised on the Jersey Shore, the peace and beauty of the Eastern Shore drew Candy Giard and her husband in 2002. Giard does most of her painting in oil or soft pastels. She first took part in the CCA Plein Air in 2010 and loved it. Since then she’s taken part in the Paint Snow Hill, Berlin and Ocean City as well as taken trips to New Mexico, England, Germany and Maine. When she is not painting, Giard enjoys her other passion as a personal trainer and sports nutritionist helping others reach their goals.

 

 

 

Mary M. Back has been in the art field since age 13 when she won an award for painting a picture of the holy family in elementary school. She has tried every media:  watercolors, oil painting, pastels, acrylics, pottery and sculpture and keeps coming back to watercolors, oils and pottery. She uses whatever media will best develop what she wants to accomplish.  She loves the nautical scenes because she lived on the water most of her life.  She either paints the water or items found in and around the water.  She is known for her sculptured pottery of fish and her Lewes Harbor watercolors.

She always looks for scenes that have a lot of color and value changes with lots of shadows and bright light.  She also makes her own glazes and loves to find that great glaze formula and the beautiful color schemes that make a painting pop. Mary took many painting and pottery courses in college.  After retiring, she went into the arts full time.  She worked for a potter for several years and went to many art classes and workshops including Caroline Jaspers, Erlinda Fitzpatrick and Sandee Sanders for oil painting; Tom Jones, Rodger Dillon, Steve Rogers, and Dorothy Braum for watercolor;  Ramon Camarillo and Van Gilder for pottery, to name a few.

Mary has taught many classes and workshops in all mediums:  She taught sculpture at Lake Placid Art League in Florida, She taught Pottery at Highlands Art League in Florida, Art Institute and Gallery in Salisbury, Maryland, and Marina Building in Captains Cove, Virginia; She taught Watercolor at Sea Colony, Delaware, Bethany Library in Delaware, in her studio in Greenbackville, Virginia; and, She taught Oil Painting at Captains Cove, Virginia and Coral Trace in Edgewater, Florida. and in her studio in Greenbackville, Virginia.

Mary has received several awards for her watercolors.  Her work can be seen at the Boston Art Museum; the  Center of the Arts at 94th Street in Ocean City, Art Institute and Gallery in Salisbury, Maryland, The Discovery Center in Pocomoke, Maryland, Flamingo’s on Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach Florida; and, Pizzazz on the Bay in Fenwick Island, Delaware.

 

The work of Margaret E. Bradach

Margaret E. Bradach has been a highly respected painter and jewelry maker here on the Eastern Shore since moving to Gargatha in 2006. Well known for her highly evocative paintings in oil, acrylic, and watercolor, she has been juried into shows in Salisbury as well as Ocean City. Her prize winning paintings capture life on the Eastern Shore in all its forms, colors, and richness. She is a member of the Eastern Shore Art League and has studios in Onancock and Chincoteague. Her work can be seen at the Blue Crab and Sundial Books on the Island.

OCFC Ladies Auxiliary paint night fundraiser announced

OceanCity.com
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Ocean City, Maryland – (March 27, 2017): The Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary is holding a fun filled paint night on Friday, April 7, 2017, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Station 5, located on Keyser Road. The cost is $45 per person and all proceeds raised during the event will support the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company (OCVFC) firefighters, as well as the cadet program and OCVFC scholarship programs.
In the early 1930’s, shortly after the Ladies Auxiliary of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association was created, Ocean City’s Ladies Auxiliary was established with Irma J. Jester serving as charter president. The main purpose of the group was to serve the fire department. For nearly a century, the Ladies Auxiliary enthusiastically earned money to help equip the Ocean City Fire Department by holding raffles, bake sales, card parties, game nights and amateur shows and dinners.
“The Ladies Auxiliary is an essential part of our fire company,” commented OCVFC President James Jester. “In 1961, they sponsored a Junior Fire Department, now known as the cadets, and have continued to invest in the future of our department and safety of our community by supporting various programs and scholarship funds.”
Space for the Paint Night Fundraiser is limited so participants are encouraged to purchase tickets by visiting: https://www.paintnite.com/events/_1162832. For more information, visit the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary on Facebook.

The Rackliffe House: Where history and nature meet

Tony Russo
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Even if you don’t know precisely what you’re looking for, it is easy enough to find the Rackliffe House as part of a larger exploration of the Assateague Island Visitor Center. The house once was part of a plantation tract that took up much of the surrounding area, but time and fortune weren’t particularly kind to the house, nor to the family that founded it.

Founded in the 1750s, the building passed out of the Rackliffe family’s hands after about 100 years and, by the early part of the 20th century, was let for rent and in failing condition. By the later part of the 20th century, the house had fallen into disrepair and had survived a fire. Generations of different owners had made structural changes to the house and covered the bare brick facade with layers upon layers of paint and stucco. As the 20th Century came to a close a movement began to restore the house as a museum. Tom Patton, the man for whose name is on the street that takes visitors to the restored house, was among those who led the philosophical (and fundraising) charge.

Rackliffe House Trail
The walk from the Assateague Island Visitor Center to the Rackliffe House is worth taking, although you can drive to the museum parking if you like.

Rackliffe House is about more than history

Restoring the Rackliffe House was about preserving cultural heritage as well as American history, but there was, and is, more to it than that. In addition to a rich history, Maryland’s Eastern Shore increasingly is becoming an eco-tourism destination. People come to the area to hike, fish, birdwatch and kayak, among other activities.

Located between the Assateague Island  Visitor Center and the Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center the restores Rackliffe House is a real world example of what it was like to live as a partner with the area. If the Visitor Center is about the island life throughout history and the Ecology Center is about sea life, it is appropriate to think of the Rackliffe House as about human history in the area. People have had a great affect on the area, but also have been affected by it. The Rackliffe House deals with this interaction in a particular way.

Rackliffe House community garden
The Rackliffe House maintains a community garden as a demonstration about how difficult complete self sufficiency is.

Evolving Eastern Shore Culture at the Rackliffe House

The transition from settlers to landowners and the cultural and political entailments of that transition are a central part of the Rackliffe House experience. Touring the inside of the home, you can see not only how the people lived, but the kinds of things they valued in their everyday lives. More important, you get a sense of how the Rackliffe family rose and fell on the Eastern Shore, eventually succumbing to a lack of male heirs and, as a result, the end of the Eastern Shore line. There were Rackliffe women, but inheritance wasn’t part of the deal for Colonial- and Early American-era women.

Today the restored building provides a look into a world that is recognizable, but still radically different from the one we inhabit. Touring the grounds, and participating in the nature walk that includes them, is worth your time not only for the information, but also for the experience. A walk in an old woods among the ghosts of the past is a quiet, soul-restoring activity.

O.C. Life-Saving Station Museum Makes a Donation

OceanCity.com
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Ocean City, Maryland – (March 27, 2017): The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum recently made a donation to the USS Cod Submarine Memorial in Cleveland, Ohio. Paul Farace and his wife, Teresa visited mid-March and selected several artifacts to take back to Cleveland. Along with the pyro locker, other artifacts from the USS Blenny include; two crew mess tables, an officer’s state room sink, main exhaust stop valve wheel, and much more.
In an effort to divest of some of the artifacts that do not fit our mission, the Museum Society has been trying to find new homes for them. Many of the very large items include parts of the USS BLENNY, a navy submarine that was sunk off the coast of Ocean City in 1989 to become an artificial reef. Fortunately, we made contact with members of the USS Cod Submarine Memorial (SS 224), docking in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cod was a squadron mate of the Blenny in WW II and the Blenny rescued six Cod crewmen in August, 1945 when they got stranded aboard a junk in the South China Sea. The Society shipped the name plate of the BLENNY and a torpedo igniter stowage unit earlier this year, but since Paul was going to be in our area in March, he decided to visit the Museum and see what there was in storage.
Pictured above:
Paul Farace, director of the USS Cod Submarine Memorial in Cleveland, and O.C. Life-Saving Station Museum curator, Sandra Hurley inspect a pyrotechnic locker from USS Blenny. The storage box held flares used for signaling nearby friendly ships and aircraft.

Introducing the very first Ocean City Film Festival

Kristin
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From June 8 to 11, at the Art League on 94th street (and possibly a few satellite locations), Ocean City will see…drum roll, please…its first ever film festival.

The talented artists and filmmakers that we know to exist on the shore have been sleeping, or hiding, or outsourcing themselves to Baltimore and other cities, for far too long. Ocean City may be an All-American Family Vacation Destination, but there’s a community of artists of every age and background here, too.

We’re inviting filmmakers from all around the world to submit their pieces (for free, right here) to the inaugural Ocean City Film Festival, but we also want to emphasize the region’s local artists who have made films that take place right on the beaches and boardwalks of Delmarva. The festival is artist-oriented, and will feature discussion panels from local and visiting artists (see the tentative schedule of events right here).

While this first annual festival doesn’t have a specific theme, we’re prioritizing diversity—of filmmakers, themes and genres—as well as uniqueness of the films and the messages behind them.

Ocean City Film Festival Categories

We’re here to create and support a network of artists and film people, from directors to audio technicians to actors, in and around the Ocean City area. While this is our number one priority, there’s also a slight (slight!) competitive edge to the festival, and several awards will be given on Saturday, June 10, including:

The Verdict – Judge’s choice

The Inky Tentacle – Best screenplay

The Celluloid Crab – Best use of either analog equipment or practical effects

The Pink Flamingo – Film that’s most uniquely reflective of Maryland life

The Damn Fine Film – Audience choice

Still, fostering a community of artists who help artists is more rewarding than any award we could hand out. Even if you’re not ready to submit anything to this year’s festival, we more than encourage you to come hang out, say hi, see a few films and shake hands with a few directors—and submit your own film in future!

The festival screenings, of course, aren’t just for filmmakers or aspiring filmmakers, but for anyone who wants to come and see movies from around the world, and maybe even from their own backyard. Passes will be on sale soon—for updates, we’re on Facebook and on Instagram (@oceancityfilmfest).

Hope to see you soon!

Valentine’s Day Keeps Ocean City Warm

Seaside Cindy
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There are many ways to spend Valentine’s Weekend in Ocean City. Here are a few.

Hi Ocean City readers! My name is Cynthia Cavett and I am a new blogger for OceanCity.com. As a frequent visitor to Ocean City and the surrounding areas, I wanted to share my experiences with other visitors as well as locals.  I live in Smyrna, Delaware, which isn’t far,  so my husband and I escape to our hidden oasis as often as we can when we aren’t working.

Jay and I drive down to Ocean City, Berlin and the Delaware beaches during almost every holiday season. Whether it’s Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July, St. Patrick’s Day, National Pancake day, you name it, we’re there.  This year’s Valentine’s Day was no exception.  We are big fans of visiting the beach in the off season, even when it’s cold.  But this year’s Valentine’s Day weekend (which also fell on President’s Day weekend) was extraordinarily warm – perfect for the OC Boat Show!  I’d like to share our weekend with you.

Starting the weekend right

Valentine’s Day Package Goodies

Friday evening started out with checking in at the Grand Hotel & Spa located directly on the Ocean City boardwalk.  The view from our oceanfront room was stunning.

We booked the Valentine’s Day Couples package which included a few goodies like a bottle of champagne, custom Grand Hotel Resort & Spa Champagne flutes, chocolate truffles from Wockenfuss (which by the way, we had never tried before and I must say are delicious), a $60 gift voucher to one of six local restaurants, and my favorite goody – a commemorative plaque from the company called Plak That based out of Ocean City, Maryland.

Note – for those who like free things if you book your reservation online you become an instant gold member with the Grand Hotel Resort & Spa and receive a tote when you check in filled with coupons, maps, a Frisbee, and two bottles of water.

Once we finished checking in, we decided to venture out and do something entirely different for us. We took a ride over to Berlin to check out Ocean Downs Casino.  It was a quick drive over the Route 50 bridge from the Grand.  As soon as we arrived we signed up for the Ocean Downs rewards cards which gave each of us $10 in free play money.  We wound up breaking even on the electronic blackjack machines, took our tails between our legs and headed back to Ocean City for chicken fingers, fries and a nightcap at the Greene Turtle, a bar that was new-to-us yet original to Ocean City.  We’ll be heading back during dinnertime soon for sure.

Starting Saturday Right

pancake breakfast
Breakfast at Happy Jack’s Pancake House

Flash forward to Saturday, Day 2 of our Valentine’s weekend celebration. Up first was breakfast at another new-to-us restaurant called Happy Jack’s Pancake House.  Here’s a tidbit about us – we love going to places with great reviews and write-ups.  I will remember those reviews and write-ups for years, and Happy Jack’s was the runner up for #1 breakfast in Ocean City for 2015.  Since Jason is a die-hard Dough Rollers pancake fan, it was hard to convince him to try Happy Jack’s.  But boy that 2015 list did not disappoint! Our breakfast was fantastic and Jason wound up loving the pancakes (and scrapple).

After our awesome breakfast, we drove uptown while we waited for our day spa appointment. We drove past the OC Boat Show, which  we honestly did not know was going on that weekend.  My husband immediately started drooling as we drove past.  I made a mental note made to surprise him with tickets the next day.

Around 2 o’clock, we found ourselves standing in the lobby of the Creative Day Spa  at the Princess Royale Hotel on 91st street waiting for our couple’s massage.

While waiting for our massage time, we wound up talking with a massage therapist named Donna who oversaw appointments for that hour. I wound up showing her the list of restaurants that we needed to choose from for our $60 gift voucher from the Grand Hotel.  Donna’s recommendation will soon be revealed.

Creative Day Spa Lobby at Princess Royale on 91st Street

For the next 60 minutes, Jason and I embarked on a couple’s massage adventure in the Princess room. Two massage therapists gave us a combination of Swedish and hot stone massages that were out of this world.  The Princess room was “cozy,” – small, but just right.  A small water fountain in the room, soft music and an ambient glow made it the perfect setting for relaxation.  Afterwards, we received a Valentine’s Day gift from the spa.  With every couple’s treatment that was booked for that weekend, the couple received a bottle of wine and Godiva chocolate truffles.  What a nice surprise!

Fat Cat, Truffles & Fruit

Why is there an Edible Arrangements bouquet in this photo do you ask? After we left Creative Day Spa with our bottle of Red Cat and Godiva truffles, we headed back to Berlin to Edible Arrangements to pick up a Valentine’s Day prize I won from Delmarva Life and WBOC!  All I did was fill out my name after seeing it advertised on Facebook and, honest to goodness, I won the Send Me Some Love Daisy bouquet the very next day.  It was delicious and a perfect addition to our romantic weekend.  Plus, we got to see snow geese on the way to and from picking up the bouquet.  Couldn’t get a photo of the geese since they were on the side of the highway, but we were still excited to see the flock in person.

Moscato goes well with Valentine’s Day
Sharky enjoying coffee oceanside

After returning to the hotel and changing into more appropriate attire for our romantic dinner, Ocean City local resident, Donna, did not disappoint with her restaurant recommendation. Adolfo’s on the Ocean was our choice – an Italian restaurant on the boardwalk that was breathtaking.  From the moment you walk in you are taken away to an entirely different atmosphere.  A roaring fireplace in the bar room, Victorian couches and chairs in the lobby, and a gorgeous garden style dining room on the other side of the restaurant all proved to set the stage for a memorable night.  I had the Chicken Parmesan while Jay had the Veal Parmesan.  Safe meal selections for trying out a new restaurant, right?  Both were exquisite.  I cannot say enough about this restaurant.  They had an excellent wine selection, too.  I had the Moscato (a personal favorite).

The rest of that night involved champagne and a hilarious attempt at gingerly opening the bottle on the balcony. (Note: It’s impossible to open champagne without making noise of some kind – for me, it was laughing hysterically as I waited for the cork to pop out of Jason’s hands).

The next morning, Jason purchased breakfast for us to enjoy in the room while looking out at the ocean. I almost forgot to add, Jason packed my favorite shark from Ocean City bar & restaurant Fish Tales that we frequent every summer season.  Aptly named “Sharky,” he comes with us on some of our Ocean City adventures.  He enjoyed coffee Oceanside as well.

A surprise ending to a fantastic weekend!

Cindy with Scott Lenox from Hooked on OC

After (sadly) checking out, I began driving down Coastal Highway and pretended that I was going to keep going and hit some of the Rehoboth outlets before heading home. But right around 66th street, I made a left turn towards a parking lot filled with pontoon boats, fishing boats, and yachts and parked at the Ocean City Convention Center.  Jay was a happy man as we entered the Ocean City Boat Show.  For $10 each, the two of us got to hop up on pontoons, check out kayaks, meet with local vendors, enter a myriad of contests and giveaways, and live the boating life for a little while.  As an avid angler myself, I was completely surprised to see one of my personal fishing heroes – Scott Lenox from Hooked on OC!  Not only did Scott take a selfie with me but he also autographed a bumper sticker (thanks to Dave Messick of Unscene Productions for coming up with the idea).  Hooked on OC is the Mid-Atlantic Premier Fishing TV Show that’s not your ordinary fishing show.  Packed with great tips for anglers in the area, he also features other topics such as the hottest local restaurants, and some of the best shops to browse while you’re in the area.  Honestly, if I knew I would be taking selfies with my hero I would have let my hair down that day, but I was still grateful to finally meet him. He also gave great tips for catching flounder for the Flounder Pounder coming up this summer at Bahia Marina.  Hooked on OC airs every weekend on ABC WMDT – TV ch. 47 and ch. 3 on the CW Network.

Sharky is ready to go back to DE

With Sharky buckled in and Jason and I officially tuckered out from an action-packed Valentine’s Day weekend, we made the trip back home to Smyrna. With love in our hearts and renewed spirits, Ocean City failed to disappoint again.  Valentine’s Day in Ocean City is going to become our new tradition.  Next year, we plan on staying right at the Princess Royale Hotel so we can enjoy the spa but then head back up to our room afterwards to relax.

Until next time, Seaside Cindy is planning her next Oceanside adventure. For more photos from our Valentine’s Day weekend, please visit me on Instagram.

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