Ocean City Maryland *CELEBRATES*! November/December 2011 Events
STARVING ARTISTS DINNER & RECEPTION – Nov 4th – 94th Street & Bay. The Art League of Ocean City puts on its annual Holiday Show and Sale along with great holiday fare. Enjoy delicious homemade soups, salads and desserts while viewing the exhibition of works by many local artists. Admission/Donation. For more information visit http://artleagueofoceancity.org.
FALLFEST OF FINE ART – Nov 5th & 6th – Ocean City Convention Center. Juried show features fine art painters, sculptors and high craft artisans. Admission includes Christmas Craft Expo. Visit the website to obtain more information - http://donaldsduckshoppe.com.
WINTERFEST OF LIGHTS 2011-2012 – Nov 17th– Jan 1st – 125th Street & Bayside -Northside Park!
*Winterfest of Lights has been named a prestigious Top 100 Event for 2011 by American Bus Association.
Sunday – Thursday 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 5:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m. (Admission is $5.00 for those 12 years & older, and FREE for those 11 years and younger.)
Enjoy this winter paradise created for the whole family! Take a ride through an animated wonderland on the Winterfest Express. Board the train and sing Christmas Carols as you glide past spectacular lighted displays including the Twelve Days of Christmas and your favorite fairy tales. Visit the Winterfest Village which is located inside a festive, heated pavilion decorated for the season. Buy a cup of hot chocolate at The OC Recreation Boosters cafe, browse the Yukon Cornelius Gift Shop for that special stocking stuffer or OC souvenir. Santa available for photos every night until December 23. *While in Ocean City, drive along the Avenue of Trees on Baltimore Avenue from 15th –32nd Street. Be sure to visit all of Ocean City, Maryland to create a lasting holiday memory. More than one million holiday lights sparkle throughout the town on animated displays.
HOLIDAY SHOPPER’S FAIR 2011 – Nov25th -27th – Ocean City Convention Center. Annual Holiday Shopping Extravaganza. Unique handmade merchandise, nautical, candles, photography, florals, jewelry, ceramics. Great gift & household items. Children’s activities, photo with Santa & non-shopper’s longe. Admission. http://ococean.com
VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS 2011- Nov 25th – Dec 24th – Main Street, Berlin MD. Downtown Berlin transforms into a beautiful Victorian village. Celebrations include horse & carriage rides, concerts, parade and more. Santa visits weekends at the Atlantic Hotel & music fills the streets. Fee for some events. Info – http://berlinchamber.org.
VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION – Dec 3rd. 208 W. Market Street, Snow Hill MD. Enjoy an old-fashioned holiday party with refreshments, music and kid’s activities. Saturday 10am – 4pm. For more info visit http://purnellmuseum.com
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE – OC Life Saving Station Museum -Dec 4th – South end of Ocean City Boardwalk. This is an excellent opportunity to visit the Ocean City Life Saving Museum – and, check out the gift shop. Many unique items for your holiday shopping. http://ocmuseum.org.
**Very Best Wishes to all for a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year from Lynn J. Bartlett and the folks of the OceanCityMarylandBlog.com blog!**
Goodbye IRENE…you may keep the boards!
After an anxious week listening to ominous news and weather reports detailing the increasing strength and direction of Hurricane Irene, the Mayor of Ocean City Maryland (an Oceanside island resort community), Rick Meehan wisely decided to err on the side of caution by announcing a three phase, all-out evacuation of our island beginning on Thursday, August 25th, 2011. Beginning with student workers and progressing to visitors, residents and business owners; all were to be banished with only identified, emergency workers remaining. It may be noted that 300 people, despite repeated pleas decided to stay put – having to submit the names of next of kin to the crews going door to door throughout the resort. With almost everyone out of the danger area, only property was then vulnerable to this large, threatening storm.
The Category 3 hurricane – named Irene, did indeed travel up the Atlantic Coastline, first making landfall in North Carolina on Friday– with Cape Hatteras receiving considerable wind and water damage. Fortunately, after bumping into the continental landmass, the storm decreased rapidly in strength to a Category 1 – yet still maintaining the potential for considerable destruction.
Having made reservations, I packed the car: my wife and I, along with our howling cat, Blackie, then headed inland to wait out the storm.
Beginning on Saturday morning the rain began to fall, accompanied by gusty breezes – later increasing to 30 – 35 mph winds with higher gusts by late evening and throughout Saturday night. Watching local live (on the scene), TV weather reports (some reporters must be adrenalin junkies!) from our hotel; we saw our Town’ beach covered with turbulent and rising water – waves and ‘sea foam’ rapidly nearing the famed Ocean City Maryland landmark Boardwalk. 
However, to our good fortune, the really damaging portion of Irene never landed on our local shores and by Sunday early morning the winds and waves had decreased giving way to mid-afternoon sunshine. At a Sunday, 9am Press Conference, Mayor Meehan spoke again, reporting no loss of life in our area and that our two access bridges would be reopened; residents and visitors would be allowed back on the island beginning at noon. It was time to return my bay-side home. To my delight, I found Irene had indeed come and gone having taken but a few boards of decking from my dock – surely a small price! Goodbye and good riddance Irene – you may keep the boards!
My sincere thanks go out to The Town of Ocean City Maryland and the Emergency Management Team. Great job!
It’s a ‘FREE for ALL’ this season in Ocean City, MD – join us!
You’ve looked at the calendar and already decided that you can’t stay away from your favorite, family-friendly beach - Ocean City Maryland, this summer. The kids are finally out of school…and after all, the family needs that vacation! Yet, having checked out the gasoline prices and considered the proposed Bay Bridge toll increase (not until Fall) you may be thinking that your family week of FUN could be limited. NOT SO…Ocean City MD understands, and while there’s always lots to offer visitors; especially this season, the number of FREE activities has increased! The Town has put together a list of “100 FREE things to do in Ocean City MD this summer” (click here). A few of these great family focused activities are highlighted below.
FREE Movies on the Beach – Every Monday and Friday evening a movie is shown on the Beach at 27th Street with our 16′ projector. Bring a blanket and enjoy the night beside the ocean. Movies begin around 8:30 – 10:30 weather permitting. June 27th – August 12, 2011
More Movies on the Beach - The Princess Royale at 91st St. – July 7 – August 25, Thursday nights
The Carousel Hotel at 118th St. – June 15 – August 24, Wed. nights
Both will have movies beginning at approx. 8:30 p.m.
FREE Concerts on the Beach – feature music for the whole family, Wednesday evenings from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Division Street beach. Bring your beach chairs and/or blankets, and enjoy beautiful music in a beautiful setting July 13, 20; August 3, 10, 17, 24, 2011.
FREE - Fun activities at the Life-Saving Museum – learn some fun facts! Monday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m., at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum (south end of the boardwalk). See feedings at the museum’s aquarium; learn about sharks, beach safety and knot tying, to name a few.
FREE Family Beach Olympics – Each Tuesday evening at Beach and 27th St. we feature a variety of contests for all ages. Events include sand castle contests, tug-of-war, relays, games and more. Events are free and begin at 6:30 to 8:30 pm. (Children must be accompanied by parent or guardian.)
FREE Movies on the Beach Thursdays - Free movies on the beach for the family every Thursday night at 8:30 pm at the Princess Royale Hotel…Beach & 92nd Street.
FREE Sunset Party Nights - Tuesday nights in July and August. Watch the sun set over the Isle of Wight Bay from the perfect location in Ocean City. Event begins at 7 pm and runs to approximately 9 pm. Admission to the park is free, while beverages, including beer are available to purchase. Event held July 7, 14, and 28 – August 4, 11, 18 and 25. It is recommended that attendees bring their own seating.
FREE Bonfire & Story Hour on the Beach – Enjoy story hours; learn the history of Ocean City and some of the Town’s best-kept secrets! Thursdays – 9:oo pm – North Division St. & Beach.
FREE Sundaes in the Park – Grab a sandwich…bring your picnic basket…enjoy free entertainment with ice cream sundaes for sale! Family concert series – watch the sunset over the beautiful Assawoman Bay! Northside Park & Bay – 125th Street Bayside.
A complete listing of free events and activities happening in OC all summer long, check out the Ocean City Free-For-All website at – http://ococean.com/freeforall
For more information visit http://ococean.com/events
BARBELY’S FAMILY RESTAURANT – in nearby Newark
This year, if your vacation destination is Ocean City Maryland you’re in for an added treat! You will find…while taking some off-beach time to explore the surrounding area…that many exciting discoveries await. Worcester, Maryland’s easternmost County may be bordered by the Atlantic Ocean however traveling inland just a bit will reveal an entirely different view; that of farms and forests, rivers and streams, rural villages and historic homes and churches.
One of our recent special discoveries was in the tiny town of Newark, situated 
just south of Berlin Maryland off of Rt. 113. Just across the street from the Queponco Railroad Station Museum, on Patey Woods Road, in an old, but recently renovated storefront sits Barbely’s Family Restaurant. We quickly learned that the best time to visit Barbely’s is on Thursday, Friday or Saturday after 4:30 pm.
This Friday evening, arriving right at opening, we were greeted in a most friendly manner. It seems many (most) of the staff is part of a large, multi-generational family who own and operate this already special country style eatery. After being seated we quickly selected our meals from an ever-changing menu. ‘In season’ and ‘fresh’ seems to be a large part of their offerings as fried oysters and oyster fritters were prominently listed. However, my companion wanted the special ribs…we later leaned that these lovely, fork-tender, lean ribs are slow cooked overnight producing a flavor and texture that only a lengthy preparation can produce!
My choice for the evening was a (what was listed as ‘petite’) crabcake. However, when it appeared I was certain that there had been a mistake…it was HUGE! Not only huge, but really, really good – all crab! Of course, there’s a long list of appetizers, including a local specialty – ‘peas and dumplin’s’ soup. However, knowing the filling nature of the soup I opted out this evening. A large assortment of ‘sides’ was listed including another local treat – ‘greens’. I’ve come to love these – boiled till tender mustard greens or collards flavored with a bit of ham and ‘mystery’!
One cannot mention Barbely’s without talking ‘desert’. Everything is HOMEMADE: 
Meringue topped pies and towering cakes…puddin’s, dumplin’s – whatever! Last evening the focus seemed to be on the apple dumplings – served warm with vanilla custard atop and beside excellent vanilla bean ice cream! My companion, a known desert lover, could barely finish his huge serving. He commented (several times) on the flavor of the lovely whole, spiced apple inside the tender pastry! Enough said…the food is tasty, generous and is accompanied by caring and friendly service! Don’t miss a visit…
You can find out more about Barbely’s on facebook under ‘Barbely’s Family Restaurant ‘and see the specials for the evening listed there.
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Links may be accessed by clicking beneath blue colored, highlighted titles…
