Fireworks will cap off Ocean City’s Fourth of July festivities at 9 p.m. Friday, July 4. The display will help start a month filled with family fun.
The fireworks will be launched from a barge in the ocean near the Music Pier and will be best viewed from the beach or Boardwalk between Fifth Street and 14th Street. A musical simulcast will be broadcast over the boardwalk PA system. The beach curfew in Ocean City has been extended to 10 p.m. for July 4.
Photographer Donald Kravitz
The Fourth of July in Ocean City always starts with a set of family bike parades. Participants are encouraged to dress and decorate their bikes in the spirit of the holiday. The events are free to join. The South Ocean City parade starts at 10 a.m. at 40th Street and Asbury Avenue with registration opening at 9 a.m. This parade ends at the playground at 52nd Street and Haven Avenue with refreshments and prizes for participants. The Gardens parade starts at 10 a.m. at the Longport Bridge parking lot (also with 9 a.m. registration). The route makes its way to East Atlantic Boulevard with a finish near Beach Road with refreshments and free T-shirts available. The Riviera Neighborhood parade starts at noon at the Rosemar Lane Park (with 11 a.m. registration).
A kite-flying competition will start at 7 p.m. July 4 on the beach near the Ocean City Music Pier.
At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, the first of the summer’s Wacky Wednesdays will feature a good old-fashioned apple and cherry pie-eating contest. No hands allowed. The contest is free, and open to all ages, but it will be limited to 150 participants. Wacky Wednesdays invite families and individuals to participate in a series of different contests. They are held at the Ocean City Music Pier (Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace) promptly at 10:30 a.m. every week of the summer.
Ocean City’s Freckle Contest will be held outside the Music Pier at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 2. This annual tradition celebrates our freckled friends of all ages. Registration is free and begins at 5:30 p.m.
The first of two Sand Sculpting Contests this summer will be held on the beach at Sixth Street on Thursday, July 3. The informal competition is open to kids, teens, adults and families. Registration is free and begins at 9 a.m. Judging takes place by 11 a.m.
Ocean City Pops performs three outdoor concerts this week
On Wednesday, July 2, the Pops will perform “Star Wars: The Completed Symphonic Saga I-IX” in an outdoor show at Carey Stadium (just off Boardwalk between Fifth Street and Sixth Street). The Pops and Maestro Vince Lee will take you on an extraordinary journey through the entire “Star Wars” saga, featuring the music of the legendary film composer John Williams.
“Star Wars” characters will join the fun. Come dressed up as your own favorite character, and kids 12-an-under can enter our costume contest. Face-painting will also be available. Bring a beach chair or blanket to sit on the field, and there will be seating available in the bleachers. Family-friendly pricing ($17) is in place for this show and tickets are available at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
The Ocean City Pops will perform a pair of free outdoor concerts on July 3 and July 4 to celebrate Independence Day. The Pops will play patriotic classics and audience favorites in honor of our nation’s birthday during 8 p.m. shows at Carey Stadium. Free face-painting for kids will be available at both shows. The July 4 show will be followed immediately by the holiday fireworks, and Carey Stadium provides a great place to view the display.
Weekly family events start in July
A full summer of weekly events will begin in July. The lineup this year will include:
- Beach Exercise – Yoga (8 a.m. at 6th Street Beach) and Family Nights on the Boardwalk (7-9 p.m.) on Mondays.
- Beach Walks (9 a.m. at 59th Street and Central), Fantastic Tuesdays (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Asbury Avenue) and Mummers Nights (7-9 p.m. on the Boardwalk) on Tuesdays.
- Beach Exercise – Pilates Yoga (8 a.m. at 6th Street Beach), Beach Walks (6:30 p.m. at 59th Street and Central), and Family Nights on the Boardwalk (7-9 p.m.) on Wednesdays.
- Market Days (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Asbury Avenue) and Mummers Nights (7-9 p.m. on the Boardwalk) on Thursdays.
- Beach Exercise – Low Impact (8 a.m. at 6th Street Beach) and Walking Club (8 a.m. on the Boardwalk from the Music Pier) on Fridays.
Children’s Theatre Series opens with ‘Curious George’
The Greater Ocean City Theatre Company (OCTC) will present “Curious George: The Golden Meatball (TYA)” to kick off the 2025 Summer Children’s Theater Series at the Ocean City Music Pier at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 1. The family-friendly musical is based on the beloved books by Margret and H.A. Rey.
The summer series will feature four other productions, including:
- July 8 – ELEPHANT & PIGGIE: WE ARE IN A PLAY!: Get ready for a musical experience ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved, award-winning, best-selling children’s books that will leave audiences doing the “Flippy Floppy Floory” dance all night long.
- July 15 – PINKALICIOUS!: Based on the popular book by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann, this is the tale of Pinkalicious, who can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents.
- July 22 – PETE THE CAT: The show is based on the Pete the Cat series of books by Kimberly and James Dean. For Pete the Cat, life is an adventure no matter where you wind up.
- July 29 – A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (TYA): A hit on Broadway, “A Year with Frog and Toad” was nominated for three Tony Awards – including Best Musical. Based on Arnold Lobel’s well-loved books and featuring a hummable score by Robert and Willie Reale, this whimsical show follows two great friends through four fun-filled seasons
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners through the Cape May County Division of Culture & Heritage. Tickets are priced at $11 in advance and $13 on the day of the show. They are available at oceancitytheatrecompany.com.
Also coming up soon
July 6 – Good Witch/Bad Witch Performing with the Ocean City Pops: A concert of diva showstoppers featuring Glinda and Elphaba from the Broadway company of “Wicked.” Tickets are available at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
July 7 – Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks: The next show in the Boardwalk Summer Concert Series features the former lead singer in the rock band Yes. The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. Tickets available at etix.com and the Music Pier Box Office.
July 8 – Bicycle Auction: 10 a.m. to noon at Shelter Road (first left off of Tennessee Avenue). More than 70 bicycles to be sold. Registration begins at 9 a.m. A driver’s license, passport or valid ID. is required to register. For information, visit ocnj.us/bikeauction.
