Little Miss Night In Venice and Junior Miss Night In Venice will be crowned on Wednesday (July 15) at the culmination of a new pageant at the Ocean City Music Pier. The pageant is free to attend and the public is encouraged to come out to support the young participants and enjoy the competition and production numbers. The combined pageants start at 7 p.m.
Little Miss Night in Venice features girls ages 8 to 11, and Junior Miss Night in Venice includes girls ages 12 to 15. Competitions will feature different elements including interviews, evening gown, boat wear and on-stage questions.
The queens will preside over the Night In Venice boat parade on July 25.
“It’s exciting to see our annual Night in Venice celebration continue to grow with new elements each year,” Mayor Jay Gillian said.
The 2026 Night in Venice celebration will feature former Philadelphia Phillies all-star John Kruk and actor Randy Quaid as grand marshals. This year’s theme, “Stars, Stripes & Christmas Lights,” celebrates America’s 250th anniversary while bringing together two of the nation’s favorite traditions: patriotism and Christmas in July.
Quaid will appear at a special screening of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” at 12 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, at the Ocean City Tabernacle. Following the screening, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a live Q&A with Quaid, where he will share stories from his career and discuss the making of the holiday classic. Guests may also purchase exclusive VIP meet-and-greet tickets, which include a commemorative digital photo with Randy Quaid and an autographed commemorative movie poster. Tickets for the movie screening featuring a live Q&A with Quaid and VIP tickets are now available at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
A spectacular fireworks display over the bayfront will be launched after the boat parade. This year’s Night in Venice presenting sponsors include ACME and OCNJ Watersports. Movie screening sponsors include the Ocean City Tabernacle and the Stainton’s Family of Stores.
Ocean City has a full calendar of special events lined up for the coming week, including:
Tuesday, July 14
- OCBP Women’s Lifeguard Invitational Races: The top female athletes from 15 South Jersey beach patrols compete in swimming, rowing, running and paddling events. The events are staged from the beach at 58th Street starting at 6:30 p.m., and the event is free to watch. Come cheer on your hometown patrol.
- ‘How I Became a Pirate’: The Ocean City Theatre Company Summer Children’s Series continues with a fantastic musical excursion with a band of comical pirates recruiting a young boy as an expert digger. Jeremy Jacob learns that love and home are treasures you can’t find on a map. The show is at 10:30 a.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. Advance tickets are available at oceancitytheatrecompany.com.
Wednesday, July 15
- Beach Exercise — Pilates Yoga: Free program (no registration needed) on the beach at Sixth Street starts at 8 a.m. Bring a towel and a friend.
- Farmers Market: Local farmers sell seasonal fruits, vegetables, baked goods and specialty foods on the grounds of the Ocean City Tabernacle (Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue) from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Crafters set up in the adjacent street.
- Wacky Wednesday: Use your creativity to shape french fries into your own masterpiece. The contest is free and open to all ages, but limited to the first 200 participants. Starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. This is part of a series of weekly family-friendly contests throughout the summer.
- 34th Street Sandcastle Park Summer Entertainment Series: The new weekly series will continue with “Pirates and Mermaids.” Families are invited to come dressed for the occasion or have their faces painted when they arrive. Characters including Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and Ariel will be on hand. The fun also will include a DJ and line-dancing, a balloon artist and more. The series will celebrate a new theme each Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. through August 19 at Sandcastle Park (3400 block between West Avenue and Asbury Avenue).
- Beach Walks: Free guided beach walk explores Ocean City’s coastal environment. Meet near the beach at 6:30 p.m. at 59th Street and Central Avenue.
- Family Night on the Boardwalk: A variety of family-friendly entertainers — including magicians, musicians, characters and more — will be stationed on the Boardwalk between Sixth Street and 14th Street.
Thursday, July 16
- Market Days: Ocean City’s downtown shopping district along Asbury Avenue features entertainment, face-painters, balloon-sculptors and more from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Mummers Night: String bands strut the Boardwalk between Sixth Street and 14th Street between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- USLA Mid-Atlantic Craft Regional Lifeguard Championships: Watch lifeguards and former guards of all ages compete with boats, boards and other rescue craft in a regional championship. The competition starts at 10 a.m. at 58th Street Beach.
Friday, July 17
- Beach Exercise — Low Impact: Free program (no registration needed) on the beach at Sixth Street starts at 8 a.m. Bring a towel and a friend.
- Walking Club: Ocean City’s Walking Club invites people of all ages and fitness levels to join them to walk the length (or any portion) of the Boardwalk. Meet at the Ocean City Music Pier at 8 a.m.
Sunday, July 19
- ‘Simply the Best — the Music of Tina Turner’ with the Ocean City Pops: Performed by a trio of singers led by two-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Tamika Lawrence and Broadway’s Shaleah Adkisson, this Pops show celebrates the stories and songs that made Tina Turner one of the greatest performers the world has ever known. The show is at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Pier, and tickets are available at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
Monday, July 20
- Judy Collins and Richard Thompson in Concert: Inspired by artists such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, singer-songwriter Judy Collins has released over 25 studio albums and numerous live and compilation albums, including singles such as ‘Someday Soon’ and ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ Richard Thompson is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who was named by Rolling Stone as one of the “Top 20 Guitarists of All Time. Tickets available at etix.com.
- America 250 — Lights Over Ocean City Drone Show: Ocean City will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation this summer with a weekly patriotic drone show over the beach and boardwalk south of Sixth Street. The show will feature hundreds of drones lighting up the sky and creating animations that salute America. The 15-minute shows will be held after dusk (for this week, approximately 9 p.m.) on seven Mondays through August 24. The weekly event is made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Cape May County Board of Commissioners, sponsorships from Boardwalk merchants and city funding.
