Summer’s Over, but the Fun’s Just Begun

Crowds flock to Ocean City in the summer, seeking warm beach vacations and all the activities and excitement a resort town can offer, but as the summer comes to a close, it gives way to what locals and visitors alike, call the ‘Second Season’.

The Second Season begins with Labor day and kids going back to school. Despite the summer season getting all the focus, the Second Season offers visitors something no other season can – beautiful weather with warmer water, fewer crowds, and great off-season specials.

However, one of the most exciting parts of the Second Season is the big events the town puts on. September and October hosts huge events that have become Ocean City tradition like WineFest, Bike Week, Sunfest, & OCtoberfest and new additions like Ocean’s Calling and AdventureFest.

Ocean’s Calling
The biggest event of the season is the first annual Ocean’s Calling festival. This live music and food festival is unprecedented for the town, bringing in world-renowned names like Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, The Lumineers, Alanis Morissette, and Cyndi Lauper – just to name a few. There are also several other music acts that will be gracing one of the three stages of Ocean’s Calling.

But the stellar live music acts aren’t the only draw for this festival; Celebrity chefs like Andrew Zimmern of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods fame, Robert Irvine who’s famous for his beloved Food Network programs like Dining: Impossible & Restaurant: Impossible, and finally, Amanda Freitag who is best known for her frequent appearances on Food Network programs, like Chopped, will be doing cooking demos, revealing “tricks of the trade” to festival goers.

The event runs from Friday September 30th (9/30) to Sunday October 2 (10/2). Tickets for the 3-day festival are available on oceanscallingfestival.com.

AdventureFest
One of the newest events to be hosted in Ocean City, AdventureFest is a week long festival dedicated to law enforcement, military personnel, and veterans with activities like K9 training and certification, C.O.P.S. support meetings, a hunting, fishing, and gun expo, and a memorial walk and ride in honor of the late Corporal Glenn Hilliard. In addition to the events, there will be live music performances by LoneStar, Priscilla Block, Dave Bray, MAC FM, and others. There also will be an auction for a custom gun, a custom surfboard, & two autographed guitars. The proceeds of the auction and event will benefit non-profits like Maryland Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors, Patriots Point, US Kennels, Hogs & Heroes Foundation and a new police foundation created by the event founders benefiting Worcester and Wicomico County police agencies.

The event will be held at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center from Monday September 19th to Sunday September 25th. Tickets are available at ocadventurefest.com.

SunFest & OCtoberfest
Going on its 47th year, Sunfest is an Ocean City tradition. The festival brings in tens of thousands of attendees who enjoy the activities and exhibits. There will be free live music from two stages featuring artists of all genres; as well as vendors and artists from across the country showcasing their beautiful pieces and great products.

However, this year will be a little different because SunFest is running at the same time as the annual Halloween activities of OCtoberfest, meaning this weekend will be jam packed with activities and fun for the whole family! OCtoberfest boasts of its own unique and exciting activities like the Halloween Beach Maze, The Great Pumpkin Race, the Drive-In Disguise, Trunk or Treat, and the paw-some Howl-o-ween Parade. Both events will be held from Thursday October 20th to Sunday October 23rd. For more details about activities and events, check out the SunFest and O.C.toberfest websites.

With so many amazing activities and events, Second Season is the perfect time to take advantage of everything Ocean City has to offer without the hustle and bustle of summer.