Labor Day is the first Monday in September and has always created a long weekend where many people in the mid-Atlantic region head to Ocean City to enjoy the beach and time with family. It’s the last weekend where you can enjoy the care-free days of summer before everybody heads back to work and school. Typically, it’s the last weekend commuters can enjoy fewer traffic jams because many workers are still on vacation.
Historically, Labor Day used to be the end of summer fashions. Many of us remember our parents and grandparents telling us that they couldn’t wear white or seer-sucker suits after Labor Day.
Businesses in Ocean City used to shut down after Labor Day. It was hard to find an open restaurant or hotel. Sunfest was mid September, right after Labor Day, to celebrate the end of summer with all the workers who made summer vacation possible for the millions who traveled to Ocean City.
Now, you can wear what you want for as long as you want, you can come to Ocean City for Labor Day. You can also come anytime in September or October to enjoy weekends packed with fun! Sunfest (October 24-27) is much later and a great event for visitors with food, live music and vendors galore.
“Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to Americaโs strength, prosperity, and well-being.” So states the history of Labor Day on the US Department of Labor’s website. Activists and municipalities celebrated Labor Day in the mid 1880s. Then, in 1894, Congress passed legislation to designate the first Monday in September as Labor Day, a national holiday. You can read more history published this year on WBAL.
Push in Maryland to Start Schools After Labor Day
Gov. Hogan joined with Comptroller Peter Franchot Supporting Post Labor Day Start Date to Benefit Families, Students, Teachers, and the Economy
Labor Day in Maryland has been celebrated since the late 1800s. More recently, however, Maryland has shown great interest in the holiday.
Governor Hogan, in 2016, signed an Executive Order requiring all Maryland school districts to start school after Labor Day. His position was a win for Ocean City because such a move would increase tourism to our town, and keep kids out of hot classrooms which lacked air-conditioning for another week! A poll taken at that time showed that 68% of Marylanders supported that idea. The General Assembly had other ideas. They passed legislation to allow the school districts to start before Labor Day and Governor Hogan vetoed it.
Governor Wes Moore has shown renewed interest in the origins of the holiday to honor American workers.
While a set-back, Ocean City is extending summer regardless of the legislation passed in 2019. We celebrate workers, we celebrate visitors, and we celebrate ways to enjoy time with family and friends. We have lots of reasons for you to visit for Labor Day or anytime during our “second season!.”
Labor Day in Ocean City, MD 2024
Think picnics, picking crabs, enjoying the beach, and just spending time with your friends and family and NOT working – as our forbears imagining in the 1800s. This is a time for relaxation and Ocean City is the place to do it. You have this long weekend to help ease you back into the swing of things.
Mary Mossburg – My kids were so excited for an impromptu trip to the beach this past weekend!!
Labor Day is the last weekend to enjoy many of Ocean City’s special summer events, like
Naรต Trinidad – sailing 9/1 – After spending most of the summer in Ocean City, Labor Day weekend is your last chance to tour the Naรต Trinidad, a replica of Magellan’s fated ship.
The Shore Craft Beer Cruises – a sunset cruise with 2 beers included for only $40 – run through the end of September.
Be sure to enjoy the Maryland sunshine, play on our white sand beaches and just relax while you still can. Boardwalk businesses and rides will still be open and the Ocean City Beach Patrol will remain on duty throughout the weekend (in-stand from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), so head to the beach and enjoy one last dip in the Atlantic.
The Town of Ocean City hosts Sundaes in the Park for the last time this Sunday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. You can find live music, ice cream sundaes (of course) and sometimes a few surprises, too.
Story Haensler – Sundaes in the park the weekend I bought my first beach house 7/18/21
Nature
Since the temperatures are soon to drop, Labor Day weekend is a fantastic time to take one last pontoon ride or jet ski out on the water. Consider taking a thrilling trip on the bay at Odyssea Watersports, or try a nature tour on the OC Bay Hopper. The OC Bay Hopper offers many options, but will host the Shore Craft Beer Cruises every Thursday until September 28th. In addition to the sunsets, you usually see the wild ponies of Assateague, lots of cool birds, and even dolphins. No guarantees – but your odds are good!
Nightlife
Obviously a holiday weekend means live music and taking advantage of happy hour specials, so be sure to check out the special events happening at venues like Seacrets or one of the 15 fabulous OCMDrestaurants with indoor or outdoor restaurants from the Wedge to the Captain’s Table or one of the pool bars with great drinks and great views. The Angler offers a great happy hour with 2 drinks for the price of 1 (You get them both at once so plan accordingly) and if you want to add a sunset cruise on the Angler boat, you can do so for only $10! Totally worth it for a trip out the inlet and up the beach so you can see the skyline of Ocean City with the setting sun behind it!
Family Fun
Because most local amusements are still open on weekends through September, youโll still be able to visit Baja Amusements andThe Escape Room, or one of the many other exciting options. If youโre looking for less thrill and a little more chill, treat your family to a game of mini golf at Nick’s Mini Golf or any one of the many indoor and outdoor courses that Ocean City has to offer.
Itโs always sad to see the summer go, but one last weekend trip to OC is the perfect way to ring in a new season.
And if you still need a hotel room…
These are some of our favorite hotels that still have rooms if you want to spend just one more weekend at the beach. Check out OceanCity.com’s area guide to ensure you find the perfect location for your trip.
Oceanfront, on the boardwalk, with a great new restaurant, The Coconut Club, on the 2nd floor overlooking the beach and boardwalk. what more do you want?
As summer winds down, festival season picks up in Ocean City. The following festivals and events give you plenty of reasons for a fall trip to the beach. And when winter finally arrives, Ocean City celebrates with the award-winning Winterfest of Lights extravaganza.
Join us for our 10th annual celebration of fall and local craft beverages!
This is the 10th anniversary of the Shore Craft Beer Fest Octoberfest. We started in Sunset Park, grew into the lot next door and now, for our 10th year, have moved to the newly renovated Bayside Park at 3rd Street.
New date, New Waterfront Location, Same Great Fun
Bayside Park at 3rd Street has playgrounds galore as well as a boardwalk along the water. The perfect location for this year’s 10th annual Octoberfest Shore Craft Beer Fest which is both kid and pet friendly!
If you like the idea of live music and watching the water with a beer, then you might love the all you can drink options at the 10th Annual Octoberfest on Saturday, September 21 from 12:30 – 4:30.
If you are feeling important and want a real deal, you can buy the VIP tickets. You have your own tent with free water, you get a festival t-shirt and a commemorative pint glass, and 4 HOURS OF ALL YOU CARE TO DRINK OPTIONS. You also get a protected hour where you can talk to brewers and brewery reps. The cost for being a VIP is only $65, but we will likely sell out, so buy your tickets now!
Drink options include over 40 different craft beers, mead, hard seltzer, Hoop Tea and more.
GA tickets are only $40. Designated Drivers are only $10 and get free water and soda. The first 1200 ticketed people to arrive at the festival will get a glass when they leave.
Kristin is a writer and photographer in Ocean City, Maryland, and is the content manager for OceanCity.com and other State Ventures, LLC sites. She loves getting reader-submitted stories and photos, so send her an email anytime. She also works part-time at the Art League of Ocean City and the Ocean City Film Festival and lives just off the peninsula with her dog and fiancรฉ. Her photos can be found on Instagram @oc_kristin.
https://www.oceancity.com/labor-day-weekend-ocean-city/
This page is out of date and should be removed. It will confuse people
Don
Thank you for bringing that to our attention. We have updated the article, even if it’s a little late.