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Ocean City Council Tables Decision on Sunfest, May Consider SunLITE Instead

The Ocean City Council tabled the difficult decision to postpone Sunfest to 2021 during their work session on Tuesday. The council also put off a decision to sponsor a smaller event, dubbed SunLITE. Both issues are now on the agenda for the August 17 meeting.

Sunfest – Event Review

Courtesy of Special Events Director Frank Miller

Special Events Director Frank Miller presented a detailed PowerPoint that featured all the changes required for Sunfest to occur along with the results of a survey of vendors.

If the council decides to allow the 46th Annual Sunfest to occur, it would certainly not be anything like the festival that visitors have come to know over the last four decades. There would be no headliners or live music whatsoever. There is also no guarantee that food tents would be allowed due to public health guidelines from the state.

Miller said that the loss of these key pieces of the festival would reduce interest and attendance. He estimated that 40% of the festivalโ€™s draw comes from the music component, while 20% comes from food. He also expressed concerns over losing the baby boomer demographic due to health concerns.

Miller also provided an update from Select Events, the company responsible for providing tents. On August 3, Miller said that tents would cost about $104,000. While that number has dropped to $84,000, Miller said that it is still not a desirable pricing model since there is no guarantee that the festival can occur.

Next, Miller revealed results from a survey of 157 vendors who typically take part in Sunfest. The results showed that 38% of vendors question whether they would participate, while 54% want to come and feel comfortable doing so. However, among the group that says they feel comfortable attending, 13% are actually more concerned about losing their spot in future festivals. Another issue that arises is interstate travel. Vendors come from 22 different states, 24% of which have travel restrictions.

Of course, optics are also a major factor. โ€œDo we really want to force this event to exist on two of eight cylinders? There is a potential impact on the townโ€™s reputation, and the eventโ€™s reputationโ€ฆthere are a lot of unknowns,โ€ Miller reflected.

Next Steps

After concluding his presentation, Miller recommended that the council vote to release vendors from their contracts, refund deposits, and allow 2021 space reservations to be based on the 2019 Sunfest, alleviating vendorsโ€™ concerns.

Miller then outlined two options to proceed. First, the Town of Ocean City can outright cancel the 2020 Sunfest and hold the 46th Annual event in 2021. On the other hand, the town can still cancel the event, but hold a scaled-back festival, SunLITE instead.

SunLITE

Courtesy of Special Events Director Frank Miller

SunLITE would rely on the participation of many local businesses and would feature attractions dispersed throughout the south end of Ocean City. The Inlet Parking Lot would no longer be the sole event site. Pets and bikes would be welcome.

Each member of the council agreed that Sunfest is an Ocean City institution and that it would not be the same if it were to occur. They also agreed that SunLITE is surely an option; however, the council was not ready to decide on either issue.

Mayor and Council Discussion

Councilman Matt James said that waiting to see how the OC Air Show goes this weekend is the best path forward. โ€œIf the Air Show does not go well, we do not want to pursue Sunfest. If the Air Show does go well, I think it is possible to make this work. If we could wait another week, that would work well,โ€ James said.

Councilman DeLuca agreed with the sentiments of Councilman James. โ€œWe must put this off until next Monday,โ€ DeLuca said.

Mayor Meehan said, โ€œThe optics are important, we shouldnโ€™t be considering events with large gatherings. The alternative has a lot of value to it and deserves additional discussion on Monday night.โ€

Councilman Mark Paddack made a motion for the council to cancel the regular Sunfest and table the discussion on SunLITE to Monday. The motion was seconded by Councilman Dennis Dare, but Councilmembers Mary Knight (Secretary), John Gehrig, Tony DeLuca, and Matt James shot down the motion. Council President Lloyd Martin was absent.

The councilmembers who opposed the motion said that a full discussion on Sunfest should be tabled until after the Air Show occurs. They believe that once they have feedback from the Air Show, one of the first major events to occur since the pandemic began, it will be easier to make a comprehensive decision about Sunfest and SunLITE.

The August 17 meeting is virtual and open to the public. For more information on the upcoming meeting, click here.

Logan Dubel
Logan Dubel
Logan Dubel is a contributor for OceanCity.com and the host of "This Week in Ocean City." He is a Baltimore County native, Franklin High School graduate, and an undergraduate journalism and media student at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the OceanCity.com team in June 2020. On the shore, he has also served as a writer at the Art League of Ocean City and the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. Logan has a strong passion for covering the news and its impact on Marylanders. Since arriving at OceanCity.com, he has covered the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, interviewed newsmakers including former First Lady Yumi Hogan, Mayor Rick Meehan, and members of the City Council, featured local businesses, and covered local events. As a collegiate journalist, Logan also works as a Life and Arts Reporter for The Daily Texan and an anchor/reporter for Texas Student Television. Most recently, he anchored live coverage of the 2022 Midterm Elections and reported from the CMT Music Awards Red Carpet. Have a story idea? Contact logan@oceancity.com.

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