We did it. We have — almost — made it through 2017.
For the country, and rest of the world, 2017 was tumultuous, to say the least. But we’re not going to think about that right now. In Ocean City, the beach and boardwalk were business as usual, and Ocean City remained the same beautiful resort town you know and love. There were a few minor upheavals–at risk of reopening a whole can of worms, remember H2Oi?–but for the most part, life was same old, same old in Ocean City, Maryland. Just the way we like it.
Here’s to reminiscing, and to another great year in Ocean City.
January: Snowstorm!
What better way to start the new year than with a snow-covered Ocean City? The first snowstorm of the winter covered the beach in about nine inches of snow, and gusts of wind reached 25 miles per hour.
Top 10 Ocean City videos from the Jan. 7 storm – Ocean City Videos
Over the weekend, members of the OceanCity.com staff as well as many of our loyal readers got out and shared some videos of the snow. If you’re still snowed in (or if you wish you were) take a look as some of the awesome sights we had in town this weekend.
February: Love is in the air
Valentine’s Day in 2017, like every year, was most romantically spent on the Shore. Here’s how a few Ocean City-loving couples shared the love with us.
Ocean City couples photos, just in time for February – Ocean City Maryland
Getting photos together is one of the grandest part of the Ocean City vacation experience. In what follows we’ll take a look at some of the couples photos you guys have submitted over the years.
March: Exploring the islands
There’s still a bite in the late-winter air by the time March rolls around, but the off-season is the best time to explore Assateague and Chincoteague. They’re all but deserted, making March one of the best times of year to do some wandering around in peace.
Chincoteague: The other horse island – OceanCity.com
Spend the weekend in Chincoteague. You’ll be happy you did. Sometimes it is so easy to get wrapped up in the Assateague ponies we can forget that Chincoteague Island is only a few miles farther as the crow flies, but those of us who aren’t crows have to make the 45 minute drive west, then south then east to wind up on Chincoteague Island.
April: Ocean City goes to the birds
If you’re a birdwatcher on the Eastern Shore, April is always the most exciting time of year. That’s when Delmarva Birding Weekend happens, when early migrations can be spotted all over the peninsula.
Fans flock to annual Birding Weekend – OceanCity.com
Spring has sprung and birds of a feather are flocking together for the annual Delmarva Birding Weekend later this month! The 22nd annual Spring Delmarva Birding Weekend is set for April 27-30, 2017, allowing birdwatchers to spot a variety of early-arriving migrating birds like warblers, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors in several hot spots.
May: New ways to play in the sand
The beach’s first-ever playground was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony early in the month of May. The playground on North Division Street is complete with three slides, monkey bars, an ice cream stand and a map of the United States
Visit the first Ocean City beach playground – OceanCity.com
The Ocean City beach playground is just the latest in a long tradition of free things to do in Ocean City. After months of anticipation Ocean City officially opened its first playground on the Boardwalk this week with the snip of a ribbon in spring of 2017.
June: Beachgoers bare all
Remember this controversy? The onset of summer saw an issue that was soon forgotten almost as aggressively as it was argued over. In June, the City Council passed an ordinance banning female toplessness in Ocean City.
Should toplessness be allowed in Ocean City? The town responds – OceanCity.com
“The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office received a request last summer from a woman who believed it was her constitutional right to be bare-chested on Ocean City’s beach. At that time, the State’s Attorney reached out to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office for an opinion on the matter, which we are still anxiously awaiting.
July: A wake-up call for Assateague visitors
Things were going so well as mid-summer hit, until one Assateague mare died after getting into a camper’s dog food. This headline was a sad reminder to Assateague campers to keep their food away from the reach of wild ponies.
Don’t feed dog food to Assateague Horses – OceanCity.com
When visiting beautiful, wild Assateague Island, remember not to feed the famous wild horses and to cover up all food on campgrounds! Assateague Island National Seashore officials say a young mare died last week after munching on some dog food. The seven-year-old mare, identified as N2BHS-AI but nicknamed Chama Wingapo, was found dead in a …
August: Total eclipse of the sun
Everyone in Ocean City was staring at the sky on Aug. 21, when we were able to see the moon eclipse the sun for the first time in decades (with special eyewear, that is).
Watching the solar eclipse in Ocean City + your eclipse pics
It’s not uncommon to see crowds of people donned in sunglasses walking the Ocean City boardwalk, but it is a little strange when almost every. person. there. has shades on. But Monday was an event and an occasion that no one wanted to miss, and that meant wearing protective eye gear, or else staring down into a cardboard box.
September: Festival season
As summer winds down, people need more of an excuse to stay in Ocean City. That’s probably why the month of September sees so many festivals, including Sunfest, Bikefest and the Kite Festival.
Fall festival season picks up as summer winds down
There was once a time when Labor Day weekend marked the death knell of the summer season in Ocean City, Maryland. It marked the transformation from bustling tourist town to boring ghost town, and putting an end to the majority of excitement and activities as period of winter hibernation crept in.
October: OCtoberfest!
OCtoberfest seems to be getting bigger every year, and 2017 was no exception. There was the beach maze, the great pumpkin race and countless Halloween parties, but most importantly, there were dogs in costume.
15 photos from the OCtoberfest Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade
There’s a ton of fun events lined up each year for OCtoberfest, but one parade down the boardwalk is an especially howlin’ good time for humans and pets alike: Ocean City’s annual Howl-O-Ween pet parade. This year’s parade was, unsurprisingly, almost completely made up of dogs.
November: The beach gets a pick-me-up
Gotta have that sand. In November, Governor Larry Hogan, along with Col. Edward Chamberlayne of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other public officials held a press conference on the necessity of Ocean City beach renourishment.
Beach Renourishment Keeps Ocean City Rolling – Ocean City News
Governor Larry Hogan, Baltimore District Commander Col. Edward Chamberlayne of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Mark Belton, among other public officials, met for a press conference on the 94th street dunes crossing Monday to highlight an ongoing beach renourishment program that’s been impacting Ocean City since the early ’90s.
December: A time to reflect
The last month of the year was somehow just as busy as all the others, with all the traditional Ocean City holiday events like the Christmas Parade and one new event which brought hundreds of cosplayers to the Grand Hotel for a day, the inaugural Ocean City Comic Con. Really, though, December is meant for reflecting on the year behind us and looking ahead to see what the new year will bring, and what can be improved upon. It’s also meant for peaceful walks in the snow and taking a moment to breathe after another lively, exciting and fun year in Ocean City.
A snowy walk around the Ocean City Inlet
These photos were taken the Sunday after the first snow of the season on Friday, Dec. 8, which was followed by a little more on Saturday. I woke up on Sunday morning, looked out the window and immediately knew I’d have to bundle up fast and head out to take pictures before the snow melted or otherwise ended up covered in street sludge and general dirt, trash and cigarette butts.
