Signs of Spring in Ocean City: The Month of May

The last weekend of April, with unusual high temps in the low 80s, felt like the beginning of the season, to me. The Ocean City, Maryland, Boardwalk was bustling with people, and sunbathers enjoyed the beach.

Now May is here. In the 1970s, I worked seven days a week, from May 1 through Sept. 30. That's 150 straight days. This year, I return to the Ocean City workforce, but hopefully no more than five or six days a week.

This first weekend of May features a couple of interesting activities on Saturday.

• The Beach Clean Up, sponsored by the Ocean City Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, with assists from other community organizations, begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 2, on the beach at 37th Street. Trash bags will be provided. Students can earn community service credits!
• The White Marline Festival is Saturday afternoon, 12 noon to 3 p.m., on the Somerset Street Plaza. (That's in the historic downtown part of Ocean City.) A highlight will be the Crab Soup Cook-Off. Admission to the festival is free, but tickets are $12 to sample the soups. It's all sponsored by the Ocean City Downtown Association.

Looking ahead, May will be a busy month in Ocean City.

• May 7 to 10 is Springfest! Activities all weekend at the Inlet Parking Lot, south end of the island. Big-name entertainment at night! The Hubcaps on Thursday, Randy Travis on Friday, The Association and Gary Puckett on Saturday, all at 8 p.m. in the Springfest Entertainment Tent. Admission to Springfest is free, but tickets are required for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday night shows. On Sunday afternoon, there will be a free concert by the Zim Zemarel Orchestra at 3 p.m.
• May 14 to 17 is Crusin' Ocean City, also called Cruisers Weekend. Wonderful cars to see all over town.
• May 22 to 25 is Memorial Day Weekend! Yep, it's almost here.