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Hear Philly: The Shore Thing - Family Events All Summer Long and Night In Venice Sails Into Town

By Andrew Kramer

Ocean City, N.J. (CBS) - The summer season is over a month old, but in Ocean City, July really kicks off the full season.

Michele Gillian with the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce says July marks the beginning of a series of events that recur throughout the summer.

On Sundays, it's character night.

"It's where we have our mascots come out and they do an autograph session at the Music Pier. We have music and children dance. It's lots of fun," Gillian says.

That's at 6 p.m. Tuesday's during the day sure are "fun," Gillian says.

"Funtastic Tuesdays are downtown. It's entertainment from 6th Street to 12th Street. They have face painters and balloon sculptors and children s puppet shows, so there's lots for people to do."

And then Tuesday nights on the boardwalk it Mummers Night.

"They strut from 6th Street to 14th Street," Gillian says, "so it's really lots and lots of fun for family and friends to come and see."

And that's not all, Gillian says:

"We also have Thursdays where we have Market Days downtown where we have pony rides and face sculpting and plays for little children. And that evening we have Family Nights on the boardwalk, so there's something to do every day in Ocean City basically."

The downtown events during the day begin at 10 a.m. and the boardwalk events at night start at 7 p.m.

Also in July, one of Ocean City's unique events -- Night in Venice -- sails into town a little earlier than usual:

"It's July 11th this year, it's a little early," Gillian says, "but we're very excited. We usually have 75-100 boats in our parade and it highlights our back bay. People decorate their boats, you can enter with any kind of boat and any size boat and lots of people chose to do that. We have awards and it's really a lot of fun.

Homes on the back bay also get into the action. About 300-400 of them decorate and host parties as well, Gillian says.

She says this is a spectator-friendly event that brings people into town from all over:

"We have the street ends open where the city puts stadium seating for them that they can go to any street end and sit there and watch the parade. There's also three locations that's open fields. One is down at 3rd Street, there's a dock there. The Bayside Center is another location, and then you'll see toward Tennessee Avenue there is also another location."

The annual boat show starts at 6 p.m. on the north end of the island. This years theme...dancing under the stars.

For more on Night in Venice and all Ocean City events go to www.oceancityvacation.com.

Or CLICK HERE to learn more about all events taking place throughout the Jersey Shore this summer.

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Follow hearPHILLY on Twitter: @hearPHILLYradio.

 

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