Ocean City Holiday Festival of Lights

Let’s take a trip back to Ocean City, Maryland.  The Thursday of the gale warning Lori and I had planned to attend the opening ceremony for Ocean City’s Winter Festival of Lights.  Because of the weather we opted to attend on Friday evening instead. Much to my surprise the opening ceremonies happened on Thursday evening so we missed an opportunity to see the community in action.  I will hand it to Ocean City – when they plan an event they pull it off.  The opening festivities happened as advertized and started exactly on time (so I’m told).  They did abbreviate the event because children were involved and there was constant rain, 35 mph winds and gusts over 50 mph.  The more I see and do in Ocean City, the more I like the place, mostly because they are not easily deterred.

12 Days of Christmas

 
As far as the Festival of Lights it runs through December 31^st as Northside Park becomes 59 acres of lighted displays, everything from the 12 days of Christmas to an animated Santa and his reindeer.  The cost for the Festival is $5 (discounts for seniors and children) and you get a trolley ride through one mile of fascination with over one million lights.  Hundreds of the light displays are animated.  At the end of the ride you are let off in a heated tent where you can get cocoa (recommended) and homemade cookies (the choco-chip are great).  There are numerous Instagram Hotspots, various vendors and pictures with Santa – for you non-believers this guy has a beard and a deep voice and is exactly what this believer expected – apparently though  I was too big to be in the picture line.