Martin Z. Mollusk Day

Martin Z. Mollusk’s creep is set for 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 2^nd at the 9^th Street Beach, adjacent to the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. If beach replenishment pumping is taking place that day at 9^th St., the event will be moved to the next available beach.  Someone will be standing in front of the Music Pier to direct Martin enthusiasts to the location.

The Ocean City mascot seeks his shadow on the first Thursday of May each year — thus predicting summer will come one week early to this family resort.

Actually Martin has been quite successful in ensuring an early summer. Over the past 37 years, he has only failed to see his complete shadow once. In 1985, he saw a partial shadow and summer arrived 3½ days early.

Over the years, much pomp and circumstance has been added to this activity. The Ocean City High School Band gets a few hours off from class to play Pomp and Circumstance as Martin is escorted to the beach. This year, his retinue will include Shelley the Mermaid, aka Suzanne Muldowney, the costumed Martin Mollusk and Dr. Frankenstein who will check Martin’s blood pressure to ensure he is healthy enough to make the creep.

Martin will also be accompanied by the City’s environmental character, Trash Buster who will inspect the beach area to make certain it is pristine for the creep. The World’s Only Wind Chimes Band will perform  “Brother Can You Spare a Chime,” No. 1 on the Wind Chimes Charts. The fabulous Ocean City Fish will also participate.

Waiting for Martin on the Beach will be Big Mama Llama, yes a real llama, from Bready Farms in Tuckahoe. If she shakes her head, that means Martin has seen his shadow.

Admission to the event is free, and all spectators will be given a shelled replica of a hermit crab as a souvenir of the event. They will also be asked to sing “Some Enchanted Morning,” Martin’s theme song.