No Rain Date for Ocean City Baby Parade

Thursday's National Weather Service forecast for Ocean City calls for a small chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and a slightly greater (40 percent) chance of storms tonight.

But on Thursday morning, Ocean City Public Relations Director said the Ocean City Baby Parade scheduled for 5 p.m. today (Thursday, Aug. 8) will not be postponed.

Soifer said judging for the parade entries will take place in the Ocean City Sports and Civic Center at Sixth Street and Boardwalk at 3:30 p.m.

The parade will leave from there at 5 p.m. unless thunderstorms or heavy rain prevent it from going off. The event could be delayed slightly if the storms are passing, Soifer said.

The awards for the event will be given at the Ocean City Music Pier after the parade — under cover if it's raining.

-----

Information on the annual event is as follows:

Ocean City’s 104th annual Baby Parade, the longest consecutively run in the nation, is set for Thursday, Aug. 8. The colorful event begins at a new starting time: 5 p.m.

The parade route is from Sixth to 12th streets on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Peggy Lloyd, 99, will be the grand marshal of the parade.

Recent parades have started at 10:15 a.m. — when the sun and heat are on the rise, but Boardwalk crowds on the wane.

Ocean City leads the world in holding the most baby parades. No other community or organization has held 100 parades, let alone 104. The parade competition is open to children from infants to 10 years of age.

Divisions include children in fancy or comic decorated Go-Carts, Strollers, Coaches, Express Wagons, etc. or walking. There is also a Small Children’s Float Division. Local businesses also enter commercial floats.

The Ocean City Baby Parade was founded by Leo Bamberger and his committee. Bamberger, a photo engraver, was one of the organizers of Labor Day.

Musical groups that will be featured in the event include the Interboro High School of Pennsylvania Marching Band, the Pitman Hobo Band, The Atlantic City Bagpipers, The Fred Hall Dixieland Band, the Hype Guards, an Award Winning Youth Color Guard with music and marchers and the Ed Coles Entertainers. For information, call 609-525-9300.