Thanksgiving is fast approaching which means many people are planning their holiday weekend. Ocean City and neighboring towns offer so many fun and festive activities and traditions to spice up your Thanksgiving Weekend.
With the holiday now becoming nearly synonymous with Black Friday, we see thousands of people flock to the stores after their Thanksgiving feasts to shop for Christmas and take advantage of once-a-year discounts. Of course, Ocean City is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of the Black Friday with the shopping outlets in West OC. This year the outlets will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, opening at 7am on Black Friday. For more information, check out the Outlet’s website.
However, the Outlets aren’t the only shopping opportunity Thanksgiving weekend. From Nov. 25th to the 27th, the Roland E. Powell Convention Center is hosting the 41st Holiday Shopper’s Fair. With 120 vendors selling everything from handmade arts and crafts to household products, there’s something for everyone. The fair also will have children’s activities like face painting, as well as a non-shopper’s lounge and food court. Admission is $3 for the weekend and free for 13 and under.
Thanksgiving Weekend is also the perfect time to support your favorite local businesses as Small Business Saturday is the 26th! From the small boutique shops that pepper Coastal Highway and the Boardwalk to iconic OC restaurants and even your favorite hotels, support your favorite businesses as we go into the off-season.
If shopping’s not your thing, there are tons of other activities to pencil into your plans for the weekend.
With all the feasting that comes with Thanksgiving weekend, some like to get in a workout before the festivities begin. Yogavibez in West Ocean City is hosting a Turkey Day Yoga Flow from 9-10am where you can spend your morning with instructor Lauren to “start off your Thanksgiving with an uplifting flow to celebrate the abundance of things we have to be thankful for.” Check out Yogavibez’s website for more details about their Turkey Day classes.
Also, Diakonia, a Worchester County non-profit dedicated to helping less fortunate residents gain access to food, housing, and more, is hosting a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot on the Boardwalk. The whole family (include your pup) can walk or run on the Boardwalk for a good cause before dinner later that day. Registration starts at 8 am in the Inlet, and the event begins at 9.
For the nature lovers, Ocean City has so much to offer from the Boardwalk and Northside Park to nearby Assateague with its many trails, wild ponies, and so much more. Whether you are a runner, want to take a hike, or just enjoy the sights on a casual stroll, there is so much natural wonder and beauty nestled in our 10 miles of beach.
On top of the Thanksgiving Festivities, many local areas are hosting events to kick off the holiday season and Christmas. Ocean City’s big annual Winterfest of Lights at Northside Park kicks off on the 17th. It’s a perfect way to ring in the holiday season and enjoy family time walking through hundreds of lights displays with photo-ops throughout and shopping at the entrance. The Lights are open 5:30-9:30p Wednesday-Sunday until New Year’s Eve. Nearby in Berlin, the town is hosting their annual tree lighting with beautiful ice sculptures and light displays throughout the downtown area.
If you aren’t in the mood to cook on Thanksgiving, some Ocean City restaurants are hosting dinner with all the Thanksgiving fixins’ you could want as well as some twists on iconic OC seafood. Marlin Moon, 32 Palm, and Captain’s Table are all serving up the usual Thanksgiving favorites AND delicious seafood specials like crab, salmon, oysters and more. For thanksgiving dinner menus, check out their websites, marlinmoonocmd.com, 32palm.com, captainstableoc.com, and coralreefrestaurant.com
However you want to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, Ocean City has got you covered with all the activities, food, and fun you could ask for!