Holiday Season Concludes With First Night in Ocean City

Holiday shows and opportunities to meet Santa lead the way to First Night, Ocean City’s gala New Year’s Eve Celebration, Public Relations Director Mark Soifer said Tuesday morning.

Here’s an updated look at the upcoming holiday festivities scheduled in Ocean City, as of Dec. 15:

Breakfast With Santa in the Downtown, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Santa will be at Arlene’s on Asbury Avenue Dec. 19, 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m., and Yianni’s Cafe, 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Dec. 20.

Photos With Santa: Noon to 3 p.m. in front of Music Pier on Dec. 19 and 20. Photo fee, $10. For more information, call 1-800-BEACH-NJ.

Free Horse and Carriage Rides start in front of City Hall, 9th and Asbury Avenue: Noon-3 p.m. on Dec. 19 and 20. Call 1-800-BEACH-NJ.

Dec. 15: Christmas Sing-In in the Crown Bank lobby, 8th and Asbury, 6 p.m. Get in tune for the holidays as you join in with songs and carols for the holiday season. Bring your music, bring your kids, your guitar, your cello, flute, your drum, your voice! We provide everything else. Come early and visit the award winning Asbury Avenue Shopping District and fine selection of restaurants. Event is free for singers, wannabe singers, instrumentalists and toe tappers. Sponsored by Operafest International, Inc. For information, call Nancy Fox, at Fox Vocal Arts, 609-399-7291.

Dec. 18 and 20: Swingin’ Into the Holidays, the Ocean City Theatre Company’s 2015 Christmas Spectacular, opens at the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. A cast of professional singers and dancers present a high-energy, family oriented, song and dance tribute to the holidays, directed and choreographed by the talented Michael Hartman. With familiar songs, toe tapping numbers, special effects and dazzling costumes, this production will kindle the holiday spirit in all of us with a brand new musical journey through seasonal favorites. Tickets: $18 general admission, $15 children 12 and under. Show times 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Call 609-399-6111 or visit www.ocnj.us/boxoffice.

Dec. 19: Pizza With Santa at Bennie’s Bread, 1159 Asbury Avenue, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Call ahead at 609-398-9450.

Dec. 19: The live family show “Hansel and Gretel.” Enjoy the magical, musical adventure of two youngsters and their escape from an evil witch. Presented by Fox Vocal Arts, Operafest International. Call the Flanders Hotel, for pricing and tickets 609-399-1000.

Dec. 19: ”Elf Jr.: The Musical” presented by the Ocean City Theatre Company, featuring students 3rd to 8th grade at Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. Show times 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The adventures of Buddy, a young orphan, who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag and is transported to the North Pole. Find out how Buddy rediscovers his birth family and make them believers in Santa. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for kids 12-and-under. Call 609-399-6111 or visit www.ocnj.us/boxoffice.

Dec. 19: The Ocean City Free Public Library presents “The Sounds of Christmas,” featuring Ocean City Pops musicians Pamela Whitman on flutes, Mark O’Kain, Xylophone and Marimba and Jeffrey Uhlig, piano. Their music will capture the Spirit of the Season ranging from intimate and meditative to joyous and playful. Concert is 2 p.m., in the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall, admission free. Call (609) 399-2434, ext. 5222 for more information.

Dec. 20: Holiday High Tea, served in the elegant ballrooms of the Flanders Hotel at 2 p.m. Enjoy carolers and special gourmet holiday tea menu. Gifts for each guest. Call Flanders for reservations and price, 609-399-1000. NOTE: The Flanders Gingerbread House Contest is accepting entries until Dec. 30. Drop off your original creation. Prizes awarded. All can enter. Visit www.TheFlandersHotel.com.

Dec. 25: Free Christmas Dinner: For the 27th year, the Community Christmas Celebration Dinner will offer a free buffet dinner with all the trimmings. All are welcome. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, 8th and Central Avenue. Takeouts will be available. Volunteers will deliver to those who can’t attend. Transportation will be provided if needed. Call 609-398-8781. There will be special access for the disabled and free parking. The dinner was started by Mike and Peaches Lukens and is now run by Holly Martinez, their daughter.

The Holiday Season concludes with First Night. The Holiday Gala features 76 entertainment programs from 4 p.m. until midnight, for $20 per person. There will be a fireworks show at midnight to cap the celebration.

“Where else can you find such varied entertainment for just $20? The only place to enjoy such an event at the New Jersey Shore is in Ocean City,” First Night Chairperson Michele Gillian said. “Ocean City is the place to be on New Year’s Eve.”

Opening Ceremonies will be held 4 p.m. at the ice skating rink, a First Night attraction located at Carey Stadium, 6th Street off Boardwalk. It will include greetings by City officials and entertainment.

A First Night admission button will entitle the bearer to free access to Wonderland Amusement rides from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Entertainment features events for every age group including children’s programs that adults will also enjoy.

For instance acclaimed magician, Chad Juros, the Allo Puppets, Give and Take Jugglers, Jungle John, the Turtle Singers and more. A tribute to Neal Diamond is scheduled for the Music Pier, the Fabulous Grease Band will perform at the Civic Center, the Hegeman String Band will strut at the High School, the hilarious Abbott and Costello comedy show is booked for St. Peter’s Methodist Church. The Norristone Doo Wop Singers entertain at the Ocean City Senior Center, 17th and Simpson Avenue

Rock’n Roll Hall of Famer, Dick Richards, the original drummer of Bill Haley’s Comets will be featured at the high school. There will be plenty of the popular inflatables. First Nighters will be able to enjoy the night sky at the High School Planetarium. The Aquatic and Fitness Center, 17th and Simpson Avenue will open its pool from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The acclaimed Ocean City Pops Orchestra will greet the New Year with shows at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. at the Tabernacle. This is just a sample of the entertainment you can enjoy at First Night. All who buy admission buttons will be given a program book listing site locations, parking and jitney service. Many locations are within walking distance.

Buy your buttons now online at www.firstnightocnj.com or call 1-800-BEACH-NJ. Buttons are also available at the Wonderland Booth in Stainton’s Square, 810 Asbury Avenue, the Causeway Welcome Center, and the City Hall Welcome Center, 9th and Asbury Avenue.

First Night has an Angel Fund for those who can’t afford buttons. Call 609-525-9300 to receive buttons or support the Fund.

The attached image is a Patch file photo