Saturday Night Is A 'Night In Venice' For Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — If you love TV, this year’s “Night In Venice” is for you. The optional theme of the 64th annual boat parade will be “TV’s Greatest Hits.” This can could include tributes to iconic sit-coms, characters, memorable TV moments or any other item from television history.

The parade and decorated bayfront home contest are a highlight of the summer season in Ocean City. Thousands of spectators line the bayfront, and thousands more attend private parties at homes along the route from the Ocean City-Longport Bridge to Tennessee Avenue.

This year's parade is set for July 28, 7 p.m. Acme will once again serve as the $10,000 presenting sponsor.

In keeping with this year’s theme, the parade includes a lineup of stars who will perform shows and greet fans throughout the weekend. Grand marshals will include teen singing sensation Jackie Evancho and NFL-player-turned-magician Jon Dorenbos (who both were hits on “America’s Got Talent”), along with Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy of “Dancing With the Stars” fame.

The cast of “Beauty and the Beast,” presented by the Ocean City Pops and Ocean City Theatre Company from Aug. 7 to 10, the OCTC Show Choir (performing a medley of TV theme songs), city officials and scholarship pageant winners will be part of the lineup.

Other events include the following:

· Master Dance Class with Val Chmerkovskiy: The famous dancer will provide instruction for intermediate to experienced dancers (individuals or couples). Sessions are at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. July 28 at the Ocean City Music Pier. The $65 ticket includes a meet-and-greet with Chmerkovskiy and a Q&A session.

Born in the Ukraine, Chmerkovskiy moved with his family to Brooklyn at eight years old and fell in love with dancing after his father and older brother opened a youth-oriented dance studio in New Jersey. He joined the cast of professional dancers on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2011. The 14-time U.S. national champion and two-time world dance champion quickly rose to stardom becoming one of the show’s fan-favorites. In Season 23 of “Dancing with the Stars,” he partnered with Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez. The pair won the coveted Mirrorball trophy, making it Val’s second win during his tenure on the show.

· Meet-and-Greet with Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy: Chmerkovskiy joins his former dance partner to greet fans. A session at 11 a.m. July 28 ($30) provides an opportunity to get a photo and an autograph with the stars.

Hernandez is the first U.S.-born Latina to make the U.S. gymnastics team since 1984. She brought home gold and silver medals from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. After winning her “Dancing with the Stars” title with Chmerkovskiy, she published her first book, “I Got This: To Gold and Beyond,” which hit the New York Times Best Sellers list.

· Jon Dorenbos Magic Show: Former Philadelphia Eagles long-snapper Jon Dorenbos will return to the Ocean City Music Pier July 27 with a show that mixes his mind-blowing magic talents with inspirational stories. Dorenbos has performed two sold-out shows in Ocean City. The show is set for 8 p.m. Friday, July 27. Tickets are $32 to $47.

Dorenbos gained the attention of the non-football world during his run to the top of the NBC television competition “America’s Got Talent.” He placed third overall in the contest after surviving many elimination rounds. The 14-year NFL veteran says magic saved his life, and he has a story to back it up. When he was 12 years old, his father murdered his mother. He openly shares this childhood tragedy with audiences in an inspirational show about rising through adversity, setting goals no matter how high, and planning the necessary steps to achieve those goals.

· Jon Dorenbos Meet-and-Greet: Meet the magician and NFL veteran at 4:30 p.m. July 27 ($20).

· Jackie Evancho with the Ocean City Pops: A special Ocean City Pops performance on July 29 will feature the remarkable vocal talents of Jackie Evancho. The young singer first dazzled American television audiences at the age of 10 – gaining global recognition with her debut on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” She finished as runner-up in that competition and has continued to make history with achievements that include: youngest solo platinum artist, youngest Top 5 debut artist ever in the United Kingdom, youngest person to give solo concert at the Lincoln Center and the highest-ranking debut artist of 2010. All six of Evancho’s albums have hit No. 1 on the Billboard Classical chart. She will perform with the Ocean City Pops orchestra 7:30 p.m. July 29 at the Ocean City Music Pier. Tickets ($30 to $45) will be available starting March 1 at oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.

Visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice, call 609-399-6111, or stop by the Music Pier Box Office (on weekends) or any of the city’s welcome centers (daily) to purchase tickets for these events.

Tickets are also on sale to view Night in Venice from the Bayside Center (520 Bay Avenue), which will be open with a picnic area, snack food for sale and bleacher seating plus live entertainment. Tickets are $4 for children (12-and-under) and $8 for adults. The Good Tymes Band will play until the first boats in the parade arrive. Children’s activities include crafts, games and face-painting. The band will resume after the parade.

Grandstands will also be set up at street ends along the bay from Battersea Road to 16th Street and also at Tennessee Avenue. These are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Streets include: Battersea Road, North Street, First Street, Second Street Marina, Fourth Street, Sixth Street, 11th Street, 13th Street, 15th Street, 16th Street and Tennessee Avenue.

Viewing is permitted on the Ninth Street Bridge. All pedestrians and bicyclists should use the Shared Use Bike Path and stay to the south side shoulder for viewing. No one will be allowed to bring chairs for seating onto the bridge. At no time will anyone block the free movement of the Shared Use Bike Path. No open alcoholic beverages are permitted on the bridge at any time. No one is permitted to walk along the bridge with motor vehicle traffic. Ocean City police will be present monitoring the bridge while the parade is in progress for assistance.

A fireworks display caps off the festivities at the conclusion of the parade. Entries for boats and homes are currently being accepted online at www.ocnj.us/niv or by calling 609-399-6111.

Free parking and shuttle service will run starting at 5 p.m. Parking will be available at:

• Ocean City Municipal Airport: 25th Street and Bay Avenue
• Soccer Field at Tennessee Avenue: Off Shelter Road
• Ocean City Community Center: 1735 Simpson Avenue

Shuttles will drop off spectators at street ends where they can watch the parade and return them to the parking lots afterward. The shuttle also drops off at the Bayside Center. The service is free and will be available until 11 p.m.

Parking restrictions will be in place from midnight Friday through midnight Saturday for the following locations:

• Both sides of Bay Avenue between 16th Street and 24th Street
• The east side of Bay Avenue between 14th Street and 16th Street.
• West 16th Street, West 17th Street and West 18th Street will have parking restrictions in place.

Parking regulations will be strictly enforced. Violators will be ticketed and in severe cases, the vehicles will be towed if public safety is affected. This is to allow for safe passage of all pedestrian and vehicle traffic and emergency vehicle access to isolated areas of the bayfront.

Paddleboards and kayaks aren't allowed in the parade, for safety reasons.

• NIV Boat Registration

• NIV House Registration

• NIV Condo Registration

The attached images were provided by Ocean City Public Information Officer Doug Bergen

Grace Kelly by Lolly Gritti

Jackie Evanchko

Laurie Hernandez

Jon Dorenbos

Val Chmerkovskiy

Val Chmerkovskiy