Sunfest: Top-Ranked Festival that Celebrates End of Season in OC
Posted by Shorebread | Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Sunfest, running from September 20th through 23rd, is a four-day long festival offering food, arts, crafts, live entertainment, and activities for children. Sunfest was created more than 25 years ago to welcome the end of Ocean City's summer season. This weekend, Ocean City may see as many as 155,000 visitors - most in town to attend the festival.
The 28th annual Sunfest celebration will start at 9:30 am on Thursday with a boardwalk parade. Local police officers, high school marching bands, cheerleaders, choirs, and City council members will be parading down the boards. At 10 am, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Sunfest grounds at the inlet parking lot marking the official opening of the festival. Admission to the event is free.
“Country band, Lonestar, is celebrating their 20 year anniversary… They’re sure to rock the Sunfest tent when they play on Friday,” said John Sullivan, Ocean City’s Special Events Director. Tickets are still available for this show.
Along with Lonestar, band Sha Na Na, and singer Bret Michaels will be performing during Sunfest on the indoor stage. Tickets range in price from $15 - $55 and vary per show.
“The inlet will be rockin’ when Bret Michaels hits the stage. Can’t wait!” commented Chris Wolfe, a Boonsboro, MD local who will be traveling to Ocean City during Sunfest.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting TicketMaster. Tickets will also be sold on site (in tent #2) during the event. It is suggested tickets be purchased in advance because performances in years past have often sold out in days leading up to the festival. All other live entertainment will be free.
More than 180 arts and crafts vendors will occupy two large tents. Items like pottery, wood carvings, photography, paintings, candles, soaps, dolls, pet items, clothing, accessories, jewelry, home goods, and more will be for sale. Many artists will be performing live demonstrations of their artistic abilities at their booths.
Children may take part in a variety of activities. Inflatable play grounds and a rock-climbing wall will be set up on the beach. Sand art, temporary henna tattoos, and face painting booths will be set up for children and will cost a small fee.
Gourmet food and beverage vendors will be set up in a culinary tent at the inlet as well. Some bestselling items include coffee, candies, soups, baked goods, BBQ, and burgers.
Last year, Art & Craft Show Magazine ranked Sunfest as one of the 100 Best Classic & Contemporary Craft Shows in the entire country. More recently, a poll by readers of Maryland Life Magazine voted Sunfest as the '2012 Free State’s Finest Best Festival in the Lower Eastern Shore Region of Maryland'.
For event & performance times, check out this schedules below:
| Thursday, September 20th | 10 am | Opening ceremony | Outdoor stage |
| 10:30 am | The Diamons | Indoor stage | |
| 11:30 am | Frankie & The Pack | Outdoor stage | |
| 12:30 pm | Ocean City Recreation Dancers | Indoor stage | |
| 1:30 pm | Jesse Garron's Tribute to Elvis | Outdoor stage | |
| 2:30 pm | Will Gravatt Band | Indoor stage | |
| 3:30 pm | The Diamonds | Outdoor stage | |
| 4:30 pm | Frankie & The Pack | Indoor stage | |
| 5:30 pm | Teenage Rust | Outdoor stage | |
| 6:45 pm | Sir Rod | Outdoor stage | |
| 8:00 pm | Sha Na Na (Tickets are $15 - $25) | Indoor stage |
| Friday, September 21st | 10 am | The Diamonds | Indoor stage |
| 11 am | Captain Quint | Outdoor stage | |
| 12 pm | Poole & The Gang | Indoor stage | |
| 1 pm | Big Cam & The Lifters | Outdoor stage | |
| 2 pm | Captain Quint | Indoor stage | |
| 3 pm | The Diamonds | Outdoor stage | |
| 4 pm | Big Cam & The Lifters | Indoor stage | |
| 5 pm | Front Page News | Outdoor stage | |
| 6:30 pm | N.O.M.A.D. | Outdoor stage | |
| 8 pm | Lonestar (Tickets are $20 - $45) | Indoor stage |
| Saturday, September 22nd | 10 am | Subway Show Band | Indoor stage |
| 11 am | N.O.M.A.D. | Outdoor stage | |
| 12 pm | Oh BOY! A Tribute to Buddy Holly | Indoor stage | |
| 1 pm | Clones of Funk | Outdoor stage | |
| 2 pm | Rising Sun Reggae | Indoor stage | |
| 3 pm | Subway Show Band | Outdoor stage | |
| 4 pm | Randy Lee Ashcraft & The Saltwater Cowboys | Indoor stage | |
| 5 pm | Jesse Garron's Tribute to Elvis | Outdoor stage | |
| 6:30 pm | N.O.M.A.D. | Outdoor stage | |
| 8 pm | Bret Michaels (Tickets are $25 - $55) | Indoor stage |
| Sunday, September 23rd | 10 am | Subway Show Band | Outdoor stage |
| 11:30 am | J.R. Brooker | Indoor stage | |
| 12:30 pm | Lauren Glick & The Moodswingers | Outdoor stage | |
| 1:30 pm | The Delmarva Big Band | Indoor stage | |
| 2:30 pm | The Christopher Dean Band | Outdoor stage | |
| 3:30 pm | 9 Mile Roots | Indoor stage | |
| 4:30 pm | Satisfaction - The Rolling Stone Show (Free) | Outdoor stage |