OCEAN CITY, Md. - The Town of Ocean City is welcoming the first-ever Oceans Calling Festival, which will be held Friday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 2.
Residents and visitors should expect alternate traffic patterns, heavy pedestrian traffic, and vehicle traffic delays. Limited parking and congestion are expected in the downtown area from the Route 50 Bridge to 33rd Street from 11 a.m. through midnight.
The area south of the Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge (Rt 50 Bridge) will be closed to non-event vehicle traffic from approximately 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. each evening. The south turn lane off of U.S. Rt. 50 onto southbound Philadelphia Ave will be restricted to emergency and mass transit vehicles only.
Traffic south on Philadelphia Ave will be diverted onto N. Division St and then north on Baltimore Ave. A traffic pattern will be established to direct all southbound traffic on St. Louis Ave to 2nd Street towards Philadelphia Ave.
Northbound traffic on Baltimore Ave (between S. Division St to Talbot) will be reduced to one lane. The middle lane will be utilized to stage mass transit vehicles and the easternmost lane will be designated for pedestrian use only.
Drivers are being asked to remember that parking is limited in the downtown area. If you are driving from out of Ocean City limits, parking is strongly recommended at the West Ocean City Park & Ride. Keep in mind, parking at the municipal parking lots is available on a first come, first served basis.
Additional parking is available at the Ocean City Convention Center Parking lot and the 100th Street Municipal Parking lot. The 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot is not free.
Public Transportation is available on Ocean City’s municipal buses that travel along Coastal Highway. Whether you’re parked at your hotel/accommodation or at a municipal parking lot (the West Ocean City Park & Ride, the Ocean City Convention Center Parking Lot and the 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot) you can Ride-All-Day for only $3. The Ride-All-Day pass allows you to ride from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. and travel from the South Division Street Transit Center to the North End Transit Center (144th Street & Coastal Highway).
You can also track your bus in real time with Ocean City’s bus locator app. Exact cash fare is required. When leaving the Festival in the evening, concertgoers can walk to Baltimore Avenue.
Patrons traveling north can catch a northbound bus. Northbound buses will be staged on Baltimore Avenue between Worcester Street and Talbot Street. Patrons traveling west to the West Ocean City Park and Ride can take a bus from the South End Transit Station (South Division Street) directly to the West Ocean City Park and Ride Lot on Route 50. Concertgoers should anticipate bus demand after the event to be extremely high. This will result in limited availability and delays for those leaving the event.
Walking and/or biking is strongly encouraged as parking is limited downtown. The walk from the North End of the Boardwalk (27th Street) to the Inlet Parking Lot is approximately a 2.3 mile walk, taking around 45 minutes. Patrons are being encouraged to "walk smart," use crosswalks, and wait for the pedestrian signal.
Bike parking will be available just north of North Division Street on/near the Beach/Boardwalk. Approximate Walking/Biking Times: from 10th St, 15 min walk, or 5 min bike ride, from 20th St, 30 min walk, or 8 min bike ride, from 30th St, 45 min walk, or 10 min bike ride, and from 40th St, 55 min walk, or 13 min bike ride
