BERLIN, Md. - The Maryland State Firefighters’ Association is exploring whether to relocate its annual June parade from the Town of Ocean City to the Town of Berlin, with a formal presentation to Berlin’s mayor and Town Council scheduled for January.
Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall said the association began looking for alternatives after participation declined in recent years. He told council members organizers surveyed their membership and found many would be more likely to attend if the parade were moved from its traditional Wednesday schedule to a weekend.
Tyndall said the group discussed shifting the Ocean City parade to a Saturday, but said that change was not considered workable during the resort’s peak tourism season.
“Unfortunately, in the summer, it’s very difficult to be able to handle that in the town of Ocean City,” Tyndall said in an interview.
The association’s convention would remain in Ocean City even if the parade is moved, according to Robbie Blackiston, the convention conference chair for the Maryland State Firefighters. Blackiston said the survey indicated a weekend event would allow more firefighters to participate because attendees would not need to take time off work. He said organizers also asked about holding the parade on a Sunday, but that option raised additional complications tied to Ocean City’s inlet parking lot.
Tyndall outlined a preliminary concept that would place the parade on Berlin’s Main Street, with fire apparatus queuing at the Worcester County Athletic Fields before proceeding through downtown in the afternoon. Under the concept described by town leaders, trucks would continue north after the parade toward Route 50 for a reception at Ocean Downs Casino.
Town officials said the idea aligns with Berlin’s public safety culture and could draw crowds downtown, but several logistical issues remain unresolved. Staffing was among the concerns discussed publicly, particularly because the potential parade date would fall shortly after the Juneteenth holiday, when some town personnel may not be available. Tyndall said the firefighters association has indicated it could provide volunteers to assist with the procession to reduce the burden on town staff.
Council members also raised questions about how the event would benefit downtown businesses if participants travel to the casino after the parade. Tyndall said one approach under discussion would be encouraging crews to arrive early, stage their apparatus, and use shuttles into downtown so they can patronize restaurants before the parade begins.
The Maryland State Firefighters’ Association is scheduled to appear at the Berlin Town Council meeting on Jan. 12 to present details and answer questions about traffic control, staffing and business engagement. Town leaders said the council would need to approve any formal plan before the parade could be relocated.
