What’s Happening Today – May 6, 2016

Today on DelmarvaLife:

26th Year of SpringFest

Our whole show is about SpringFest in Ocean City, Md. The event is this weekend, May 5 – May 8. For more information, click here.

History of Ocean City & SpringFest

Thousands of people, young and old, flock to the beach town to get their fill of fun and food. There’s 42 food vendors serving anything from Eastern Shore delicacies like crab cakes to a wide assortment of ethnic food. However, SpringFest isn’t just about satisfying your appetite. It is rated number 5 arts and crafts show in the United States, with more than 180 crafters and 50 commercial vendors. Enjoy live music on two stages with a little bit of country and soul with this years headliners.

Local Vendors at SpringFest

Sean stops by Kid Agains and learns about what they have to offer for kids of all ages. Jimmy visits Inner Ocean Seaweed Soap to talk about handmade soap and the great people they have employed there. Be sure to stop by these local vendors and many others at SpringFest.

Food at SpringFest

Jimmy walks around to the different food vendors in the food tent and ends up filling his hands with enough food for everyone to enjoy. If you want an iconic boardwalk treat at Ocean City, Dumser’s, Kohr Bros, and Thrasher’s are some pretty popular stops.

Boardwalk History, Pier History, and the Totem Pole

Lisa enjoys taking a stroll down Ocean City’s iconic boards. The boardwalk runs two and half miles long, but that wasn’t always the case. The first boardwalk was constructed in 1900 and was expanded when the Trimper family built an amusement resort a few years later. In 1925, there was a massive fire and in 1933 there was a massive storm that destroyed the boards. Rebuild after rebuild led to the well-known boards we have today. The iconic fishing pier has weathered a lot of the years, but back in January 2016, a nor’easter caused some pretty hefty damage to the pier. Officials hope to have the pier open again by the beginning of the summer. The hand-carved totem pole at Inlet Park stands 25-foot tall and was a gift from famous artist, Peter Toth. It was created in 1976 to represent an Assateague Native-American, who called the shore of Maryland and Virginia, home until the mid 1700’s.

Bikes & Segways

With so much to do and see in Ocean City, it’s no surprise that some people opt for two wheels to take it all in. Bike World has many cycles! People have ridden bikes over the years, and some still ride bikes, but others are looking for something different. Possibly a self-balancing Segway. You can stop by Boardwalk Segway to get one and try it out yourself. Owner Jim Parrillo says you can make it from one end of the boardwalk and back within an hour on a Segway.

How to Get to SpringFest & Parking

Here are a few ways to park and get to SpringFest this weekend: The “SpringFest Express” is a non-stop express route from the Roland E. Powell Convention Center to the SpringFest grounds at the inlet parking lot. It will only cost you $3 for the whole day. Parking itself at the Convention Center is free. The shuttle runs from 9 am Festival days until 30 minutes after the last concert, or until 6 pm on Sunday. You can also ride the boardwalk tram which only cost $3 per person, one-way. It runs from 10 am until midnight, and until 6 pm on Sunday.