‘People just love the water:’ OC Seaside Boat Show celebrates 40th anniversary

OCEAN CITY, Md. – President’s Day weekend for boat enthusiasts means all roads lead to Ocean City for the OC Seaside Boat Show.

“I tell ya, it’s a fun time out and there’s a lot to see,” Garbacik said.

More than 350 boats were on display for upwards of 17,000 boat lovers who made their way to the OC convention Center, marking the show’s 40th anniversary. “Everybody on the shore loves fishing, skiing, and pontoon boats,” Smith said.

“People just love the water and love what they can do there.”

The OC-Berlin Optimist Club sponsors the event. President Charles Smith says funds raised support the club’s budget for the entire year and have provided more $6 million in scholarships for students across Worcester County. “Our goal is to help every kid be all they can be,” Smith said.

Sunday was quite exciting for the Garbaciks who were first timers. “Just recently within the last couple of years we’ve gotten into boating and had a lot of fun. So, we’re just kind of looking around and seeing what’s out there,” Joe Garbacik said.

Although February is considered off-season in the resort town, the Optimist Club says events like this shift OC back into high gear and makes it an economic driver for the area. “Many of our vendors feel that they do better here because of the quality of the folks that come by and what they’re looking for than going to the big cities like Baltimore and Philadelphia,” Smith said.

“Surprised at the entry level prices so I think it’s certainly affordable which is definitely swaying us in that direction,” Garbacik said.

The Optimist Club also has a scholarship lottery that help build funds.

They tell us they’ve also donated more than $2.5 million to the Maryland Department of Education to support educational programming for Worcester County students.

To find out more about the Optimist Club, click here