OCEAN CITY, Md — The Ocean City Film Festival will host a special outdoor screening of eight short films celebrating the town’s 150-year history on Saturday, June 21, at the 94th Street tennis courts beside the Ocean City Center for the Arts. Admission is free, with doors opening at 6 p.m. In case of rain, the event will move indoors to the Arts Center.
The films were created as part of the “Historical Film Challenge,” a contest designed to commemorate Ocean City’s anniversary as a premier beach destination. Each film captures a different aspect of the town’s legacy, from segregation-era perseverance to coastal defense during World War II.
The featured films include:
The Henry Hotel by Marlon Wallace, chronicling Charles Henry’s fight against segregation to build a landmark.
The Conner Stories by Don Lehman, focusing on siblings raised at Conner’s Inn on 10th Street.
Tales from the Dock: The Legacy of Hooper’s Crab House by Maurice Waters, highlighting a beloved family business.
150 Years of Smiles by Fiona O’Brien, exploring Ocean City’s economy and the women who built it.
Eyes of the Fort by Megan Dodson, about Delaware’s WWII beach towers and Coast Artillery Corps.
Greetings from Ocean City Maryland by Jesse Bowes, tracking 100 years of history through postcards.
Unparalleled Butchery: Assateague 20 by B.L. Strang-Moya, a harrowing tale of English refugees in 1650.
Down on the Boardwalk by Davis Mears, a brief history of Ocean City’s iconic boardwalk.
The films, which debuted at the March 2025 Ocean City Film Festival, were among the most popular presentations of the event