OCEAN CITY, Md.- Ocean City will hold its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival, with police increasing impaired driving enforcement over the holiday weekend.
The Ocean City Police Department will join the Maryland Border-to-Border St. Patrick’s Day Impaired Driving Crackdown from March 13 to 17, focusing patrols on alcohol- or drug-impaired drivers.
According to the Ocean City Police Department, officers will conduct 18 hours of specialized patrols during that period. The enforcement effort aligns with the busy St. Patrick’s Day Parade weekend and the holiday itself.
In 2025, Ocean City police say they made six DUI arrests during the same enforcement timeframe.
People visiting the resort town during the celebration should expect to see more police patrols focused on keeping roads safe.
Police encourage anyone celebrating to arrange a safe ride home. Officials say the Ocean City Beach Bus offers a $4 Ride-All-Day pass with unlimited rides from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Buses run about every 30 minutes and travel between downtown, midtown and uptown. Taxis and rideshare services are also available.
The Ocean City St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at noon Saturday, March 14. The parade will start at 57th Street along Coastal Highway and continue south to the 45th Street Shopping Center, where viewing bleachers and the judges’ stand will be set up.
A festival will take place at the 45th Street Shopping Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. following the parade. The event will feature live music, along with Irish dancers, Irish apparel, souvenirs, baskets of cheer, food and beer.