It’s not too early to think about celebrating the arrival of 2025 at Ocean City’s family-friendly First Night New Year’s Eve celebration. All-inclusive admission buttons will be on sale starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12.

Tickets are available:

• Online: firstnightocnj.com
• By phone: 609-399-6111.
• At the City Hall Welcome Center at 861 Asbury Avenue (9th Street entrance): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
• At the Roy Gillian Welcome Center (9th Street causeway): 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• At the 46th Street Welcome Center (4500 block of West Avenue): 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday.

Tickets will be available at City Hall during the Fall Block Party on Saturday, Oct. 12, for the convenience of all Block Party attendees.

First Night offers more than 70 entertain programs at 20 different venues throughout town on Dec. 31. One $20 button is good for all programs. Don’t wait, because button sales are limited at the price goes up to $25 on Dec. 1.

Headline entertainment at the Ocean City Music Pier this year will include a tribute to the music of the Eagles and the “Yacht Rock Gold Experience.” The return of perennial favorites like outdoor ice-skating, a magic show, a mentalist, a ventriloquist, the Harlem Wizards, Japanese drummers and a variety of other shows also highlight the entertainment lineup. The Ocean City Pops (with a Rodgers & Hammerstein Extravaganza), Yellow Brick Road: A Tribute to Elton John, the Cape Shore Chorale, a dueling pianos performance, and the Sensational Soul Cruisers are among the additional musical entertainment options.

New this year will be a drone light show in the sky over Carey Stadium synced to music. As always, the festivities will end with a fireworks display to ring in the new year at midnight.

First Night’s 2025 sponsors include the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Cape May County Division of Culture and Heritage, McMahon Insurance Agency, Ocean City Free Public Library, Uncle Bill’s Pancake House and Atlantic City Electric.

First Night OCNJ is also seeking volunteers to assist at various venues during celebration on Dec. 31. Anybody interested in helping is asked to visit firstnightocnj.com for more information and to complete this online form.

Volunteers are asked to work at least one three-hour shift. If you are interested, please complete the volunteer form by December 8, 2024. Please share this information with friends/family and encourage them to sign up. There will be a mandatory volunteer breakfast, where assignments will be given out at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 30 at the Ocean City Yacht Club.

The festivities will continue with First Day events on Jan. 1, 2025, and registration is now open for the First Day 5K running race on the boardwalk: ocnj.us/OCNJ-FIRST-DAY-RUN/WALK.

Complete information on First Night is available at firstnightocnj.com.

Ocean City, New Jersey
861 Asbury Avenue
Ocean City, NJ 08226
(609) 399-6111
www.ocnj.us