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Weekends in downtown Ocean City get extra festive this holiday season. From Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 20, 2026, families can visit Santa in the Downtown, take holiday photos with Santa at the Music Pier and climb aboard a horse and carriage ride on Asbury Avenue. Here is the full schedule.
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Horse and Carriage Rides
- Town: Ocean City
- Where: 9th Street and Asbury Avenue, in front of City Hall
- When: Noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 21; Friday, November 27; Saturday and Sunday, November 28 and 29; and Saturdays and Sundays, December 5 and 6, December 12 and 13, and December 19 and 20, 2026
Nothing says old-fashioned Christmas quite like the clip-clop of a horse on a decorated downtown street. The rides leave from the corner of 9th and Asbury in front of City Hall, right in the heart of the shopping district, so they are an easy add-on to an afternoon of browsing the shops. The first rides of the season roll on November 21, the same day as Ocean City’s early holiday shopping kickoff downtown.
Santa in the Downtown
- Town: Ocean City
- Where: Soifer Park, downtown Ocean City
- When: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, November 28 and 29, December 5 and 6, December 12 and 13, and December 19 and 20, 2026
Santa sets up in Soifer Park on weekend mornings, which makes a visit a perfect first stop before a day downtown. Morning visits are a good bet for families with little ones, since kids tend to be at their best early in the day and the downtown crowds build later.
Photos with Santa at the Music Pier
- Town: Ocean City
- Where: Ocean City Music Pier, 825 Boardwalk
- When: Noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, November 28 and 29, December 5 and 6, December 12 and 13, and December 19 and 20, 2026
In the afternoons, Santa heads to the boardwalk for photos at the Music Pier. It is a classic Ocean City backdrop for a holiday card picture, and it is just a short drive or a brisk walk from downtown.
Putting it all together
The schedule lines up nicely for a full holiday day. Start with Santa in the Downtown at Soifer Park in the morning, grab lunch on Asbury Avenue, take a horse and carriage ride from City Hall between noon and 3 p.m., and head to the Music Pier for photos with Santa. Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest stretch, so the mid-December weekends are a calmer choice if you want shorter waits.
Dress for the weather, since the carriage rides are outdoors, and keep an eye on the forecast on windy days near the water. The events are presented as part of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce holiday calendar.
For more ways to celebrate, see our roundup of Christmas tree lightings and parades in Cape May County.
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