MARCH 28, 2024
BERLIN • NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY• OCEAN PINES
FREE
Berlin nixes SDHS prom on Main St. Businesses say they can’t accept Sat. revenue loss
CHARLENE SHARPE/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Several Berlin business owners addressed the Berlin Mayor and Council Monday night to express concerns about the town’s Main Street hosting Stephen Decatur High School’s prom on April 27.
Easter, spring events abound Coastal communities have different ways to celebrate, but they all relate to fun By Charlene Sharpe Associate Editor (March 28, 2024) There are no shortage of traditional as well as unique ways to celebrate Easter this week in Berlin, Ocean Pines and Ocean City. The following is a recap of some events on tap: Berlin Spring Celebration Breakfast with the Easter bunny, a bonnet parade and an egg hunt highlight this Saturday’s Berlin Spring Celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Berlin. “We are thrilled to announce the
return of one of our favorite family events, and all of the fun that comes with it,” said Ryan Nellans, executive director of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce. “We are welcoming back lots of familiar faces, including the Shake it Up Jam! and children’s book author Katie Ruskie. Our egg hunt on the Taylor House Museum lawn and our Midway on Main Street are back and better than ever with even more prizes, all made possible by our sponsors, Bradley Atlantic Insurance Management, Taylor Bank, and Jolly Roger Amusements.” The day kicks off early, with the Berlin Fire Company hosting “Bunny Brunch” from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. The event, which is $5 for kids under 10 and $10 for adults, will be held in the upstairs event hall at the station on
Main Street. All-day parking will also be available at the firehouse, where cash donations will be accepted. The Spring Celebration itself will begin with some fanfare, as a bonnet parade will run from the firehouse to the festival grounds on Main Street at 10 a.m. There, the best bonnets will win prizes and then children will be invited to visit the games that will make up “Midway on Main Street.” An egg hunt is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on the lawn of the Taylor House Museum. The Spring Celebration will also include live music from Shake it Up Jam! and appearances by Lollipop the Clown. In the days leading up to the Spring Celebration, Nellans noted See BERLIN Page 4
By Charlene Sharpe Associate Editor (March 28, 2024) Stephen Decatur High School’s plan to hold prom on Main Street failed to get the approval of elected officials this week after business owners voiced concerns. The Berlin Town Council on Monday opted not to approve a request from Decatur representatives to have prom on Main Street. Business owners said they couldn’t afford to lose business on a Saturday in ‘We could have welcomed it April after a slow and wet but no one start to the year, asked us.’ especially with Larnet only a month’s St. Amant, notice. “We could’ve business come up with a owner cool idea,” business owner Larnet St. Amant said. “We could have welcomed it but no one asked us.” Mayor Zack Tyndall told the council on Monday that he’d been in communication with Decatur teacher Jamie Greenwood regarding the possibility of holding prom on Main Street on April 27. Greenwood, who has been organizing prom for close to 20 years, told officials the convention center in Ocean City didn’t let local groups book events more than six months in advance. While the April 27 date was discussed with convention center staff, it was before it could be formally booked. The school found out in February that the date was no longer available. “What happened happened,” See BUSINESSES Page 10