Nonprofit gets alcohol license for Ocean City bull riding competition

Promoters for the Professional Bull Riders Ocean City Seacrets Classic's return to the resort received their special event liquor licenses from the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners on Wednesday.

The licenses will allow Anne Arundel County-based Juice Box Jams, a charitable nonprofit, to sell alcohol at the event scheduled for the weekend of June 2 through June 4 in the Ocean City inlet parking lot. Alcohol sales will be limited to the hours of 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The fenced-off event grounds will include three bars staffed by TIPS-certified bartenders. Music will be provided at the event by Ocean City-native Jimmy Charles.

There weren’t many details that the liquor board had to parse through and its members only had a few questions regarding alcohol sales timing, the promoters’ ability to run security and keep alcohol out of underaged hands and if ingress/egress will be an issue.

The event will have its own security and Alex Spies of OC West Productions said that on top of wrist bracelets for patrons over 21, bartenders will know to ask for identification from anyone they suspect might be too young, even if they have a bracelet.

There will be two entrance/exit points to the event, leading Spies and Juice Box Jams representative William Gallagher to say they’re confident that they can control the crowd well.

All alcohol-sale proceeds from the weekend will go to Juice Box Jams.

Last year, the first year of the PBR Ocean City Seacrets Classic, drew 40 top-class bull riders to the resort with bull rider Eduardo de Oliveira of Brazil winning the event. He actually lost to Cooter Brown in the championship round but had such strong prior rounds that de Oliveira still clinched the top spot.

The event is just one stop on the 2023 PBR Challenger Series, which will make more than 60 stops from May through November before its championship in Las Vegas, according to a press release.

Bull riders get on one bull each in the first three rounds. Following Sunday’s third round, individual three-round scores will be added up and the top 15 will advance to the championship round.

Bull riding will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

For tickets and more information, visit https://pbr.com/.

This story appears in the May 19, 2023 print edition of the OC Today.