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OceanCity.com Announces the Best of Ocean City® 2026 Photo Contest - Press Release
By AnnMay 12, 20263 min read
Enter to win the 2026 Best of Ocean City® Photo Contest
Ocean City, MD — OceanCity.com is proud to launch the Best of Ocean City® 2026 Photo Contest, inviting photographers of all skill levels to submit their best images of Ocean City, Maryland for a chance to earn one of the most visible honors in the resort community. Submissions are now open at OceanCity.com Photo Contest Submission.
This year's contest features a structured multi-round format — from open submissions to public voting rounds to a final five — culminating in a winner whose photograph will be featured as the official background image on all 2026 Best of Ocean City® awards.
"The Best of Ocean City® Photo Contest has become one of our favorite community traditions," said Ann McGinnis Hillyer, CEO of OceanCity.com. "Every year, local photographers surprise us with images that make you stop scrolling and just look. That's what Ocean City does — it gives you moments worth capturing. We can't wait to see what this year's photographers bring us."
What We're Looking For
From the first light on the beach to the glow of the Ferris wheel at night, Ocean City offers endless opportunities for stunning photography. We're looking for images that capture the beauty, energy, and authenticity of Ocean City, Maryland — the coastline, the boardwalk, the food, the people, the culture, and everything in between. All submitted photos must be taken in Ocean City, Maryland and must be high-resolution, suitable for printing at 18″ × 18″.
2026 Contest Timeline
Submissions Open: May 12 – June 7, 2026 Submit your photo on OceanCity.com. Round 1 closes at midnight on June 7. The top 20 submissions will be selected and loaded for public voting on June 8.
Round 1 Public Voting: June 8 – June 14, 2026 The public votes for their favorites. Voting closes at midnight on June 14.
Finals — Top 5: June 15 – June 20, 2026 The five finalist photos advance to a final public vote. Voting closes at midnight on June 20.
Winner Announced: June 22, 2026 The winning photographer is revealed and their image is named the official background photograph of the 2026 Best of Ocean City® awards.
Contest Rules & Details
- Photos must be taken in Ocean City, Maryland. Images taken outside of Ocean City are not eligible.
- Submissions must be high-resolution and suitable for printing at 18″ × 18″.
- By submitting a photo, contestants irrevocably assign ownership of their submitted image to OceanCity.com, which reserves the right to use submissions on the website and for any marketing purposes without further compensation or notice.
- Finalists may be contacted to provide the highest available resolution version of their submission.
- The winning photograph will be featured as the background image on all 2026 Best of Ocean City® awards.
About Ann
Ann has been with StateVentures since 1999. She moved from Annapolis to Berlin, MD to be closer to Ocean City. She loves a camera and any excuse to use it. Her kids are both grown and off adventuring. Ann loves the beach. She loves to fish, travel with her children and grandchildren, and find the best restaurants and deals in Ocean City.
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