Editing Ocean City, Maryland (section)

===21st century===
[[File:Ocean City MD beach looking north at 25th Street.jpeg|thumb|Ocean City beach at 25th Street]]

In 2002, Ocean City undertook a multi-million dollar [[beach restoration]] program in an attempt to slow the westward migration of its beaches. The program pumped tons of sand from offshore and deposited it onto the beach. A dune line was also re-established in front of Ocean City's building line. Another similar project began after the 2006 tourist season closed.

In 2006, the city erected the Ocean City Firefighter's Memorial to honor local firefighters as well as firefighters who died in the [[September 11 attacks]]. In addition to a statue of a firefighter, the monument incorporates a piece of steel beam from one of the towers destroyed at the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ocean City Firefighter's Memorial|publisher=Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company|url=http://www.ocvfc.com/memorial.cfm|access-date=February 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114072811/http://ocvfc.com/memorial.cfm|archive-date=November 14, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The resort area was visited by approximately 8 million visitors in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ococean.com/media |title=Ocean City Maryland - Media |publisher=Ocean City Maryland Convention and Visitors Bureau and Department of Tourism |access-date=September 6, 2011}}</ref>

In 2022, the Town of Ocean City announced the Oceans Calling Festival, a four-day music event drawing major artists such as the [[Dave Matthews Band]], [[Cyndi Lauper]], [[The Lumineers]], and [[Alanis Morissette]]. However, [[Hurricane Ian]] forced the event to be rescheduled for fall 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oceans Calling 2022 festival in Ocean City canceled due to Tropical Storm Ian |url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2022/09/29/oceans-calling-2022-in-ocean-city-md-canceled-due-to-weather-threat-music-festival/69527780007/ |access-date=April 20, 2023 |website=The Daily Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

Ocean City continues to sprawl westward across the bay, toward [[Berlin, Maryland|Berlin]] and [[Ocean Pines, Maryland|Ocean Pines]].{{When|date=April 2024}} It was part of the Ocean Pines [[micropolitan statistical area]] until that was subsumed by the [[Salisbury metropolitan area]].{{When|date=April 2024}}

{{wide image|Ocean City, Maryland panorama.jpg|1200 px|Beach in Ocean City|alt=A beach with people scattered about and backlit by late afternoon sun}}