The yearly Ocean Beach MainStreet Association (OBMA) Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 23 at the Ocean Beach Masonic Center, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. The relaxed and fun-filled event, often full of tongue-in-cheek jokes and good-natured pokes at friends in the community, is also a serious affair that honors outstanding merchants, volunteers and movers-and-shakers in Ocean Beach from throughout the year.
“It is a fun, two-hour event that is open to our members in good standing,” said Denny Knox, OBMA’s executive director. “Awards are given out based on nominations from all of our standing committees (design, organization, economic restructuring and promotion).”
Knox said OBMA’s membership (more than 500) has the opportunity to vote online for their favorite business in each category. She said the general public can also vote by going to the business improvement district’s (BID’s) Facebook event page at Facebook.com/obma92107.
“They need to have a Facebook account and they can comment (write in their choice for Customer Service Business of the Year),” Knox said, adding the evening’s buffet dinner is provided free of charge by 25 local restaurants who donate their favorite dishes. “We often have many elected representatives in attendance,” said Knox. “There is always a surprise during the event. Last year, everyone got red lips and posed for photos. We have something different for this year.”
Knox said this year’s OBMA awards will have something for everyone, including “a little singing, recognizing our local businesses, catching up with friends — and it’s all free.”
Five huge baskets, each worth $500 in gift cards and other items are being raffled off at this year’s event. Raffle tickets are $5, and an arm’s length of tickets can be purchased for $20. “Members can put their prize tickets in any of the jugs in front of the baskets depending on which baskets they want to win,” said Knox. “It’s a great deal.”
For more information, visit www.oceanbeachsandiego.com.