Another beautiful Ocean Beach summer has begun. With the warm weather, gorgeous natural scenery, and OB’s classic beach-town vibe, tourists and locals alike will soon be flocking to our shores.
That’s why it is so important for the OB community to always put our best foot forward and keep our visitors coming back year after year. The Fourth of July is one of those days when we have the opportunity to show off all that OB has to offer to thousands of tourists. However, in previous years, we have seen first-hand the trouble caused by the unregulated tradition of the “marshmallow war” after the fireworks show.
Last year, the Ocean Beach Town Council responded to an overwhelming call from OB residents and business owners to put an end to the “war.” Residents asked the Town Council to take action because bystanders – including a child and a senior citizen — were injured in the melee, businesses were damaged, and more than 2,000 pounds of trash were left behind on the beach and Veterans Plaza. The 2013 cleanup cost thousands of dollars and the negative publicity lasted for days. Our resolution calling for an end to the “war” passed by unanimous vote.
In 2014, the Ocean Beach Town Council and other community groups led a campaign to “Mallow Out” and end the marshmallow war. We were quite successful with sources stating a 90 percent reduction in the amount of marshmallow goo on our streets – but we need your help to ensure that tourists and residents alike ‘make smore’s, not wars’ with their marshmallows this July 4. – Ocean Beach Town Council