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ESPN reporter Marty Smith will be the grand marshal of Ocean City's 69th annual Night in Venice on Saturday, July 20, the city said. The theme will be "Summertime Vibes: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett."
Smith's wife Lainie is a city native and graduated from Ocean City High School in 1995.
"It’s great that the Smith family has such close ties with Ocean City, and I’m honored to have Marty as our grand marshal for this year’s Night in Venice," Mayor Jay Gillian said in a statement. "They’ll be right at home on the water for this summer’s spectacular event."
Smith is most widely known for his entertaining work on ESPN's coverage of college football and NASCAR. He also co-hosts "Marty & McGee" on the SEC Network.
The Smiths live in North Carolina and have a beach home in Ocean City.
"Every June, the Smith family makes the trek north to come back to Ocean City, where they spend the entire summer vacation season in "America's Greatest Family Resort,"" the city said.
Thousands of spectators watch Night in Venice along Ocean City's bayfront. The boat parade goes from the Ocean City-Longport Bridge to near Tennessee Avenue and the evening is capped off with a fireworks display.
The parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
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