WEST OCEAN CITY – Area residents will have the chance to get to know their local retailers with West Ocean City’s 9th Annual Death by Chocolate event.

The game, hosted every year by Crazy Ladyz in West Ocean City, invites shoppers to play a game that involves stopping at participating retailers to pick up clues. At the end of the day, they have a chance to win one of 14 prizes.

“Death by Chocolate was designed to create awareness of who our local merchants are,” said Jan Patterson of Crazy Ladyz.

This year’s event is being held a week later than usual– on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – because of Valentine’s Day. Patterson says the event always takes place in February because it’s a time when locals are looking for something to do.

“Football’s over and we’re waiting for spring,” she said. “What else can you do that’s fun in the dead of winter?”

Fourteen stores are participating in this year’s event. Each, as the name of the game suggests, will be serving some sort of chocolate to visitors. Event attendees, upon receiving a game card, are tasked with visiting each of the participating shops to pick up a clue. The theme of this year’s game is “Name that Logo,” so Patterson says they’ll have to be on the lookout for mainstream logos as they visit the shops.

“We’ll see how good everybody is,” she joked.

Because the game encourages players to pick up a clue at each store, they visit West Ocean City shops they might never go into otherwise. Patterson said Pet Threadz was a perfect example.

“If you don’t have any pets you’d never think to visit,” she said. “This way they (players) have an opportunity to go in and see what these retailers are all about.”

She said the game had proven to be a valuable marketing tool through the years.

“For some retailers it’s a big day for sales,” she said. “For others it’s a seed that’s planted for business down the road.”

Patterson said the event typically attracts a large crowd, one that has grown in recent years. What started as 150 players the first year grew to 600 players last year.

“It’s a fun day,” Patterson said.

Once players have gotten clues from all the shops, they can drop off their game cards at either their last stop or Sunset Grille. An after party will be held at the restaurant at 7 p.m. At that time, winners will be drawn from among the submitted game cards. Each retailer will be giving away a prize. This year’s prizes range from gift certificates to a set of Alex and Ani bracelets.

Participants need not be present to win although they must be at least 18 to enter the drawing.

In addition to the prizes being awarded, this year’s Death by Chocolate event also offers participants specials at some businesses. On Feb. 20 Horn and Shell and Full Moon Saloon will be offering game players lunch specials. The Holiday Inn Express will also offer Death by Chocolate players discounted room rates.