This is a huge festival weekend on the Cape. In Cape May City, the annual Halloween parade is Sunday. It’s a small, family-friendly event with lots of kids in costume. Don’t expect a rager. A huge Porsche car show, one of the best-attended in the region, is this weekend, weather permitting. We wrote all about it, read our story. The Audubon Fall festival is a good way to to get into birding, with lots of vendors and fun field events for rookies and pros alike. Your editor found a killer pair of cheap binoculars here. 50’s 60’s 70’s weekends, in the Wildwoods, is always a fun way to dance (we need more dancing on the Cape!) Ghoul Spring Village is a really fun way to see this living-history museum, especially if you were sad that last week’s Pumpkin Festival was canceled because of bad weather.
Cape Hope’s “Build a Home” Affordable Housing Fundraiser
Thursday, Oct. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m.
MudHen Brewing Company
Cape Hope is creating affordable housing for working families, but it needs help from readers to get the project over the finish line. Help them raise the final funds needed to transport a house that would otherwise be demolished to a new location in Erma.The home will be rented out to families on the verge of homelessness, and the rent will be used toward future projects. 30% of your dining tab will be donated to the project. Come for good food, live music, raffles and more. Dunk Ollie the clown in a dunk tank from 5 to 7 p.m., enjoy a comedy show at 7:30 and a live auction with John Lynch at 8. Help Cape Hope make a difference!
Cape May Audubon Fall Festival
Thurs. to Sunday, Oct. 16 to 19
Cape May Convention Hall
Cape May Convention Hall becomes the hub for birders with vendors, artists, tour companies, and optics brands on display. There’s a lot to do outside the convention hall, of course, including trolley trips, birding field trips, boat trips, and so much more. Families can enjoy live animal shows – including animal shows from Nature Nick, and activities that celebrate Cape May’s role in global bird migration. Kenn Kaufman gives the Saturday keynote, on his book “The Birds that Audubon Missed.”
Middle Township: Halloween House Decorating Contest
Friday, October 17 – Tuesday, October 21
Winners announced October 23rd
Ghoul Spring Village
Friday, Oct. 17 + 18 / 25 + 25, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
This spooky event expands to two weekends this year! Enjoy a family-friendly haunted walk through the Village grounds, which were carefully designed to resemble a New Jersey village as it would have existed during colonial times. Added this year: juried craft vendors & food trucks!
Wildwoods 50s, 60s & 70s Weekend
Friday + Saturday, Oct. 17 + 18
Wildwood Convention Center
This retro celebration features classic street fairs, a dance party, and live performances that bring back the sounds of the past. It’s a fun-filled weekend of nostalgia at the shore. Friday night is the famous dance party, Saturday’s show has the Pointer Sisters & the Spinners.
Sea Isle City: Harvest Classic
Saturday, October 18, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Excursion Park, 2 41st St, Sea Isle City, NJ 08243
The event will feature live music, a vendors market, activities for the kids and more! Throughout the weekend, all are encouraged to check out the Scarecrow Contest at local businesses/organizations and vote for your favorite! The business or organization with the most votes will win a prize, courtesy of the SICCCR!
Wildwood Crest: Children’s Halloween Season Event – The Great Science Spooktacular
Saturday, October 18, 10 a.m.
Crest Arts Pavilion (6301 Ocean Ave), Wildwood Crest, NJ
Fun children’s science program geared for the Halloween season … FREE to attend … children are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes … candy will be distributed … More info: 609-523-0202 or 609-522-0221.
Hotrods & Hayride at Rea’s Family Farm
Saturday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
400 Stevens Street, West Cape May
See a wide selection of classic cars, trucks and tractors displayed with peak fall colors as the backdrop at this all-day festival. This family friendly event features a seven-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch and hayrides around the 125-acre working preserved farm. Enjoy food vendors and live music throughout the afternoon. Behr Brewing will be on hand pouring a fall favorite.
Wildwoods Classic Car Show
Saturday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fox Park, across from the Wildwoods Convention Center
Porsche Boardwalk Reunion
Saturday, Oct. 18, 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ocean City Boardwalk, 6th Street to 14th Street
Over 350 Porsches of all models and years between 1954 and 2021 will be on display. Free tech sessions on Porsche-related topics will be held at the Music Pier and are open to all.
Creepy Jeep at the Zoo
Saturday, Oct. 18
Cape May County Zoo, 707 U.S. 9 North, Cape May Court House
Join the fun with a Jeep decorating contest, Trunk and Treat, and adult & kids costume contests. Peer judging with trophies awarded to the top 5 Jeeps and best costumes.
Mudhen Harvest Festival
Saturday, Oct. 18, 12 – 5 p.m.
MudHen Brewing Co., 127 W Rio Grande Ave, Wildwood
Come to MudHen Brewing Company for circus performers (2 to 5 p.m.), free pumpkin and face painting (12 to 4 p.m.), and live music from Dear Zoe (3 to 7 p.m.) and The Sensational Soul Cruisers (7 to 11 p.m.)
Cape May’s Annual Halloween Parade
Sunday, October 19, 1:30 – 3 p.m.
Cape May’s annual Halloween Parade steps off along the Mall on Carpenters Lane. Ghouls and goblins of all ages celebrate the spirit of spooky season dressed in their best costumes or driving decorated antique autos and golf carts. All are invited and free registration to participate in the parade begins at 1:30 pm on Perry Street at South Lafayette Street, with judging to follow at 2:30 pm. Come early and enjoy some shopping and dining among festive decor along the Mall.
4-H Open House & Trunk or Treat
Sunday, October 19, 1 – 4 p.m.
4-H Fairgrounds, 355 Court House – South Dennis Road, Court House
Free activities, 4-H Club exhibits, hayrides, a petting zoo, and treats. Plus, for $5 you can pick a pumpkin from our Pumpkin Patch to take home.
