Cape May Celebrates Presidents’ Day Weekend

CAPE MAY — The antidote to that relentless winter chill is to take a long holiday during Presidents’ Day Weekend, Feb. 15-17 in Cape May, the nation’s first seaside resort. Enjoy a crafts and antiques show, food and wine events, ghost tours and trolley tours, and more, all sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC).
The region’s most sought-after antiques dealers and craftspeople come together for a show in Victorian Cape May Feb. 15. The show features an array of handmade items, unique gifts, country antiques, glassware, silver, furniture and more. Crafts and Antiques in Winter will be held at the Cape May Convention Hall, Beach Avenue at Stockton, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
Spend the day visiting Cape May County’s wineries and sampling the unique flavors of each during the Cape May Wine Trail. First enjoy lunch at the famous Mad Batter Restaurant, 19 Jackson St., and then board the trolley, which will take you to Natali Vineyards, Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery and the new Willow Creek Winery in West Cape May. You’ll learn about viniculture and visit the tasting rooms, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 15. Admission is $75 and includes lunch, wine tastings at each vineyard and a wine tasting glass. This is a limited event, so reserve early.
There are few more enjoyable ways to warm up during winter than by tasting and appreciating fine wines. Expand your knowledge of wine as you learn to discern and appreciate specially selected Italian reds during the Cape May Wine School-Italian Wines class, featuring a wine expert who will explain their finer points. The class Feb. 16 takes place at the Washington Inn, 801 Washington St., at 1 p.m. and admission is $40 per person.
Cape May County vineyards are winning awards and their wines are ready for tasting. Spend the afternoon touring Natali Vineyards, Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery and Jessie Creek Winery and taste wines at each; experience the unique flavors as you sip and swirl at your own pace on the Self-guided Wine Trail. Admission is $10 and includes a map with the wineries listed. The tour is offered on Feb. 15, and Feb. 16, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Purchase tickets at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth, the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitor’s Center at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during hours of operation.
What’s brewing in Cape May? Some great spirits, as you’ll find out on the Self-guided Wine & Brewery Trail, which includes three area wineries, Natali Vineyards, Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery, and Jessie Creek Winery, plus the Cape May Brewing Company. Take a tour at each stop and sample some of their products. Admission is $15 and includes a map with directions. Offered from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feb. 16. Purchase tickets at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth, Washington Street Mall at Ocean Street, or the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitor’s Center at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during hours of operation.
Spend an afternoon at the award-winning Cape May Winery, 711 Town Bank Road, during the Winery Cellar Tour & Tasting. Tour the vineyard to see how the grapes are grown, get an introduction to the winemaker’s art, and enjoy a barrel tasting with cheese, fruit, and a sampling of five to six kinds of wine. Offered at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feb. 16. $20 per person. Purchase tickets at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth or the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitor’s Center at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during hours of operation.
Taste while you tour! Learn how the grapes are grown and the process that turns them into delicious Hawk Haven wines during the Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery Tour. The tour includes a souvenir glass and gourmet cheese tasting on the vineyard-view crush pad at 600 S Railroad Ave, Rio Grande. Offered at 1 p.m. on Feb. 15. Tickets are $20 if purchased at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth or the Hill House office at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St.
Craig McManus, paranormal investigator and psychic medium, has conducted numerous paranormal investigations throughout the City of Cape May. The Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour is a spine-tingling, 45-minute evening trolley ride through the streets of Cape May with a guide who relates the paranormal findings of Ghost Writer Craig McManus. Offered Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children (ages 3-12). Tours leave from the Washington Street Mall Information Booth at Ocean Street.
The best way to get to know Cape May and its rich history is to take the popular Historic District Trolley Tour. Knowledgeable guides present entertaining and educational stories about the nation’s oldest seashore resort. Tours are offered on Feb. 15 at 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 1:30 p.m., Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., and Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children (ages 3-12). The Emlen Physick Estate Tour at 1048 Washington St., Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, gives you a glimpse into the lives of a Cape May family of the late 1800s. Tour the 18-room mansion with your guide on Feb. 15 at 11:45 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., Feb. 16 at 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 11:45 a.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3-12). See both the Physick Estate and the historic district on guided Combination Trolley/Physick Estate Tours on Feb. 15 at 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., and Feb. 17 at 11 a.m.
The Center for Community Arts (CCA) in association with MAC presents a new exhibit in the Carriage House Gallery on the grounds of the Physick Estate: “The Way We Were … Cape May County’s Once Thriving Black Business Communities.” This Carriage House Gallery exhibit highlights the many black-owned businesses in Cape May County in existence from the early 20th century to the 1960s; during that time the African American community in Cape May City prospered, with more than 60 businesses located in what is now called Historic Cape May. The exhibit is at the Carriage House Gallery, 1048 Washington St. and is open Feb. 15, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Feb. 16, at 4 p.m., join representatives from the Center for Community Arts (CCA) and the local community at the Carriage House Gallery on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St, for a Free Panel Discussion to discuss the exhibit “The Way We Were … Cape May County’s Once Thriving Black Business Communities.” The discussion will center on the many black-owned businesses in Cape May County in existence from the early 20th century to the 1960s.
The Cape May Lighthouse will be open during Presidents’ Day Weekend. Climb 199 spiraling steps to the top for a panoramic view of the Jersey Cape and Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 15, Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tower admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children (ages 3-12). Admission to the Visitors’ Orientation Center and the ground floor of the Lighthouse is free. The lighthouse is located in Cape May Point State Park, Lower Township.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals, and special events, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC’s Web site at www.capemaymac.org. For information about restaurants, accommodations and shopping, call the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May at 609-884-5508. For information about historic accommodations, contact Cape May Historic Accommodations at www.capemaylodging.com.