CAPE MAY — Celebrate the beauty of spring during Cape May’s 18th annual Spring Festival, co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) and the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May.
Experience this National Historic Landmark City’s charm and discover its fresh flavors, fascinating history and lively culture during the 10-day springtime celebration from April 26 to May 5. Taste innkeepers’ signature desserts during the Chocolate Championship Tour & Tasting, learn about the historic Chalfonte Hotel in a new exhibit at the Carriage House Gallery or enjoy lunch or afternoon tea at the newly reopened Carriage House Café & Tearoom. Step inside Cape May’s private residences for special house tours, hear spooky stories on a ghost tour or discover local gardens. You can kick up your heels at a Vintage Ball, attend a murder mystery dinner, and much more.
Enjoy the 2013 season reopening of Cape May’s Carriage House Café & Tearoom on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. with a café menu that features signature salads, wraps and tea sandwiches, as well as homemade soups and quiche, plus the popular Classic Tea Luncheon and Elegant Afternoon Tea. If you have a busy schedule, everything is available for takeout. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and parking is free. For reservations call 609-884-5111.
Cape May’s 18th Annual Spring Festival features a tempting selection of new food and wine events along with some returning favorites:
Making its festival return is the Chocolate Championship Tour & Tasting on Sat., May 4 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. You are the judge as you taste some of the area’s most irresistible chocolate concoctions. Visit participating historic inns and B&Bs, sample their signature desserts and vote for your favorites. You decide who will take home Cape May’s Chocolate Champion title. Those who turn in completed evaluation cards will get recipes by email. Adult tickets are $20; children (ages 3-12) are $18.
If you delight over a good whodunit, you’ll enjoy Murder Mystery Dinners at the Carriage House Café & Tearoom, on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. Join the Impromptu Players as they set the scene for the original mystery, “Foul Weather Fiend” and enjoy a four-course dinner as you contemplate the clues, interact with the cast and help solve the mystery as it unfolds on Sat., May 4, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person. If you prefer to mull over your mystery during lunch, Murder Mystery Luncheons include a three-course meal at Aleathea’s Restaurant at the lovely Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St., and the thrill of unearthing clues to the mystery as it unfolds around you. Lunch is $30 per person on May 5, at 1 p.m.
Relax over a glass of wine at the Cape May Winery, 711 Townbank Road as you take a Winery Cellar Tour & Tasting. See how the grapes are grown and learn about the winemaker’s art as you enjoy a barrel-tasting accompanied by cheese and fruit on Sat., May 4, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20; the event is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth at Ocean Street. If you prefer, explore at your own pace during the Self-guided Wine Trail.
Visit Natali Vineyards and Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery and taste the unique flavors at each. Offered daily from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 and includes a map with the wineries listed and a tasting glass. What’s brewing in Cape May? Some great spirits, as you’ll find out on the new Self-guided Wine & Brewery Tour of two area wineries, Natali Vineyards and Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery, plus the new Cape May Brewing Company. Take a tour at each stop and sample some of their products. Admission is $13 and includes a map with directions. Tours are offered on Sat.,May 4 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Discover Cape May’s “spirited” side during tours that focus on the paranormal; hear haunting tales about the nation’s first seaside resort and maybe even experience an actual ghost or two:
Board a MAC trolley for the Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour, a 45-minute evening ride through the haunted streets of Cape May. The paranormal findings of Cape May’s popular psychic medium and ghost writer Craig McManus come alive as your guide relates McManus’ spooky stories. Ride past the flickering gas street lamps and the haunted properties of Cape May and experience the spine-tingling tales exposed by McManus. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children (ages 3-12).
Tours are offered on Fri., May 3 at 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. and Sat., May 4 at 9:30 p.m.
Take the Historic Haunts Combo Tour and combine the Ghosts of Cape May trolley tour with a visit to the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May’s “original” haunted house. There you will visit a home séance room of the 1890s and learn of the Victorians’ fascination with spiritualism along with today’s methods of “ghost hunting.” Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for children (ages 3-12). Tours are offered Sat., May 4 at 7:15 p.m.
Take a trolley tour through parts of West Cape May to the Cape May Lighthouse and hear tales of ghostly activity along the way during the Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour on Sat., May 4 at 8 p.m. Meet the Lighthouse Keeper who will relate a ghostly tale inside the Cape May Light and climb the 199 steps to the top. Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for children (ages 3-12).
A National Historic Landmark City and one of “America’s 20 Prettiest Towns,” Cape May is the perfect place to stroll, step back into a gentler era and explore the city’s magnificent Victorian architecture and seaside beauty:
Hunt for unique hand-made crafts and one-of-a-kind antiques at the Spring Festival Crafts & Antiques Shows on Sat., May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., becomes an outdoor marketplace as vendors from throughout the Northeast display their wares. New in 2013! Don’t miss the Beer Garden on the grounds featuring refreshing brews. Admission is free and free parking is available
Take advantage of the rare opportunity to see inside some of Cape May’s finest private residences on the Spring Festival Private Homes Tours, Sat., May 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy touring these interesting and stately homes from the Victorian era to the 21st century that are not normally open to the public. Tickets are limited, so purchase early. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children (ages 3-12).
Learn about “Victorian Luxuries,” the new theme for guided tours of Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. Get an in-depth glimpse of the Victorian lifestyle as your tour guide leads you through each room in the Estate. You’ll discover the differences between this house and a regular middle-class home and learn why our idea of luxury today is really a Victorian idea. The new theme will run through April 2014 (except during the holiday season).
Tours are offered year-round and admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3-12). Tours can also be combined with trolley tours of Cape May’s Historic District. Meet with the good doctor, Dr. Physick himself, when “The Dr. is In” on Sat.,May 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Estate.
Board the Cape May Whale Watcher for a sightseeing cruise around the island of Cape May during the Around Cape Island Boat Cruise. View the majestic Victorian architecture and enjoy tales of local heroes, legends and history. Offered at 10 a.m. on May 4 and Sun.,May 5. Tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for children (ages 7-12). Purchase tickets in advance at the Washington Street Mall information Booth or at the Hill House office at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St.
Board the 110-foot Cape May Whale Watcher for the Cape May Whale & Dolphin Cruise, a three-hour cruise and the chance to see humpback whales, dozens of bottlenose dolphins, unusual sea birds or rare sea turtles, with guaranteed marine mammal sightings. Purchase tickets in advance at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth. Offered at 1 p.m. Sat., May 4 and Sun., May 5. $35 for adults, $23 for children (ages 6-12).
Learn about Cape May’s Civil War hero Henry Sawyer in the Carriage House Gallery exhibit, “Cape May’s Chalfonte Hotel: A Living National Landmark.” Built by Civil War hero Henry Sawyer, taken prisoner 150 years ago in 1863, the Chalfonte Hotel has hosted guests continuously for over 137 years. Home to heroes, heroines, heartaches, legends, love affairs, unforgettable characters and nationally famous cooks, the hotel’s intriguing history comes alive in this exhibit at the Carriage House Gallery at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St.
Author Karen Fox adapts her book, “The Chalfonte,” into an intriguing
exhibit showcasing life and legends at the hotel from Henry Sawyer’s handwritten battlefield diaries and prison letters to more than a century of vintage photos, watercolors, architectural drawings, kitchen diaries, first person narratives and memorabilia of guests who return to the hotel over five and six generations. A free exhibit opening is at the Carriage House Gallery, on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. The exhibit is free and open daily through Nov. 10.
An evening moonlight tour is a memorable way to enjoy the nation’s first seaside resort during Cape May’s 18th Annual Spring Festival.
If Cape May’s “other side” intrigues you, take a trolley tour through parts of West Cape May to the Cape May Lighthouse and hear tales of ghostly activity along the way, on the Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour, Sat. May 4 at 8 p.m. Tour-goers will meet the Lighthouse Keeper who will relate a ghostly tale inside the Cape May Light. Climb the 199 steps to the starry top for an unbeatable nighttime view.
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.
Villas – Yep, here come those mask mandates again starting in, of course, a blue state. If there isn't a virus yet for the mask, they will find one before November 5th.
