Autumn in Cape May County: So much to do…

From Labor Day to the holidays, Cape May County beckons with cooler days and a slower pace. It’s like summer, only better!
After Labor Day Weekend, the pace at the Jersey Cape stays lively with traditional festivities and somewhat offbeat merriment.
Celebrate the lowly lima bean in West Cape May, watch monster trucks race on the beach in Wildwood, or help Sherlock Holmes solve a mystery in Cape May.
From this point in the busy event calendar, almost every weekend fills up with harvest festivals, parades, conventions, ethnic celebrations, barbecues and other activities as varied as the fall foliage. There’s an Irish Festival in North Wildwood, military encampments at Historic Cold Spring Village, a Food and Wine Festival in Cape May, the annual Firemen’s Convention and parade, a Hydrofest Power Boat Show, Monster Truck Races, a Fabulous 50’s Celebration in the Wildwoods and a Quiet Festival in Ocean City, to name just a few.
Bring your appetite for food and fun to the Fall Family Festival in Sea Isle City, Sept. 14. A seaside market, live entertainment, food court, promenade dance party, sand sculpting contest and a fireworks display highlight this fun family event.
If war history is your thing, then go to Historic Cold Spring Village for Civil War Weekend, Sept. 13-14, and see military encampment and demonstrations of infantry drill, weapons, and artillery fire.
The Wings n’ Water Festival, a great event, Sept. 19-21, features a weekend full of wildlife and maritime art and activities, boat cruises, dune walks, music, an auction and so much more that it takes place throughout Seven Mile Beach of Avalon and Stone Harbor.
The Cape May Food and Wine Festival will take place Sept. 20-25. At varied locations throughout the historic city classes, seminars, workshops and tours will focus on the culinary culture of this city dubbed the “restaurant capital of the East Coast.”
Victorian Week in Cape May, Oct. 10-19, is a 10-day celebration of the 19th Century held in America’s Oldest Seashore Resort. Relive the Victorian lifestyle and heritage in grand style with historic house tours, vintage dancing, mystery dinners, lectures, fashion shows, concerts and more.
Another favorite is Ocean City’s Indian Summer Weekend, set for Oct. 10-13, with merchants, vendors and entertainment galore, downtown on Asbury Avenue.
Not to be overlooked, the little borough of West Cape May hosts its famous Lima Bean Festival with the coronation of Miss Lima Bean and more lima bean recipes and related items that most people could ever imagine. It’s held in Wilbraham Park on Saturday, Oct. 11.
On Oct. 18, take the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge and visit as many as 11 lighthouses from Sandy Hook to Cape May Point.
The New Jersey Audubon Society’s Autumn Weekend is slated for Oct. 24-26. With birding being the fastest-growing outdoor activity in the country, bird lovers will flock to the southernmost point in the state to witness the fall migration of hundreds of species of birds. The Cape May Bird Observatory’s Northwood Center in Cape May Point will host the weekend of eco events including workshops and programs, field trips and a Salt Marsh Eco tour and much more.
Join Sherlock Holmes for a weekend of mystery and intrigue, Nov. 7-9 including performances, tour, luncheon and prizes. Solve the crime on the Search for Clues Tour and perhaps encounter Holmes and Watson as you enjoy your self-guided tour.
When the weekend of Nov. 15-16 comes, the City of Ocean City will pay homage to the act of being quiet. The Quiet Festival is a popular weekend for visitors to enjoy the natural sounds of the seashore because all talking will be kept to a minimum.
If a slower, more tranquil pace is right for you, greet the day with a morning walk on the boardwalk in Ocean City or pedal along the promenades in Cape May and Sea Isle City. Spend an afternoon with flowers, birds, butterflies or books.
Well into September, the beaches are often deserted, but still shimmering in the fall sunshine, are perfect for a quiet afternoon stretched out with a best seller or a few relaxing hours soaking up the warmth of a September or October afternoon.
Bird watchers, amateur and serious, with binoculars in hand can head for Cape May Point where thousands of Monarch butterflies and dozens of species of birds visit the tip of New Jersey on their annual migratory flights.
Anyone feeling energetic can climb the 199 steps to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse. The panoramic view from the top is well worth the aerobic workout. The lighthouse, which dates back to 1859, is one of the oldest, continually operating lighthouses in the country.
By mid-November, when Indian Summer is over and most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, things slow down just a bit on the Jersey Cape. Oh, did we mention how exciting the holidays are in Cape May, and the celebration begins Nov. 22-23? That’s a whole other story!
For more information about these special events call the Cape May County Department of Tourism at 800-227-2297 or visit the website at www.thejerseycape.com.