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Cape May has it all in October. If you want ghosts, we got ghosts. If it’s an Octoberfest you want, we got that. If your interests run toward the epicurean, you’ve come to the right place. You want Victorian? We got that. You want birds? Boy, do we have birds. What’s that? You want details? We got that, too.
Where to begin? Why don’t we start
from the very beginning with Oktoberfest, which is being held in October (Oct.
4) this year, rather than September? This an Other special
events you will not want to miss include the West Cape May Lima Bean Festival
held Saturday, October 11 at Wilbraham Park, across from CVS. West Cape May
celebrates her farming heritage with the Annual Lima Bean Festival! The lowly legume takes center stage beginning at 9 a.m. and
delights locals and visitors alike with her vast array of recipes, crafts and
products available. The fun continues till 5 p.m., but plan to stop by early so
you don’t miss a trick (or the great entertainment!) The event moves to
Sunday Another don’t miss? Enjoy fall at the Migration Mainline - Cape May, New Jersey.
NJ Audubon Society and Cape May Bird Observatory celebrate the 62nd Annual Cape
May Autumn Weekend October 24 through 26. The Cape May Autumn Weekend, hosted by
NJ Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory, is held during the peak of fall
migration. With
three days of specially led field trips, boat trips, indoor
programs & workshops all with top naturalists, there is something for everyone –
from the beginner to the seasoned naturalist! Celebrated speakers include Pete
Dunne, Kevin Karlson, Michael O’Brien, Elizabeth Rosenthal, Lee Allen Peterson,
with special keynote speakers
How about with wine and food? Well, actually, we can combine wine, food and Victoriana all in one. Cape May’s 36th annual Victorian Week celebration begins Friday, October 10 and runs straight through to Sunday, October 19. Hailed as “A Top 100 event in North America,” celebrate Victoriana with 10 days of unique and entertaining activities, such as Vintage Dance Workshops, Historic House Tours, Murder Mystery Dinners, tours by boat Around Cape Island, evening ghost tours, Victorian teas, concerts, and more. Order tickets in advance to ensure a place at these events. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). For more information or to make reservations, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.
A new offering, Victorian Tour and Tales, and the ever
popular Vintage Dance Weekend are among the highlights of this ode to Queen
Victoria and Cape May’s Victorian architecture. Encounter costumed Victorians
as you stroll the streets of Cape
May’s Historic District. Learn about its history and visit the
interiors of eight inns, where owners or guides will share their stories.
Includes admission And if you
have desire to shop like a Victorian, amble over to the grounds of the
The Wheaton Arts Glassblowers set up their kiln right on the grounds of the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. for an expert glassblowing demonstration on Saturday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Their wares are available for purchase. Admission is free. No, we did not
forget about your penchant for the epicurean. That same weekend (October 11-12)
is the Cape May Wine Festival. This is your opportunity to
sample (and buy) the superb award-winning wines from New Jersey, listen to live
music, stroll through crafters and buy wine-related items to take home, attend
educational seminars, purchase gourmet food, and visit The Kids Zone which has
activities especially for the younger attendees, and much, much more. The event
will be held at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, Rte 9 South, Lower Township,
NJ. There is free But if it’s chocolate you love – well, why didn’t you say so? Chocolate Fantasy Buffet is one day and one day only – October 12. Milk or dark, whatever your preference, you can fulfill your chocolate fantasy in the decadence of a completely chocolate buffet. Washington Inn Chef Kathleen Cressman-Pastiu will be on hand to share the secrets of her trade. 2 p.m. at the Washington Inn, 801 Washington St. Sunday, Oct. 12. Admission is $35 per person. This sells out VERY quickly so contact MAC ASAP and make your reservations. If ghosts and goblins tickle your fancy, what better place to find them than in a Victorian town?
For children of all ages, we have the annual Halloween
Parade, Sunday, October 19. The parade begins on Lyle Lane near the gazebo in
Rotary Park, and winds through the town ending at the Physick Estat If you like to Treat-or-Treat we have two offerings. The Washington Street Mall Merchants Association will have a Trick-or-Treat on the mall from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, October 26. Another Trick-or-Treat will held on Friday, October 31 from 5-7 p.m. some spooky characters are waiting at the Emlen Physic Estate, 1048 Washington Street, with treats for good little ghosts and goblins, pirates and princesses!
New on the spooky tour scene is MAC’s Tale of Terror Trolley
Ride. A costumed guide spins tales of terror f Additionally, there are three weeks of specially-themed tours and events including Ghostwriter Trolley Rides, Miss Parmentier’s Psychic Teas, Historic Haunts Combination Tours, Phantoms of the Physick Estate and much more to help you get into the “spirit” of the season! Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). For more information or to make reservations, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.
And don’t forget the oldest ghost tour in town. The Original
Haunted Cape May Tour meets on the Boardwalk across from Morrow’s Nut House
every Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday evening. To make reservations call If ghosts bore you but murder fascinates, then the Murder Mystery Dinners and Luncheon will be right up your alley. Whodunit? Find out (Friday, October 17 - Saturday, October 18 at 7 p.m.) as a cast of likely suspects invades the dining room at the Inn of Cape May! Solve the mystery and vie for prizes as you enjoy your meal. Limited event; reservations are necessary. Dinner admission $45; luncheon admission $30. Please call 609-884-5404 or visit www.capemaymac.org for more information.
In the world of theater don’t forget that Cape May is lucky
enough to host two, count ‘em two, professional equity theater companies. In the
month of October Cape May Stage presents Rounding Third by Richard
Dresser. Famed football coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning isn't
everything, it's the only thing." For some, Lombardi's maxim is a sound metaphor
for life. For the two Little League baseball coaches in Ro Over at East Lynne Theater, the George S. Kaufman/Marc Connelly production To the Ladies runs through October 18. To the Ladies was the second of eight plays on which they collaborated. This charming comedy about a young businessman and his new bride appeared on Broadway in 1922, starring Helen Hayes. George S. Kaufman’s daughter has never seen To the Ladies and will be spending time in Cape May just to see ELTC’s production. Please call 609-884-5898 or visit http://www.eastlynnetheater.org/ for more information. If that doesn’t keep you busy don’t forget we always have the beach, the sunsets and an eco-friendly environment that allows you to walk or bike anywhere you want to go on the island. |
nual festival takes place on
historic Jackson Street where you can find everything from music to beer to hot
food. It’s a fun family event and one not to be missed.
in case of rain. Information for his festival is available from organizer Diane Flanegan @ 609-884-9325.
Norman Smith and Kenn Kaufman. Autumn Weekend
details available at 
to the Emlen Physick Estate and trolley shuttle from 1 p.m.
to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Limited tour. Meanwhile, kick up her heels and
learn to boogie like a Victorian. Saturday, October 11 through Sunday,
October 12 is Vintage Dance Weekend. It includes three workshops with
instructors in 19th century dance from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11 at
the Franklin Street School gymnasium, 712 Lafayette St. $45 for three classes. A
Vintage Ball will be held 8-11 p.m. the same night at Cape May Elementary School
Gymnasium, 921 Lafayette St. $25 per person. A Tea Dance will be held at 2 p.m.
on Sunday, Oct. 12 at the Chalfonte Hotel. $20 per person. An all-inclusive
Dance Weekend Package is $65 per person. Dances feature live music of the period
and light refreshments. Vintage costume encouraged. 
Physick
Estate where the Antique and Crafts Show has been relocated from its tradition
Convention Hall location (remember - Convention Hall has been condemned). Visit
the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., on Saturday, Oct.
18 for Crafts and Antiques for Victorian Week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This
outdoor show combines top quality crafts and antiques vendors from the
Northeast. New in 2008, find out if your antique is trash or treasure from an
appraiser who will be on hand from 12 to 3 p.m. Admission is free. 
parking on the terminal grounds. Admission is $20 and includes
tastings of as many as 200 varieties of top–quality wines. Continuous shuttle
service is provided to and from Victorian Cape May, where you can also enjoy the
many tours and activities of Victorian Week. 12-5 p.m. Rain date, Monday,
October 13. Sponsored by the Garden State Wine Growers Association and
co-sponsored by the Delaware River & Bay Authority and MAC.
e on
Washington Street. If you plan to participate, registration begins at 1:30 p.m.
Judging is at 2 p.m. The parade starts at 3 p.m.
rom the Victorian era as the
trolley wends its way past flickering gas lamps through the ghostly streets of
Cape May on this 30-minute evening ride. Admission $10 for adults; $7 for
children (ages 3-12). 
609-884-4202 or visit them at
. They also have a very cute little store
appropriately called Boo-tique in the VERY haunted Macomber Hotel on Beach
Avenue. 
unding Third,
it is the subject for sometimes rancorous, often humorous debate, as they guide
their boys of summer through a season of Little League competition. A perfect
‘World Series’ theatre treat. Shows run Wednesdays through Sundays at the Robert
Shackleton Playhouse at Bank and Lafayette Streets. Please call 609-884-1341 or
visit