THE WILDWOODS – The 8th Annual Wildwoods’ Maritime Festival will be held at the historic Hereford Inlet Lighthouse on Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 1874 Gothic-style beacon is located at 111 North Central Ave., North Wildwood.
The festival will highlight New Jersey’s rich maritime history – dozens of artists and crafters from around the country are expected to exhibit as well as numerous non-profit marine and historical organizations. Tours of the 19th-century lighthouse and award-winning Victorian English Gardens will also be available for a fee of $6 for adults and $3 for children under 11 years old.
There will be a children’s activity area, delicious festival food and a family-friendly pirate show available both Saturday and Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. in the parking lot. Also, Daniel Lapidow, the Hebrew Hammer Blacksmith, will be giving demonstrations all weekend at 10 a.m.
Historical organizations featured throughout the festival will include The Cape May Maritime Museum, The Delaware Bay Lightkeepers & Friends, The Ocean City Life Saving Station, The Cape May County Historical Society, The Tatham’s (Stone Harbor) Life Saving Station, The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and The New Jersey Maritime Museum.
Award-winning authors will also be on hand for book signings including Deborah Whitcraft and Gretchen Coyle (“Inferno at Sea and Tuckers Island”); Hal Taylor (“The Illustrated Delaware River”); Lee Ireland (“America’s Pirates and their Hidden Treasures”); Steve Murray and Donna Elias (“To the Lighthouse!”); and David Veasy (“New Jersey Then and Now”).
The festival will be held rain or shine and admission is FREE.
For additional information about the Maritime Festival, visit www.HerefordLighthouseFestivals.org or call (609) 522-4520.
For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call (800) 992-9732.